.Bard

So, I like cooking for my family. Have I mentioned that? I don't do it often enough, of course, but I still really enjoy it (perhaps that's why I enjoy it).

My normal M.O. consists of some combination of getting a recipe from google groups, checking to see what's in the cupboard, and doing some shopping on the day of the meal to ensure fresh ingredients (that part's fun - I wind up making a day of the meal as I visit the deli, the butcher and the green grocer. Also, I usually find things I didn't think of whilst I was out and wind up rolling them into the meal somehow. Awesome.). Sometimes I mix up the order of events - for instance, finding out what's in the cupboard, then putting the ingredients into a recipe search. Helps when I'm not feeling terribly inspired.

Yesterday, Kerri forgot I was going to cook and left out some mince (yanks: hamburger) to use in she-hadn't-decided-what for dinner. I decided to find a good way to make use of the meat (even though I originally thought I'd probably do something interesting with a chop. That will keep 'til next time. Heh).

I wound up serving this for only Kerri and I (doesn't worry me.. Mmmmmmm.. Leftover meatloaf). I served it with a salad of my own creation, consisting of sliced cucumber, artichoke hearts, bulgarian feta and a LOT of olive oil, and a cheesy bread that I made from a thick pre-made pizza crust topped with some pesto sauce from the deli, and some (read: TONS of) freshly grated mozzarella and, also freshly grated, parmesan (I had fun at the deli yesterday).

The three together sounded weird to me, but I kept going. In the end, they actually complemented each other EXTREMELY well. The meat loaf was the BEST GODDAM MEATLOAF I've ever eaten. I know to some that may not be saying much - but I love meatloaf, and I've tried to make it on several occasions with little or no success (it gets too moist too easy. eww). So, I was very, very happy with the results. I think the stuffing mix made all the difference. Anyway, if you're looking for a simple, easy to make recipe for an old family favorite..

Here's the link on google groups for the original entry, by the way.

French Onion Meatloaf
1 10.75-ounce can condensed French onion soup
1/2 cup herb seasoned stuffing mix
1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon oregano
Preheat oven to 350 F. Pour the soup through a strainer set over a bowl. Reserve
only 1/2 cup of the liquid, setting side the remainder for another use. Combine
the 1/2 cup liquid and the onions with the stuffing mix in a large bowl, tossing
until the stuffing is evenly moistened. Add the beef, parsley, cheese, egg, salt
and pepper and mix well. Pack into a loaf pan or shape into a loaf in a baking
dish. Bake for 1 hour. Stir together the tomato sauce and oregano. Remove
meatloaf from the oven, drain and pour the tomato sauce over the top. Bake
an additional 15 minutes. Allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing.
Serves 6.
Source: "The Red Hat Society Cookbook" by members of the Red Hat Society
(Rutledge Hill Press, $24.99)