Cajun Meatloaf

This recipe was modifed from The Pioneer Woman and converted to gluten-free.  The result was a tangy meatloaf that will knock your socks off.  This is not your run of the mill, ordinary meatloaf.  This loaf is packed with cajun flavors that will have you thinking you have been transported down to New Orleans.  I served mine with a twice baked potato and green beans.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½  whole Bell Peppers (red, green, yellow or orange will do)
• 1 whole Medium Onions
• 3 ribs of Celery
• 4-5 cloves Of Garlic
• 3 Tablespoons Butter
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 Tablespoon Worcestershire
• 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
• Optional: A Few Shakes Of Hot Sauce
• 1 cup Ketchup, Divided
• 1/4 cup Milk
• ½ – 1 cup GF breadcrumbs ( I used about 3 slices of Udi’s GF bread that was frozen and crumbled in a food processor)
• 1 pounds Of Lean Ground Beef 
• 1/2 pound Ground Pork
• 2 whole Eggs
• 1 Tablespoons Honey

 Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Chop all of the fresh vegetables (peppers, onions, celery) into a small dice and mince the garlic. Over medium-high heat, melt 6 tablespoons butter. Once butter has melted, add the diced vegetables and garlic. Add about 1 teaspoon salt.

After these have cooked for a few minutes add 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon nutmeg and 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper. If you like it hot, add a couple shakes of your favorite hot sauce. Next add about ½ cup of ketchup. Continue cooking and stirring for a few more minutes. Remove from heat.

After allowing the mixture to cool for a couple of minutes, add about ½ cup of milk. Stir until combined. Next add at least 1 cup of breadcrumbs. Continue adding breadcrumbs and stirring until mixture is a nice, thick paste.

In a large mixing bowl place the ground beef and pork. Whisk 3 eggs and add to the meat. After allowing the pasty vegetable mixture to cool down a bit, begin incorporating it into the meat. Keep working all of the Cajun-Vegetable mix into the meat until all is blended well.

Spray a sheet pan with some non-stick cooking spray. Next, using your hands, form your meat mixture into a loaf on the sheet pan. Make the loaf around 6-8 inches wide and about 1 ½ inches thick.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together ¾ cup of ketchup with about 2 tablespoons honey. Slather this sauce over the whole meatloaf.

Place in a 400 degree oven for about 40 minutes.

Cowboy Spaghetti

Growing up my brother and I had spaghetti for dinner probably once a week.  I felt like I had noodles and tomato sauce coming out of my ears.  I was sick, sick, sick of spaghetti and swore off it for many years.  I started making this Rachel Ray version a couple of years ago and now it is the only spaghetti I eat.  The cheddar cheese and sliced scallions on top give it a much different flavor and crumbled bacon makes anything taste better.  Try it out!

Ingredients:

1 lb gluten-free spaghetti noodles

1 T olive oil

4 slices bacon chopped

1 lb ground sirloin

1 medium onion chopped

3 cloves of garlic chopped

salt and pepper to taste

2 tsp hot sauce (I used Frank’s hot sauce)

1 T Worcestershire sauce

1/2 c gluten-free beer or beef stock

14 oz fire roasted or regular diced tomatoes

8 oz can tomato sauce

8 oz shredded cheddar cheese

4 scallions sliced on the bias

Cook spaghetti according to package directions.  Brown bacon in a large skillet or dutch oven and drain.   Add olive oil to bacon fat and add sirloin.  Brown beef for 4-5 minutes and than add onions and garlic.   Season with salt, pepper, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce.  Deglaze pan with beer or stock.  Cook for about 5 minutes and then add tomato sauce and tomatoes.  Add spaghetti noodles to sauce and toss to combine.  Pour spaghetti in a shallow dish and then sprinkle with cheese, scallions and bacon.

Roasted Chicken and Sausage

I adapted this recipe from one by Nigella Lawson and it was very good.  The sausages we used were especially yummy.  It’s a quick way to make a one pan main dish for dinner that your family will enjoy.

Ingredients:

3 fat chicken breasts sliced in half lenthwise

1 package of Aidell’s chicken and apple sausages (these are fantastic)

1 large onion cut into eighths

1/2 c regular olive oil

2 tsp spicy brown mustard

1T dried sage

1 T Worcestershire sauce

1 lemon

1T fresh sage leaves chopped

freshly ground black pepper

salt to taste

In a large ziploc bag combine oil, mustard, worcestershire sauce, dried sage, pepper and onion.  Cut lemon in sixths and squeeze juice into bag and then add the lemon wedges too.  Mix everything in the bag around and then add your chicken.  Seal the bag and then slosh it around a few times to get the chicken coated with the marinade.  Leave in the refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight if you can.  Let chicken come to room temperature and then preheat oven to 400F.  Arrange chicken with marinade items in a roasting pan and add sausages around everything.  Sprinkle the fresh sage over the top and then cook for 40 minutes turning the meat over halfway through cooking.