Well, it wasn't actually planned. I've got a married young'un who's not
eating properly and I wanted to fix them a week night meal they could
warm up and eat in split shifts or whenever. It would be a nice meat
loaf with a homemade salsa topping and some tomato gravy. Planned it
for Wednesday night, but my son asked for Friday. Fine. Then he asked
for Sunday when they normally come over for dinner. I said fine, then
on Saturday realized that Sunday was Easter. Too late to change my menu
plans.

Then on Sunday morning my son invites us to his wife's family's
fabulous Easter smorgasborg featuring all sorts of dips, fried chicken,
stuffed manacotti, asparagus, desserts galore and more.

Home by 3:00. But wanting to think about food? Wanting to finish off
the meat loaf? Talk about not wanting to eat anything, especally meat
loaf? But we did, pushing bits of food around on our plates and
mumbling about how good this meat loaf really was.

To make matters slightly worse my daughter-in-law had talked long
distance to her parents, telling them their Sunday plans and that
they'd be sharing an Easter meal with us. Having meat loaf. The
parentos replied "E A S T E R M E A T L O A F ?" See what I mean?

Oh well. Our rep is ruined but the kids got to take home a complete
meat loaf with lots of tomato gravy that hopefully they can parcel out
over the week for some nourishment.

wrote:
Well, it wasn't actually planned. I've got a married young'un who's not
eating properly and I wanted to fix them a week night meal they could
warm up and eat in split shifts or whenever. It would be a nice meat
loaf with a homemade salsa topping and some tomato gravy. Planned it
for Wednesday night, but my son asked for Friday. Fine. Then he asked
for Sunday when they normally come over for dinner. I said fine, then
on Saturday realized that Sunday was Easter. Too late to change my menu
plans.

Then on Sunday morning my son invites us to his wife's family's
fabulous Easter smorgasborg featuring all sorts of dips, fried chicken,
stuffed manacotti, asparagus, desserts galore and more.

Home by 3:00. But wanting to think about food? Wanting to finish off
the meat loaf? Talk about not wanting to eat anything, especally meat
loaf? But we did, pushing bits of food around on our plates and
mumbling about how good this meat loaf really was.

To make matters slightly worse my daughter-in-law had talked long
distance to her parents, telling them their Sunday plans and that
they'd be sharing an Easter meal with us. Having meat loaf. The
parentos replied "E A S T E R M E A T L O A F ?" See what I mean?

Oh well. Our rep is ruined but the kids got to take home a complete
meat loaf with lots of tomato gravy that hopefully they can parcel out
over the week for some nourishment.

So where's the meat loaf details... all you did is tap dance around a
meat loaf... somehow from reading your post I don't believe you made
any meat loaf.

Sheldon Beef

Sheldon wrote:
wrote:
Well, it wasn't actually planned. I've got a married young'un who's not
eating properly and I wanted to fix them a week night meal they could
warm up and eat in split shifts or whenever.

So where's the meat loaf details... all you did is tap dance around a
meat loaf... somehow from reading your post I don't believe you made
any meat loaf.

Sheldon Beef

The tap dance was the point. Just didn't think meat loaf an appropriate
dish for an Easter Feast, but then I'm a lapsed Presbyterian with
Unitarian tendencies whose son is a new age Apostate married to a
Catholic of German-Italian-Irish extraction.

The recipe, from Cuisine at Home, nothing special for this group of
gourmands. Made the salsa topping and gravy on Saturday afternoon,
having trouble with the gravy reduction. Did the meat loaf Sunday
afternoon after stuffing to the gills at family feast. You say change
the menu and quit belly-aching; well I'm not that kind of cook, yet.
Easier to stop a NASA countdown.

The recipe did call for prepared yellow mustard in the topping, giving
the meat loaf a tang I wasn't used to. Not bad but not great. My meat
loaf experience has always been tomatoey.

On 17 Apr 2006 05:17:11 -0700, wrote:

To make matters slightly worse my daughter-in-law had talked long
distance to her parents, telling them their Sunday plans and that
they'd be sharing an Easter meal with us. Having meat loaf. The
parentos replied "E A S T E R M E A T L O A F ?" See what I mean?

I don't think your decision was weird at all! I make meatloaf so
seldom, we consider it a special treat. Dunno why I don't make it
more often because it's the ultimate in comfort food. Maybe next
Easter. Thanks for the idea!

Carol
--

Some people are like Slinkies... they don't really have a purpose but
they bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.

Stolen from "traid" on the IRC

On 17 Apr 2006 05:50:45 -0700, "Sheldon" wrote:

So where's the meat loaf details... all you did is tap dance around a
meat loaf... somehow from reading your post I don't believe you made
any meat loaf.

Geeze, Louise! Why would someone lie about making meat loaf? Too bad
they didn't post pictures, huh?

Carol, rolling eyes
--

Some people are like Slinkies... they don't really have a purpose but
they bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.

Stolen from "traid" on the IRC

Nancy2 wrote:
wrote:

The recipe did call for prepared yellow mustard in the topping,
giving the meat loaf a tang I wasn't used to. Not bad but not great.
My meat loaf experience has always been tomatoey.

My favorite meatloaf topping is about 1 C. ketchup, 3 T. yellow
mustard, 3 T. Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 C. brown sugar, mixed until
smooth, put on top the meatloaf and baked right along with it.
Nothing better! ;-) Did your topping have some brown sugar?

N. (no guarantee on above proportions; I just do it by eye)

I don't like "topping" (gravy) on my meat loaf at all, especially not the
tomato-based stuff. I think it reminds me too much of a TV dinner (not
saying yours is like that, Nancy!). I add a little cocktail sauce and
shredded cheese *into* the meat mixture. Gives it a nice taste.

Jill

On Tue, 18 Apr 2006 18:55:49 -0500, "jmcquown"
wrote:

I don't like "topping" (gravy) on my meat loaf at all, especially not the
tomato-based stuff. I think it reminds me too much of a TV dinner (not
saying yours is like that, Nancy!). I add a little cocktail sauce and
shredded cheese *into* the meat mixture. Gives it a nice taste.

I like my meatloaf with evil mashed potatoes and brown gravy. The
brown gravy clashes with the tomato based toppings. I always scrape
that stuff off it I'm dining out.

Carol
--

Some people are like Slinkies... they don't really have a purpose but
they bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.

Stolen from "traid" on the IRC

Damsel in dis Dress wrote:
On Tue, 18 Apr 2006 18:55:49 -0500, "jmcquown"
wrote:

I don't like "topping" (gravy) on my meat loaf at all, especially
not the tomato-based stuff. I think it reminds me too much of a TV
dinner (not saying yours is like that, Nancy!). I add a little
cocktail sauce and shredded cheese *into* the meat mixture. Gives
it a nice taste.

I like my meatloaf with evil mashed potatoes and brown gravy. The
brown gravy clashes with the tomato based toppings. I always scrape
that stuff off it I'm dining out.

Carol

That, too. I've never ordered meatloaf out, not even at some of the best
home-style cooking diners I've encountered. They nearly always put a tomato
gravy on top.

Jill

wrote:

The tap dance was the point. Just didn't think meat loaf an appropriate
dish for an Easter Feast, but then I'm a lapsed Presbyterian with
Unitarian tendencies whose son is a new age Apostate married to a
Catholic of German-Italian-Irish extraction.

We had Easter turkey burgers. We Unitarians do weird things.

My meatloaf is ground turkey, milk, bread crumbs, grated green pepper,
grated onion, dried onion, spices (usually a mix of poultry spice,
oregano and a little thyme), black pepper. I form 2.5 lbs of meat into
2 loaves, bake at 350 for 45 minutes and then top with a 50:50 mixture
of ketchup and A1 sauce to which I have added black pepper and garlic
powder, and then bake an additional 15 minutes or so. It's incredibly
tasty. I like to serve it with au gratin potatoes and tomato and cuke
salad.

-L.

Damsel in dis Dress wrote:

On Tue, 18 Apr 2006 18:55:49 -0500, "jmcquown"
wrote:


I don't like "topping" (gravy) on my meat loaf at all, especially not the
tomato-based stuff. I think it reminds me too much of a TV dinner (not
saying yours is like that, Nancy!). I add a little cocktail sauce and
shredded cheese *into* the meat mixture. Gives it a nice taste.


I like my meatloaf with evil mashed potatoes and brown gravy. The
brown gravy clashes with the tomato based toppings. I always scrape
that stuff off it I'm dining out.

Carol

Try pureed cauliflower or pureed canned chestnuts.
Both great low carb substitutes for spuds.

On Wed, 19 Apr 2006 08:00:08 -0500, OmManiPadmiOmelet
wrote:

Damsel in dis Dress wrote:

I like my meatloaf with evil mashed potatoes and brown gravy. The
brown gravy clashes with the tomato based toppings. I always scrape
that stuff off it I'm dining out.

Try pureed cauliflower or pureed canned chestnuts.
Both great low carb substitutes for spuds.

I haven't gotten up the nerve to do anything with the bag of frozen
cauliflower I bought for just that purpose. I guess it'll take some
getting used to, because the only thing that potatoes and cauliflower
have in common is their color.

Carol
--

Some people are like Slinkies... they don't really have a purpose but
they bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.

Stolen from "traid" on the IRC

Damsel in dis Dress wrote on 19 Apr 2006 in rec.food.cooking

I haven't gotten up the nerve to do anything with the bag of frozen
cauliflower I bought for just that purpose. I guess it'll take some
getting used to, because the only thing that potatoes and cauliflower
have in common is their color.

Carol
--

I make it into florets and roast it...First I sprinkle the cauliflower with
oil and toss it with taco seasoning. Then on to a cookie sheet it goes at
400F till nicely browned...very nice.

--
-Alan

On Wed, 19 Apr 2006 21:45:49 GMT, Mr Libido Incognito
wrote:

Damsel in dis Dress wrote on 19 Apr 2006 in rec.food.cooking

I haven't gotten up the nerve to do anything with the bag of frozen
cauliflower I bought for just that purpose. I guess it'll take some
getting used to, because the only thing that potatoes and cauliflower
have in common is their color.

I make it into florets and roast it...First I sprinkle the cauliflower with
oil and toss it with taco seasoning. Then on to a cookie sheet it goes at
400F till nicely browned...very nice.

I'm talking about mashing it as a substitute for mashed potatoes.
Still sounds pretty weird to me. However, your way actually sounds
GOOD! Thanks sweetie!

Carol
--

Some people are like Slinkies... they don't really have a purpose but
they bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.

Stolen from "traid" on the IRC

Damsel in dis Dress wrote on 19 Apr 2006 in rec.food.cooking

I'm talking about mashing it as a substitute for mashed potatoes.


There is no subsitute so why bother...Just let them go...

--
-Alan

Damsel in dis Dress wrote:

On Wed, 19 Apr 2006 21:45:49 GMT, Mr Libido Incognito
wrote:



Damsel in dis Dress wrote on 19 Apr 2006 in rec.food.cooking



I haven't gotten up the nerve to do anything with the bag of frozen
cauliflower I bought for just that purpose. I guess it'll take some
getting used to, because the only thing that potatoes and cauliflower
have in common is their color.


I make it into florets and roast it...First I sprinkle the cauliflower with
oil and toss it with taco seasoning. Then on to a cookie sheet it goes at
400F till nicely browned...very nice.



I'm talking about mashing it as a substitute for mashed potatoes.
Still sounds pretty weird to me. However, your way actually sounds
GOOD! Thanks sweetie!

Carol


Try Cauliflower Puff. Steam or boil it until just tender. Put it in the
food processor with some fresh breadcrumbs, an egg, a teaspoon of
Worcestershire sauce, a teaspoon of dry mustard, half a cup or so of
cream and a cup of grated cheese. Puree, then bake in a moderate oven
for half an hour until it puffs up a bit. Any leftovers are OK
microwaved for breakfast!

Christine