Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf

Not one of the most fancy meals, but this meatloaf is the bomb.  Full of flavor, not like some I have had in the past. I used my homemade chili sauce which makes it a bit tastier than mustard and ketchup used in most recipes I have seen.

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef (not cooked)
1/2 pound ground pork (not cooked)
1 carrot, diced small
1 small onion, diced small
1/2 red bell pepper, diced small
1 large garlic clove
1/2 cup bread crumbs (I used panko)
1 egg
1/2 cup sweet chili sauce or 1/2 cup ketchup
pinch salt and pepper
pinch crushed chilies
dash worchestershire sauce
pinch dried oregano
8 strips good quality bacon
bbq sauce

Method:
Saute carrots, onions, red bell peppers and garlic in shallow frying pan.
In a large bowl, mix together ingredients (except bacon and BBQ sauce). Set aside.
Line a loaf pan with bacon, let hang over edges.
Add meat mixture and spread out evenly.
Fold bacon around it closing it up like a little blanket and place in a preheated 400 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes.
Remove pan from oven, drain off fat, and on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, carefully turn the meatloaf out onto the sheetpan and cover with BBQ sauce.
Return to oven for 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes.
Slice and serve.

Apple and Sausage Stuffing

This is a stuffing recipe my mom would be very proud of, for sure! I have made a million and one different types of stuffings, but by far I must say ,this is the one! This went along side our Sunday roast pork loin, and what a treat.  This recipe would also go with roast chicken or turkey. The sausage I bought at the market is hand made, and it has some apples and cinnamon added to it. You could use any kind of sausage though. Easy as pie to make, try it sometime, you will not be disappointed.

Ingredients:

1/2 loaf day old French bread (cubed into 1/4 inches)

2 links Cinnamon and apple sausage (or your fav kind) (remove casing)

1 stick celery

3 green onions

small pinch garlic powder

salt and pepper

1tsp savory or poultry seasoning

1 egg 

1/4 cup milk

1/8 cup vegetable stock

handful fresh chopped parsley

Method:

1. In a saute pan, fry sausage until cooked (5-6 minutes). Remove from pan.

2. Finely chop celery, and onions.

3. Mix together egg, milk, and stock.

4. In a large mixing bowl, combine bread crumbs with sausage, chopped vegetables and parsley, and wet ingredients.

5. Add seasonings and get your clean hands in there!

6. Make sure all your ingredients are distributed well throughout.

7. Butter a casserole dish and place in the stuffing.

8. Cover with foil wrap and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees, remove foil and continue to bake for another 10 minutes at 400 degrees.

9. Let cool for a few minutes and serve with your favorite protein.

Rosemary and Garlic Pork Loin Roast

It seems like the week-ends are the only time I have anymore to cook up some comfort in my kitchen, with all the schooling I recently took on! Hank has been craving a roast dinner and I have been dying to get back in the kitchen, (and of course eat too). This is a nothing fancy kind of meal, that satisfies the soul.I made a quick stop at the Farmers Market after school and grabbed one of Neal's finest and freshest pork loin roasts. Just a small one for the two of us and got it at an awesome price as well. It was so yummy and it really was satisfying. Now I can't wait until next week-end already! Web enjoyed it with some yummy sausage stuffing and fluffy mashed potatoes.

Ingredients:
1 2-3lb pork loin roast
3 cloves garlic (leave whole)
fresh rosemary sprigs
1 large cooking onion (yellow)
salt and pepper
2 cups vegetable stock
2 bay leaves

Method:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

1. Wash and season roast with salt and pepper.
2. Sear pork roast on all sides.
3. Chop onion and place in bottom of roasting pan.
4. Add seared pork roast on top of onions and slowly add the stock.
5. Drop in garlic, bay leaves, and rosemary sprigs.
6. Cover roast with lid or aluminum foil and cook slow for approx. 2 hours.
7. Remove roast from pan and set aside covered for 20 minutes or so (allow it to rest).
8. Slice and serve.
9. Use pan drippings to make a yummy gravy, or enjoy with some homemade apple sauce.