Meatloaf with Brown Sugar/Ketchup Glaze

Ahhhhhhhh, October in The Great SouthWest!!!!!!!

It's 5:30 on a Friday evening and I am sitting outside, letting you all know about one fantastic
meatloaf. The thermometer tells me it is 82 degrees in our yard, the sun is setting, the table candles are not being blown out -- pretty much perfect.

Now, you note I stated it is Friday evening, and you know what that means: It's Old Fashioned
Friday. Mr. RestaurantQuality has interrupted his current project (waxing the car of FD #1) to pour the perfectly proportioned (a science) and well iced (an art) brandy old fashioned with both cherries and olives. It adds to the 'ahhhhhhhhhhh'................. (ok, I was patiently awaiting my Friday Old Fashioned and Mr. RestaurantQuality was not coming in the house, AND it was after
5 o'clock --- so, wait-for-it, I went out to the garage and helped wax the car. Yup, I know how to wax a car, and it got Mr. RestaurantQuality into the house sooner to attend to his bartending duties.

As an aside, I also know how to make an old fashioned, but not like Mr. RestaurantQuality can. I think it has to do with the wink he gives me, as he hands me my drink...............

The RestaurantQuality West household is back to normal, now that The Nuthouse has returned to The Great City On A Great Lake. What a wonderful visit we had with them. Action packed for everyone. Our pool was the #1 attraction for The Little Sweethearts --- when we planned the pool it was meant for moments just as we experienced when the LS were jumping into the water, going underwater to get coins, cannonballs, 'rides' in the raft, and watching as the LS had an overall blast. Joy, joy, joy. Makes one sit back (in the shade, of course) and just enjoy the simple moments of happiness, as they unfold. It's good for the soul...................

Back to the meatloaf. I am a 'Meatloaf Gal'. I love meatloaf. Meatloaf was a staple in my childhood home and James K. made one heck of a meatloaf. I asked Ms. Monona if it was an Irish thing and she agrees. She comes from a Chicago Irish home and feels the same way.
Meatloaf and mashed potatoes, man oh man, as James K. would say.

Life is good...........................................

Meatloaf with Brown Sugar/Ketchup Glaze

suggest musical background: This Masquerade, George Benson


350 degrees

Glaze

1/2 cup ketchup
4 T. light brown sugar
4 T. cider vinegar

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan; set aside.

Meatloaf

2 t. oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 large eggs
1/2 t. dried thyme
1 t. salt
1/2 t. ground black pepper
2 t. Dijon mustard
2 t. worcestershire sauce
1/4 t. hot pepper sauce
1/2 C. milk
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
2/3 C saltine crackers, crushed
1/3 C fresh parsley, minced

Heat oil in skillet. Add onion and garlic; saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside to
cool.

Mix eggs with thyme, salt, pepper, mustard, worcestershire sauce, pepper sauce, and milk.

Combine the beef and pork in separate large bowl (I use my hands).

Add eggs to meat mixture. Add crackers, parsley and cooked onion and garlic; mix until evenly
blended.

Turn meat mixture into loaf pan.

Brush with 1/4 of the glaze.

Bake 45 minutes.

Top with another 1/4 of the glaze.

Bake another 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool about 15 minutes.

Simmer remaining glaze over medium heat until slightly thickened.

Slice meatloaf and serve w/ the remaining sauce. And, say 'man of man' as you taste each
forkful.

Serve with mashed potatoes.


My Notes:

I love this meatloaf ---- and I've had alot of meatloaf in my lifetime. I think the secret ingredient is the crushed crackers. Have never had meatloaf with crackers as the binding agent.

And, the hot sauce. In meatloaf? What's with that? An Irish household NEVER used hot sauce. But, it adds 'something' to this meatloaf. Be not afraid ---- use it.

I did not use a loaf pan. I just formed a loaf in an 9x13 pan. For easy clean up, put alum foil in
the pan.

The recipe calls for 2 t. oil ---- I just put in what looks good to me.

I use the bottled minced garlic. 1 heaping teaspoon.

Original recipe calls for 1 pound ground beef, 1/2 pound ground pork, 1/2 pound ground veal. I could not find ground veal at my grocery stores in The Great SouthWest, so I used 1 pound ground beef and 1 pound ground pork and it was delicious.

The mashed potatoes: You cannot have meatloaf without mashed potatoes. I grew up with your basic mashed potatoes: boiled potatoes; mash them; add some butter and milk; mash it all together. Now, I throw in some sour cream, as well. And, to be exotic, I'll throw in some freshly grated parmesan.

Which reminds me: best mashed potatoes. The Landmark Restaurant in NYC.

"Don't Look At Me" Chicken

Wow, I have been gone from blog-land for too long.

RestaurantQuality has been going 'non stop' since last we spoke. We're back 'home' in the Great SouthWest and in the interim we've had a lovely visit from Ms. She 'Who Share's My Birthday' (lots of wine and laughter), several days of caring for LS#5 while her Mommy was on a business trip, and now, an action-packed visit with FS #1, FDIL and LS #1-4. FS #1 calls his house "The Nuthouse", which is how I shall refer to them henceforth in this missive.

The Nuthouse landed on Wednesday morning, and the motion has not stopped.

And, to add joy on top of excitement, FD #2 flew in from The City With Big Shoulders for a weekend visit to get in on all the action.

The best part for me has been having just about everyone together (FS #2 could not be here). The house is bursting when all five of our Little Sweethearts are here. Granddaughters as bookends to the three grandsons. Can't get enough of them.

But, right now the Nuthouse is in SanDiego for a few days of fun and frolic in one of those most wonderful places on earth ----- mountains to your left, Pacific Ocean to your right, gorgeous flowers everywhere, and the relaxation inducing sounds of waves crashing into shore. Ahhhhhh..........

So, I sit hear and say 'listen...............do you hear it'? It is very, very quiet in my kitchen now that the LS are getting ready to watch the sun set over the Pacific Ocean.

So, with my 'quiet time' I grabbed a recipe to tell you about.

But, first I opened a bottle of wine recommended to me by Mr. Cedarburg. Joel Gott, Cab Sauv.
Very, very nice. Very smooth, which is how I like my wine and my jazz.

'Don't Look At Me' Chicken: very, very easy and quite tasty. I made it for LS #5's parents and Mr. RestaurantQuality FSIL immediately said 'You have to give us the recipe'. Mr. RestaurantQuality deems it a 'repeater'. 'Repeater' is the highest form of praise coming down from the mountain top, in this household.

So, with my glass of Joel Gott raised to all of you, I say 'Slainte'.........................


Don't Look At Me Chicken

Suggested musical background: Last Dance, Donna Summers

Oven at 325 degrees

9x13 pan, greased



4 chicken breast halves, boneless and skinless
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups Minute Rice, uncooked (white or brown minute rice)
1 envelope dry onion soup mix

In large bowl, mix together the soups, milk and rice.

Pour into prepared pan.

Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour.

Remove pan from oven.

Law raw chicken over the rice mixture.

Sprinkle the dry onion soup mix on top of the chicken.

Cover with foil; back into the oven for another hour.

NO PEEKING while baking.



My Notes:

The original recipe uses 2 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken pieces. So if you don't want to use only chicken breast, go ahead and use the bone-in chicken pieces. HOWEVER, if you do, here's the baking adjustment: Place the rice mixture in the prepared pan, and then place the chicken on top of the rice mixture, right away. Cover with foil. Bake for 2 hours; NO PEEKING.

When using just chicken breast, you bake the rice mixture for an hour, on its own, then add the chicken breast. If you put the chicken breast in for two hours, the Mama Bear would say 'this chicken is too tough'..................

The recipe calls for the 9x13 pan to be 'greased'. I did not grease the pan, I used non stick aluminum foil, my new best friend in the RestaurantQuality kitchen. In fact, the two of us are going on a cruise, together.

I used brown minute rice. You could even go hog wild and use a combo of both white and brown.

My recipe above calls for a can of cream of chicken soup. The original recipe calls for a can of cream of mushroom soup. RestaurantQuality has tried (and I am sincere in saying this) to like mushrooms, but to no avail. As LS #2 would say: 'Mushroom alert, mushroom alert, I hate mushrooms'. So, substitute cream of mushroom soup for cream of chicken soup if you like.

Chicken With Blueberry Chutney

Jesus, Mary and Joseph ------ This should be a post with a recipe for some fancy-pants Hot Chocolate. It was 53 degrees this morning, when I met three of the Ya-Yas for coffee and croissants. As an aside, Restaurant Quality strongly recommends that you venture forth to Le Reve in Wauwatosa ----- wonderful cafe, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Oo-la-la!!!!!

It has warmed up to 61 degrees on this August 29th, so the desire for Hot Chocolate has dissipated, abit.

This post is quickly being written, before Mr. RestaurantQuality and I go over to the Little Sweethearts #1-4. The glorious smell of Grandpa's popcorn will fill their house, while Mommy and Daddy enjoy The Boys of Summer and The Sausage Race. The way the season has been going The Sausage Race will be more entertaining.

Dinner tonight for the Little Sweethearts will be cocktail weiners wrapped in crescent rolls, with 'Dip n Dots' for dessert.

Here's an idea for your dinner, sometime this week.

Life is good......................


Chicken With Blueberry Chutney

Suggested musical background: Smooth by Santana

Chutney

2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup golden raisins
3 T. cider vinegar
1 1/2 t. grated fresh ginger
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/8 t. crushed red pepper
dash, ground cloves
1 clove garlic, minced

Combine all in medium saucepan.
Bring to boil.
Decrease heat to medium-low; simmer for about 25 minutes or until thick.
Inhale the wonderfully aromatic steam coming out of that pan.......


Chicken

4 chicken breast halves, boneless/skinless
1 1/2 T. olive oil
3/4 t. dried basil
3/4 t. oregano
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

Combine the olive oil, basil, oregano, garlic in a bowl. This will be used for the marinade

Place the chicken in a large ziploc bag and pour in the marinade.

Place in frig for 2 hours. Flip the bag over a couple of times.

Remove chicken from bag and sprinkle with the salt/pepper.

Grill the chicken and serve with the chutney.


My Notes:

Does not matter if you use fresh or frozen berries. I tend to use frozen, because I usually have them on hand.

If you don't have golden raisins, what is wrong with you? Just a bit of levity, there. Use regular raisins with no problem.

The grated fresh ginger. If you want to use fresh ginger, you won't need much of it. When you are selecting it in the produce section, just break off a piece the size you want. Will cost about 17 cents.

I usually use bottled ground ginger in place of fresh ginger. It's usually in the refrigerated area of the produce department. It's in a 4 oz glass jar. The one I have now is 'Spice World'. It's the consistency of a thick paste. I use about 1/2 teaspoon.
Sometimes it is hard to find, both in the produce department AND in my frig.

I rarely mince my own garlic, anymore. Have gotten used to having the bottled minced garlic in the frig. I know, I should mince my own garlic, but it's one of the things I've gotten past.

The chutney can easily be made ahead and kept in the frig. Just reheat, over low heat, when you are ready for it.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Soup, you say. Why is RestaurantQuality telling me to make soup on an August 22nd Saturday? It's Summertime, isn't it?

Sure does not feel like Summertime. Feels like October 22nd, not August 22nd. Although, it does not LOOK like Fall. Our backyard looks like Summertime ---- everything is green and lush. Everyday, our impatiens lure me over to them so that I may tell them how fabulously gorgeous they are. (They are particularly narcissistic this Summer.)

If Monet were to drop by for a bowl of Broccoli Cheese Soup, he would not be able to resist getting his easel out and painting splashes of those beauties in our backyard. Then, I'd have to go to Musee d'Orsay to view them, after tea and croissant at a nearby cafe, of course.

I digress. It's soup weather, today, not brats on the grill weather, so I give you Broccoli Cheese Soup. It will be even better when it is October 22nd. (And, it takes about 30 minutes to prepare.)

Life is good...........................


Broccoli Cheese Soup

About 6 servings, at 1 1/3 cups per serving)

Suggested musical background: The Good Life (Bobby Darin)

2 T. butter
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups chicken broth
16 ounces broccoli florets (see my notes)
2 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 t. black pepper
8 ounces Velveeta, cubed

Melt the butter in a 'soup pan'. Add the onion. Saute for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic. Saute for about 2 minutes.

Add the broth and the broccoli. Bring to a boil, over medium-high heat.
Reduce heat to medium; continue to cook another 10 minutes.

Combine milk and flour, stirring with a whisk until well blended. (You are making a roux, here).

Add milk mixture to broccoli mixture. Cook 5 minutes, or until slightly thick, stirring constantly.

Stir in pepper.

Remove from heat.

Add Velveeta, stirring until cheese melts.

Place 1/3 of the soup in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth.

Return pureed soup mixture to pan.


My Notes:

The broccoli florets: I do not buy florets. I buy 2 large heads of broccoli. Chop off the stems, so that I have 'florets' -- just the top green part. I have never even attempted to figure out the proper weight of the '2 large heads of broccoli' when I buy broccoli. I just wing it. You are hereby empowered to do the same.

The garlic: I buy the bottled minced garlic and throw in a teaspoon of it.

I use 2% milk. Use whatever you have.

I use the low fat or no fat chicken broth.

Velveeta. Yes, I use Velveeta and it tastes really good, thankyouverymuch.

The 'soup pan'. By this, I mean a pan you'd make soup in. I did not want to say 'stock pot', because those things can be HUGE. There are about 6 cups of liquid in this recipe, along with the other ingredients. I use our 'spaghetti pan' not our 'corn on the cob pan'---- hope that gives you a frame of reference.

Using a blender works very well. Don't think you have to go out and buy a food processor. If you have an immersion blender, it will work very well, too. Just eyeball the 1/3 that you'll be processing. I have never measured it out.

Stay warm.................

Lemon Sugar Cookies

Good golly, Miss Molly, where have I been????

Can't believe it has been two months since I've been here. In the interim, I've been back in The City By A Great Lake, returned to the Great Southwest, and then back to The City By A Great Lake.

In between all those travels, Restaurant Quality went to Paris. Oo-la-la!!
What a beautiful city ---- the architecture, the statues, the sculptures, and most importantly, the wine. Food was secondary for me. I must note that baked items are not defined as 'food' in Paris. Baked items come under the heading of 'ambrosia' in Paris. Ambrosia is of primary importance to Restaurant Quality!!

Paris highlights: The Lourve, especially standing at 'Winged Victory' and thinking of all she represents. Night river cruise on the Seine, with the Eiffel Tower in all its sparkling splendor. Notre Dame -- no further description necessary. Amarina gelato -- Je voudrais le grande, si'l vous plait. Drinking wine, every night, at the cafe near our hotel.

I'll be showing Mr. RestaurantQuality around Paris next year. Oo-la-la!!

I come to you today, bearing Lemon Sugar Cookies. This recipe is at the request of Ms. Jackson Street. It's a recipe I found online, but cannot remember where. It's a sugar cookie, with a kiss of lemon --- tasty to have while sitting on a balcony, watching the parasailing on Lake Monona, and talking with wonderful friends...................

See you much sooner than last time.

Life is good...........


Lemon Sugar Cookies

Suggested musical background: Barry White's 'You're My First, My Last, My Everything. (I LOVE to bake with Barry ----- he makes everything tastes better.)


Oven at 375 degrees; makes about four dozen cookies.

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
3/4 t. salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temp
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 T. lemon zest
2 large eggs, at room temp
1/2 t. vanilla

1/2 cup sugar, for rolling cookies


In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In large bowl, cream butter, sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy.

Beat in eggs, one at a time.

Add vanilla.

Gradually mix in flour mixture, at low speed.

Chill dough for a couple hours.

Shape dough into 1" balls.

Put 1/2 cup sugar into a small bowl.

Roll dough balls in the sugar.

Place on parchment covered cookie sheets.

Bake 9-11 minutes, until set, but not browned.

Cool on pan for one minute; transfer to cooling racks.


My Notes:

Regarding the sugar, when I want to 'feel' like a baker, I use 'baker's sugar'. It's the superfine stuff. Regular sugar is just fine, though, said the Mama Bear.

For the lemon zest, I use a microplane zester. It's one of those kitchen items that come under the heading 'using the right tool for the job'. It sure makes the zesting job effortless.

I always use parchment paper when baking cookies. It's inexpensive and you'll find it where you find aluminum foil. Parchment paper = nice, lightly browned cookie bottoms (provided you don't bake the holy heck out of them).

Broccoli Salad

Hi,

Am back with the aforementioned Broccoli Salad recipe.

Hope you have all had a good week. Busy one, here at Restaurant Quality. Little Sweeheart #5 and her Mommy and Daddy were here for supper on Memorial Day. The featured menu item was Sliced BBQ Pork, from Memphis Best Barbeque, a small restaurant near us. The owner is part of the extended Neely family -- as in the Neelys on FoodNetwork. Man oh man (as James K. would say) is it good. FD #1 and FSIL have been hearing about it for months.

So, I call Memphis Best on Memorial Day. Dang --- closed for the holiday. In hindsight, makes sense that the owner would close on Memorial Day. He is retired USMC. When we go to the restaurant, Mr. Restaurant Quality dons one of his USMC shirts and they give each other that silent acknowledgement that Marines give each other. Then, come the warm handshakes........

What became the featured menu item???? Brats. Can never go wrong with brats. Mr. Restaurant Quality took over the featured menu item. Dashed to the store. Parboiled them in beer and sauerkraut. Grilled them. Placed them in a simmering saucepan with the beer and sauerkraut and hovered over them for about 3 hours.

Best brats I've ever had. Felt like I was tailgating at Miller Park. I digress to envision driving past Miller Park on gameday ------- smoke drifting over I-94 from all the perfectly grilled brats.
And, the smell of the grills drifting into the car. Catching a 55 MPH glimpse of rows and rows of Brewer fans, sitting on lawnchairs, playing the beanbag game that FS #2 dominates, standing at tables groaning with 'ballpark' food.

Next time I go, Broccoli Salad will be on that groaning table. The recipe comes to me from FS #1, who makes restaurant quality food in his own kitchen (and at the firehouse).........


Broccoli Salad

suggested musical background: Sway, by Michael Buble


Recipe is as FS#1 gave it to me.


1 head broccoli
1 cup raisins
1 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
crushed bacon

1 cup mayo
1/2 cup sugar
4 T. orange juice
2 T. white vinegar


Mix dressing ingredients and add rest of stuff.


My Notes:

FS#1 knows what he is doing in the kitchen, so his recipe instruction is succinct, shall we say.

The broccoli: cut it up so that you are using the 'flowerets', not any of the stalk.

The sunflower seeds: Am not a sunflower seed gal. I use pine nuts, lightly toasted in a small pan. But, you can use them raw.

The red onion: RestaurantQuality never uses raw onion. Mr. RestaurantQuality has few caveats, but raw onion is one of them. Now, fried onions????? Yes, yes, yes. Not in this salad, but on cheeseburgers and Italian sausage.

The crushed bacon: RestaurantQuality uses 4 slices of bacon, crisply fried and then broken (by hand) into small bite-size pieces.


In a large bowl, combine the broccoli, raisins, sunflower seeds, onion, and bacon. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine the mayo, sugar, OJ and vinegar.

Pour the 'sauce' over the broccoli stuff. Combine well. Refrigerate.


This recipe allows for lots of 'adjustments'. You can easily halve the recipe for a smaller bowl of salad.

You can easily follow the recipe, using a head of broccoli, but adjust the amount of raisins, nuts/seeds, onion, bacon.

If you like cauliflower (this is one of my caveats - I say 'a no-no-no'), throw some in the bowl.


Life is good................

Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day To All.............

This post was meant to be a recipe for Broccoli Salad, with a paragraph acknowledging Memorial Day.

It now, rightfully, is a post HONORING Memorial Day. It evolved into a 'stand alone' post after I did some quick online research, and I'm glad I did.

One of my grade school teachers (I mean nuns -- eyes in the back of the head and ruler in hand), at St. Thomas Aquinas probably made me memorize what I have to share with you, but at the time 'history' was of no interest to me.

Age ---- I meant to say 'life experiences' ---- helps me greatly appreciate history. Now, I cannot get enough of it. That appreciation was ignited by a teacher I had a lifetime ago, at Milwaukee Area Technical College, and I will always remember him.

Memorial Day. The last Monday in May. Long weekend. Get the grill out. Hope it is not raining so that you can plant some flowers. Countdown to last day of school.

Think deeper.

Memorial Day, begun as a result of the Civil War. Initially, it was called Decoration Day because people would go out to the graves of Civil War soldiers and decorate their graves.

Formal acclimation was given on May 30, 1868, at Arlington National Cemetery. Flags were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers, on that day to honor and remember all who died in that War. I am humbled to say that I have a 'many times great' grandfather who lies in Arlington, having given his life in the Union cause. It is due to the loving geneological efforts of Ms. Waters Edge that we have recently come to know this.

From 1868 until 1971, Memorial Day was always on May 30th. In 1971, Memorial Day was moved to the last Monday in May.

Memorial Day has evolved to encompass honoring and remembering all those who have given their life in service to our great country.

If you ever get to Washington, D.C., go to Arlington. Stand on the porch of Robert E. Lee's home and look out, not only at the Washington Monument in the distance, but to the ground around you. That's where the Union and Confederate soldiers lie.

Go to The Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier. Think of ALL who have given their lives in the service of our country - from the Revolutionary War to today. Stay for the Changing Of The Guard. Be awed by the quiet, by the reverence.

And remember them.......................

Life is good