Glazed Meatloaf

Comfort food doesn't come any better than dishing up slices of meatloaf into a soft white bun with cheese and salad.... and that's what we did tonight.  Everyone here loves quick, fork free dining and this is just perfect.

A glazed meatloaf, somewhat retro is character, is definitely a favourite in our house. Using a combination of beef and pork this meatloaf was moist and as usual I managed to pack it full which was jam packed with vegetables and it was bursting with flavour. I love using fresh herbs as they add so much flavour, dried herbs can be used though and will still give you the flavour.

This meatloaf is perfect hot or cold, served with vegetables or salad and a nice relish or packed up for a picnic..... so versatile but more importantly very yummy!!!

Glazed Meatloaf

(Recipe adapted from A Feast for the Eyes)

Serves: 4

1/2 cup ketchup

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 large eggs

1/2cup milk

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

1 teaspoon hot sauce or chilli sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh marjoram

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme

salt 

freshly ground pepper

500 grams lean minced beef

500 grams lean minced pork

1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs

1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced

1 large onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 zucchini, grated

2 carrots, grated

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

 

Stir together ketchup, sugar, and vinegar in a small bowl. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, mustard, and hot sauce together. Add marjoram, thyme, salt, and pepper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the meats, egg-milk mixture, bread crumbs, parsley, onion, zucchini and carrot.  Mix until well combined (use your hands LOL).

Transfer meat mixture to an oiled loaf pan, place on an oven tray and bake in oven for 15 minutes or until meatloaf feels firm to touch.  Remove from oven.

Line another baking tray with foil and cover with baking paper.  Place this baking tray upside down on top of meatloaf and invert to remove meatloaf from loaf pan.

Brush meat with ketchup glaze. Bake in oven for about 15 minutes, until glaze has set.  Continue to brush meat loaf with remaining glaze every 10 minutes for a further 30 minutes or until meatloaf is cooked through.  Remove from oven and let stand for 5 - 10 minutes prior to slicing.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Quick and Easy Sausage Rolls

My family have been asking and asking "Mam when will you make some Homemade Sausage Rolls" followed by "you haven't made them for ages".  Guilting me obviously works as the next minute I was in the kitchen baking my heart out.

 

Sometimes I can be quite adventurous with fillings and flavours and Noel makes a pretty mean sausage roll also.  He even did a sort of Guest Blog for me with Noel's Homemade Sausage Rolls (well he cooked and I typed).

 

Not being as prepared as usual I went for an old trusted recipe, one that I have been making for as long as I can remember and a very easy recipe at that.  Like with all my good recipes they are jam packed with hidden vegetables and filled with flavour.

 

These pork and beef sausages rolls are perfect - quick, easy and have minimal ingredients.  The flavouring is infact just one jar of Rosella Fruit Chutney mixed with the meat, onions, carrots and zucchini - voila! Bake and your done.

 

These sausage rolls get eaten straight off the cooling rack while they are still warm at our house but they can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge or even frozen.

 

 

Quick and Easy Sausage Rolls

 

Serves: Makes 60

ProPoints per Serve: 3

 

cooking spray

500 grams extra trim beef mince

500 grams extra trim pork mince

1 onion, minced

2 carrots, finely grated

2 zucchinis, finely grated

525 gram bottle Rosella Fruit Chutney

salt

freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup plain flour

8 sheets Pampas Reduced Fat Butter Puff Pastry sheets, defrosted

4 egg whites, lightly beaten

 

 

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

 

Prepare 2 or more baking trays lining with baking paper and spray with cooking spray.

 

In a large bowl mix together the beef, pork, onion, carrots, zucchini and fruit chutney until well combined.  Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

 

On a pastry board or bench top sprinkle flour lightly to assist rolling mixture into sausage shapes the same length as the pastry making 16 lengths of sausage mixture.

 

Cut each pastry sheet in half lenghtways.  Place a sausage shape at the edge of 1 peice of pastry.  Brush edge of pastry with egg.  Roll to enclose sausage mixture ensure that the fold of pastry is underneath.  Repeat with remaining pastry and sausage mixture.

 

Cut each pastry into 4 and place on baking trays.  Brush with remaining egg.

Cook in oven for 25 - 30 minutes or until pastry is golden and meat is cooked through.

 

Allow to cool slightly.

 

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe) 

Shredded Chicken Leek and Thyme Tart

This meal has been on my menu planner for the last few weeks but somehow keeps getting brushed aside for no particular reason - either something else gets requested or our plans change.  What ever the reason we had some left over barbecue chicken again this weekend so I was determined to have this no matter what.

The thought of having pastry while dieting is a novelty in itself  for as we all know as a rule pastry is a NO-NO.  This recipe called for reduced fat shortcrust pastry therefore reducing the fat content. 

Although the pastry component was a little fiddly, the rest of the recipe was easy.  The dish was quite inviting to look at and not to mention it was definitely full of flavour.  The feta cheese made a nice change to normaly cheddar and the flavour was delicious combined with the sundried tomatoes and the thyme.  The serving sizes were quite large so this recipe could easily serve 6 - 8 for a light meal.

Overall this recipe sured pleased my crowd, with it being devoured last night.

Shredded Chicken Leek and Thyme Tart

(recipe sourced from WW Magazine January 2012)

Serves: 4

ProPoints per serve: 14

2 sheets reduced fat shortcrust pastry, just thawed

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 small leeks, halved, thinly sliced, washed and drained

3 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

3 eggs

1/2 cup skim milk

salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 cup shredded left over skinless cooked chicken

1/3 cup fat free semi dried tomatoes, chopped

70 grams reduced fat feta cheese, crumbled

Line base and sides of a 2.5cm deep 11.5cm x 34cm loose bottom flan tin with pastry, trimming of the excess.  Place flan tin in the freezer for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

Place flan tin on a baking tray.  Line pastry case with baking paper and fill with ceramic pie weights or uncooked rice.  Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until the edges are crisp and light golden.  Remove weights or rice and baking paper and bake for a further 6 - 8 minutes or until base is light golden.  Set aside and allow to cool slightly.

Reduce oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium non stick frying pan.  Add leeks and half the thyme leaves and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until softened.

Spread leek mixture over pastry case.

Whisk eggs and milk in a medium jug and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper

Top leeks with shredded chicken, tomatoes and crumbled feta, then pour over egg mixture.  Sprinkle with remaining thyme.

Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until just set. 

Serve Chicken Leek and Thyme Tart warm or cold.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Bacon and Vegetable Slice

For a nice tasty lunch I remembered a slice that I used to eat at work with a work friend. We no longer work together which is such a shame but are still in contact. It's funny but I was thinking about her the other day and I instantly remembered this recipe. Needless to say, I then had to cook it.

Alexandria, our 9 year old, helped with cooking this one. In fact she really made it all herself I just overlooked especially when it came to putting it in the oven and removing it. There you have it enough said about how easy this recipe is.

This slice is nice served either warm or cold making it perfect for a picnic or for work lunches, keeping well in the fridge for a few days.

Bacon and Vegetable Slice
(recipe adapted for WW Recipe Collection Cookbook)

Serves: 6
Points per serve: 5.5

cooking spray
150 grams reduced fat bacon, diced
1 onion, diced
2 medium zucchini, grated
2 medium carrots, peeled and grated
100 grams reduced fat tasty cheese
1 cup self raising flour, sifted
5 eggs, lightly beaten
¼ cup olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Spray a large non stick frying pan with cooking spray and heat over medium. Add bacon and cook until golden. Remove to a paper lined plate to cool slightly.

Combine the zucchini, carrot, cheese, flour, bacon and onion in a large bowl. In another bowl combine eggs, oil and mustard. Mix egg mixture with bacon mixture, stirring gently to combine.

Coat a rectangle or square casserole dish with cooking spray. Pour mixture into prepared dish and cook for 20 – 30 minutes in the oven until set through.

Alternatively you can cook in the microwave on 50% power for 15 minutes or until edges are firm. Place under a grill for 4 – 5 minutes or until top is golden and firm.



(click here for a printable version of this recipe)