meatloaf dinner

 

MEAT LOAF 

2 slices white bread, torn into pieces

3 oz. milk  ( I used about half that)

1 pound ground beef

1/4 lb Italian sausage  ( i always substitute 4 oz bratwurst)

1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

1 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 stalks celery, finely chopped

1 carrots, finely chopped

1 large egg

Topping

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1T. tomato paste

a few drops of water

1. Heat oven to 375í. Remove crusts from bread cut in cubes. Add milk and let soak a few minutes. Add egg, stir together. 

2. Place onion, garlic, celery, carrots, in skillet with 2 T.olive oil and saute til softened. Add and meat to bread mixture and combine

.

3. Combine brown sugar and tomato paste with a few drops of water to make a thin paste. Spread over top of meat loaf.

4.  Cook until a meat thermometer inserted in the center reads 160í, about 90 minutes. If top gets too dark, cover with foil, and continue baking.

 Mashed Potatoes

• 3 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature (1 stick)
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste if needed and more to season boiling water
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste if needed

Instructions

Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Add about a tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are tender when poked with a fork.

Drain potatoes and place them in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add cream cheese, butter, and 1/2 cup cream. Beat until well combined and to your desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper and mix just to combine.

Return the mashed potatoes to the pot, add the rest of the cream and cook over medium heat until hot. Serve.

Schnitzel withMushroon Sauce and German Potato salad

Schnitzel Menü  with potato salad and mushroom sauce

Potato salad ingredients

24 petite Yukion gold potatoes

1/2 lb. thick cut bacon

3/4 C. finely diced red or white onion

1/3 C. white vinegar

1/4 C. sugar

1 T. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. salt

2 T. minced chives or green onions for garnish

For schnitzel

4 boneless pork steaks or chops

S&P divided

1/2 C. AP flour combined with 1 tsp. salt

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 C. plain or panko bread crumbs

5 T butter, divided

For the mushroom sauce

1 C. diced onions

1 lb. thinly sliced mushrooms

1/2 C. beef broth

1/2 C. white wine

1/2 C. heavy cream or half and half

2 T. finely chopped parsley

Potato salad directions

Boil potatoes in salted water. Cook tender, 10=15 minutes.   Drain & slice into1/4-inch rounds

Cook bacon until crisp, drain, crumble, reserving 1/4 C. bacon fat in the pan.  Add onions and cook until translucent and starting to brown.-4-5 min.

Whisk in vinegar, sugar, mustard and salt . Stir until thick and bubbly.  Add potatoes, toss to coat and keep warm. Before serving, top with bacon and chives. Serve warm.

Schnitzel directions

Pound pork until 1/4 inch thick & lightly season with salt and pepper. Dip in flour, then egg, then crumbs, both sides and edges.  Fry 3=4 minutes in butter, until cooked through, adding additional butter if needed or desired.  Add more salt and pepper and cover to keep warm

Mushroom sauce

Melt 3 T. butter in same skillet over med. heat. Add onions & saute until translucent . Add mushrooms & saute 3 min. 

Stir in broth and wine, scraping pan.  Reduce to med. low and simmer uncovered 10 minutes.  Stir in cream and parsley. Simmer a few minutes to thicken, Add S&P. Add schnitzel to warm it through

 

Shrimp Scampi with garlic bread, Brussels sprouts and buttered noodles

 Smoky Shrimp Scampi   Serves 4

1/3 C. Olive oil

4 Cl. garlic

1 bunch fresh parsley

1 1/2 lbs. peeled medium shrimp

salt & pepper

1 1/2  tsp. smoked paprika

1 lemon, halved

Serve suggestions cooked rice, pasta or thick toast, steamed broccoli 

Put olive oil in a large skillet over low heat. There should be enough to cover the bottom of the skillet, don’t skimp.  Peel and chop garlic.  Chop parsley.  If shrimp are frozen, run under cold water to thaw, draining well.

Add the garlic, shrimp, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and smoked paprika to the skillet.  Toss to coat and turn the heat up to medium high.  

Cook, gently shaking the skillet one or twice, until the shrimp turn pink on one side, about 2 minutes. 

Cut one lemon half into 4 wedges

Turn shrimp and add half the chopped parsley. Cook, shaking the pan again until the shrimp are pink all over and just cooked through, about 2 minutes more. Its OK to cut one to check.  Squeews  the limo juice from the other half through a strainer or your fingers into the pan and cook for another 30 seconds.  Garnish with the other half of the parsley and lemon wedges and serve.

Eggplant Parmesan

 It must have been around five years since I last make eggplant parmesan but I like it so much I'll probably want to make it again in another five years.  The sides were store bought from the deli.

Eggplant Parmesan   serves 6-8

2 med. globe eggplant

salt

1/2 C. AP flour

2 C. seasoned Panko bread crumbs

1/4 C. olive oil, for frying

1 -2 C. jarred or fresh marinara

1 C. shredded mozzarella

1 C. grated Parmesan 

2 T. sliced fresh basil

Cut stems off eggplant, then slice into 1/4 or 1/2-inch slices

Arrange slices on a pan and sprinkle with a pinch of coarse salt on both sides.  Leave eggplant in pan for 10 minutes to “sweat” its moisture.  Pat dry and wipe off extras salt. Place beaten eggs, flour and bread crumbs in separate bowls.  Flour both sided, dip in egg and then with bread crumbs. Press bread crumbs onto eggplant with your fingers. It should be thoroughly covered, then shake off excess.  Repeat for each slice.

In large nonstick skillet, heat 2 T. oil. Add layer of eggplant; fry 2 minutes, until browned on each side and crispy and browned.   Remove to paper towels and repeat until all eggplant has been fried.  You may have to add additional oil to the pan. 

Spread a thin layer of marinara in a casserole pan or oven proof pan.  Do not add too much sauce or the eggplant will become mushy. Use maybe 1/2 C. for an 8X12-inch pan.

Layer eggplant slices, shredded mozzarellas spoonful of marinara and shredded Parmesan.  For heartier serving, add another layer of eggplant, marinara and cheeses.

Bake @ 350º, uncovered, for 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and eggplant is fork tender.

Top with fresh basil and oregano. Allow to cook for a few minutes - it will make slicing easier, then serve

Whole Chicken in the smoker and pasta with a black pepper and Romano sauce

Smoked Whole Chicken 

Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 2hrs Rest time: 20mins Total Time: 2hrs 35mins

Ingredients 
4-5 lb whole chicken

2 teaspoons cooking oil

3 tablespoons stone house seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic powder mixed is equal amounts). 

¼ cup BBQ rub optional

Instructions 

Prep The Chicken:

• Remove the giblets, bring the chicken to room temperature and pat dry with paper towels.
• Spray or drizzle the chicken with oil, then season the chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder from all sides including the cavity. If using a BBQ rub, apply an even coating of the rub.
• Truss the legs with kitchen twine and tuck the wings’ tips underneath/behind the back of the bird.

Smoke The Chicken:

• Preheat the smoker to 275°F.
• Place the chicken on your smoker breast side up, and cook for about 2 hours.
• After the first 45 minutes, check on the chicken, and give it a spray of cooking oil or butter to help the skin crisp up.
• After 1.5 hours, rotate the chicken so that it cooks evenly and give it another spray or coating or cooking oil or butter. Check the temperature at this stage, it should read around 140°F for the breast, and around 150°F at the thigh.
• After about 2 hours, it should read 165°F at the thickest part of the breast, and 175°F at the thickest part of the thigh (make sure that the thermometer is not hitting a bone to get a correct reading). That's when the chicken is ready to come off.
• Remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest for 20 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute before carving and serve

I mixed the BBQ rub below with the S & P& garlic in one part salt & pepper and three parts BBQ rub.

BBQ rub for Chicken   3 T.brown sugar, 1 1/2 tsp. each  chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and smoked paprika and 1/2 tsp. black pepper and a pinch or cayenne

Cacio e Pepe

Pasta, black pepper, and Pecorino Romano join together to form one of the simplest and most delicious classic Roman pasta dishes.

By J. Kenji López-Alt Updated on July 21, 2026 

Cook: 20 mins Total: 20 mins  Servings: 2 to 3 

 Ingredients

4 T. EVOO divided

1 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper

1/2  lb. spaghetti

Kosher salt to taste

2 T. unsalted butter

2 oz. Pecorino Romano ( about 1 C. very finely grated on smallest holes of box grater

Directions

1. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil and about a teaspoon of black pepper in a medium skillet over medium-low heat until ingredients are fragrant and pepper is barely starting to sizzle, about 1 minute. Set aside.
   
2. Place spaghetti in a large skillet and cover with water. Season with a small pinch of salt, then bring to a boil over high heat, prodding spaghetti occasionally with a fork or wooden spoon to prevent it from clumping. Cook until spaghetti is al dente (typically about 1 minute less than the package recommends). Transfer 2 to 3 tablespoons of pasta cooking water to the skillet with the olive oil/pepper mixture. Stir in butter. Using tongs, lift spaghetti and transfer it to the oil/butter mixture.
   
3. Add cheese and remaining tablespoon olive oil to the skillet and stir with a fork until cheese is completely melted. Add a few more tablespoons of pasta water to the skillet to adjust consistency, reheating as necessary until the sauce is creamy and coats each strand of spaghetti. Season to taste with salt and more black pepper. Serve immediately, passing extra grated cheese and black pepper at the table.