CLASSIC MEATLOAF

In this day of exotic flavors and extravagant recipes, sometimes it's nice to just go back to basics. Tried and true old-time recipes just can't be beat. Here's a recipe from Eddy Browning who writes a weekly column for the Sun Journal.  I adapted it slightly because the original recipe calls for 1/4 lb. each of ground pork and veal. Since both come pre-packaged in 1-lb. containers, I took out the veal, upped the pork to 1 lb., and upped the beef to 1-3/4 lb. Then I had to adjust the remaining ingredients, since the meatloaf was now using almost 3 lbs. of meat compared to 2 lbs. in Eddy's recipe.

If you like a zingy meatloaf, this is not it.  This is just an old-time meatloaf recipe from the past.  It makes great sandwiches, or so my hubby says.  I'm not a meatloaf lover and hardly ever touch it.

Classic Meatloaf
Adapted from Celia Shelton
Rating:  8 out of 10
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INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups chopped onions (about 1 very large)
3 garlic cloves, grated or minced
3 large eggs
1 cup bread crumbs (I used a combo of whole wheat bread,, white bread and oyster crackers)
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2/3 cup low-fat milk
3 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1-1/2 tsp. Tabasco (hot pepper sauce)
1-1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
1-1/2 tsp. Morton kosher salt
3/4 tsp. black pepper
1-3/4 lb. ground beef (I used Harris Teeter Natural Beef, in the butcher case.)
1 lb. ground pork

Heat oven to 350F.  In medium skillet, Combine oil and onion over medium heat.  Cook 5 minutes, or till softened, stirring occasionally.  Add garlic; cook 30 seconds or till fragrant.  Place onions and garlic in large bowl; cool to room temperature.

Whisk eggs into onion mixture.  Stir in remaining ingredients; mix lightly by hand or with large fork until evenly blended.  Press into 9x5" loaf pan, or place free-form loaf in shallow baking pan.  To prevent glaze from dripping off pan during baking, mound meat in center with sloping sides.

In small bowl, prepare glaze:  Stir together 1/3 cup ketchup, 2 Tbsp. packed light brown sugar, 1 Tbsp. cider vinegar and 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard.  Brush 1/4 cup of the glaze over top of loaf.  Bake 45 minutes; remove pan from oven.  Brush top of loaf with remaining 1/4 cup glaze.  Bake an additional 15-20 minutes, or till meatloaf is firm and juices run clear.  Loosely cover with foil; let stand 15 minutes before slicing.  Yield:  8-10 servings

SAVAGE'S WOOD-BURNING PIZZERIA

How many pizzerias does New Bern have?  I've lost count, but it doesn't matter, because none of them are very exciting.  Until now.  Savage's pizza is the best I've tasted in New Bern.  The crust is thin and tender, the tomato sauce has nice flavor, and it's not overly salted or loaded with too much cheese.  I like mushrooms on my pie, and Savage's mushrooms are not rubbery like some.  I didn't ask, but they taste and look like they're freshly sliced and cooked.

A large pie with mushrooms

The owner/operator is Doug Savage, who grew up in Northern New Jersey where there are more good pizzas than bad.  He makes his own dough and tomato sauce.  All of the food at Savage's is freshly made daily.  Besides several kinds of pizzas (traditional cheese, Margherita, Hawaiian, White, Gluten-Free and The Big Savage) you can also get appetizers, hot and cold subs, wraps, jumbo wings, calzones, salads and ice cream.  Doug hopes to have beer and wine available soon.

The inside of Savage's is freshly decorated with an inviting interior.

Daily specials are written on a board placed at entry.

Co-owner and fiancee Pam Dawson, a native North Carolinian, works the front while Doug works the kitchen.

Doug and Pam together in the kitchen

Service is quick and friendly.  A traditional cheese medium (12") pie is $12.95, and a large (16") pie is $14.95.  Additional toppings are $1.50 each, and you can choose from pepperoni, Italian sausage, meatballs, ham, Genoa salami, extra cheese, mushrooms, peppers, onions, broccoli, black olives, spinach or pineapple.


Savage’s, located at 2116 Trent Road, is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.  Phone (252) 672-0103

JENN-AIR RADIANT DOWNDRAFT COOKTOP ANYONE?

Jenn-Air Radiant Downdraft Cooktop, Model JED8430

We've converted to gas and are looking for a buyer for this beautiful cooktop.  It was installed September, 2006, and the original price was $1100.  It's in excellent condition and we will sell it for $295, or best offer.

Dimensions of cooktop are 22" x 29-3/4".  Minimum clearance required for downdraft is 17-1/2".  Detailed installation instructions are included with cooktop.  Read more about it here.

April 2014 update:  A few months after this posting, we sold the radiant cooktop to a charming engineer who lives in Atlanta.

OUR FIRST MEYER LEMON HARVEST

It's been a long wait -- almost two years -- since we bought our dwarf Meyer lemon tree at Lowe's.  It was small then, and we planted it in a smallish pot and placed it on our patio.  Last winter, it came inside our house.  By the time the winter was over, it needed to be repotted to a bigger container.  It was repotted again in early fall to yet another, larger, container and placed on a caddy with wheels.  We relocated the tree to just outside our garage doors, so that it could easily be wheeled inside during frigid weather.

Most of the first blooms fell off, as predicted, and others we picked off, leaving just two lemons for our first harvest.  As the lemons grew, they were dark green, then lighter green, then yellow, and finally orange-yellow.

  
The Meyer lemon tree is a cross between a Mandarin orange and a lemon, producing a sweeter, less-tart fruit that chefs and food enthusiasts love.  (Wal-Mart carries bags of Meyer lemons, and Harris Teeter carries the individually priced fruits at close to $1 each.)  Since Meyer lemon trees are a dwarf variety, they are perfect for container growing on a patio, or even inside the home in a sunny location.  They do require at least eight hours of sun daily, so location is critical, and care must be taken to not overwater them.   They can be planted in the ground in areas where winter weather is short and not severe, but they must be covered when temperatures dip below freezing.  Though the trees can reach 10-20 feet in height when fully grown, it is possible to keep them in containers if the trees are cut back once a year.

Our tree is completely covered with new blossoms now, some of which have already started to form fruit.
The intoxicating fragrance of the citrus blooms permeates the garage area, in a good way.   We're looking forward to a Meyer lemon meringue pie soon, hopefully by Memorial Day.

QUICK AND EASY CHICKEN SOUP WITH BEET GREENS AND TORTELLINI

I hope you're in the habit of buying fresh beets.  They are wonderful when they're roasted, and so easy to do.  Just cut the beets away from the beet greens, scrub, wrap in foil and bake at 400F for about 40 minutes, or till tender when pierced with a fork.  Peeled and sliced, they're a great addition to a tossed salad, and equally good as a snack.  But what about those greens? Don't throw them out.  Get more bang for your buck by using them just like spinach.  In fact, that's pretty much what they taste like because they are a "cousin" of spinach.

Previously, I made delicious Beet Green Spanokopita, froze them, and baked some to accompany this soup.

With my latest bunch of beet greens, I used the smaller leaves to add to salads and used the bigger leaves for this wonderful soup.  The tortellini is a critical component of this soup.  It provides the "comfort" texture and taste.  Since it's fresh pasta, it cooks in no time, along with the other ingredients.  The beets and tortellini were both purchased at Harris Teeter.

The beets may appear expensive, but when you consider that you are getting two vegetables in one, it suddenly looks like a bargain.

Try this soup soon, and it may become your go-to chicken soup for cold wintry weather.  And, P. S., you can purchase rotisserie chickens on Sunday at Harris Teeter for $4.99 for your Sunday meal.  Monday's leftovers can be used to make this soup.  How's that for smart shopping?

Quick and Easy Chicken Soup with Beet Greens and Tortellini
Rating:  9.5 out of 10
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INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbsp. margarine or canola oil

1/3 cup chopped sweet onion

1 large carrot, peeled, grated on large holes of box grater

1 celery stalk with leaves, sliced or chopped

About 3/4 tsp. salt, divided

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1-1/2 quarts Harris Teeter low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup water

2 cups fresh beet greens or spinach, chopped

¾ cup chopped or shredded cooked chicken

9 oz. pkg. of Harris Teeter fresh six-cheese tortellini

In 3-quart heavy pot, heat margarine, onion, carrot and celery over medium-high heat.  Cook 5 minutes, or till vegetables are softened.  Add 1/2 tsp. salt, parsley, broth and water.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 5 minutes.  Add beet greens (or spinach if using), chicken and tortellini.  Cook on medium low heat 5-6 minutes, or till pasta is tender.  Taste broth to adjust seasonings, adding up to an additional 1/4 tsp. of salt, if needed.  Yield:  4 servings

GREEK LEMON GARLIC CHICKEN WITH POTATOES

Ever since our dinner at Taverna Mythos in Morehead City, I've been dreaming about Greek food.  So when I found this recipe, I knew I had to try it.  It's a simple recipe with few ingredients and it goes together quickly.  Perfect for a cold winter's day, the potatoes and chicken are nicely flavored and provide a comfort-food meal that will warm your innards.  Adjust the garlic down if it's not your favorite, and the classic tastes of lemon and oregano will still make this dish uniquely Greek.

Greek Lemon Garlic Chicken with Potatoes
Adapted from about.com Greek Food
Rating:  8.5 out of 10
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INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
2 tsp. Morton kosher salt
1-1/2 tsp. Meditteranean oregano
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. grated fresh garlic
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 chicken, or two breast quarters, or two leg quarters
2 potatoes
1 onion, peeled, quartered
1/4 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

In gallon-size resealable plastic bag, combine lemon juice, zest, salt, oregano, pepper, garlic, oil and broth.  Transfer 1/4 cup of marinade to a quart-size resealable bag.  Add chicken to gallon-size bag.  Seal bag and  refrigerate for 1-8 hours.

When ready to cook, heat oven to 375F.  Peel and quarter potatoes and toss in quart-size bag with marinade.  Place chicken skin-side down in roasting pan with potatoes around chicken.  Add onion around potatoes.  Pour 1/4 cup broth and any remaining marinade from bags over chicken and potatoes.  Bake 15 minutes, then flip chicken to skin-side up and continue to cook another 20-25 minutes, or till chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F and potatoes are tender.  If additional liquid is needed, add another 1/4 cup of broth.  Yield:  2 servings

CHERRY-BLUEBERRY ALMOND CRUMB PIE

Perhaps if I lived in Michigan, where sour cherries are grown, I would be more enthused about cherry pie.  

But truthfully, I'm so in love with apple, pumpkin, coconut cream, key lime, lemon and berry pies, I just never think about cherry pie.  

Cherry pie can be served all year long, but it's especially nice at Christmas time.  This one accompanied us to Christmas dinner with our friends, where the host, Tom, (who hails from Pittsburgh, PA, not Michigan) says it's his favorite.  Cherry flavor dominates this pie, even though it contains a pint of blueberries.  

Since I'm really not much of a cherry fan, I found this hard to rate.  Tom loved the pie.  I liked it, but didn't love it, because I found it too sweet for my taste.  Mickey, Tom's wife, liked it and said it would be perfect with chocolate drizzled over it.  My intent was to serve it with chocolate ice cream, but I left the ice cream home.  If you like cherry pie, you might want to give this a try.  If you've never tried cherry pie, here's your chance.

Cherry-Blueberry Almond Crumb Pie

Rating:  8 out of 10

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INGREDIENTS:  

Crisco Single Pie Crust:

1-1/2 cups low-protein flour (such as White Lily all-purpose)

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. sugar

1/2 cup Crisco shortening, placed in freezer 15 minutes

4-6 Tbsp. ice water

In small resealable sandwich baggie, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar; place bag in freezer for 15 minutes.  Pour flour mixture into work bowl of food processor.  Pulse briefly to combine.  Add shortening, cut into 5-6 pieces.  Pulse several times, till mixture is like coarse sand.  Pour into medium-large bowl and drizzle water over the flour as you toss with a fork or with your hands.  Use as little water as possible.  (I used 5 Tbsp., but the amount will depend on the humidity and your altitude.)  The dough will be soft and pliable and easy to press into a flattish disc.  Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for at least 1/2 hour. This makes a sturdy but flaky, tender crust with nice flavor.

Almond Crumb Topping:

3/4 cup white whole wheat flour (or whole wheat, or all-purpose, if preferred)

1/3 cup almond meal or finely ground almonds

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp. sea salt

6 Tbsp. butter, melted

1/4 cup sliced almonds

In medium bowl, whisk together flour, almond meal, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.  Stir in butter with fork and mix till moistened.  (You can also put the ingredients in the work bowl of a food processor and pulse till combined and mixture looks like wet sand.)  Set aside.

Cherry-Blueberry Pie Filling:

1 (14.5 oz.) can pitted Montmorency red tart cherries, drained, juice reserved

1 (15 oz.) can pitted dark sweet cherries, drained, juice reserved

1 pint fresh or frozen blueberries, rinsed, drained

1/4 tsp. almond extract

1 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. finely grated orange zest

3 Tbsp. cornstarch

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup Michigan red tart cherry preserves

  In large bowl, combine cherries, blueberries, almond extract, lemon juice, and orange zest; set aside.  In small cup, combine 2 Tbsp. reserved juice with cornstarch; set aside.  In 2-quart heavy saucepan, combine remaining reserved juice with sugar; bring to boil over high heat and boil about 20-25 minutes, or till mixture is reduced by half and slightly syrupy.  Stir about 3 Tbsp. of the hot syrup into the cornstarch mixture, then stir the cornstarch mixture into the syrup.  Bring back to boil and boil for 5 minutes, or till mixture thickens.  Stir in the preserves.  Remove from heat and cool slightly.  Pour slightly cooled syrup over fruit, tossing to combine.  

Assembly:.  

1.  Fit 9" pie plate (or 8" deep dish pie plate) with your favorite pie dough.

2.  Refrigerate pie dough.   

3.  Make crumb topping.

4.  Heat oven to 400F.  Adjust oven rack to lower position.

5.  Make pie filling.  Fill pie dough with filling.  Bake 30 minutes.

6.  Spoon crumb topping over partially baked pie.  Use pie shield to protect pie edges.  Bake additional 20

     minutes. 

7.  Sprinkle almonds over top of pie, fluffing topping with fork if needed.  Bake additional 10 minutes, or till

     pie is bubbling.