Not Your Momma's Meatloaf

My mom never made meatloaf growing up.  Not once, certainly not that I can remember.  It was something I saw on TV as a "family meal" that everyone ate (except us apparently).  So I guess without realizing it, I had formed an idea in my head of what I thought meatloaf tasted like, without ever having tasted it. 

So one day, as an adult, I went to a restaurant and they had meatloaf on the menu and I thought, what the heck, I'm gonna try it.  Well, it wasn't exactly what I expected.  It was different that I imagined - much less texture than I though, a bit of a blander flavor, and served with a spicy ketchup.  In my mind, I had imagined it more like a big, savory meatball and with a dark, flavorful gravy. 

Since I couldn't find that, I started to just make it my way.  I messed with some recipes and this was the end result.  I seasoned it more towards an Italian meatball, added tiny diced veggies for some texture, and some cheese...because, you know, cheese.  I made a gravy to go with it and serve it with super delicious goat cheese mashed potatoes.

Nadia's Modern Meatloaf

Serves 6

FOR THE MEATLOAF:

• 2 tbs. butter
• 1 tbs. minced garlic
• 3 large carrots, minced
• 3 celery stalks, minced
• 1 medium white onion, minced
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
• 1 tsp. ground sage
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil
• Salt and Pepper
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 lb. ground pork
• 1/2 lb. ground beef
• 1/2 lb. ground Italian sausage
• 8 oz. fresh, soft mozzarella, cubed

For the Gravy:

• 4 tbs. butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 3-4 cups of beef broth
• Sage, thyme, basil
• Salt and pepper

Preheat your oven to 400°F.  Lightly butter the bottom of a ceramic baking dish (either a long oval or rectangle).

In a large mixing bowl, add the bread crumbs and pour the beef broth over the top, set aside to allow to breadcrumbs to soak. Remove the eggs and meat from the fridge and set on the counter to warm slightly.  I do this because when I use my hands to mix the meat together my fingers turn to ice from the cold eggs and meat - I've found that letting them rest out of the fridge a little can take the edge off.

In a saute pan, over medium-high heat, melt the 3 tbs. butter.  Add the garlic and saute for a minute until bubbly and fragrant.  Add the carrots, celery and onion.  Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sage, thyme and basil. Saute until vegetables are soft.  Remove the veggies from the heat and set aside to cool.

In mixing bowl with the soaked breadcrumbs, add the three meats, two eggs, and the sage, basil, thyme, and salt and pepper. Using your hands, combine the meats and mix with the eggs and breadcrumbs. Try to make sure all the ingredients are distributed pretty evenly.

Next, add the veggie mixture to the meat and combine with your hands until the veggies are evenly distributed throughout the mixture. You do not want to add the veggies earlier because if they are not cool enough, they may cook the raw egg if pour directly on top of them.

Finally, gently mix in the mozzarella cheese.  Transfer the meat mixture to the prepared pan and shape into a loaf in the middle of the pan with your hands.  If you like, sprinkle some bread crumbs on the top of the loaf (or even a bit of Parmesan cheese).  Bake for 50-60 minutes, until it has reached an internal temp of 165°F.

Remove from oven and allow to rest (while you make the gravy), before cutting and serving.

To make the gravy:

In a large sauce pan, over medium heat, melt the 4 tbs. butter.  Just as it has melted, whisk in the flour so it forms a paste.  Cook the paste for just a minute or two, whisking constantly. Whisk in 1/2 cup of the beef broth and season with the spices to taste. 

A bit at a time, add in the remaining beef broth, whisking until smooth after each addition, no lumps! Add enough broth until the gravy is the desired consistency.  Taste, re-season as needed, then allow to simmer gently, while stirring for just a few minutes. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Creamy One-Pot Pasta

I feel like easy dinners are all the rage right now.  Well, I guess they always are, who doesn't like easy?  I also haven't met anyone who likes doing dishes, so it makes sense that one-pot dinners are also a hit.  However, I have seen a lot of recipes that use one pot, but a lot of bowls - no way, that's still dishes I have to clean!

This pasta is actually just one-pot (and a cutting board, I will be transparent here), but you don't even need a bowl if you plan accordingly!

It also has ENDLESS variations.  I use it all the time, its pretty much the base of almost any simple pasta dinner.  Its a great thing to have in your back pocket when you are looking around the kitchen for something to make for dinner and don't feel like running to the store - you can probably make it with the majority of what you already have.

I've got two variations to share with you right now, but keep your eyes out for other ones - I really do make it all the time and when one variation becomes popular I will make sure y'all know about it!  I'm going to show you guys the Spinach and Spicy Sausage version and the Sun-Dried Tomato, Basil and Chicken version.

The plan is simple: start with butter, then add garlic.  Add your veggies of choice.  Season.  Add your meat of choice.  Brown the edges and then mix into the veggies.  Season accordingly.  Addbroth.  Boil.  Stir in cream.  Boil.  Add pasta.  Boil until pasta is cooked. Reduce heat and simmer.  Add cheese and a final splash of cream.  Simmer until desired thickness.  Enjoy!

Creamy One-Pot Pasta

Serves 4-6

Ingredients (Spinach and Spicy Sausage):

• 3 tbs. butter
• 1 (generous) tbs. minced garlic
• 2-3 cups fresh spinach
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 tbs. dried basil
• 3 links of cooked sausage, diced or sliced (I used spicy venison sausage that we have in the freezer, extra easy!)
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided
• 1 lb. pasta of your choice (rotini in this case)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

In a dutch oven over medium-high heat, melt the butter.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant and bubbly, just a minute or two.

Add the spinach and saute until wilted.  While its cooking, season with salt, pepper, and basil.

Add the sausage and saute.  Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Add 1 cup of the cream, stir and return to a boil.

Pour the pasta into the pot and boil for the recommended time on the package, stirring occasionally.

The pasta will not be cooked all the way, but it will finish as the sauce thickens and simmers.  Don't panic.

Stir in the Parmesan and the remaining cream.  Lower the heat to keep it at a lively simmer. Stir occasionally, until the sauce is preferred thickness.  Serve immediately. 

Ingredients (Sun-Dried Tomato, Basil and Chicken):

• 6 tbs. butter, divided
• 1 (generous) tbs. minced garlic
• 2 cups fresh basil, sliced
• 1-2 cups fresh spinach
• 1 medium jar (14-16 oz) of sun-dried tomatoes in oil, sliced
• Salt and Pepper
• 3 chicken breasts, diced into bite-sized cubes (an equivalent amount of chicken tenders will work too, I just buy one package)
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided
• 1 lb. pasta of your choice (casarece in this case, my favorite for holding sauce)
• 1/2 cup shredded Asiago

In a dutch oven over medium-high heat, melt 3 tbs. butter.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant and bubbly, just a minute or two.

Add the basil, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes and saute until greens are wilted.  While its cooking, season with salt and pepper.

Push the vegetable mix to the side of the pot, drop 1 tbs. of butter onto the exposed area and then add 1/3 of the chicken and lightly brown the outsides.  When browned, mix into the vegetables and then push mixture aside and repeat with remaining 2 tbs. of butter and chicken in two batches.

Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Add 1 cup of the cream, stir and return to a boil.

Pour the pasta into the pot and boil for the recommended time on the package, stirring occasionally.

The pasta will not be cooked all the way, but it will finish as the sauce thickens and simmers.  Don't panic.

Stir in the Asiago and the remaining cream.  Lower the heat to keep it at a lively simmer. Stir occasionally, until the sauce is preferred thickness.  Serve immediately. 

Matzo Ball Soup

The majority of my best friends growing up were Jewish (and are still some of my best friends) and I was so lucky to be exposed to so many wonderful traditions, foods, and families.  One of my best memories is having holiday dinners at my friends and having brisket and my favorite, matzo ball soup at Passover!

Matzo ball soup is something I miss terribly living in Texas.  You can't find it anywhere.  I mean ANYWHERE in Austin.  Its not like bagels, where they are just not very good, but you can get them.  I seriously can not find a place to get Matzo Ball Soup here, but I have been pretty intimidated to make my own.  I never made it at home, my friend's moms always made it and they set the bar really high.

But Chanel was sick this week, allergies just giving her sinus problems and a sore throat, but she wanted soup and she had never had Matzo Ball Soup and it had been on my list of things to tackle for a while - so we did it!

I reached out to my friends and their moms before diving in to make sure I did the right things and used the right seasoning and correct process.  Boy, am I glad I did!  These were the best!  So light, so fluffy, the right size, and so flavorful!

I have to admit, I didn't make chicken soup.  I made a broth with vegetables and seasoning and chicken broth, but no chicken.  As I say about chicken and dumplings, "I eat the dumplings because I want to, I eat the chicken because I have to."  That rule applies even more to Matzo Ball Soup.  I only want the Matzo balls, who needs chicken?  None of my Jewish mamas put chicken in the finished product.  They made a broth from scratch with chicken feet and vegetables, but served a matzo ball with the just broth (no veggies or chicken) poured over it and garnished with dill.  We went that route more or less, but kept the veggies because they are so tasty too!

However, the Matzo balls are not cooked in the soup, they are boiled separately and then you pour the soup over them.  So you can use whatever chicken soup recipe makes you the happiest!  I will include how we made our broth, which I think was perfection, but there are lots of wonderful chicken soup variations, so go with what you love.

Matzo ball soup

Makes 6-8 Matzo Balls

For the Matzo balls:

• 5 oz (2, 2.5 oz packets) of Matzo Ball Mix (we used Manischewitz)
• 4 eggs
• 4 tbs. olive oil
• 1 tbs. dill
• 1 tbs. parsley
• 1 tsp. salt
• Fresh cracked black pepper

for the broth:

• 4 cups chicken broth (we used Swanson's)
• 1 tbs. olive oil
• 4 carrots, sliced or diced
• 1 small/medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 1/2 purple top turnip (optional), diced into bite sized cubes
• 1 tsp. dill
• 1 tsp. basil
• Salt and Pepper

Prepare the Matzo Balls: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and the oil together.  Mix in the seasonings. Using a fork or a spatula, mix in the Matzo Ball mix, until just combined, but do not over-mix.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, or until ready to boil. They taste best fresh, so don't boil them until before you are ready to serve the soup.

Make the broth: Over medium high heat, saute your vegetables in the olive oil in a large dutch oven or stock pot.  Sprinkle with the seasoning, add the broth and bring to a boil.  Boil until the vegetables are tender and cooked through.

Boil the Matzo Balls: Fill a medium or large pot with water and bring to a boil.  When the water is boiling, remove the dough from the fridge and form the balls.  Using a large spoon, scoop out a heaping tablespoon of dough and roll into a smooth ball with your hands. 

I recommend a ball about the size of a golf ball (they will expand as they cook, nearly double in size).  This will yield balls about the size of a tennis ball; we served two in a bowl and it was plenty.  You can go larger or smaller depending on your preference.

Drop the formed balls into the boiling water.  We did four at a time, you don't want them to be too crowded since they will expand quite a bit.  We did two batches.

Cover the pot and reduce the heat to a low boil (not a simmer, but you don't want the water boiling over).  Boil for 30 minutes and do not remove the cover until they are done.  Thankfully we have clear pot tops and I could peek with excitement without taking the lid off.

Remove the balls with a slotted spoon directly into soup bowls.  Pour broth over the balls and serve immediately.

Baked Potato Shepherd's Pie

I love comfort food.  So much that I wish it was a cold season almost all the time because my favorite feeling is being cold, putting on a warm sweater, leggings, and big socks and settling down with a warm mug of soup or digging into a hot meal - I know, I'm so basic, don't hate.

In any case, it rained in Austin today and I felt a cool breeze so I immediately put a sweatshirt on (and started sweating a little) and walked to the grocery store to pick up food to make a comfort food feast for dinner.

Chanel had suggested Shepherd's Pie or Loaded Baked Potatoes - I'm terrible at choosing, so I made both.  The concept is really simple, it's a little time consuming for a weekday dinner I suppose; it probably took an hour start to finish before we were sitting down eating.

I kept it simple and "baked" my potatoes in the microwave - you probably need to do it 5-7 minutes per potato.  So if you are doing three potatoes at a time (more than that won't fit in my microwave) you poke each potato all around with a fork, put them in the microwave, cover them with a damp paper towel, and microwave on high for 15-20 minutes.

While I cooked the two batches of potatoes I was able to cook the bacon and make the sausage and veggie filling.  This was a much better use of time than wrapping them in foil and waiting an hour while they did their thing in the oven. The "Shepherd's Pie" filling was a simple variation on the standard ground beef, peas and carrots.  My kid's seem kind of burnt out on peas this week, so I decided to mix it up and chop some broccoli really small, saute it with onion and garlic, then add ground sausage instead of beef (I love all the extra flavor), season it with a bit of sage and basil, thicken it with a little gravy and it was ready to go.  I think the standard beef, peas and carrots would be divine though and you could make the gravy the same way.  Use your imagination!

I made the mashed potatoes with cream, butter, salt, pepper, broth, and some shredded cheese. Once that was mixed up, its all assembly!  Line your scooped out potatoes with a little bit of mashed potatoes, then fill with meat and veggies, sprinkle a little cheese, top with heaps of mashed potatoes, cheese, bacon, and green onions.  Bake till the cheese is melty and enjoy!

Baked potato shepherd's pie

Serves 6

ingredients:

• 6 medium-large russet potatoes
• 2 sticks of butter, divided
• 4-6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 small white onion, diced
• 1 cup fresh broccoli, chopped small
• 1 lb. ground sausage
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 tsp. ground sage
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 2 tbs. flour
• 1 -2 cups beef broth, divided
• 1/2 cup or more heavy cream
• 2 cups shredded cheddar
• 1 lb. bacon, cooked, drained and diced
• 1 bunch (6-8) green onions, green parts sliced

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Begin cooking your potatoes in the microwave. Rinse your potatoes and poke them all over with a fork.  Fit as many in your microwave as you can comfortably (don't stack them - I only fit three) and cover with a damp cloth or paper towel.  Microwave on high for 5-7 minutes per potato - my two batches of three potatoes each took 20 minutes. As the first batch is done, remove them and set them on a cookie sheet to cool.

While your potatoes are baking and cooling, make the filling.  In a large pan or dutch oven over medium-high heat, melt three tbs. of butter.  Add the garlic and onion and saute until translucent and fragrant.  Add another 2 tbs. of butter and then add the broccoli.  Season with salt, pepper and the sage and basil.  Saute gently for a few minutes until warmed.

Push the veggies to the side and add the ground beef to the pot.  Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, break up the sausage as it cooks, working it into the veggie mix.  Once the meat is all broken and cooked, stir to combine evenly with the veggies. 

Sprinkle the flour over the sausage mixture and stir until coated and combined.  Slowly add 1/2 cup of beef broth, stirring to create a thick gravy holding the sausage mix together.  If you want it with more gravy, stir in more broth until its the consistency you like.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Prepare the potatoes.  With the potatoes cool enough to touch, slice the very top layer off the potatoes and scoop out the middle, leaving 1/4 inch of potato lining to skin to hold it together.  Fill a large mixing bowl with the scooped out potatoes and set the six remaining skins on a cookie sheet.

Add 6 tbs. of butter to the potatoes in the bowl with some salt and pepper.  Using a hand mixer, beat the potatoes on low.  Slowly add the heavy cream a little at a time.  I like the potatoes to be more the consistency of a fluffy paste, not runny, so add just a little at a time to make sure there isn't too much liquid.  Once that is well combined, add 1/4 cup (or more) beef broth and mix.  Finally, whip in a good handful of shredded cheese.  Set aside.

Finally assemble the potatoes.  Using a spoon, line the inside of the potato skins with a thin layer of mashed potatoes. Next, fill the rest of the potato up with the sausage and broccoli mixture (evenly distribute the mix among all six potatoes).  Top with a sprinkle of cheese.  Top the potato with heaping spoonfuls of mashed potatoes, then shredded cheese, bacon, and green onion.

Arrange the assembled potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and gooey.  Serve immediately.

White Russian Casserole

I don't know if this is a casserole as much as it is a family-sized sandwich.  You put it together like a sandwich but in a casserole dish and then you bake it to crispy, melty deliciousness. 

The Inspiration for this came from a sandwich I ate all the time in high school back home in New York.  There was a restaurant down the road from my mom's house, The Katonah Bar and Grill (which has since been renamed Oliver's and the menu is different), and they had a sandwich on the menu, the White Russian.  I'm not entirely sure why it was called that, but it was my favorite.

It was layers of turkey, ham, bacon, cheese and Russian dressing in between buttery-toasted rye bread.  They served it with beer battered french fries and a pickle.  I highly recommend the pairing - however, I didn't have any fries to go with this dinner.

This is honestly one of the easiest, cleanest meals I've ever put together.  With the exception of a bowl for melted butter and a cutting board, all you need is a knife and a casserole dish.  Woohoo! A meal that requires practically no clean-up!

This would also be a great dish for a winter potluck of sorts - a football party or something.  Its basically the epitome of a bar food casserole. 

Anyway, back to making it.  You butter the bottom of your dish, then layer like a sandwich: rye bread (topped with a little butter), provolone cheese, ham, turkey, bacon, Swiss cheese, Russian dressing, rye bread (a just a bit more butter).  Cover it with some foil so it doesn't burn while the cheese melts, bake it for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.  Uncover it and bake for 5 more minutes to toast up the bread on top. It's that easy! Enjoy!

White Russian Casserole

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• 6 tbs. butter, melted
• 10 slices of Rye bread, cut in 1-inch squares
• 4-6 slices of Provolone Cheese, cut in 1-inch squares
• 8 oz. deli sliced ham, cut in 1-inch squares
• 8 oz. deli sliced turkey, cut in 1-inch squares
• 1 lb. bacon, cooked, and diced
• 4-6 slices of Swiss Cheese, cut in 1-inch squares
• Russian dressing

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Brush the bottom of a 12x9 casserole dish with the melted butter.  Layer half the bread on the bottom of the dish, brush with butter.

Layer the Provolone cheese on top of the bread, followed by the ham, then turkey, bacon, and Swiss cheese. 

Drizzle Russian dressing over the entire casserole (amount to your preference).

Top with the remaining rye bread, brush with butter.  Cover the casserole with aluminum foil.

Bake, covered, for 20 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5-8 minutes, until top layer of bread is toasted golden.