Italian Stuffed Meatloaf

In my post, Meatloaf Made In America (Oct 17, 2010), I wrote about my Italian ancestors and their pride in living in America and becoming part of the American Culture. In as much as I love my  American Meatloaf with it's sweet and tangy flavor...let's not forget the bacon and cheese filling, my heart always returns to my mom's Italian Meatloaf. When I see a meatloaf with just ground beef a few spices and salt, I wonder...what is that? Plan on preparing this dish when you have cold cuts and a chunk of mozzarella cheese in the house. Mom always added one hard boiled egg to the stuffed center. It gives this meatloaf an added texture, a creaminess of sorts. The best meatloaf is made with a ground beef and pork combo, but if all you have is ground beef, that's fine. A tip: don't handle the ground meat too much...mix ingredients quickly, otherwise it will be dry and tough.

Italian Stuffed Meatloaf

1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lbs of ground beef/pork combo
6 slices of Genoa salami sliced thin
3 slices of ham  sliced thin
4-5 slices mozzarella  sliced thin
1 hard boiled egg sliced
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon parsley

1 teaspoon salt

1 egg
splash of milk

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 X13" baking dish with Pam.

In a large bowl mix ground meat with egg, milk, salt and all spices. Mix well but quickly

Place meat mixture on a sheet of wax paper and flatten out. Place a layer of salami on meat mixture, then ham, then mozzarella cheese, and finally the sliced hard boiled egg. Bring sides up and to the center, then bring the ends up and to the center until filling is covered. Pat into a loaf shape. Transfer loaf into baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes or until juices run clear. Cool just a bit and slice.  Serves 4

Leftovers make a great sandwich! I serve this with mashed sweet or white potatoes or roasted potatoes, a vegetable, and a salad. A tasty side is sauteed fennel/finocchio/anise. Absolutely delicious!

Remember To Make Memories At The Table

Pork Tenderloin With Maple BBQ Sauce

I cook pork tenderloin once a month. There's nothing easier nor more versatile than this cut of "the other white meat". Now that there's just my husband and me at the table each night it is the perfect portion size, too. I buy a package of two that weigh about a pound or so. Try and buy two that are similar in thickness and length so they cook evenly in the same time span. The meat is lean so there's no cutting away fat which means no waste and a healthier choice.
The ways to prepare a pork tenderloin are endless. But I always begin with the same few ingredients. Seasoning this meat is important as it has a mild flavor much like chicken, so be sure to season it well at the very start. I begin with a drizzle of olive oil at the bottom of my baking dish and set it aside. Sprinkle both sides of the pork tenderloins with garlic powder, onion powder, salt. pepper and a light coating of parsley. Place them in the pan and drizzle just a bit of olive oil over the tops of the tenderloins.
Sauces can be a simple onion and brown or pork gravy served over mashed potatoes or egg noodles.
Any fruit jam or jelly will add a wonderful sweetness to a pork tenderloin. Mix your favorite jam such as apricot, cherry, peach, blueberry, raspberry even orange marmalade with a 1/4 cup of juice (any flavor will do), a shake of garlic powder, a teaspoon of honey, and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Mix well and heat in microwave for 1 minute. I serve my fruit sauces from a bowl with a small ladle, pouring it over the pork at the table.
A sauce that goes well with pork and one that I use on chicken and fish is honey, mustard and mayonnaise. 2 tablespoons of mayo, a teaspoon of mustard and a tablespoon of honey. Mix well and heat in microwave for a minute. Serve in the same way as the fruit sauce.
Of course, no sauce at all is needed. A delicious and simple preparation is pork seasoned with salt and pepper and any of your favorite herbs such as thyme and rosemary and baked to a golden color. Served over a bed of rice....yellow or white or mashed sweet potatoes is absolutely yummy.

Tonight I tried something a bit different. It came about because in September I went to a Garlic Festival (see post: The Stinking Rose Festival) and purchased a shaker bottle of Kitchen Kick'N Maple Garlic seasoning. The seasoning and many other varieties are made at Tomarc's of Troy (New York). On their website it says, 'Spice up your barbecues, sandwiches, roasts, fish, and veggies with our unique line of kick'n spices....Let Kitchen Kick'n bring out your "inner cook!" ' The site gives tips on spice storage & delicious recipes prepared with their homemade spices...they are low in salt and gluten free! A few of the seasonings that Kitchen Kick'n feature are Onion Luv'n Kick, Smoke'n Garlic Kick (hickory), Italian Boot'n Kick, Dragon Kick (with Chinese Five Spice), Citrus N' Garlic, Bloody Rub'N Kick (with horseradish powder) and many more. These seasonings will  really spice up your meal  and excite your taste buds.
For Kitchen Kick'n Spices, Recipes and more click here

Pork Tenderloin With Maple BBQ Sauce

2 Pork Tenderloins (approx. 1 lb)

Sauce: In a small bowl mix the ingredients below:
1 cup Sweet Baby Ray's Honey BBQ Sauce
1/2 cup Maple Syrup
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon Kitchen Kick'n Maple Garlic seasoning

Sprinkle Tenderloins on both sides with:

salt
pepper
Maple Garlic Kitchen Kick'n Spice
onion powder
parsley
Then drizzle olive oil over the tops

Drizzle a baking pan with olive oil

Pre Heat oven to 400 degrees
Prepare sauce and set aside
Drizzle baking dish with olive oil and set aside
Season the Pork Tenderloins and place in baking dish
Bake for 30 minutes
Baste with sauce
Cook another 10-15 minutes.  Yields 2 servings.
You can cut pork in thin slices or just put one pork tenderloin on each plate.  Serve remaining sauce at the table.
I served this with baked polenta and a side of sauteed cabbage.

Remember To Make Memories At The Table

Dreamy, Creamy Pumpkin Bars