...meat loafing around

I found myself craving meatloaf the other day... not Mom's, which I have made for years, mainly, as a vehicle for consuming ketchup and to use in sandwiches. I think that it was the memory of a juicy,crumbly, bell pepper studded meal from my elementary school cafeteria days,[it was a country school and the cooks made everything from scratch...], that got me searching for a recipe that would go beyond the dense, pate-esque creation I'd always made.

just look at all those yummy bits of fresh veggies...

I wanted flavor and texture...so I began to search recipes online, looking for ones that would use a mix of different meats, as well as fresh veggies. I found my model recipe... and was stunned to see Martha Stewart's name on the recipe. But it had almost all of my desires, so I began to cook, using her recipe more as a template than as directions.

you have to imagine the carrots and celery grated, the onions, peppers and garlic minced... and the cilantro as not there at all...

I set the oven to preheat at 375˚ and proceeded to grate a young carrot and a leafy stalk of celery, after peeling them, [I also grated my finger, but that's NOT an essential ingredient in this recipe, so you can leave yours unmangled...] After rough-chopping half a yellow onion, half a green pepper and 2 large cloves of garlic, I minced them. MS suggested using a food processor for 30 seconds for all the veggies, I didn't want to go to all that trouble...

ground chuck

I used 8 oz[half pound] of ground chuck,[just the perfect beefy flavor, pour off the fat...], as well as 8 oz each of lean ground pork, lamb and turkey. I have left out the lamb when I couldn't get it, but the pork is essential for flavor, especially with the turkey.

ground turkey

ground pork

ground lamb

I lightly beat 2 eggs and mixed into the meat mixture than I had broken with my fingers and loosely stirred along with the veggies...

then I sprinkled about a cup of Progresso Garlic Herb bread crumbs over the loose mixture...along with a good shake of Pappy's 50% less salt seasoning...

a good cup, mixed with about a quarter cup of...

my all-time favorite mild mustard...

and lightly mixed-in with my fingers, being careful not to squeeze the mix...
then I gently put the mix into my loaf pan, making sure it had no voids but also watching the pressure that I was applying... I placed in the oven, at 375˚ for 1 1/2 hours. When I took it out, I poured off the fat from the chuck,[it was about a quarter cup...] and then flipped it out onto a plate to set-up.

even good cold...

I made a wonderful meal of a couple of pieces, accompanied by mashed potatoes, green beans, cooked red cabbage and cooked carrots. It was everything that I had hoped for! Tender and juicy, with great flavor! Best meatloaf ever!
You could even say, "It was a VERY good thing!"

...making lasagna

every so often, I get the urge to make something complicated...
mostly from scratch and as flavorful & good as possible...
and since I had quite a lot of the ingredients on hand...
Saturday, it was lasagna...

one of the things I had to purchase...
besides the fresh veggies & cheese...
was the sausage...



I like to use fresh Italian sausage...
and the spicing of "New York Style" is my favorite...
I've used the "hot" for those who like spicy...
but prefer the "sweet, mild" for general taste...

I couldn't find any "chubs" of "sweet"...
so I got 2 pounds of links & removed the casings...
crumbling and browning them...
then removing to a reserve pot, pouring off the grease...
and cooking the finely minced onion, carrot, celery & garlic in the same pan...

after they were softened and had absorbed all the sausage remnants...
they were put into a stock pot...
where I had put a large can of Cento San Marzano tomatoes...
Cento crushed tomatoes, petite diced tomatoes...
& half a large yellow onion, roughly chopped & lightly sautéd in olive oil...

I added the drained, cooked sausage, 1 C Merlot, 1/2 C brandy...
dried oregano, parsley, thyme, sage, Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper...
and a large bay leaf...



creating this, which I simmered, covered for about 30 minutes...
then removed the lid & let it reduce for another 30 minutes or so...
for the lasagna to "stand up" when served, it must be, "dry"...
so it is important that the sauce not be too soupy...



creating this...

while all this was cooking...

I put into another stock pot[it's the right size...]
2 qts of ricotta cheese, 3 handfuls of shredded Mozzarella cheese...
1 container of shredded Parmigiano, Reggiano & Asiago cheeses...
a mixture of half & half, 1 beaten egg, sherry...
& freshly grated nutmeg...

a bag & a box of drained & dried[wrung out in a dish towel] frozen spinach...
a large bunch of fresh flat leaf[Italian]parsley, chopped...
& a bunch of fresh basil, chopped...



after mixing well,[that's why I needed the large vessel]...
I had this cheesy, gooey, filling...



then I was ready to begin the assembly process...



the layer of meat sauce on the bottom would be more meat than sauce...
and would include...



slices of "fresh mozzarella" to help stabilize it...
hopefully creating a firm [dry] foundation...
for the next layer of the ricotta filling...
then a layer of meat with dabs of ricotta filling...
and finally, the top, a light covering of sauce with cheeses...
[shredded Mozz., Parm, Romano & Asiago...]



then into a 350˚ F oven for 1 hour for the large pan...
30 minutes for the loaf pans...



this kind of "constructed" lasagna...
has to be made in a deep pan to be all it should be...
I have a couple of 4 inch deep "lasagna" pans[enameled cast iron]...
and use loaf pans for the rest of the batch...
I have not been pleased with the results when using pans with shorter sides...
because then I have to leave out layers...
and that spoils the point of a multi-layered dish...



here you can see the layers plainly...



here they are all baked, cooling before storage or transport...
after overnight cooling, the big pan can be divided up for freezing...
or into family-sized portions...
and the loaf size pans are perfect for me...
as well as sharing with others who live alone...



this was my reward for an afternoon of cooking...
yumm!...

...a "tea" change [pun intended...]

I've always been a coffee drinker, the stronger the better...
double espresso... and NO milk or sugar either...

so to have to admit that I seem to be developing a fondness for tea...
[and with cream & sugar to boot... ?]


what's up with that ? ! ?

but not just any tea... I discovered chai...



Masala Chai is an Indian tea preparation spiced with cinnamon, cardamom & other spices.
There are as many recipes as families living in India.

Active Time: 5 min Total Time: 15 min Serves: 6
Step 1: Making the Chai
1 cup homogenized milk [or half & half]
2 1/2 cups water
2 pods (vaina) cardamom
1 large stick cinnamon
1 whole star anise
5 whole cloves
1/2 tsp. pepper corns
1/4 tsp. ground ginger (or lemon/ orange zest if you dont have ginger)
2 pieces dried orange peel (or 1 piece fresh zest)
2 tbsp. sugar
2 bags tea bags, orange pekoe
To start the Chai, combine milk and water in a pot over medium heat. Add cardamom, cinnamon, star anise, clove, whole peppercorns, ground ginger, orange peel, and sugar. Whisk everything together and let it come to a slight boil, then turn down the heat and let it simmer for about 5 minutes. Bring it back up to a boil and stir in teabags. Turn off the heat and let the tea bags steep for about 2 or 3 minutes. Then strain the Chai and serve.

this is one spice blend...

I have a very simple recipe with just cardamom, cloves, peppercorns...
& ground ginger...[no cinnamon or anise/fennel...]

this blend uses fresh ginger...



Clockwise from top left (some of the many ingredients that be used to make chai): fresh ginger, loose black tea, Vietnamese cinnamon, fennel seed, tea masala,
green cardamom.

Some or all of the following (measurements are per cup or per medium-sized mug):

2 green cardamom pods
2-3 whole black peppercorns
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
1-2 pieces cinnamon (“real cinnamon” not Cassia. May be labeled “Vietnamese cinnamon”)
Fresh ginger (2-3 thin slices for extra zing)

I have to admit that so far I've only used "Good Earth" Chai tea bags...
they taste like they have some cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom & black pepper...
I use 2 bags for a tall mug, add h&h & a bit of sugar...[yum]

so I purchased some cardamom [I had the rest...]
to try "grinding my own"...
I think that I even have an extra grinder...
just for spices, somewhere...
[if not, I can clean the coffee grinder with bread...]

if it doesn't taste good, at least it'll smell wonderful...

oh, I still like coffee... but chai is too good to ignore...

...food for the soul, as well as the throat

our big dress rehearsal for Lessons & Carols is Saturday...
a 4 hour time-frame, but not constant singing...
[I know better than to ask singers to do that...]
this will be our only rehearsal with everybody there...
but they sound good, so I'm not worried...

after many years, of many different types of l-o-n-g rehearsals...
I've come to realize the benefits of the "singer-friendly" rehearsal...

ie,setting aside a slightly longer block of time...
not expecting the choir to stand for the entire rehearsal...
[having chairs, water & cough drops, as well as a warm church, really helps too...]
making sure that everyone knows the start & stop times...
and schedule at least one big break, with a couple of shorter ones...

which brings me to my point today...

for our break[s] on Saturday, we will have in the toasty, warm kitchen...



at least one of these with hot water...



an assortment of teas...



honey & fresh lemon [good for a scratchy throat...]



and real half & half, for those who want to coat their throat with the "good stuff"...
[there will also be the other usual condiments...]



some of this for the "die-hards"
[as well as the hot spiced apple juice mix...]



and this, for those who,"need" chocolate...

BUT WAIT, THERE"S MORE !!!



I'm going to make some of these...



some of these...



and these...



and if they're lucky, these...

[from scratch shortbread, dipped in dark chocolate w/orange...]

so I better get busy...

...food for health

in my search for tasty, healthy, quick & inexpensive meals...
I've often turned to the "meal in a salad bowl" solution...

I've blogged about my favorite Greek salad...
but this one has surpassed it on my favorites list...
and it's very easy to assemble, after the initial "prep"...



of course there's lettuce...
I prefer Romaine hearts...
and tend to buy it bagged...
since it is more economical for me than a whole head...
and there's generally a pretty good deal...
on some combination or brand...



sweet red onion is a summertime favorite of mine...
the regular onions are fine...
but the sweet ones are better..



I buy these and put them into this...



replacing the pickling liquid periodically...



I drain & rinse these...



as well as these...



add this...



and store in this container...



my favorite meat add-in is chicken breast...

I skin chicken breast[bone in or out]...
sprinkle it with Pappy's low salt rub...
seal it in a foil package...
and bake on a sheet pan at 250˚F...
for 5/6 hours...

after cooling, I fork apart the meat...
allowing the juices to be re-absorbed...
I've kept it in the 'fridge for weeks...
using it for salads, tacos, etc...
it is so juicy and flavorful...



I like this dressing, although ranch is also good...
it does need a "creamy" dressing...



and there you have it...

a delicious & healthy salad...
assembled in a flash...

enjoy ! yum !