Meatloaf

Meat Loaf with Bacon

Heat oven to 375.

• · 1 small onion
• · 1 rib celery
• · 2 small carrots
• · 1 T minced garlic
• · 1 t salt
• · 1/8 t pepper

First, whirl the onion, celery and carrots around in a food processer/bullet blender type deal. Then, sauté/sweat vegetables and garlic with salt and pepper for 5 minutes and let cool.

• · 1 C plain breadcrumbs
• · ¾ C milk
• · 2 eggs, beaten
• · ¼ C ketchup
• · 1 T worstershire sauce
• · 2 T grated parmesan or more (up to ½ C)
• · 1 T spicy/grainy mustard
• · 3 T chopped fresh parsley
• · 1 t dried oregano or more
• · A couple splashes of hot sauce
• · 1 lb ground beef
• · ½ lb ground pork

This is the grossy part. Mix everything together with the cooled onion mixture. With your hands until well combined (side note- I know I’m a better wife now than I was when I first got married, because I used to not want anything to do with any kind of ground up meat. Now, look at me mixing raw meat with my bare hands!*)

• · Red pepper flakes
• · Slices of bacon

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or something, and shape a loaf with the meat. Don’t make it too big, or it will take forever to cook. I only baked half of the mixture because it makes a lot, and I’ll just make meatballs with the rest later. Before you put it in the oven, sprinkle red pepper flakes on the part you want to be spicy :) :), then lay slices of bacon on top, if you like, or your husband likes. (I did it in sections: my section had red pepper flakes and non fatty bacon pieces. Mark’s had no spicy stuff and a lot of bacon, because he can get away with that sort of thing) Now put the meat in the oven and cook for about an hour or so, or until the meat is done.

* I wouldn’t recommend bare hands. Please use gloves, and remove all rings, especially beautifully polished diamond rings.

I don’t know what to serve on the side of this… mashed potatoes??? Salad for sure. Rice? Toast? Anything works, I’m sure.

Meatballs: 350 for 20 minutes

http://www.tasteandtellblog.com/2011/01/cookbook-of-month-recipe-bacon-wrapped.html