Old Fashioned Meatloaf

Wonderful, simple, easy, comforting MEATLOAF!  Don't we all just love it?  I spent years and years trying to make a good meatloaf that didn't fall apart on me.  They always seemed to crumble on me! Finally I tried the recipe on the oatmeal box!  Yea!  It was great!  I have tweaked it a little through the years but it still is the basic recipe that I found 25 years ago.  My friend Arlene told me that I should post all of my recipes and I told her that sometimes what I cook is just simple home cookin' and nothing special.  But, for Arlene, I will post my meatloaf (although she told me she loves the recipe she uses and that she makes little meatloaves with cheese.  That sounds really good!)  Anyway, she gave me the idea of splitting my recipe into two loaves - because we were sitting outside enjoying a glass of wine and it was getting late to start a meatloaf.  Two small loaves cook faster than one!


And I just realizd that I have never written down the process - just the ingredients!  So here goes, folks!

Suzie's Meatloaf

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
Line a shallow pan with aluminum foil (so you won't have to clean a pan!)

• 3/4 lb ground pork
• 3/4 lb ground beef (fat in the beef is bad for you but adds the flavor)
• 1/3 C. oatmeal - the quick cooking is the best
• 1/2 C. chopped onion
• 1/4 C. ketchup
• 1 egg
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and pepper to taste
• Barbeque Sauce

In a large mixing bowl mix all the ingredients together with your hands.  A spoon will not work.  Knead it well so that the beef and pork are combined.

Gather it all up into your hands and shape it into a loaf. ( I kind of toss and shape, toss and shape to pack it together nicely.)

At this point decide if you are going for one large loaf, two smaller or little individuals.

On the top press an indentation all along the length of the loaf.  Fill this with barbeque sauce.  Of course if you don't have barbeque sauce you can use ketchup.  We just like barbeque sauce better.

For one large loaf, bake at 375 degrees for about an hour to an hour and 15 minutes. Adjust cooking time for smaller loaves.

After 10 minutes remove the loaf to a serving plate and carefully slice.
Enjoy with mashed potatoes and a green veggie.

Party Chicken Bake

This really is called "Mom's Gooey Chicken" and has been for 40 years.  I found this recipe in a newspaper in the late 60's and have been making it since, but not so much as in the first 10-15 years because now we pay a little more attention to what we eat, not just how good it tastes!  My kids make it and my grandchildren know and love it.  It is a real "Family Recipe".   

Because of the Cream of Mushroom Soup and the Cream Cheese in it, I don't make it so much any more but it is still something we all love, a comfort food, and I made it tonight for dinner with fluffy basmati rice and some fresh asparagus.  So, if you are hungering for some good old fashioned comfort food - give this one a try.  I used bone-in chicken breast just because we prefer our chicken with bones when possible as it is more flavorful but boneless works really well also.  (and I took the skin off before cooking)

1 Envelope Dry Italian Salad Dressing Mix
2 T. oil
4 Chicken Breast Halves (or boneless, skinless)
1 Can mushroom soup
1 4-oz pkg whipped cream cheese
1/3 C. Dry white wine

1. Combine 1/2 of the salad dressing and oil in a large skillet. Add chicken and brown slowly on both sides until golden.
2. Place chicken in a 13 x 7 in. baking dish.
3. Combine the soup, remaining salad dressing mix and cream cheese in a small bowl and blend well.
4. Stir in the wine and then spoon over the chicken.  
5. (You may refrigerate at this point if wanted but add 30 minutes to cooking time when taken from refrigerator)
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Serve over rice.  Makes 4 servings.