New American Meatloaf

Meatloaf has been an Ameriacn staple for generations.  As I child, I simply loathed meatloaf (and casseroles), and refused to eat it in my adult life.   Meatloaf seemed a messy concoction, with a bizzare assortment of ingredients, usually bland in flavor, and seemed to resemble cat food, far too closely.  Also, I think the catsup baked (and crusted) on top of the meatloaf tasted weird, and seemed an oddly sweet topping.

In recent years, I began experimenting with meatloaf, as I needed something I could eat for a few days, as I was working extremely long hours, and did not have time to cook.  Over time, I came up with this flavorful recipe, featuring hints of traditional meatloaf, with new twists.  The catsup is replaced by sun dried tomatoes, and there are plenty of herbs and spices to add flavor, texture, and color to the mix.

New American Meatloaf

Skill level:

Serves 3 to 4

Ingredients

1/4 cup roughly chopped green peppers

2 gloves of garlic, peeled, and roughly chopped

1/4 cup fresh parsley

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon rosemary

2 heaping tablespoons chopped sun dried tomatoes (I prefer the oil pack variety, but any kind will work nicely)

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon beau monde seasoning

4 saltine crackers (or 1/4 cup plain bread crumbs)

1 green onion

1 pound of hamburger or ground chuck roast

1/4 cup parmesian cheese (optional)

1/4 cup pine nuts (optional)

1/3 cup shredded cheddar (optional)

Preparation

1. Put peppers, garlic, parsley, egg, salt, pepper, rosemary, sun dried tomatoes, oregano, and beau monde seasoning into a food processor, equipped with the blade attachment.  

2. Pulse the food processor a few times until contents are combined, and resembles salsa.

3. Chop the green onion and stems (discarding the roots).

4. Put the meat into a bowl.
5. Using your hands crush the crackers over the meat. (Sustitte plain bread crumbs, if you like)

6. Add the chopped onion to the meat and cracker mixture. Optional: Add pine nuts, and parmesian cheese.

7. Add the egg and spice mixture from the food processor to the meat.

8. Using your hands, squeeze all of the ingredients together until uniformly combined.

9. Shape the mat loaf mixture into a log, roughly 9 by 3 inches.

10. Roll the meat loaf log in baking parchment, and then twist the ends tightly against the end of the log, so that the wrapped meat loaf resembles a giant tootsie roll.
    
    

11. Tuck the ends under the log, and place on an edged baking sheet (seems down, to allow for drainage).

12. Bake in the oven (I just use my taster oven, as the meat loaf is not too large) at 375, or 55 minutes to 1 hour.  Note:  I usually use a cooking thermometer, poked through the parchment, to make sure the center is a minimum of 160 degrees. 
13. Remove from oven, and using an oven hit, untwist one of the ends of the twisted parchment.  using the oven hit, grab the remaining twisted end of the parchment, and gently shake the meat loaf log out of the paper covering.  Usually, it will just slide out.
14. Optional: When the meat loaf is done, sprinkle shredded cheddar over the length of the log, and return to the oven, until the cheese begins to melt.

15. Using a serrated knife, cut into 8 slices, and serve.