Yummy Meatloaf

1.5 lbs low fat ground beef
1 cup oats (preferably "Old Fashioned" or "regular")
1 egg
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup ketchup
1.5 teaspoon salt
dash pepper

Mix together until well blended.  Pat into loaf pan.

Bake @ 350° for 45-60 minutes.  With ~5 minutes to go top with ketchup swirls.

I serve with mashed potatoes or cabbage.

Bacon Garlic Roast

This is a variant on a Williams Sonoma "Savoring France" recipe that I absolutely love.

Ingredients:

3 1/2 lbs Rib Roast or Veal Loin
3 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 TSP Salt
1 TSP Freshly Ground Pepper
2-4 Bay Leaves
4 Fresh Thyme Sprigs
6-10 Slices Thick Sliced Bacon (depending on size of roast)
6 Heads Garlic
4 Chopped Garlic Cloves

Preheat an oven to 425 F

Rub the roast with 1 tablespoon olive oil followed by salt and pepper. Place bay leaves, chopped garlic cloves, and thyme springs on the top of the roast. Wrap roast with bacon slices, usually I lay the bacon along the longer dimension of the roast. Tie up bacon with kitchen string to hold bacon in place. Cut 1/4 inch off top of garlic heads. Rub the heads with the remaining oil. The roast bacon side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Wedge garlic heads around the roast.

Roast uncovered, basting roast and garlic with pan juices, until 145 F at thickest part (this will leave the center rare and the edges medium well) about 1 hour. Transfer roast and garlic to platter and cover loosely with foil. Let rest 10 minutes before carving.

Remove twine. Set aside pan juices for use as gravy. Smear garlic cloves from garlic heads on sliced meat for extra flavor. (The bacon is usually eaten by the carver as a special bonus.)

Pulpeta

Let me preface this by saying that there are two strong reasons for cooking Pulpeta: One, there was an entire Cosby Show subplot involving Claire keeping Dr Huxtable from eating Pulpeta because she wanted him to have one leaf of lettuce and a rice cake; Two, it is Cuban, and therefore delicious, just like my husband. Pulpeta is, essentially, a braised and fried meatloaf stuffed with eggs and covered with bacon. Now that I typed that, I realize that I don't need to preface that at all. It should speak for itself. Here is how I make it:

1 pound of ground meat. (You can use a combo of meats, or just stick with what is in your fridge.)
1 T salt
1 T pepper
1 t Mural of Flavor from Penzeys, or just use Italian seasoning and a little extra garlic.
Liberal dump of powdered garlic (not garlic salt.)
2 T Worcestershire sauce
2 beaten eggs
2 C Panko or fine bread crumbs
2 hard-boiled eggs
Olive oil
1 (Or more if you are big onion eaters) large onion, thinly sliced
6 bay leaves (If you are cheap with your bay you can reduce this.)
1/2 C water or apple juice
1 C beef stock
Bacon

Mix all of the meat and spices (not the bay leaves) and W sauce together in a big bowl. Use your hands. Add the beaten eggs and enough Panko to make it thick and roll-able.

Flatten it out into a 10"x4" rectangle. Put the hardboiled eggs in the middle. Shape the meat around it, and mold it into a loaf, making sure the ends are all sealed up. Roll it in more panko.

In a heavy casserole pan pour some oil and heat until fragrant. Brown the loaf on all sides, and take out of pan.

In the same pan, sautee the onions until they are golden. Add the loaf back in, pour the liquids and the bay leaves in. Artfully stick some bacon slices on top of the loaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low, cover and simmer for about 45 minutes. (If you are freaking out about meat, use a meat thermometer to make sure it is cooked through. You baby.)

Remove loaf from pan, let sit for a few minutes, then slice into thick slices and serve with the hot sauce. Or serve cold as a sandwich. Either way, while you eat you must discuss how Fidel is ruining the homeland for everyone and how you want to punch those kids who wear Che TShirts in the throat.

Peppercini Roast

My friend Sally always passes me great recipes. This one is a favorite.

Pepperocini Roast

Chuck Roast
2 bottles Pepperocinis with juice


Wash the roast, place it fat-side up in a slow cooker. Pour the pepperocinis and juice over the roast.

Cook on low heat for 8-10 hours, or high for 4-5 hours.

Make sandwiches with Havarti cheese... or eat over pasta, rice...