I love good country, comfort food. You know those meals your Momma made when you were a child? The ones that never seem to taste the same as when your Momma made it. Growing up, we lived on a farm that had a big garden. My grandfather raised cows and pigs, so we basically raised everything we ate. Going out to dinner was always a treat. Now days, it seems like fast food and restaurants are the easy way to go. But as we get older, we realize a good homecooked meal is better than anything in a restaurant.
One of my favorite meals was Momma's meatloaf. She would serve it with peas, cabbage and cornbread. I thought I'd share my recipe with you. I hope you all enjoy it.
Italian Meatloaf
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. ground mild Italian sausage
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 C. chopped bell pepper (I used orange, it was all I had in the freezer)
1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. parsley
1 egg, beaten
3/4 C. Italian breadcrumbs
2 slices white bread, crumbled
1 T. milk
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese, reserve 3/4 C. for topping
1/4 C. parmesan cheese
1 C. marinara sauce, plus 1/2 -3/4 C. more for topping
In a small skillet, heat the olive oil over med. high heat and sauté the onion and bell pepper for 3-4 minutes, remove from heat. In a large bowl, add the meats, onion and peppers along with all remaining ingredients reserving 3/4 C. mozzarella cheese for topping.
Now, dive in there with the best tools God gave you, your hands and combine everything really good. Once it has all come together, place and mold the mixture in a baking dish of your choice. I used my oval Portuguese stoneware for ours. Spoon 1/2 to 3/4 C. of the marinara sauce on top and spread around. Place in a 400 degree oven for 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with the remaining cheese and sprinkle a little dry basil over the top. Return to the oven for 10 more minutes. Make sure the meat is not pink before serving, baking time will vary depending on the thickness of your loaf. Mine was about 2-inch thick.
The Best Pea Salad
8 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
4 cups frozen peas defrosted
½ cup cheddar cheese shredded
⅓ cup diced red onion
Dressing
⅓ cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons vinegar
Salt & pepper
Instructions
Combine all dressing ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
Add peas, bacon, onion and cheese to the bowl and gently stir.
Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.
Roasted cabbage
1 tsp olive oil (5g)
2 tbsp real bacon bits (14g)
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper (more or less to taste)
1 Medium Head of Cabbage
Preheat the oven (or the grill,) to 425 degrees.
Mix the olive oil, bacon bits, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to make the marinade.
Prepare the cabbage. Rinse it under water.
Cut the head in half on the core
Then cut the halves in half again…to make quarters.
Lay each wedge on a sheet of aluminum foil large enough to wrap it up in. Spoon about 2 tbsp of the marinade on top making sure to get it in all the nooks and crannies.
Wrap each wedge and bake for 20-30 minutes.
