Meatloaf with BBQ basting sauce and Garlic Smashed Potatoes

We were never meatloaf fans (the food, not the singer) until our youngest son found a recipe that he wanted me to try. I was skeptical, but after a few tweaks, this one is a keeper. I think it's all about this sauce that keeps it moist and flavorful. I usually try to set some aside for later use before it contacts the meat. Pair it with Garlic Smashed Potatoes and glazed carrots. Your tummy and tastebuds will thank you!

The leftovers are great for meatball sandwiches.

Brock’s Meatloaf                                                                            

1 - 1 ½ Lbs Ground Beef

1 C Breadcrumbs

¾ Onion, diced

1 Egg, slightly beaten

1 ½ tsp Salt

½ tsp Pepper

2 8-oz. Cans Tomato Sauce

3 Tbsp Vinegar

3 Tbsp Brown Sugar

2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix together beef, breadcrumbs, onion, egg, salt, pepper, and ½ Cup of tomato sauce. Form the meat mixture into a loaf and place in a shallow pan. Stir together the remaining tomato sauce, vinegar, sugar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and water as needed to thin the sauce. Pour the sauce over the meatloaf. Save excess sauce for garnishing baked meatloaf. Bake for 1 hour, basting every 15 minutes with juices from the pan.

Serve with garlic mashed potatoes.

Garlic Smashed Potatoes

Yes, we call them smashed potatoes, cuz that’s what you do to mash them - you smash ‘em!

These pair well with any meat dish when you want to get a little fancy or don’t want to make gravy.

We like them with meatloaf, salmon, and pork chops. You might get a sidelong look when you serve

them up without sauce, but your guests will soon get over it. 

3-4 Potatoes (Russets or Reds will work just fine)

1-2 tsp Minced Garlic

Water and Chicken Bouillon or Chicken Broth

2-4 Tbsp Butter

Several Tbsp of Sour Cream

Garlic Powder (if needed)

Salt to Taste

Herbs for Garnish

Peel and quarter potatoes. Add enough chicken broth or water and bouillon to cover.

Add minced garlic and salt as desired. Bring to a boil and cook until tender. Drain, reserving

liquid to add later if needed for consistency. Smash those spuds! Use a vegetable masher,

electric mixer, or ricer to mash potatoes until smooth. Add butter and sour cream.

Stir or beat until smooth. Add reserved liquid until desired consistency is achieved.

You will want to be able to drop potatoes from a serving spoon. If more garlic flavor is desired,

use garlic powder as needed.

Garnish with butter and chives or parsley.

Find more of my favorite recipes HERE.

Question: Do you have a recipe to share?  Comment below.

Running Granny Green encourages women, especially grandmothers, to gain greater fitness by providing tips and inspiration to insure long years of joyful grand-parenting. The cookie recipes are a bonus!

Happy Running!

- Carol aka Running Granny Green

Follow me on Facebook and Instagram!

Pork Sausage Egg Rolls with Sweet and Sour Sauce

Montanans know how to prepare beef, and they do it well. However, good ethnic food is hard to find. Idaho's Treasure Valley is rich with culinary variety, and perhaps I was a bit spoiled, but I often tell people, "The best Chinese (or Mexican) food in Montana is in my kitchen." Enjoy another of my favorite dishes with this make it yourself egg roll recipe.

Pork Sausage Egg Rolls

1 lb. Pork Sausage

1 C Shredded Cabbage

1 C Shredded Carrots

¼ - ½ C Dice Onions 

Dash each of Garlic Powder, Cayenne, and Ginger

Salt and Pepper to taste

Egg Roll Wrappers - 1 - 2 packages.

Brown sausage over medium heat in a large skillet. Break it up with a nylon meat chopper or potato masher while cooking. Add spices and vegetables and cook until tender. Cool slightly.

Assemble egg rolls following instructions on the package. Fill with a spoonful of the sausage mixture and tightly wrap like a burrito. (See package) Dampen the last corner and press firmly to seal the roll. If preferred, double wrap to avoid spilling of filling. There may be a learning curve here!

Fry in hot oil until golden brown. Serve with Mandarin Sauce, sweet and sour sauce (recipe below), or hot mustard.

Hint: Egg Rolls can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen. Leftover filling can be frozen for future use. Leftover wrappers can be filled with cream cheese, jam, pie filling - the options are endless!

Julie’s Sweet and Sour Sauce

This is the easiest sweet and sour sauce recipe ever! Julie is a dear friend who learned Chinese cooking as a teen from friends who owned a restaurant, so this recipe is a winner!

1 ¼ C Cold Water

1 C Sugar

¼ C White Vinegar

3 Tbsp Cornstarch

Red and Yellow Food Coloring

Combine ingredients and cook until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add a few drops of food coloring to achieve the desired hue. Makes enough sauce for 4. Can easily be doubled or tripled as needed.

Find more of my favorite recipes HERE.

Question: Do you have a recipe to share?  Comment below.

Running Granny Green encourages women, especially grandmothers, to gain greater fitness by providing tips and inspiration to insure long years of joyful grand-parenting. The cookie recipes are a bonus!

Happy Running!

- Carol aka Running Granny Green

Follow me on Facebook and Instagram!

10 Reasons I'm Publishing a Cookbook

Embarrassing reveal of only some of my recipes!

I recently determined to publish a cookbook. I asked for feedback from friends, but I think I had made the decision to forge ahead even before their much-appreciated input. 
It's proving to be a big task!

Here are ten reasons behind my motivation.

1 - My recipe books and scattered recipes are overtaking my storage space.

2 - I visualize each recipe - I know if it is typed or handwritten, in a book or file box, online somewhere, or shoved in a drawer. I waste a lot of time searching for the recipe I can "see" in my head.

3 - As you can see by the photo above, some recipes are becoming faded, stained, or torn and will need to be reproduced anyway.

4 - I have cookbooks that take up space yet have only a handful of useful (at least for me) recipes inside.

5 - Friends and family often ask how to make a particular dish and I have to go in search, take a photo or send a long text of instructions when it would be beneficial to direct them to a digital version or hard copy of all my favorite dishes.

6 - I needed a project to get me through January and February.

7- A few of the recipes on this blog required an update.

8- I can kill two birds with one stone if I update and create at the same time.

9- It gives me an excuse to cook some things I haven't enjoyed making in some time.

10 - While the task is truly for my own sanity and organization, the cookbook will be available for purchase as an eBook or hard copy. So maybe that is a third bird with the same stone.

Can you guess which of my recipes is most requested?
The answer is here.

 

Running Granny Green encourages women, especially grandmothers, to gain greater fitness by providing tips and inspiration to insure long years of joyful grand-parenting. The cookie recipes are a bonus!

Happy Running!

- Carol aka Running Granny Green

Follow me on Facebook and Instagram!