I recently had the pleasure of reviewing Sheila Lukins’s latest cookbook, “TEN: All the Foods We Love, Ten Recipes for Each.”
I love this book because it takes the everyday foods we know and love and gives them a bit of a twist. Imagine your favorite comfort foods with a dollop of new flavor. This particular recipe for Market Street Meat Loaf scored high points in our house…even with the uber picky hubby. I especially like it because it packs a huge punch of flavor; it’s a unique twist on an old favorite. Plus, it’s loaded with veggies. I don’t know about you, but we always struggle to get all our vegetable servings in. When you sneak it into the meat dish, you can’t miss. Lukins says it’s the carrots, celery and bell peppers that get the flavor going; but I think it’s the spices that take it over the edge. It gives a nice fresh flavor that you don’t expect with meat loaf.
Image Source: Flickr
It also makes a huge batch, making it the ideal freezer meal. You can bake half now and put the rest in the freezer for later.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ cup finely chopped onion
¾ cup finely chopped scallions (white bulbs and 3 inches green)
½ cup finely chopped carrots
¼ cup finely chopped celery
¼ cup finely chopped red bell pepper
¼ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 large eggs, well beaten
½ cup ketchup
½ cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 pounds lean ground beef
12 ounces ground sweet Italian sausage
¾ cup fine fresh toasted bread crumbs (I cheated and used the generic grocery brand)
1. Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat, and add the onions, scallions, carrots, celery, bell peppers, and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the moisture has evaporated. (about 10 minutes). Set the mixture aside to cool; then refrigerate it, covered, until chilled (1-2 hours).
2. Pre-heat oven to 350
3. Beat the eggs, ketchup, half-and-half, cumin, nutmeg, cayenne, and salt and pepper together in a mixing bowl. Add the ground beef, sausage and bread crumbs. Then add the chilled vegetables and knead with your hands until well mixed.
4. Form the mixture into a loaf shape, approximately 12 inches long, 5 inches wide and 2 ½ inches high, on a rimmed baking sheet. (personally, I prefer forming 4 small football shaped loaves. I cooked two and froze the other two for later use). Bake the loaf until it is cooked through—about 1 hour. Let the meat loaf rest for 20 minutes before slicing.
……………………………………………………
About Me:
I am an average mom living a busy life in the Midwest. My family includes a lovable but hyperactive toddler, an obsessive compulsive husband and two spirited beagles who all keep me on my toes. In additional to taking care of my family full time, I work in public relations for Designed Write Public Relations, serve as the co-leader for my local Mothers & More chapter, and manage the facebook page, The Average Parent.
I enjoy working with non-profit organizations, learning and trying new things, and spreading the word about my experiences. You can contact me at theaverageparent@gmail.com.