A Quicker Gumbo

In honor of Fat Tuesday, I wanted to make a New Orleans inspired dish. Gumbo is what I was craving, but ugh, who wants to do all that work on a week night?

When I was in Nola a couple months back I happened to stumble across a product that I have doubted until tonight. Jarred Roux. I doubted it because I pride myself on cooking a roux the right way, standing over a pot stirring from anywhere to a half hour to an hour.

When I first opened the jar I was immediately turned off. It was a big brown clump surrounded by oil. Hmmmm I thought, this is going to be interesting.

I sauteed up my veggies, added the sausage and then in went the brown clump and oil. After stirring for a minute it started to come together. I added the stock, stirred again and lo and behold, gumbo was in the making. All in about 15 minutes. I'm shocked that this actually worked. Gumbo in 30-40 minutes? Yup. Impressed, hell yes. I don't know if I'll be able to find this product here in Atlanta, but it is nice to know that such a product exists.

Quick Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

2 Tbs. oil

1 medium onion diced

2 stalks celery chopped

1 green pepper diced

3 cloves garlic minced

Meat from a small rotessirie chicken (about 2 1/2 cups)

1lb andouille sausage diced

1 1/2 cups frozen sliced okra

1/2 jar Richard's Cajun Roux

8 cups chicken stock

1 Tbs. cajun seasoning (I use Tony Chachere's)

2-3 dashes Worcestershire

Hot sauce to taste (I use Crystal's)

File powder to top rice

Fresh chopped parsley to garnish

Heat a big heavy pot over medium heat and add oil. When oil has heated add onion, celery and green pepper (the trinity). Saute about 5-8 minutes until onions just start to brown. Add sausage and garlic and cook 3-4 minutes more. Add roux, worcestershire, and seasonings and stir until everything is covered and smooth. Add chicken stock while stirring continuously. Add chicken bring to a boil and simmer 15-20 minutes. Add Okra the last 5 minutes. Serve with white rice, hot sauce and french bread.

Happy Mardi Gras Part II

One king cake just wasn't enough. I made the first cake with fruit filling, but I also wanted a more traditional king cake. So I found the perfect recipe here. It was fairly easy until it got to the part about incorporating the butter. I don't have a KA mixer (boo hoo) so I tried to cut it in. And let me just say that was a little too much of a pain in the arse. So I ended up using the tools God gave me... yes, I used my hands (I promise they were clean!) I have never smelled something so delicious baking up in my kitchen. I swear I was at the mall smelling the same aroma I do when Cinnabon is cooking up a batch of rolls. MMMMM.

It didn't come out as pretty as I wished, but I don't care. The taste was too outstanding to let that detail bother me. But what did bother me was that I cut the part of the cake that had the baby. Damn! It's tradition that whoever gets the baby has to buy the next king cake. So I guess I'll have to buy myself one, or make another.

Again, I'm so sad to not be in Nola, but this cake truly brings the excitement of the season to me. Maybe I can throw some beads at Chad to get the full effect. Or, vice versa, and I'll show him something, (wink, wink).

King Cake
(recipe by Danno from Nola Cuisine)

For the Brioche:
1 Envelope Active Dry Yeast
2 Tbsp Warm Water (115 degree F)
1 tsp Iodized Salt
2 Tbsp Granulated Sugar
1/4 Cup Milk2 tsp Orange Zest, minced
2 Cups All Purpose Flour, sifted
1 tsp Cinnamon
2 Eggs, beaten
1 1/4 sticks cold Unslated Butter, cut into very small dice
1 Egg beaten and 2 Tbsp water, for the eggwash

Dissolve the yeast in the workbowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, let stand until frothy.Dissolve the salt, sugar, orange zest and milk in a small bowl. When dissolved combine the milk mixture with the yeast mixture. Mix the cinnamon with the flour.With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, then gradually add the flour, until all is incorporated. Knead on low speed for 10 minutes, or until a smooth elastic dough is formed. A little more flour may be necessary. With the motor running, incorporate the butter into the dough, a little at a time but rather quickly so that it doesn’t heat up and melt.Turn the dough into an oiled bowl, loosely cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour in a warm spot.When the dough has doubled in bulk punch it down, cover and place in the refrigerator overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.Roll the dough out to a 6 x 18 inch rectangle. Spead the Pecan filling (recipe below) out in the middle of the rectangle along the whole length, leaving about 1 1/2 inch on each side. Place the baby trinket somewhere with the filling. Fold the length of the dough over the filling and roll up tightly, leaving the seam side down. Turn the roll into a circle, seam side down and put one end inside of the other to hide the seam, and seal the circle. Place the cake on a baking sheet and let rise, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
Place the king cake into the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
When the cake cools, brush with some of the glaze (recipe below) thinned out with more cold water. This will help the sugars adhere. Decorate the cake with the colored sugars and drizzle some of the thicker glaze onto the cake.
Place on a large round serving plate and decorate with Mardi Gras beads, doubloons and whatever else that you like.

For the Pecan filling:
1 Cup Pecan halves, broken up slightly and roasted until fragrant
2/3 Cup Brown
1/2 tsp Ground Allspice
1 pinch of salt
4 Tbsp Steen’s Cane Syrup
Combine all of the ingredients together.

For the glaze
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Tbsp Bourbon
Water (enough to make a paste that can be drizzled) I used milk
Combine the sugar and bourbon, whisk in enough water to make a glaze that can be drizzled.

See the baby? That was totally meant for someone else.

Aphrodisiac Pasta

Maybe I'm trying to get lucky with dh, or maybe I just wanted to participate in a blogging event. I'll let you decide. But whatever my motives were, this pasta dish full of aphrodisiacs was a deeeeelicious.

I've entered this dish into the Kitchen of Love blogging event hosted by Mele Cotte. According to her list of aphrodisiacs posted on her blog I incorporated 4 of them: wine, garlic, arugula and pine nuts. With that manyI'm thinking that we may should be extra randy tonight ; - D

This dish was super easy and only took about a half hour. Not too shabby for a weeknight. I do have a lot left over, so looks like it will be going to work with both of us tomorrow. Don't forget to check out the round up on Mele Cotte's blog Feb. 12th!

Aphrodisiac Pasta

1 box rigatoni

5 slices proscuitto chopped

1 medium onion chopped

3 large cloves garlic minced

3 cups fresh arugula coarsly chopped

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

2 Tbs. butter

2 Tbs. olive oil

1/4 cup white wine

2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 1/2 cups parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions, saving 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining.
Heat a medium sized skilled over medium heat and add proscuitto. Cook a few minutes until some fat has rendered. Add butter and olive oil to pan. When butter has melted add onions and red pepper flakes. Cook until onions are wilted and add garlic. Cook a couple minutes more and add wine. Scrape any bits that may have been left on the bottom of the pan from the proscuitto. Let simmer about 5 minutes over low heat.

Transfer pasta to a big bowl and add parmesan cheese, arugula, proscuitto, pine nuts and onion mixture. Add pasta water and toss. Serve with love.

Happy Mardi Gras!

In the spirit of the season I decided to make a king cake. For those of you who don't know what that is, it is a cake that is shaped into a ring and is either filled or unfilled. It is a tradition for these cakes to make their appearences during the Mardi Gras season (which starts on January 6th, or twelfth night). I decided to make both, but for this post I will only feature the filled because my other dough has to rest in the fridge over night.

I'm so disappointed to have missed this Mardi Gras season, it is something I have been celebrating for almost 20 years. And by celebrating, I don't mean going to Bourbon St. to see all the boobs and other body parts being flashed for some "good" beads. We do it the local way and hang uptown, where one of our friends has a home close to the parade route. Easy to walk back and forth for use of a clean bathroom. : ) .

So back to the cake.... I looked all over the internet trying to get a copycat recipe of Gambino's bakery, or McKenzie's Bakery (popular in Nola) king cake and I was unsuccessful. But I did fall upon this recipe, and I am glad I did. The description of the filling alone stood out to me, "mixed berry and cream cheese." ::drool::

The dough process was fairly easy, but the rolling it jelly roll style part got me. I think I used too much of the berry filling, but I was still able to seal it and form it into a ring. It baked up beautifully, nice and brown on the top. I was really happy to hide any imperfections the icing and sugars. The only thing I did differently was add the baby before the cooking. Otherwise I follwed this recipe to a T.

Mixed Berry and Cream Cheese King Cake recipe

( Recipe and directions by Amanda from "What We're Eating")

For Dough:

2 tbsp butter

8 oz sour cream

5 tbsp sugar, separated into 4 & 1 tbsp

salt - two finger pinch

1 package (7g) active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water (between 100 and 110 degrees)

1 egg

3-3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

oil - doesn’t matter what kind, just for your hands and the bowl

For Filling:

8 oz frozen mixed berries ( used Trader Joe's brand of berry medley)

1 tbsp water1 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 + 1/8 cup sugar

1/8 tsp salt (a pinch)

6 oz cream cheese, at room temperature

2 oz sour cream,

1/3 of a beaten egg

1 tbsp lemon zest

For Icing:

2 cups

1 tbsp butter, melted

4 tbsp milkpinch o’ salt

For Colored Sugars:

1 1/2 cups superfine sugar (not powdered), separated into

1/2 cupsfood coloring - blue, red, green, & yellow* if you can’t find superfine sugar you can use regular sugar. it will just be much more course)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Start the dough.

In a sauce pan over medium heat, add the butter, 4 tbsp sugar, and salt. Stir. Once the butter has melted, add the sour cream and heat to luke warm, about 105 degrees. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, add 1/4 cup warm water, yeast, and 1 tbsp sugar, then stir. Allow the yeast to sit for about five minutes, until it has been activated. If the yeast does not become active, toss out the mixture and start with a new packet of yeast. Once the yeast is active, whisk in the warm butter and sour cream mixture, the egg, and 1 cup of flour. Whisk until smooth. Using an oiled wooden spoon, begin mixing in small amounts of flour until you form a soft dough. This will generally take about another 2 cups of flour, just go by touch. You don’t really want a sticky dough, but a slightly sticky dough is okay because you can knead in more flour as you go, whereas it’s much harder to add liquid. Turn the dough out on to a clean surface lightly dusted with flour. With oiled hands, knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 5-10 minutes. Place the ball of dough into a large well-oiled bowl, then flip the dough so all of the surface area of the dough is oiled. Cover the bowl with oiled plastic wrap (oiled side down) and a hand towel, then set the bowl in a warm (about 80-85 degrees is best) draft-free area and allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour. (I find an area around the preheating oven is usually the best warm and snuggly environment for the yeast.)
While the dough is rising make the filling. Place the frozen berries, lemon juice, 1/4 cup sugar, and pinch of salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook the berries for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until the berries have broken down and the liquid will thickly coat the back of the spoon. It may be necessary to assist some of the larger strawberries in the breakdown process by smooshing them with a spoon. While the berries are simmering away, add the softened cream cheese and 1/8 cup of sugar into a mixing bowl. Cream the mixture together until smooth. Add in the sour cream, egg, and lemon zest and mix until thoroughly blended. Set the cream cheese mixture aside. Once the berries are finished, transfer them into a bowl to cool for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, refrigerate the berries until the dough has finished rising, so they have more of a chance to firmly set.
Once the dough has doubled in size, pour it out onto a lightly floured long piece of parchment paper. Lightly flour the top of the dough and a rolling pin (a smooth-edged glass will work in place of a rolling pin in a pinch). Roll the dough out into a rectangle about 18 inches long and 7 or so inches wide. Gently lift all the sides of the rectangle to make sure the dough is not sticking to the parchment paper, this will be important when you go to roll up the cake. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a 1 inch border around the outside of the dough. Next, evenly spread a thin layer of the berry mixture over the cream cheese layer. You may not need to use the entirety of the berries.

Roll the cake up, in a jellyroll-esque fashion, starting by rolling the unfilled border of the dough closest to you over the filling, and carefully begin to roll the dough up into a log. When you have only a few inches left, take the unrolled part and complete the log by gently lifting and pressing the remaining part of the dough up on to the log, so it’s seam side-up. Carefully press on the seam to ensure a solid bond. Very carefully work the two ends of the log together to form an oval, then press the doughy edges together to completely seal the cake into an oval.

Slide the parchment paper that the king cake is on, onto a large movable surface, such as a large cutting board or a sheet pan. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper then place the sheet pan, parchment side down, on top of the king cake to form a king cake sandwich. Trying not to smash the cake, quickly flip the sandwich over and lift off the top cutting board or sheet pan. Gently peel back the parchment paper, and voila!, the king cake is transferred to a parchment-lined sheet pan, seam side down, and ready for its second rise and the oven. Recover the cake with greased plastic wrap and a hand towel and allow it to rise for another 30 minutes. Bake the cake at 375 degrees in the upper 1/3 of the oven for about 15 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown. Immediately transfer the cake to a cooling rack after removing it from the oven. This is most easily done by sliding the parchment paper onto the rack directly from the sheet pan. Allow the cake to cool for at least 20 minutes before icing the cake.

During the second rise, make the colored sugars. Place 1/2 cup of superfine sugar into three separate bowls (standard soup bowls work well). Using the food coloring make one bowl of green sugar, one bowl of yellow sugar, and one bowl of purple sugar (more of a red purple than an indigo). Use the back of a spoon or a pestle, work the food coloring into the sugar by grinding it against the side of the bowl and working the coloring throughout all of the sugar. Continue this until the sugar is uniform in color and there are no clumps. Mardi Gras colors are super vivid so use as much food coloring as is necessary to achieve them!

Once the cake has cooled for 15 minutes, make the icing. Whisk together the powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, melted butter, and milk until smooth. You want the icing to be able to drizzle easily but not just run right off the cake, so if the icing is too thin, just whisk in more sifted powdered sugar and if the icing is too thick whisk in a touch more milk.

After the cake has had a chance to cool, remove the parchment and move the cake to whatever platter you wish to serve it on. Cut several strips of parchment paper a few inches wide and tuck it underneath the edges of the cake for easy clean up after decorating. At this point, stick a dried bean or little plastic baby into the cake through the bottom. It’s tradition in Louisiana that who ever gets the baby has to spring for the next cake! Else where, it’s a sign of good luck . Drizzle the icing evenly over the cake and allow it to ooze down the sides. Before the icing has a chance to set, sift on rotating strips of colored sugar. Carefully remove the pieces of parchment paper. King cake is fantastic eaten warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!…but only after christmas and before ash wednesday, otherwise it’s just gauche!

Shepherds Pie

This is my first one of these. I never had this growing up, except for maybe in restaurants. I have always wanted to make one, so I thought why not tonight. I used the recipe from America's Test Kitchen because I wanted to make sure I was making a tried and tested recipe.

I make a few variations like adding a package of fresh, sliced white mushrooms, and a chopped celery stalk That I sauteed with the onions. I also used a lb. ground turkey instead of 2 lbs. of ground beef, just to make it a bit lighter(and really because I only had a lb. of ground beef available).

Mine didn't come out as pretty as I envisioned it would but that is my fault. I was a little shy on the potatoes (which were yukon gold's and not the recommended russets, btw), but it still came out looking decent (despite the bubble over on the left in the pic above) and tasting out of this world.

Shepherd's Pie

(ATK recipe)

Filling:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion , chopped fine
2 medium carrots , peeled and chopped fine
2 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
Table salt and ground black pepper

5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup beer (I used Amstel Light)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1 cup frozen peas

*note* I used half a bag of frozen peas and carrots. I added them when the recipe said to add the peas at the end. Oh, and I also added 3 cloves of garlic that I threw in there when I began to brown the meat.

Topping
2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes . peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
Table salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
1/3 cup heavy cream , warmed
Ground black pepper
1 large egg , beaten

1. For the filling: Heat butter in large skillet over medium-high heat until foaming. Add onion and carrots and cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Add meat, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, breaking up meat into small pieces with wooden spoon, until browned, about 12 minutes. Add flour and tomato paste and cook until paste begins to darken, about 1 minute.

2. Add cream and cook until it spatters, about 1 minute. Add broth, beer, soy sauce, and thyme and simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture is thick but still saucy, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in peas, adjust seasonings, and transfer to broiler safe 2-quart casserole dish.

3. For the topping: Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Bring potatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and water to cover to boil in large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain potatoes, return to saucepan, and mash potatoes with butter and cream until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Spread potatoes over filling, using spatula to smooth top (see photo at left). Brush with egg and drag fork across top to make ridges. Bake until filling is bubbling, about 15 minutes. Turn on broiler and cook until top is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes. Serve.

Make Ahead
Make the filling through step 2, but do not add the peas. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. When ready to proceed, reheat the filling in a large saucepan, stir in the peas, and transfer to a broiler safe 2-quart casserole. Proceed with the recipe from step 3.

Hearty Chicken and Dumplings

After a little too much partying for Chad's surprise (no he wasn't surprised, he knew something was up) birthday party last night we were in need of a hearty home style meal. The only thing I had in the fridge were chicken legs that I bought on sale so our dinner had to incorporated those. I thought about just roasting them and making some rice and veggies as our sides but instead I decided to make chicken and dumplings (I like to say "dumplins").

I have to admit, I looked online for recipes but the only one I wanted to make was the Cooking Light version. But it was pretty complicated, and I just didn't have the energy. So I totally threw this thing together remembering bits and pieces from the recipes I viewed online. It came out so well, and I am thankful I made a huge batch that we can take to work for lunches later in the week.

Chicken and Dumplings

6 chicken legs roasted(I basted them with a butter, oregano, basil, garlic powder, salt and pepper mixture before roasting), meat removed and roughly chopped (or 3 cups cooked chicken)

1 medium onion chopped

2 stalks celery chopped

1/2 bag of peas and carrots combo

3 garlic cloves finely chopped

3 Tbs. dripping from roasted chicken or 3 Tbs. butter

1 1/2 Tbs. flour

1/4 cup white wine

10 cups good quality chicken stock(warmed)

2 bay leaves

1 Tbs. fresh sage chopped

1 Tbs. fresh flat leafed parsley chopped

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. dried marjoram

Salt and pepper to taste

Dumpling ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 Tbs. baking powder

3/4 cups half and half

2 tsp. salt

2 Tbs. butter

In a large heavy pot heat drippings or butter over medium heat. Add onions,celery, bay leaves, thyme, sage and marjoram and saute for about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add flour and stir constantly for about 3 minutes so the roux doesn't burn. Add wine and deglaze the pot scraping any bits from the bottom. Add chicken stock a couple cups at a time whisking constantly. Add the cooked chicken and the parsley and bring to a gentle boil.

Add the dumplings and cook for about 10-15 minutes longer. Add peas and carrots take off heat and let sit for about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper and serve.

Dumplings:

Sift all dry ingredients into a medium sized bowl. Combine half and half and butter and heat in a microwave until butter has melted. Add to flour mixture and mix together with a fork until well combined. Knead a couple of times on a floured surface until smooth (a couple of times, don't over do it). Pinch off about a Tbs. size (you can make the dumplings as big as you want them but if they are larger they may have to cook longer) and add to soup.

Chicken,Tasso and Andouille Jambalaya

Tonight's dinner was inspired again by what needed to be used in the fridge. I had a chicken breast, 1 link andouille and some tasso. It was between a gumbo or this jambalaya. Jambalaya won. Only because I didn't feel like slaving over a stove tending to a roux. There are so many different variations of jambalaya that there really isn't a "right" way or a "wrong" way to make it. I prefer a red jambalaya, while others omit tomato products. I just think it gives it a little more flavor and blends well with the red hot spices I like to add. If you don't have tasso on hand, don't worry you can omit it. I had to buy about 4 lbs. of the stuff last time I was in New Orleans and froze it as soon as I got home. And as far as the andouille sausage, well you can substitute with whatever sausage you like. This is a versatile recipe so feel free to add and omit ingredients.

Chicken Tasso and Andouille Jambalaya

1 chicken breast seasoned with salt and pepper and pan fried

1 cup andouille sausage (1 link) cut in half, then in half again and chopped

1/2 cup tasso chopped in small pieces

1/2 Tbs. canola oil

1 Tbs. unsalted butter

1/2 cup of onion finely chopped

1/2 cup green pepper finely chopped

1/2 cup celery finely chopped

3 garlic cloves minced

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme

2 tsp. dried oregano

2 tsp. cajun seasoning (I like Tony Chachere's)

2 tsp. hot sauce (I like Crystal's)

1 1/2 cup long grain rice

1/4 cup white wine

1 1/2 cup chicken stock

8oz. can No Salt added tomato sauce

Heat a large heavy pot over medium high heat and add canola oil. Add tasso and andouille and saute until rendered, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. Add butter and melt. Add the trinity (onions,peppers,celery) and saute until onion starts to brown. Add garlic and rice and saute for a couple minutes more. Add all meat and combine in pot. Add wine to deglaze and scrape up the bottom bits. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. lower heat, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley and add more hot sauce if desired.

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

To go along with the lovely meatloaf below I made mashed potatoes. In my opinion, nothing goes better with meat loaf than mashed potatoes. I love roasting garlic first before adding it to the potatoes, it gives them so much more depth. And using yukon gold's are a must, they make the best mashed potatoes.

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

3 large garlic cloves

1/2 tsp. olive oil

3 large yukon gold potatoes (about 2lbs.)

1/2 cup half and half (warm)

2 Tbs. unsalted butter

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. fresh gound pepper

Heat oven to 375

Peel skin off garlic put in a small oven safe dish and add oil. mix together, making sure all sides are covered. Cover dish and roast in oven for 30-40 minutes or until browned.

Peel potatoes and cut in large chunks. place in a large pot of salted, boiling water and boil until fork tender. Drain and add them back to pot. Add roasted garlic, and the rest of the ingredients and either mix with electric mixer or mash with you masher.

The Best Meatloaf I've Ever Eaten

Most people are either meatloaf lovers, or haters. I am a meatloaf lover. I always have been. But now, I love it even more with this recipe. This meatloaf recipe has been on my list of things to try for a while now. So when I happened to have a couple lbs. of ground round in the fridge that I bought on sale, I jumped at the opportunity to make it.

I despise a crumbly meatloaf You know the kind, when you try to slice it the meat crumbles all over your fork and plate and you are left to pick up the little pieces. Not this meatloaf. The unflavored gelatin is the key in holding it together, as well as the eggs. So when I sliced a piece with my fork it stayed together all the way up to my mouth. Heaven. The glaze was tangy and delicious and a wonderful compliment. Although I did stray from the original recipe with the type of ground meat (I used 2lbs. ground round) it didn't matter one bit. I forsee this being my go to recipe for meatloaf in the years to come. Maybe next time I'll add a little more spices, but really it didn't need a thing.

All Beef Meatloaf

(cooks illustrated)

3 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated on small holes of box grater (about 1 cup)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 medium onion , chopped fine (about 1 cup)

1 medium rib celery , chopped fine (about 1/2 cup)

1 medium clove garlic , minced (about 1 teaspoon)

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (powdered)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2/3 cup crushed saltines

1 1/2 teaspoons table salt

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 pound ground chuck

1 pound ground sirloin

Glaze

1/2 cup ketchup

1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 cup cider vinegar

3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spread cheese on plate and place in freezer until ready to use. Prepare baking sheet--cover a broiler pan or a cookie cooling rack with two layers of foil and punch holes in it so fat can drain. Then put pan or rack in another pan to catch drips and prevent your oven from smoking you out of the house.

2. Heat butter in a skillet over medium-high heat, add onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown. Add garlic, and paprika and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to small bowl and set aside to cool.

3. Whisk broth and eggs in large bowl until combined. Sprinkle gelatin over liquid and let stand 5 minutes. Stir in soy sauce, mustard, saltines, parsley, salt, pepper, and onion mixture. Crumble frozen cheese into coarse powder and sprinkle over mixture. Add ground meat; mix gently with hands until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Transfer meat to foil rectangle and shape into 10 by 6-inch oval about 2 inches high. Bake 55 to 65 minutes. Remove meat loaf from oven and turn on broiler.

4. While meat loaf cooks, combine ingredients for glaze in small saucepan; bring to simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring, until thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Spread half of glaze evenly over cooked meat loaf with rubber spatula; place under broiler and cook until glaze bubbles and begins to brown at edges, about 5 minutes. Remove meat loaf from oven and spread evenly with remaining glaze; place back under broiler and cook until glaze is again bubbling and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes more. Let meat loaf cool about 20 minutes before slicing.