MEATLOAF

1½ lb. ground beef
¼ cup Italian style bread crumbs
¼ cup rolled oats
2 eggs
1 pkg. onion soup mix                                                            

½ tsp. tarragon leaves
½ tsp. marjoram leaves
½ tsp. thyme
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 small onion, chopped
¼ cup green pepper, chopped

1 can of spam (optional for Annie Wilkes Meatloaf)

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Shape into loaf in baking dish. 

Also can be made into meatballs and thrown into a Marinara Sauce. 

Top with Piquant Sauce if desired.

3 tbsp. brown sugar
¼ cup ketchup
¼ tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. dry mustard

Mix together and spread over top prior to baking.

Feel free to play with your food and decorate accordingly:  {Tail = green bean, eyes = two small green tomatoes with stems, whiskers = parsley stems and nose = cherry tomato cut in half} Bake at 375º for 45-55 minutes or until internal temperature is 165 º.

Welcome to the 2018 A-Z Blogging challenge.  This will be my fourth year. Every year I take on the challenge with hopes of disciplining myself to keep writing throughout the year as much, if not more than just through the monthly challenge. (It certainly is a challenge.)  Some years are better than others.  Some I just lose track of time.  This year I have decided to put my favorite hobbies together. A recipe that is tried and true as well as some thoughtful insight.  Please note some of these recipes have been shared before, however they have gone through years of testing and this is the perfected recipe.  I really hope one of my recipes or “Food for Thought” inspires you to do something great.  Enjoy the read and the photos, try the recipe, share your thoughts or comments, and most of all, have FUN with the challenge this month!

 

Cheers,

Swedish Meatballs and Sour Cream Gravy

So the infamous "they" say the way to a mans heart is through his belly.  I stole my husbands heart a long time ago with a valentine placed in his locker.  Last night I served this meal for din-din and stole it all over again.  He l♥ved my recipe for Swedish meatballs.  Now the easy way to do it is to buy the meatballs already made in the frozen food section at your supermarket and add a can or two of cream of mushroom soup with a teaspoon of nutmeg; combine it all together in the crockpot and there you go.  This is a little more time consuming, but well worth the effort.

½ lb ground beef

½ lb bulk sausage

½ cup fresh bread crumbs (1 slice)

¼ cup half & half, warm

1 egg, beaten

½ tbsp onion powder

½ tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

½ tsp allspice

½ tsp cardamom

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1¾ cup beef broth

1 cup sour cream

¼ cup flour

3 mushrooms, sliced

Crumble beef and sausage in medium bowl and mix together; sprinkle with spices.  Add beaten egg, bread crumbs and half & half; mix well (mixture will be very moist).  Using small ice cream scoop form 1½ inch meatballs and roll gently.  Heat oil in cast iron skillet and cook meatballs on medium heat, turning often until browned on all sides (about 15 minutes). 

Remove meatballs from pan.  Add mushrooms and 1½ cup beef broth and stir, scrapping pieces from bottom with wooden spoon or spatula; bring to boil.  In measuring cup combine ¾ cup beef broth and flour and mix until smooth and add to pan.  Once mixture begins to bubble, reduce heat; add meatballs and cook 15 minutes.  Stir in sour cream just before serving.  We had ours with salad and mashed potatoes.

© Crackerberries 2011