Mom's Meatloaf

"Really Bobbi?  MEATLOAF?  This is what your blog has come to?  Where are the Cajun recipes? Is there something unique about this meatloaf?  Does it at least have like, alligator or ground shrimp and Cajun seasoning in it?"

Nope.  It does not.  But it doesn't need to.  Because there's something special about a recipe that comes from your mom.  

Even if it *technically* doesn't come from your mom, because it's actually from Betty Crocker's "Dinner for Two" cookbook, circa 1960s. 

Because your mom got this as a wedding gift when she got married in 1974.

And because your mom used to make it all the time.  Possibly once a week, even.  These are the flavors of your childhood.

And, because it's one of the first things your mom taught you to cook.  You remember smooshing all those ingredients together with your bare mitts inside a burnt orange Tupperware bowl.

You remember it being served with potatoes au gratin and sweet peas.  And having meatloaf sandwiches with the leftovers for lunch.

And you also remember it because, while you don't make it nearly as often as your mom did, you did make it while your son "helped" you cook.

Because spices make great towers.

And even though there's absolutely nothing sexy or unique about meatloaf, and it's incredibly difficult to take Instagram-worthy photos of a meatwad... there is absolutely something special about sharing recipes and moments with your kids.

*Note: my recipe varies slightly from the original, just because I like more veggies in it.

INGREDIENTS: (makes 4-6 servings)
1 lb Boston Burger (80/20 mix of ground beef & pork)
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper, celery salt, and dry mustard
1 tsp minced garlic
1.5 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4-1/2 cup BBQ sauce (we had Fiery Habanero in the fridge, so that's what we used--added a really nice level of heat)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350F.
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and smoosh 'til combined. Don't overwork--just mix until everything is integrated.  If you mix it too much the meatloaf will get really tough.  Then plop into a loaf pan...

...then top with BBQ sauce...

My attempt at getting an action shot.

Spread evenly across the top and then bake for 1 hour.  Use a kitchen thermometer to monitor for when it hits 160F and you'll ensure that you don't overcook it--nobody likes dry meatloaf.

Serve with potatoes & peas (or rice and watermelon, because that's what you have on-hand).

Enjoy!

Super Cheesy Lasagna…with a surprise.

Earlier this week I showed off the SuperAwesomeGorgeousAmazing casserole dish that my friends Kathy & Matt gave The Hubs & I as a wedding gift:

This gorgeous handmade ceramic dish came from Judy At The Rink on Prytania, which specializes in local artistry & creations.  Check out those awesome lil’ fleur de lis!!!!

Kathy was my very first New Orleans friend, as she was also my very first New Orleans coworker, and she took me under her Obi-Wan-like Wing O’Cheese, and schooled me in the ways of cheesemongering.  Which was not a word until just now.  Use it: be a trend setter.

Our former home-away-from-home, the cheese & gourmet meats counter at MWC Metairie.

After I finished gushing over how gorgeous this dish was, Kathy made me promise that the first dish I made in it had to be super-cheesy, in homage to our fromage-y friendship.

So, after sorting through my Pile O’ Super-Cheesy recipes, I decided upon something with layers and layers and LAYERS of cheese: LASAGNA!

Mozzarella, parmesan, and ricotta* cheese…THREE kinds of cheese! How’s that, K-Rod???

*note: the below recipe uses an alternative to ricotta.  Just FYI.

PLUS…this lasagna has a fun lil’ not-so-secret ingredient: Beet Greens. 

For reals.  My friend Babsy grew beets in her garden and provided me with a bunch.  The beets themselves got roasted with some other root veggies, but Babs told me that the greens can be cooked down & essentially taste like spinach.

People put spinach in lasagna all the time…so why NOT a super green like beet tops?  The greens have a mild flavor like Swiss chard, and are chock full of vitamins (A, C, K, E) and minerals (calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, and potassium).

Got a finicky kid who doesn’t like greens? MIX IT INTO A LASAGNA.  Along with a crap-ton of other veggies (onions, bell peppers, mushrooms).  Amid all that delicious pasta, tomato sauce and CHEEEEEESE, who would notice?

Do you see any veggies in there?  Because I sure don’t.

Most lasagnas utilize a 9x13 pan, but our pan is about an 8x8.  However, the amount of meat/cheese mixture I made for this recipe would pretty easily fill a 9x13 pan.  We had meat/sauce left over & ended up using it to make spaghetti later in the week.

The 8x8 pan makes about 4 servings.

Ingredients:

About 4 whole wheat lasagna noodles, cooked & cut in half (the 8x8 pan has three layers of noodles, and it takes just a little more than 1 noodle halved to cover it.  The fourth noodle is for filling gaps.  If you make a 9x13 pan, cook 6 noodles & don’t halve them)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 bunch beet greens, chopped (tops of about 3 beets, washes & minced)*

1/2 onion

1/2 bell pepper, diced*

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 oz mushrooms, washed & sliced*

1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce (we like Prego, Roasted Garlic & Parmesan, or the Italian Sausage & Garlic)

1 small can diced tomatoes, drained* (I prefer the garlic & oregano infused version)

0.5 lb Italian turkey sausage

1/2 pound small curd cottage cheese (or ricotta if you have it—we didn’t)

1 egg

1.5 tsp dried parsley

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 cup  grated Parmesan cheese

8 oz shredded mozzarella

* Any of the Veggies are entirely optional, but I like to add them for the extra healthfulness factor and to make this more of an “all-in-one” meal. If there’s anything you don’t like in this recipe, feel free to remove it, or double up on one of the other veggies.  I won’t know, and I won’t hold it against you.

 

Directions:

In a medium sauce pan, boil your lasagna noodles (OR you can use the No Boil type noodles & save yourself a step.) Then set aside to drain.

Grab two skillets (or a skillet & a sauce pan/wok, if that’s what you’ve got).  In the larger cooking vessel, heat your olive oil over medium, and sauté your veggies & garlic until softened, then add your pasta sauce.  You might not need the whole jar, so just add ‘til you’re happy with the consistency.  We don’t want the mixture to be too saucy, or too dry.  In the other pan, brown your meat.

In a small bowl, combine the cottage cheese, egg, parsley, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, & parmesan.

When your meat is fully browned, add it to your sauce/veggie mixture.

And now, we begin the layering. Start by putting a few tablespoons worth of sauce in the bottom of the pan to make sure your first layer of noodles don’t burn or stick to the pan.  Then layer to match the following pattern:

(listed from top down, i.e. read from the bottom up):

last of the mozzarella
1/4 cup sauce
layer noodles
1/2 sauce/meat mixture (reserving 1/4 cup for the top)
1/3 mozzarella
1/2 cottage cheese
layer noodles
1/2 sauce/meat mixture
1/3 mozzarella
1/2 cottage cheese mixture
1 layer noodles
2-3 tbsp sauce

VOILA! (PS—you can totally sprinkle a lil’ extra parmesan on top. I won’t tell.)

Now cover with aluminum foil (be sure to “tent” it a bit if your lasagna is above the edge of your pan, like mine is above.  Then bake at 375F for 30 minutes.  Then remove the foil & let bake for 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is nice & browned. 

Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting so that the layers firm up a good bit.

Then SERVE & DEVOUR!

NutriFacts: (per serving)

Calories 662.7

  Total Fat 27.0 g

  Saturated Fat 10.8 g

  Polyunsaturated Fat 0.9 g

  Monounsaturated Fat 6.1 g

  Cholesterol 119.1 mg

  Sodium 1,017.5 mg

  Potassium 271.5 mg

  Total Carbohydrate 64.7 g

  Dietary Fiber 9.3 g

  Sugars 13.3 g

  Protein 44.5 g

New Orleans Stuffed Artichoke

Much like brussels sprouts, artichokes are not something that get bought frequently in this house.  Don’t get me wrong, I love veggies—but we tend to stockpile the ones that are a bit more universal.  You know, carrots, celery, onions, bell pepper, etc. AKA—Veggies I Can Use In Nearly Anything.     Not things that require a recipe search on Pinterest.

(Hi, my name is Artie, and I’m SPECIAL.)

But when I saw these prickly perennials (huzzah for alliteration!) on sale last week for 99 cents, I figured, “what the heck.”
When I worked at Martin’s in New Orleans, we stocked our to-go case with pre-cooked stuffed artichokes.  As a Missourian I had never been exposed to stuffed artichokes, but as a New Orleans newb, I couldn’t seem to get away from them.  My coworker & good friend Kathy inducted me into the world of choked ‘chokes and there was no turning back.


On their own, artichokes have all sorts of health benefits: antioxidants, fiber, aid in digestion, reduce bad cholesterol, and they’re great for your liver.
And if you cram ‘em full of bread crumbs, garlic, & Parmesan cheese, they are positively INSANE.  Great for a party or family gathering….basically anywhere there will be other people to assist you demolishing it, lest you eat the whole thing yourself (NOT recommended).
Note: This recipe comes from Kathy’s grandma, and has not been significantly altered or healthed-up.  There are a few other lower-fat versions out there that I might try sometime, but for this go-round, I wanted 100% genuine New Orleans.

Ingredients:
1 medium artichoke (choose one that is not too compact or tight)
1 cup bread crumbs (we used seasoned, since it’s what we had on hand)
5 large cloves garlic, minced
¾ cup Romano or Parmesan cheese, grated
3/8 C Wesson oil
1/8 C Olive oil

Directions:
Cut the stem off to make the base flat. Cut off about ½ in of the top, and then snip the remaining leaves to remove “stickers”. Open the leaves by pushing the artichoke on the counter upside down. Rinse artichoke well. Drain and set aside.

Mix the remaining ingredients together well. The mixture should resemble Graham Cracker crust consistency: it can be flattened with the bowl of a spoon and the mixture sticks together.

Place a large spoonful of mixture in the center of the artichoke. Starting in the center of the artichoke, stuff each leaf. Use small spoon to scoop mixture, and push mixture into opening between leaves with your fingers.



When all leaves are full, add a thin slice of lemon to the top center. Cut another slice into quarters and arrange them on the 4 quadrants of the artichoke. (Note: we didn’t have a lemon on-hand, so I just spritzed with a bit of lemon juice.
Select a pot in which the artichoke will fit tightly, and also has a tight fitting cover. Place about ¼ inch water in the pot along with a few drops of olive oil. Add the artichoke (right side up). Bring the water to a boil, then turn down heat, cover and simmer one hour or until leaves come out easily and taste tender. Watch that the water does not all boil off. Add more water if needed.


Remove artichoke from water and allow to cool. Cover and freeze when cool, or refrigerate until serving time. Frozen artichokes may be re-heated in the microwave.

So, if you’re an artichoke newb, perhaps you’re wondering “how do I EAT this highly delectable looking concoction you’ve created, Bobbi?”  Lucky for you, there’s this thing called the internet.  I’m pretty sure you can Google “how to wipe my tukkus” and get a YouTube tutorial. 
But seriously…if you don’t know how, check out the tutorial, lest you end up with a mouth full of undigestable fibrous roughage….like my poor husband did.  But fear not, he’s now properly trained—and thank goodness, so I don’t have to try to eat this whole thing myself!  YUM!


NutriFacts: (makes 12 servings, about 3-4 petals per serving)
Calories 153.2
  Total Fat 11.4 g
  Saturated Fat 2.6 g
  Polyunsaturated Fat 1.0 g
  Monounsaturated Fat 7.3 g
  Cholesterol 5.0 mg
  Sodium 302.5 mg
  Potassium 74.3 mg
  Total Carbohydrate 8.6 g
  Dietary Fiber 1.1 g
  Sugars 0.6 g
  Protein 4.4 g

Crawchos!!! (aka Crawfish Nachos)

This is an invention of my cousin Primo’s, that he dreamed up back in the day when we were still roommates in Lafayette.  Of course, back then, it was just an idea, a loose concept.  But since that time, Primo’s had a chance to perfect it into a pretty tasty dish.  And while I was down in Louisiana for work last week, he was cool enough to teach me his recipe.  This makes a pretty big batch, so it’s great for a party, and a great way to use up leftover crawfish tails after a boil!


Ingredients: (this has been slightly health-i-fied from the original)
32 oz block of Velveeta (2%), cubed
8 oz fat free cream cheese, cubed
14 oz can sweet corn, drained
2 tbsp jalapeno slices, diced
1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
10 oz can of Mexican Rotel, drained
4-6 oz light beer (I’ll recommend Abita Light to keep it Cajun)
1 lb crawfish tails (preferably leftover from a crawfish boil so they have some good spice)
1 tbsp dry Crab Boil seasoning
Tortilla chips
Sliced green onions or cilantro (optional—we didn’t have them, but I think it would make a nice garnish & add another pop of flavor)

Directions:
In a large skillet, heat the corn over medium-low heat & season with the Cajun seasoning.  Stir occasionally.  This is to pull some of the moisture out of the corn, to give it a crunchier texture.  After about 5 minutes, add the jalapenos & continue to stir.

P.S.  Now’s a good time to have one of these:

(My favorite time of year—Strawberry Lager season!)

And of course, what’s an episode of FeauxCajun Kitchen without some canine sous chefs?

(“Furreals Dad…just ONE piece of cream cheese.  But don’t try stickin’ that heartworm pill in there again. I’m on to your schemes.”)

In a large pot, combine Velveeta, cream cheese, rotel, crab boil seasoning, and beer over medium heat. 

Stir periodically until smooth & creamy, then add crawfish & corn mixture.

Continue to cook until crawfish are heated through, stirring frequently to make sure the bottom doesn’t scorch.

Arrange your chips on a plate and then pour the crawfish cheese sauce over the chips.

Proceed to chow down!!!

Nutrifacts (makes 12 servings):

Calories 370.2
  Total Fat 13.7 g
  Saturated Fat 6.3 g
  Polyunsaturated Fat 1.0 g
  Monounsaturated Fat 2.9 g
  Cholesterol 88.0 mg
  Sodium 1,869.9 mg
  Potassium 359.8 mg
  Total Carbohydrate 34.0 g
  Dietary Fiber 2.4 g
  Sugars 8.1 g
  Protein 26.7 g