Dial M for Meat Loaf (23 page)

Pinwheel Meat Loaf

First-prize Winner

1 pound ground beef
½ pound ground pork
1 egg
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1 cup finely chopped onion, divided
2 large celery stalks, chopped (with leaves)
6 ounces Bruder Basil cheese, grated
Ketchup

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, mix together the beef, pork, egg, bread crumbs, salt, pepper and ½ cup of the onion. On a sheet of wax paper, pat the meat loaf mixture into an approximately 13 × 9 × ½-inch rectangle.

Spread the celery and the remaining onion over the flattened meat mixture; then cover that with the cheese, making sure to keep the filling one inch in from the edges. Starting with the wide end, roll the meat up, tucking in the sides.

Place roll seam-side down on a baking sheet, cover with ketchup, and bake until done, approximately 1 hour. Let loaf stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

Serve with garlic mashed potatoes and green salad.

Thanksgiving Meat Loaf

Second-prize Winner

1 ¼ pounds ground lean turkey
2 eggs
1 cup crushed packaged dry herb stuffing (Pepperidge
Farm Herb Stuffing is great)
½ teaspoon salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon light olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
½ cup whole cranberry sauce
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, mix the turkey, eggs, dry stuffing, salt and pepper together. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet and sauté onion and celery until lighly browned. Add the vegetables to the meat mixture.

Pack the meat into a 9 × 5–inch loaf pan.

In a small bowl mix together the cranberry sauce and horseradish; spread this over the top of the loaf.

Bake for about 1 hour, until the loaf is firm and the top is caramelized and brown, or until a quick-read meat thermometer registers an interior temperature of 160°F.

Let the loaf stand for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with twice-baked sweet potatoes and fresh steamed broccoli.

Cora Runbeck’s No-Nonsense Meat Loaf

Third-prize Winner

1 pound ground beef
½ pound ground pork
2 eggs
½ cup bread crumbs
½ cup oats
½ cup ketchup
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper
Pinch of allspice
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon dry thyme
3 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons light olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 large celery rib, diced
1 pat of butter
1 cup button mushrooms, sliced
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup chopped parsley (flat Italian is best)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, ground pork, eggs, bread crumbs, oats, ketchup, salt, pepper, allspice, nutmeg, mustard, thyme, and milk, and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet and sauté the onion, celery, and carrot until tender. Add the vegetables to the meat mixture.

In the same pan, melt the butter and sauté the mushrooms with the Worcestershire sauce, seasoning with salt and pepper. Add the mushrooms to the meat mixture, and mix in the parsley.

Pat meat into a 9 × 5-inch loaf pan and bake for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. Serve with home-grown corn, fresh spuds, and a big glass of milk.

By Ellen Hart

Published by Ballantine Books:

The Jane Lawless mysteries:
HALLOWED MURDER
VITAL LIES
STAGE FRIGHT
A KILLING CURE
A SMALL SACRIFICE
FAINT PRAISE
ROBBER’S WINE

The Sophie Greenway mysteries:
THIS LITTLE PIGGY WENT TO MURDER
FOR EVERY EVIL
THE OLDEST SIN
MURDER IN THE AIR
SLICE AND DICE
DIAL M FOR MEAT LOAF

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A Fawcett Book

Published by The Ballantine Publishing Group

Copyright © 2001 by Ellen Hart

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eISBN: 978-0-307-41504-2

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