Will check back for the meatloaf ones.
You want Italian, or maybe Cajun? Tweak it so. Perhaps a Midwestern style, or Southwestern.
However using fish is never a good idea. ;-)
I use Lawry's mix. Not bad. :)
hhmmm...bread crumbs, preferably half italian and half plain. Ground beef -lean is better. An egg. Chopped onion, tomato sauce (small can should do it), sliced cheese and ketchup.
Mix the meat with enough, but not too many bread crumbs. My mom taught me to do this by sight. It's about 1/4-1/3 the amount of bread crumbs to the amount of meat (so if you have about 2 cups of meat, start with 1/2 cup bread crumbs, see if that feels right) the chopped onion, and tomato sauce and egg. Mix well, shape into loaves.
On the top of your loaves, lay some sliced cheddar or other cheese, then add ketchup over the cheese in a generous amount. This carmelizes a bit during cooking, and adds an interesting taste. Tomato sauce doesn't do it as well.
Bake at 350 until done.
1/2 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoons ground pepper
2 cups chopped mushrooms
1 1/2 pounds ground chuck
3/4 pound ground pork
1 cup bread crumbs
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
2/3 cup bottled chili sauce or ketchup
A 14- to 16-ounce can stewed tomatoes, drained and chopped
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
3 slices of lean bacon, halved crosswise
In a skillet cook the onion, celery, garlic and thyme in the butter over low heat, until the onion is soft. Add the salt, pepper, and mushrooms, and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the mushrooms are tender and the liquid is evaporated. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and cool. To the bowl add the chuck, pork, bread crumbs, eggs, 1/3 cup of the chili sauce, the tomatoes, and parsley and stir the mixture until it is combined well. Form the mixture into a 10-by-7-inch oval loaf in a shallow baking pan, spread the remaining 1/3 cup chili sauce over it, and drape the bacon pieces across the meat loaf. Bake in the middle of a preheated 350 degrees F. oven for 1 hour,
How much are you willing to pay? ;)
I don't have a recipe per se, except that I avoid meatloaf at all costs. One of the nice things about being an adult. Mom made some great dishes, but I have always detested meatloaf.
Come to think of it, I can't stand the music of Meat Loaf either. Bonus.
2 to 3 lb. lean Ground Chuck
1/4 to 1/2 C. finely diced Sweet Red Pepper
1 teaspoon minced Garlic (or to taste)
1/4 to 1/2 C. diced Onion to taste
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper (or to taste)
Lightly salt as crackers already add salt.
1/2 to 3/4 cup finely crushed Saltine crackers
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 can Hunts tomato sauce for meatloaf (reserve about 1/4 of it and add equal amount of ketchup to the reserve).
If you can't find this tomato sauce, just use more ketchup.
Add about 1 C Ketchup to meat mixture
Mix thoroughly, shape into a loaf, spread tomato sauce/ketchup mix on top.
Bake uncovered at 350 until done(approx. 1 and 1/2 hours).
As soon as I remove it from the oven, I gently tip the pan enough to pour off access fat before it absorbs back into meat. Let it cool 20 to 30 minutes before slicing to avoid slices falling apart.
In the spring, I lay asparagus lengthwise randomly inside meatloaf mixture. It looks pretty when sliced and tastes good too.
Ground beef, CLUMPS of soggy bread, HUGE chunks of onion and bell pepper - mix together without any seasoning. For authenticity be sure several clumps of soggy bread stick together so when served I get a huge wad of sogged out bread on my plate. Bake until the edges are burned beyond recognition. Enjoy.
Since no one has mentioned it yet... Use a can of cream of mushroom soup as a topping for the meatloaf then, serve with rice (preferably brown or yellow rice)...
Italian Meatloaf with fresh Basil and Provolone
1. Combine boiling water and tomatoes in a bowl. Let stand 30 minutes or until soft. Drain tomatoes. Finely chop.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Combine 1/2 cup ketchup, and the next 7 ingredients (breadcrumbs through beef) in a large bowl.
4. Add tomatoes to meat mixture.
5. Shape meat mixture into a 9x5-inch loaf on a broiler or loaf pan.
6. Spread 1/3 cup ketchup over meatloaf.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until thermometer registers 160 degrees.
8. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Cut into 12 slices.
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 slices)
-PJ