Five months of cooking is a lot to cover, but as I look back through my cooking efforts for the first part of 2012, I don't actually have that many new recipes to share. I made several dishes I have already sharedh ere, and quite frankly I have forgotten some of the things I made! The really good ones, though, are fresh in my memory.
This first recipe is a dish I made back in January. During the colder months, this was perfect. Now, with the temperatures in the high 80s, not so much. Still, it was delicious and I highly recommend it.
This recipe came from Every Day with Rachael Ray.
Cheeseburger Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
2 T. olive oil, plus more for greasing
1 red onion, finely chopped
2/3 c. ketchup
2/3 c. bread crumbs
2 large eggs
1/2 c. bread-and-butter pickle chips, chopped (I omitted this)
1-1/2 lbs. ground beef
8 oz. cheddar cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 lbs. new red potatoes
3/4 c. heavy cream
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet. In a medium skillet, heat 2 T. olive oil over medium heat, then add the onion and cook, stirring, until lightly softened, about 3 minutes.
2. Combine the ketchup, bread crumbs, eggs, and pickles in a large bowl; mix in the onions. Crumble in the beef, add the cheese, and stir together. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and mold into a 4" x 12" loaf. Bake until a meat thermometer reaches 160 degrees, about 35 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, halve the potatoes and place them in a large pot with enough water to cover the potatoes by an inch. Bring this to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until tender. Drain the water and return the potatoes to the pot, mashing them with the heavy cream. I also seasoned the potatoes with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Let the meatloaf rest for 5 minutes before serving with the mashed potatoes.
