Category: PROTEINS

BROKEN BALINESE CHICKEN

I found this recipe and it looked so absolutely delicious that I had to try it!  Well it received 4 thumbs down – WAY TOO BITTER – so it was back to the drawing board.  I guess we are just not Indonesian eaters.  I still liked the basic recipe idea, it just needed something more to our liking!  It was too bitter as is, so I tried a simple fix and Voila’ a new recipe was born.

BROKEN BALINESE CHICKEN
10 6 garlic cloves, minced
3 fresh long red chiles, halved and seeded
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
6 3 small shallots, halved sliced
2 1 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 cup vegetable avocado oil, plus more for brushing
freshly ground Salt and black pepper
One 4-pound chicken, butterflied 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders
4 fresh bay leaves
4 2 limes, halved
   2 limes, sliced

  • In a food processor, combine the garlic, chiles, shallots, ginger and turmeric and pulse until finely chopped. 
  • Add the 1/4 cup of avocado oil and pulse to a fine paste. 
  • Transfer the paste to a small skillet and add the brown sugar cooking over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. 
  • Let the paste cool completely and season with salt and pepper.
  • Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

  • Preheat oven to 450°.
  • Uncover chicken and bring to room temperature while oven is heating.
  • Add lime pieces.
  • Bake 20-25 minutes until cooked through.

HONEY WALNUT LEMON CHICKEN

HONEY WALNUT LEMON CHICKEN
2 teaspoons avocado oil
1 teaspoon peeled, grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1 tablespoon honey
fresh ground salt, to taste

  • Slowly heat avocado oil in skillet.
  • When hot, add ginger and garlic cooking until fragrant.
  • Add walnuts and honey.
  • Cook 2-3 minutes until walnuts turn golden and honey bubbles.
  • Sprinkle with salt.
  • Transfer to apiece of foil to coil.

1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders
fresh ground salt and pepper, to taste
Wondra flour for dredging
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice from 2 lemons
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup white wine
green onions or parsley for garnish

  • Melt butter over medium high heat.
  • Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
  • Dredge through flour.
  • Add chicken pieces to hot butter browning until golden on both sides.
  • Plate chicken and keep warm.
  • Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of butter and let pan cool slightly.
  • Add ginger and garlic until fragrant.
  • Add lemon juice, wine and honey cooking until boils and slightly thickens.  Be sure to scrape loose bits from the pan.
  • Pour over chicken, sprinkle with walnuts and garnish with green onions or parsley.

CHARDONNAY/MOSCATO CHICKEN, BEET CHEDDAR APPLE TARTS & BEER BATTERED ZUCCHINI

CHARDONNAY/MOSCATO CHICKEN
1 chicken fillet per person
2 + 3 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 tablespoons Wondra flour + flour for dusting
Fresh ground salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup favorite wine (I alternate between white Moscato and chardonnay)
Juice of 1 large lemon
1/2 cup heavy cream
Angel Hair pasta
diced green onions
diced tomatoes
Parmesan Cheese

  • Melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium high heat.
  • Generously salt and pepper chicken pieces.
  • Dredge chicken pieces in flour and add to melted butter.  Brown both sides evenly.
  • Plate Chicken over prepared angel hair.
  • In a small saucepan melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat.
  • Whisk in 2 1/2 tablespoons flour until well blended and golden.
  • Whisk in lemon juice and wine, bring to a SLOW boil.
  • Whisk in cream and serve immediately.
  • Pour over chicken pieces and top with green onions, tomatoes and Parmesan cheese.

BEET CHEDDAR APPLE TARTS (from an old recipe page – source unknown)
1 sheet Puff Pastry, thawed and cut into fourths and edges rounded
3/4 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
1 apple peeled, cored and sliced thin
1 beet peeled and slice thin
4 green onions, sliced thin
Fresh ground salt and pepper medley

  • Preheat oven to 400°.
  • Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  • Place pastry circles on parchment paper.
  • Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Sprinkle half the cheese on the rounds.
  • Arrange apple slices and beet slices alternately on pastry circles.
  • Top with remaining cheese and green onions.
  • Sprinkle again with salt and pepper.
  • Bake 15 minutes until pastry is golden and slightly puffed.

BEER BATTERED ZUCCHINI 
2-3   zucchini, sliced (I used round – love them)
1 1/2 cup four
1 cup+ Angry Orchard Summer Ale
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon Avocado oil
Wondra flour for dredging
fresh ground salt and pepper, to taste
Coconut oil for frying
Jalapeno Ranch dressing

  • Whisk together flour, salt and pepper in a large bowl
  • In a smaller bowl whisk together the eggs and avocado oil.
  • Drizzle egg mixture over flour and mix together with a fork until you have a rough dough.
  • Add beer slowly while whisking until you have a smooth batter.
  • Cover with saran and chill at least 1 hour.
  • Bring coconut to frying temperature over medium high heat.
  • Slice zucchini.
  • Dredge in Wondra flour.
  • Drop into batter and coat both sides well.
  • Drop pieces in the oil making sure NOT to crowd.  Brown both sides. 
  • Drain. 
  • Repeat until all pieces are fried.
  • Serve with Jalapeno Ranch dressing.

LEMON PAPRIKA GRILL CHICKEN & BROCCOLI SLAW revisited

I have been making this broccoli salad for years – it’s perfect for summer dinners – especially grilled dinners! I added a new grill recipe that I developed and it turned out PERFECTLY!

LEMON PAPRIKA GRILL CHICKEN
4-6 skin on chicken thighs
Juice of 1 lemon
2 lemons, sliced
1/4-1/3 cup Savory Spice Shop Sweet & Spicy Paprika
1/8-1/4 cup fresh ground Himalayan Pink salt
1/8 cup fresh ground peppercorn medley

  • Prick chicken pieces with fork tines.
  • Pour 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice over each piece and chill 2 hours.
  • Prepare grill for indirect heat.  I use charcoal and HOT, but indirect heat. I also clean my grill and leave it off during the coals heating up process and then spray it with PAM grill non-stick spray just before adding the meat.
  • Remove chicken from lemon juice and drain.
  • Whisk together paprika, salt and pepper until well blended.
  • Season each piece of chicken with spice mixture, patting to adhere the spices to the meat.
  • Grill chicken skin side up 8-10 minutes.  Adjust as necessary to avoid flame flare-ups.
  • Turn skin side down and grill another 8-10 minutes or until browned or cooked through – again adjusting as necessary for flame flare-ups.
  • Add lemon slices to grill after turning the chicken and grill both sides.
  • Serve chicken over lemon slices.
  • Garnish with parsley.

BROCCOLI SLAW
1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
1/2 head shredded red cabbage (optional)*
2 bunches green onions, sliced
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup sunflower seeds (shelled)
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 pound bacon cooked crisp and crumbled
1 cup mayonnaise
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar**

  • In a large mixing bowl toss the broccoli, red cabbage, onions, seeds, raisins and bacon together.
  • In a small mixing bowl or mini food processor, blend the mayonnaise, sugar, lemon juice and vinegar together until smooth.
  • Pour over the vegetable mix.
  • Toss well and chill 24-48 hours before serving.

*add another 1 1/2 cups broccoli florets if omitting cabbage.
**can use pineapple juice instead

ITALIAN CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS

ITALIAN CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS serves 6
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 bunch green onions, minced
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon thyme
1/4 cup Wondra flour
1 28 ounce box Passata (Italian tomatoes)
Fresh ground salt and black pepper, to taste
2 bottles ShockTop beer
2 tablespoons balsamic

  • In a large pot melt butter over medium high heat.
  • Add chicken and season with salt and pepper sauteing until golden and cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl.
  • Add remaining butter to pot and melt.
  • Add onions, red bell pepper, celery, carrots and garlic sauteing until tender.
  • Stir in thyme and flour, blending well.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Stir in beer and vinegar.
  • Add tomatoes.
  • Bring to a rapid simmer, reduce heat and cook uncovered 30 minutes. 
  • Drop dumplings in top of stew.
  • Cover and simmer 10-15 minutes until dumplings are cooked through. 

Prepare dumplings while chicken mixture is simmering.

DUMPLINGS
2/3 cup Wondra flour
1/3 cup fine yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup buttermilk

  • Using your fingers work the butter pieces into dry ingredients until forms small crumbs.
  • Add buttermilk and work into a smooth dough.
  • Roll dough pieces into ping pong size balls.

SOUTH of the BORDER CHICKEN WINGS & BEER BAKED BEANS

SOUTH of the BORDER CHICKEN WINGS
GLAZE
1 cup BBQ sauce (I use Sweet Baby Ray’s Original)
1/4  cup light corn syrup
1 small can chopped green chiles, drained
1 bunch green onions, finely minced
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Juice of 1 lime

  • In a small saucepan whisk together the BBQ sauce, corn syrup, garlic powder and cumin.
  • Stir in green chiles and onions.
  • Bring to a SLOW boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
  • Whisk in lime juice and set aside.

WINGS
2 pounds chicken tenders
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Fresh ground salt and black pepper

  • Preheat oven to 450°.
  • Line baking sheet with foil and spray with non stick spray.
  • Sprinkle garlic powder, salt and pepper on chicken pieces.
  • Arrange chicken in a single layer.
  • Bake 25-30 until cooked through.
  • Brush with glaze last 10 minutes.
  • Serve with remaining sauce and ranch for dipping.

JALAPENO RANCH (FOR DIPPING)
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups mayonnaise
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon crushed parsley flakes
2 tablespoons Penzey’s California crushed jalapenos
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper

  • Whisk all together and chill overnight before serving

BEER BAKED BEANS
1 pound small white beans, soaked over night, drained and sorted
1 medium Vidalia onion, chopped
1 large shallot, sliced
1 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon honey
6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
2 bottles Angry Orchard Summer Honey hard cider or Shocktop
1 1/2 cups hot water
2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
1 KNORR chicken gel bouillon
Fresh ground salt and black pepper, to taste

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • In a large skillet cook bacon, reserving 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease.
  • When bacon is done, add onions, shallot and garlic to bacon grease sauteing until opaque.
  • Whisk together the beer, hot water and bouillon. Add to onion mixture and bring to a SLOW boil.
  • Add honey, vinegar, salt and pepper.
  • Add beans and return to a boil.
  • Transfer to baking dish baking until beans are tender and moisture is absorbed.
  • Stir in bacon just before serving.

My family added some of the extra wing sauce from above to the beans and LOVED it.

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PAPRIKA CHICKEN and the RUB RUB RUB!

There are so many foods to work with, but honestly most of us use the same basic meats, beef, chicken pork or fish.  One of the best ways to spice it up a bit is to use spice rubs.  Most rubs use simple ingredients, but finding your favorite flavor combination can make the difference between eating the same old thing or trying a BOLD new flavor.  Sometimes the rub seasoning mixes can be added to your wet mixtures instead of directly being rubbed on the meats and have just as great a flavor enhancement.

PAPRIKA CHICKEN
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon + 1 tablespoon Penzey’s Sweet Smoked Paprika
1 teaspoon oregano
2 cups buttermilk
2/3 cup cornstarch
1 1/4 cup self rising flour
Fresh ground salt and black pepper, to taste
Avocado oil & Crisco

  • Sift together flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon paprika, set aside. 
  • Whisk together buttermilk, tomato paste, 1 tablespoon paprika, oregano, salt and pepper.
  • Dredge chicken pieces in four, making sure to coat ALL edges and folds. Save remaining flour mixture for use later.
  • Submerge chicken pieces in buttermilk mixture and chill 3-4 hours.
  • Heat a combination of avocado oil and Crisco over medium high heat.
  • Place remaining flour in a shallow dish.
  • Remove each chicken piece from the buttermilk shaking off excess.
  • Dredge each piece in flour mixture.
  • Fry until golden, turning only once about 15-20 minutes.
  • Using a wire rack place chicken pieces to drain.

Rubs will store, but I prefer to make them fresh for each recipe. 

Here are a few of my other favorite flavor combinations for rubs:

CHILE COFFEE – great for beef
1 teaspoon espresso powder
2 tablespoon ancho-chile powder
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
pinch of cinnamon
pinch nutmeg

  • Mix together and store at room temperature.

SESAME SPICE – great for chicken
1/4 cup sweet paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoon sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground Himalayan Pink salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
pinch sugar

  •  Mix together and store at room temperature.

ORANGE CORIANDER – great for fish
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
2 teaspoons finely ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground Himalayan Pink salt 
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

  •  Mix together and store at room temperature.

Here are a few other flavor combinations that are great for fried chicken:

SPICED MUSTARD
1 tablespoon ground mustard
4 teaspoons OLD BAY seasoning
flour
buttermilk
2-3 teaspoon Frank’s hot sauce

  • Add dry seasoning to dredge mixture.
  • Add hot sauce to buttermilk.
  • Coat chicken pieces with buttermilk mixture for several hours.
  • Drain chicken pieces, dredge through flour mixture and fry as normal.

LEMON PEPPER
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Fresh ground Himalayan pink salt
Zest from 1 lemon
4 cloves garlic, minced
Juice from 1 lemon
flour
buttermilk

  • Add dry seasoning to dredge mixture.
  • Add garlic, zest and lemon juice to buttermilk.
  • Coat chicken pieces with buttermilk mixture for several hours.
  • Drain chicken pieces, dredge through flour mixture and fry as normal.

    BBQ CARROTS
    1 bag baby carrots
    2/3 cup favorite BBQ sauce
    1/4 cup honey

    • Steam or boil carrots until tender.
    • Whisk together the honey and BBQ sauce.
    • Heat sauce mixture for 30-45 seconds on high in the microwave.
    • Toss together and serve.

      AZTEC CHICKEN

      AZTEC CHICKEN
      1 chicken breast per person
      1 slice thin tavern ham per person
      1 thin slice mozzarella or provolone cheese per person
      2-3 pieces sun dried tomatoes, drained of oil
      3 tablespoons Taco Bell mild sauce
      1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning per person
      egg wash
      flour for dredging
      Panko crumbs, finely ground
      1 tablespoon butter per breast
      Salt & Pepper to taste

      • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
      • Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
      • Flatten chicken breasts to 1/4 inch thickness.  I place them between 2 sheets of wax paper and use a rolling pin.
      • Salt and pepper each breast.
      • Spread a layer of ham and then cheese.
      • Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and place several tomato pieces on top.
      • Begin with smallest edge and begin rolling. Secure with a cooking band.
      • Roll chicken bundle in egg wash.
      • Mix together flour and Panko crumbs,
      • Dredge chicken bundle first in egg wash and then in Panko mixture.
      • Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet and lightly brown chicken bundles before placing them in a baking dish.
      • Sprinkle with lemon juice and melted butter.
      • Bake 20-35 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

      SAUCE
      1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, drained of oil
      2 cloves garlic, minced
      Juice of 1 lemon
      3 tablespoons butter
      1/2 cup heavy cream
      1 tablespoons Wondra

      • In a small food processor chop sun dried tomatoes, taco sauce, garlic and lemon juice until well blended.
      • In a small sauce pan melt butter over medium high heat.
      • Whisk in flour until golden.
      • Add cream, blending until smooth.
      • Bring to a SLOW boil and reduce eat to a simmer.
      • Whisk in tomato mixture and heat through to desired consistency.

      PICKLE BRINED FRIED CHICKEN with BUTTERMILK CREAM GRAVY

      PICKLE BRINE FRIED CHICKEN 
      1 jar Zucchini relish
      8 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
      2 cups buttermilk
      Flour for dredging
      salt and pepper to taste
      coconut oil for frying
      garnish

      • Poke each piece of chicken with a fork.
      • Add chicken and zucchini relish to a large ziploc bag.
      • Chill 3 hours.
      • Remove chicken from brine, scraping off chunks of relish. Chill until ready to fry.
      • Heat oil in large skillet.
      • Dredge chicken pieces through the buttermilk and then the flour, patting the flour into all the crevices.
      • Add chicken to oil cooking until golden on both sides.
      • Serve with mashed potatoes and buttermilk cream gravy.

      ***Original recipe called for:
      1 tablespoon toasted yellow mustard seeds
      1 tablespoon toasted brown mustard seeds
      1 1/2 tablespoons toasted coriander seeds
      1 cup apple cider vinegar
      2/3 cup kosher salt
      1/3 cup sugar
      1/ cup chopped fresh dill

      BUTTERMILK CREAM GRAVY
      4 tablespoons butter
      1/4 cup Wondra flour
      1 container KNORR chicken gel bouillon
      1 cup water
      1 cup buttermilk
      Fresh ground salt and black pepper, to taste

      • Whisk together the bouillon gel and water until smooth.
      • Add buttermilk until well blended. Set Aside.
      • Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.
      • Add flour, whisking until golden and smooth.
      • Gradually add buttermilk mixture and bring to a SLOW boil.
      • Reduce heat and simmer until thickening begins.
      • Salt and pepper to desired taste.

      ZUCCHINI RELISH
      5 cups shredded zucchini
      1 cup chopped Vidalia onion
      1 cup red pepper
      1 cup green pepper
      2 1/2 tablespoons salt
      2 cups water
      1 tablespoon celery seed
      2 1/2  teaspoons turmeric
      2 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
      1 1/4 cup white or apple cider vinegar

      • Whisk together the spices and sugar. Set aside.
      • Toss together zucchini, onion, red and green peppers.
      • Sprinkle with salt and toss again.
      • Pour 2 cups water over top.
      • Soak over night.

      • Drain and rinse WELL! (I use a cheesecloth to gently wring out remaining water from the veggies.
      • Add veggies to a large pot.
      • Add spice mixture and vinegar, stirring to coat.
      • Bring to a boil, then simmer for 25-30 minutes until veggies are soft.
      • Pour into hot sterilized jars and water bath 10 minutes.

      SALMON IN A BLANKET

      I found this old, and I do mean old recipe card in an old recipe box I found in an antique store.  It was a Betty Crocker of General Mills recipe from the TESTED RECIPE INSTITUTE.  I’m sure I could do some research and find the actual year, but I’m going to guess it is from the 50’s or 60’s. I changed it very little, but have added some additional flavor.  The original recipe called for pink salmon, but I use both pink and red salmon.  This recipe originally called for making a Bisquick dough, but is great for cheating and using prepared dough and/or puff pastry with.  You can also substitute tuna. I also make them into individual tarts instead of one long “blanket”.

      SALMON IN A BLANKET
      3 cups flaked pink salmon
      1/2 cup mayonnaise
      Juice of 1 lemon juice
      Fresh ground salt and black pepper, to taste
      2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
      1 package of prepared pie dough or puff pastry
      egg wash

      • Preheat oven to 425°.
      • Mix together the salmon, mayonnaise, lemon juice and parsley until well blended.
      • Roll dough into four 4×8 inch oblongs.
      • Arrange the first oblong pastry on 1 side of a jelly roll pan.
      • Fill the dough with salmon mixture not going all the way to the edge.
      • Fold over the top and crimp the edges, sealing well.
      • Brush with egg wash.
      • Make a few slashes on top to allow steam to escape.
      • Bake 12 -15 minutes.

      HALIBUT STEAK VINAIGRETTE & CABBAGE AU GRATIN

      These recipes are sooooooo simple, but your dinner guests will think you worked all day on them.

      The Halibut recipe originally came from First Magazine and the cabbage recipe from Sunset Magazine. Right now halibut is so much more expensive than other fish that I am tried it on other white fishes and have found they taste just as well.  You just have to adjust cooking time based on the thickness of your fish.

      The cabbage recipe is VERY versatile!  You can use less cabbage and substitute broccoli or cauliflower for a tasty variation.

      HALIBUT STEAK VINAIGRETTE
      1 piece of halibut or other white fish (salmon is good too)
      3 tablespoons white balsamic or champagne vinegar (recipe originally called for red wine vinegar)
      Fresh ground salt and black pepper
      1/4 cup Avocado oil for brushing fish
      1/4 cup minced red pepper
      Paprika, to taste
      1 small bunch green onions, minced

      • Pre-heat broiler.*
      • Brush pan with oil.
      • In a dressing or mason jar combine, oil, salt, pepper, most of the green onions and red pepper shaking to mix.
      • Brush fish pieces with oil on each side.
      • Sprinkle salt, pepper and paprika on fish pieces on both sides.
      • Arrange fish on oiled pan.
      • Broil fish, turning one until cooked through (5-10 minutes depending on fish).
      • Drizzle vinaigrette over fish and return to broiler for 1 minute to heat through.
      • Top with remaining green onions for garnish.

      *Bakes well also.  If you bake it put the vinaigrette on it before baking.

      CABBAGE AU GRATIN
      1 small head cabbage* (about 1 /2 pounds), cored and cut into 8 wedges
      Fresh ground salt and black pepper
      2 + 2 tablespoons butter
      Fresh ground salt and black pepper to taste
      1/4 cup water
      3 cloves garlic, minced
      fresh thyme sprigs, chopped
      nutmeg
      1 tablespoon Wondra
      1 cup heavy whipping cream
      3/4 cup shredded Fontina cheese (gouda works well as does swiss)
      1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
      1/4  cup fresh bread crumbs

      • Spray a 2 quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
      • Preheat oven to 400°.
      • Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a larger skillet over medium high heat.
      • Add cabbage wedges flat edge down.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Turn once and brown bot edges, about 5 minutes.
      • Add 1/4 cup water to pan. Cover and cook 3-5 minuted until cabbage is tender.
      • Transfer cabbage to baking dish, arranging wedges so the snuggle.
      • Add remaining butter to skillet drippings and melt.
      • Add garlic, thyme, nutmeg and flour, stirring to combine.
      • Add whipping cream and bring to a SLOW boil, just until thickened and beginning to bubble.
      • Pour cream mixture over cabbage.
      • Salt and pepper again.
      • Top with cheese and bread crumbs.
      • Bake until browned and bubbling, 20-30 minutes.

      *Or veggie combo of your choosing.  If you use broccoli or cauliflower, halve the spears so you have a flat side on each piece.

      HERB MEAT LOAF & GRAVY – from scratch HOMESTYLE

      Part of the flavor of meatloaf is from the fat content in the meat.  Ground chuck has a higher fat contact than ground round but if you can’t get ground chuck be sure to use at least and 80/20 fat content or decrease the beef and increase the ground pork.

        HERB MEAT LOAF & GRAVY

      *2 pound ground pork
      *2 pound ground chuck
      4-6 tablespoons Classico sun dried tomato pesto(can also use Hunt’s tomato paste)
      2 medium eggs
      1 KNORR beef bouillon gel
      1/2 cup milk or cream
      1/2 cup moscato wine
      2 cups fine bread crumbs
      2 cloves garlic, minced
      2 cups finely chopped celery
      1 large Vidalia onion, finely chopped
      1/4 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley (I used 1 tablespoon parsley paste)
      Fresh ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste

      • Preheat oven to 350°.
      • Whisk eggs, milk, wine, bouillon and tomato pesto together.
      • With your hands blend together the meat, egg mixture, bread crumbs, onions, garlic, parsley and celery just until mixed.
      • Shape into loaf pan.
      • Bake 1 to 1 1/2 hours until cooked through.
      • Carefully drain and retain liquid from meatloaf for the gravy.

      1/2 cup organic butter
      1/2 cup Wondra flour
      Beef broth, red wine and/or drippings from meat loaf for your favorite combo of 2 cups total
      Fresh ground salt and black pepper, to taste

      • Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat.
      • Whisk in flour, cooking until golden.
      • Slowly whisk in broth/pan juices, increasing heat to medium and whisking constantly until gravy comes to slow boil.
      • Reduce heat and simmer gravy to desired consistency.
      • Season to taste.

        *I have found that buying these from a butcher vs. the grocery store has a more flavorful and tasty meat loaf.