Glazed Meatloaf - Cook's Country TV recipe

I am not a huge fan of meatloaf. The MotH does like it and has been suggesting for weeks (months) that I make it for dinner sometime. I tend to ignore him. That said, I like meatloaf sandwiches made from the leftovers so this is likely to be a win win. Watching an episode of Cook's Country lately inspired me to make their recipe (w/only a few modifications). The one thing I think is most important is not to bake meatloaf in a loaf pan - yuck, it's just, by definition, sitting in grease. That's a lesson learned from Alton Brown years ago, but it is well worth repeating. Cook's Country (and America's Test Kitchen et al) often uses a panade when making meatballs and other things involving ground meat to help it keep its moisture and be tender - that's employed here as well. I like the fact that there aren't a gillion vegetables in this --- it's meat loaf - not veg loaf - onions, garlic, and the only green added is the parsley - basically just aromatics. It was funny watching Bridget at this part of the show (episode: Family Supper) - she doesn't seem to be a fan of too much veg in meatloaf either. Works for me. 


Glaze:

1 c. ketchup
1/4 c. brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 T. cider vinegar
1/2 t. hot sauce (I used original Tabasco)
Whisk all ingredients in a sauce pan until sugar dissolves. Reserve 1/4 c. glaze mixture, then simmer regaining glaze over medium heat utnil slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Cover and keep warm. 


Meatloaf:
2 t. vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced (used 4 cloves because the were, in my estimation, small)
2/3 c. Saltine crackers (c. 17 crackers)
1/3 c. whole milk (I used 2% because it's what I had)
1 pound 90% lean ground beef
1 pound ground pork
2 large eggs plus 1 large yolk (I used 1 egg and 1 yolk)
2 t. Dijon mustard
2 t. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t. dried thyme

1/3 c. fresh parsley, finely chopped


Line rimmed baking sheet with foil and coat lightly with cooking spray. Heat oil in nonstick skilled over medium heat until shimmering. Cook onions until golden (8-12 minutes). Add garlic, stir and cook until fragrant (30 seconds). Transfer to large bowl. 
Process saltines and milk in food processors until smooth. Add beef and pork and pulse until well combined, about 10 1-second pules. Transfer meat mixture to bowl with cooled onion mixtures. Add eggs and yolk, mustard, Worcestershire, thyme, parsley, salt (1 t.) and pepper (3/4 t.) and mix with hands (fun fun) until combined. 
Adjust oven racks to upper about 4" away from broiler. Transfer meat mixture to  prepared baking sheet and shape into 9" x 5" loaf (or in my case, 8" x 6" loaf). Broil on upper rack until well browned, about 5 minutes (8 more like). Brush two T. of reserved glaze over tops and sides of meatloaf and return to oven and broil until glaze begins to brown (2 minutes).
Transfer meatloaf to middle rack and brush with remaining reserved glaze. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake until meatloaf registers 160 degrees - 40-45 minutes. Transfer to carving surface, tent w/foil, let rest 20 minutes. Slice and serve with cooked glaze.
ATK = damn good! 

Eggs Benedict

Delicious, home made Eggs Benedict

I recently read a blog post that was partially about not ordering Eggs Benedict at restaurants* which is something I never would consider since I don't care for eggs, but I know the MotH and the Boy both love Eggs Benedict, and I highly suspect that the Boy would eat almost anything if it had Hollandaise sauce on it. I made my first Eggs Benedict on January 1, 2009. I wanted to start the year off right, both culinarily and for the guys in the house and to see if I could actually make Hollandaise sauce from scratch - not that I had ever tried to make it any other way for that matter. 
Suffice it to say, I made Eggs Benedict three weekends out of the four that month and continued to make it until the weather got too warm to eat that much for breakfast. It helps that I found an dummy-proof recipe from Cook's Country. I can still see the cover of the magazine - it had a half cut grapefruit on the cover (Feb. 2009)

I don't know that you need a recipe for Eggs Benedict per se, but I did learn some things about timing and how to make this work. The poached eggs can be done four at a time, the muffins can be toasted under the broiler and then the Canadian bacon added and heated through (Note: Cook's Country says you can toast muffins and warm bacon up to 20 minutes ahead and reheat in a 200 degree oven before serving) I make the Hollandaise sauce first and let it sit over the warm water of the make-shift double boiler while I toast the muffins, bacon, and cook the eggs. The MotH and the Boy both like fried eggs (w/runny yolks), so I don't poach much anymore, but the timing is the same.

Lovely, toasty English muffins

Cook's Country recommends Bays English Muffins which are found in the refrigerator section. I prefer the original flavor as we're not huge fans of sourdough flavor. They toast up very nice, have a great crunch and lots of holes for Hollandaise to get trapped in. They are also very inexpensive - 6 muffins for $2.59.
While Eggs Benedict, in and of itself may not need a recipe, Hollandaise Sauce does. This is a half recipe based on the Cook's Country recipe (you should join for the yearly fee - it's worth it for just this recipe alone!). You will need an instant thermometer to check the temperature (we all want to be safe).
6 T unsalted butter, softened
3 large egg yolks
1/4 boiling water
2 t fresh lemon juice
pinch of cayenne pepper
salt

Starting Hollandaise

Whisk butter and egg yolks in large heatproof bowl over med saucepan with about 1/2" of simmering water. Don't let the bowl touch the water. Slowly add boiling water, whisk constantly until mixture
thickens and reaches 160 degrees. Add lemon/cayenne off heat. Season 
to taste with salt and serve. 

You may wonder why there is a photo of  Two Pigs Farm Maple Syrup. 1. It's amazing, I order one bottle every year. It is not cheap, but it is beyond incredible. Again, I highly recommend it. 2. I don't like eggs, as mentioned before. So instead of Eggs Benedict with the boys, I have an English muffin smeared with Hollandaise sauce and a side of hot breakfast sausage. One of my favorite things with sausage, besides grape jelly or mustard, is maple syrup. So that is why I have a photo of my favorite maple syrup of all time here. 


If you're wondering; I don't get anything, nor would I accept anything for any items recommended. It's just what I like. Everyone has their own opinion.
* This was a well written article from a chef's point of view and highly enlightening about how food is put together in restaurants - yes, a little scary. It also would make me try to disuade any dining companion from ordering Eggs Benedict at a restaurant. Jared (One Hungry Chef) goes on with sourdough recipe for English Muffins to which I would never aspire - mostly because sourdough anything does not have huge fans in our house. That said, please read this post and poke around the blog. I find it a fun read and very informative.

Food Network (Humor)

Food Network Humor (if you've not checked this out and you watch Food Network -- you need to take a peek) listed their version of the five worst shows on Food Network. I have to say, I've not seen Cupcake War - really a war about cupcakes? Stupid. or the Neely's - no particular reason, just not seen it before. I have not seen Meat & Potatoes because that just sounds dumb. Shows like Outrageous Food never appeal to me. Intentional excess is just silly and kind of sad. I have seen Food Feuds and while I like Michael Symon - this is just another travel around and eat things show - with judgement involved.... kind of not nice in the end for the "loser" of the feud.
So this started me thinking. I've been watching Food Network a long time (years and years). What are my top five shows on Food Network?

#1 is so. very. simple.
Good Eats
AB rocks! I learn something every time I watch and I will watch episodes about things I can't even eat (seafood). The show if fast, funny, and very informative.This to be is clearly head and shoulders above anything else Food Network puts on. And has been for years. I still remember the first show I saw and I was instantly hooked. 1999 Season one Episode nine - A Bowl of Onion (Barbie and Ken were involved).


#2
Nigella (anything she does)
Nigella Lawson seems very comfortable cooking, baking, and talking at the same time. Her recipes are typically simple and quick and include pre-planning ideas which make it easy to come home from work and make dinner. She's calm and stable -- not running around all over the kitchen like some shows do.


#3
Jaime at Home
I know it's over, but those shows were good and again, I learned things and I liked the fact that he used his garden to source some of the food - cool.


#4
Well, now things are getting harder...maybe Iron Chef America (but only when they have real food people as judges and aren't dispatching live animals in front of me). I used to watch Giada at Home, but it was some much of the same over and over - and that annoy affectation of rolling into Italian every time an Italian work show up (spa get ti) -ugh. Secrets of a Restaurant Chef - Anne Burrell just got on my nerves - she's the anti-Nigella, Alex's Day Off - meh, but I do like her as a judge on ICA. Barefoot Contess has developed some annoying habits that started to get on my nerves ("really good" insert ingredient here, or "How easy is that" and the decorating the able (tablescapes anyone?) and her collection of gays (I don't care that they are gay, but don't they feel a little weird being used as props?)
I get the feeling that my cooking skills have somehow gone beyond some of the shows. Or maybe I've just gotten from them everything I need so far.


There are many shows I haven't watched because they just don't appeal to me (beyond those noted above).
Ace of Cakes - snore. I hear said snore is going to be canceled.
Anything Rachael Ray is in. She's so 2004.
Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee - tablescapes? Really tablescapes? Blech.
Private Chefs of Beverly Hills - sounds eerily like Real Housewifes of (insert city here)
5 Ingredient Fix - meh
Anything with Guy Fieri - the clothes  should explain it all. 
The Best Thing I Ever Ate - Really don't care to see you get all gushy over the best (insert here) you've ever eaten. Watch the grammar here people.
Aarti Party - I had to watch the first episode to see if it would be a train wreck. It was.
Anything with Paula Dean. Where did the real Paula go? Have the aliens abducted her and sent a creepy replacement. She's just not right.
Ten Dollar Dinners - I'm not sure I want that.


Cook's Country and America's Test Kitchen are more up my alley now. They are my go to group for tested, straight forward, though sometimes time-intensive recipes. (And when are they going to send my someone to wash all the dishes I dirty in the process of making their great food?) I know I say it every time I mention them - but do yourself a favor and sign up - they are sooooo worth it. 

Cook's Country Magazine April/May 2010

Received Cook's Country recently - can't wait for show to come back on, but it's the damn pledge week -


Either way - things that looked good -- and a couple that didn't.
Creamy Asparagus Soup - p. 11
Cat Head Biscuits - p. 12
  Cat Head - you've got some splaining to do...
Foolproof (?) Chicken Cordon Bleu - p. 15
  That's a pretty big claim there Cook's Country
Recipe Cards:
Quick Cheesesteak Subs
Cheesy Toasted Ravioli with pesto
Rustic Potato Leek Soup


Steak de Burgo - p. 19
Tomato Mac n Cheese - NEVER eeewww icky Hollywood Chili - in April? maybe up north, but not here
Lemon Chess Pie - p. 26 - lemons are always a good thing

Notes made - let's get cooking.