I never used to use the same recipe twice, I'd vary it although I usually used a guideline. I kind of liked a pizza flavored meatloaf and would use pizza type seasonings, mozzarella cheese cubes in it sometimes, a little bit of pizza sauce for one type, served with garlic bread and fries or potato wedges. Another time I used Marcia Adam's recipe for a guideline. I'd use what's on hand. I really like meatloaf. If you don't overseason it, it's hard to goof it up. The one thing that's not tolerable to me is the inch of ketchup or tomato sauce on top. That's gross. I like gravy and mashed potatoes most of the time with it. I think it's important to mix meats in there. I happen to like pork sausage (Jimmy Dean type), ground beef, some pepperoni and bacon. I used to use turkey but got some very unattractive stuff and was put off by it so I don't use it anymore. I don't keep oatmeal around or I might use that on occasion. Many like it and I thought it was OK. To me, it's more a guideline than a recipe. Getting too exact can be problematic. More or less meat, more or less additives will all vary the result. In the link above I gave the listing of things I used in the last couple meatloaves I made and probably how I'll make it most of the time from now on unless I decide to go pizza/Italian style or something. You certainly can substitute for or eliminate the onion altogether. It's certainly flavorful enough or you could add something else if you want. Don't be afraid of it. Meatloaf and meatballs are basically the same thing. You can make meatloaf patties out of it too and cook quicker. Make several kinds. Enjoy them. Combine them. That's what I did when I came up with what I liked. There is no "best" recipe for me, since I like variety. So no "one" recipe will do all the time. Want something a little different? Put some hard boiled eggs in there or some cooked bratwurst or polish sausage. Makes for an interesting presentation when you slice it. I do have one problem making meatloaf. I can't seem to get the good crust on there my mom's meatloaf had and I like the crust! It helped with the thin layer of BBQ, essentially brushed on and then seasoned. I imagine the gas oven was dryer than my electric oven and definitely dryer than the Nesco so that's probably part of the problem. Good luck and happy testing!

More good stuff. Thank you everyone. Blizlady, Not sure what the origins of this salad is but my beloved Mom made it for as far back as I can remember; I think my my Grandmother made it too. This is a very basic recipe that highlights the freshness of the ingredients. You may be disappointed to learn that it doesn't call for mayo, but I urge you to give it a try. The flavors are fresh and bright. It is not Christmas Eve without it and everyone looks forward to it. The measurements are only a guess, it really is done to taste. Mom's Shrimp Salad 3-4 lbs jumbo boiled shrimp*, cut into 4 pieces crosswise. 4-5 stalks celery, sliced about 1/4" thick (on a slight bias). Cut the wider part of the stalk into two pieces lengthwise before slicing. 2-3 garlic cloves, minced (I used a garlic press) Juice of 1 - 1 1/2 lemons Good quality extra virgin olive oil Kosher salt Toss shrimp, celery, garlic together. Add lemon juice and drizzle a few tablespoons olive oil. Lightly salt,toss. Serve chilled or room temp. *I buy the 4lb bags of shrimo at Costco, the ones that are by the fresh fish and sometimes sold at the kiosk. They are already deveined and cleaned; one only has to defrost (I defrost them in cool water) and remove the shells. To a pot of water I add lemon slices, pepper corns, bayleaf, and any other herb or spice I feel like including (coriander is good too). Once at a boil, I add some salt. Add shrimp and wait until pot returns to a boil. Check for doneness every so often. Once done, drain in colander and rinse with cold water. To trim shrimp, remove the 'beard' (its the overcooked flap of overcooked shrimp where the head was), and pull off the strips that looked ragged along each side of the slit. The cats are treated to these scraps. Sue

Laurie.... Sending you good vibes and wishes that you will soon be fully employed...Good Luck! Here are some recipes from my potato repertoire: Thanks to my DH Wolf for help with the German translation into English of these recipes: German Potato Salad - Kartoffelsalat ============================ For 4 portions: 1 kilo (2.2 lbs) salad potatoes (potatoes which are firm and suitable for potato salad) 1 clove garlic - cut in half 3 - 4 TBSP vinegar 1/4 liter (1 cup) warm beef stock 1 1/2 teasp salt 1/2 teasp white pepper 1 small onion - finely chopped 3 - 4 teasp oil 1. Cook potatoes whole in their skins. Drain and rinse with cold water. Peel and cut into fine slices. 2. Rub the salad bowl with a peeled half of garlic and put potato slices in bowl. 3. Mix vinegar with beef stock and pour over potatoes. Add salt & pepper and diced onion. Taste and adjust seasoning. 4. Add oil and mix all together. Let stand for an hour for flavours to penetrate. **************************************** East German Potato Salad - Wendischer Kartoffelsalat ======================================== For 4 portions: 1 kg (2.2 lbs) potatoes 3 TBSP vinegar 3 TBSP goose fat Salt & pepper 3 TBSP sugar 500 grams apples (just over a lb) 1 large onion 2 sour cucumber pickles 1 bunch chives or green onion 1. Cook potatoes in skins. Drain and peel. Slice and keep warm. 2. Heat vinegar and melt the goose fat in it. Flavour this with salt, pepper and sugar, being careful not to let it boil. 3. Wash and cut apples into quarters, remove seeds, then dice into small cubes. 4. Cut onion and pickled cucumbers into small dice. 5. Mix the apple, onion and cucumber pickle together with the potatoes. 6. Pour the hot vinegar and goose fat over the apple mixture and mix. 7. Cut chives into small rings and sprinkle on top. Serve warm. This goes well with Königsberger klopse or other meatballs, bratwurst or sausages. Make sure there is mustard on the table. ********************************* Berlin Potato Salad - Berliner Kartoffelsalat ================================ For 4 portions 1 kg (2.2 lbs) small, new or salad potatoes 1 onion - finely diced salt & pepper 1 teasp sugar 2 - 3 TBSP vinegar 1/4 liter (1 cup) strong beef stock 1 TBSP butter 50 grams (about 2 oz) speck (thickly sliced bacon) - finely diced a few springs flat leaf parsley 1. Cook potatoes in their skins. 2. Put finely diced onion in salad bowl together with salt, pepper, sugar and vinegar. 3. Heat the beef stock and when hot pour it over the onion. 4. Drain potatoes when done and rinse with cold water. Peel and immediately slice them warm into the salad bowl. 5. Mix all carefully so as not to break up the potato slices. 6. Melt butter and fry the speck (bacon). Then pour butter and bacon over the salad in bowl and mix gently. 7. Let stand for a while so flavours penetrate. 8. Shortly before serving, sprinkle with chopped parsley. This is a good salad for taking out on picnics or outings. Source: "Deutsches Kochbuch - Rezepte aus deutschen Esslandschaften" von essen & trinken. Gruner + Jahr AG & Co. Hamburg. ************************************* Bavarian Potato Salad - Bayerischer Kartoffelsalat ==================================== Serves 6 - 8 750 grams - 1 kg (1 1/2 - 2 lbs) new potatoes 2 onions finely chopped Dressing: ======= 1/2 cup (4 fl oz) oil 3 TBSP lemon juice salt freshly ground black pepper 1/2 teasp sugar 1. Boil the potatoes, making sure that they are not too soft. Cool them and peel. 2. Cut them into slices and place them in a mixing bowl with the chopped onions. 3. Prepare the dressing by vigorously mixing all the ingredients together. 4. While the potatoes are still warm, pour the dressing over them and mix them gently. Serve at room temperature. ****************************************** OPTIONAL ADDITIONS OF WHICH ONE OR SEVERAL MAY BE USED: ===================================================== 1 TBSP borage, basil, tarragon, parsley, chives 1 - 2 apples, peeled and finely chopped 1 - 2 pickled cucumbers, finely chopped Source: "German Traditional Cooking" Tony Schmaeling 1982 ******************************************** Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: around 12 minutes Serves: 8 2 lbs small new red potatoes, halved or quartered 1 cup mayonnaise 1/4 to 1/3 cup whole grain Dijon mustard 2 TBSP white wine vinegar 1/4 cup snipped fresh chives, plus a bit more for top sprinkles salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1. Gently boil potatoes in lightly salted water until tender, 2. Meanwhile, combine mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar and chives in a salad bowl. 3. When potatoes are cooked, drain them well and put into the salad bowl while still hot. 4. Season with salt and pepper and then toss them into the mayonnaise mixture. 5. Cool to room temperature, cover and refrigerate. Adjust seasoning when ready to serve and transfer to a more decorative bowl and sprinkle with a few shopped chives. Source: Victoria Times Colonist ************************************************* (Potaje de Lentejas y Patatas) 3 cups of presoaked lentils 4 medium potatoes - cut into large dice 2 slices of stale bread 3 cloves garlic vinegar salt Put lentils in large pot, cover with water and begin to boil. As soon as lentils have begun to cook do the following: In a frying pan with 1/2 inch of oil brown the garlic and then add the bread and fry until brown. Remove garlic before it's too dark. Put browned bread and garlic into a mortar and grind to a paste. During the early part of cooking the lentils add the paste from the mortar to the lentils together with the oil that's left in the pan After about half an hour and before lentils are tender, add the diced or quartered potatoes, salt and finish cooking until all is tender. Check and correct salt and a dash of vinegar before serving. Source: A cook friend from Mallorca. ********************************************** Serves 4 - 6 Ingredients 2 lbs (900 grams) medium potatoes peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch (3mm rounds) 1 1/3 cups (300 ml) cream 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced salt & pepper 1) Preheat oven to 400F (375 for convection) 2) Generously grease an 8 x 10 x 2 in (25 x 20 x 5 cm) ovenproof baking dish. Arrange half the potatoes in the dish, and add salt & pepper. 3) Pour the cream into a jug, add the minced garlic and mix well. Pour half the mixture over the potatoes. 4) Cover with the rest of the potatoes, add more salt & pepper and the rest of the cream. 5) Cover the dish with greased paper and cook for 30 minutes. Remove the paper and cook for another 50 minutes or until the potatoes are golden and tender. Source: "The New Cook" by Mary Berry ***************************************** 1/2 lb pork ribs or smoked pork chop 1/2 lb chickpeas 3/4 lb potatoes - quartered or cut in large dice a piece of frying chorizo, cut into rings 1 large ripe tomato - diced 1 large onion - finely chopped a bit less than 1/2 lb thick noodles a bit of paprika and yellow powdered food colouring or saffron garlic - 2 or 3 cloves Note: original recipe calls for salt pork ribs which must be soaked overnight to remove salt. I find it much easier to use a Kassler or other smoked pork chop with bone in. I find the salt pork too salty when I make it. The chickpeas are also soaked overnight in water with 1 teasp bicarbonate and rinsed well next day. Rancho Canario started as a humble dish, originally a meal served by the poor. But nowadays it is a popular and tasty dish much appreciated by tourists and locals alike, when it is well made. Preparation: 1) If using salt pork ribs, soak them the day before and overnight in several changes of water, the same with the chickpeas if using dried. 2) Next day, put ribs and chickpeas in a large pot, cover with water and put on to boil. Half an hour later add the potatoes. 3) But before adding potatoes make the following 'sofrito': fry together the diced tomato, onion, garlic and chorizo, adding the paprika and saffron or yellow food colouring. Set aside. 4) Once potatoes have been added and the pot begins to boil again, add the 'sofrito' and stir. When potatoes are nearly done, add the thick noodles and cook for the time noted on the package. 5) Remove from flame, let rest a few minutes and serve. Some folks like to add cummin, mashed together with the garlic. Source: "Cinquenta Recetas Fundamentales de la Cocina Canaria" ********************************************* ....my way of doing them. 4 potatoes (more or less according to the size of your dish)- peeled and sliced into 1/2 cm rounds 1 onion - sliced finely into 1/2 rings white sauce - make about 2 cups of a medium, not-too-thick white sauce - or enough to barely cover prepared casserole butter salt & pepper grated parmesan or cheddar cheese 1) Preheat oven to 155 C (300 F). Slice potatoes and arrange 1/3 of them in bottom of a buttered casserole dish. 2) Slice onions and arrange 1/3 of them on top of potatoes, dot with a little butter and a little pepper. 3) Continue steps 1 and 2 until casserole is 3/4 full, Finishing with a layer of onions on top. 4) Make white sauce - not too thick and pour over casserole until barely reaching top of potato-onion mixture. Pepper and a bit of salt. Sprinkle with grated cheese. For a stronger onion flavour I sometimes add 1 or 2 TBS Knorr dry onion soup mix to the white sauce when I begin to make it. 5) Put in oven about 1 hour or until potatoes are soft when tested with knife and top is golden. ****************************************** Ingredients for 4 servings: 3 medium potatoes 3 large eggs 1 onion salt 1/2 teasp & pepper to taste olive oil Italian parsley, chopped (optional) I use a 7-inch non-stick pan as it's easy to fill, making a nice high and rounded tortilla which is easy to flip over. 1. Slice potatoes lengthwise once, then slice both pieces thinly into half moons. Chop onions into 1/4 rings. 2. Coat the bottom of the pan with oil and when hot add potatoes. Keep turning so they do not burn or go brown. When golden, remove from pan and set aside in large bowl. NOTE: Some folks prefer to gently boil or steam the potatoes for 5 - 10 minutes rather than fry them. I've seen it done both ways and I also like to do this. 3. Put chopped onion in pan, if necessary add a little more oil and sauté until soft, without being dark brown. Remove from pan and add to potatoes in bowl. 4. Beat the eggs in a small bowl, add salt & pepper and chopped parsley, and pour over potato & onion mixture in bowl. Turn gently to coat all. 5. Add 2 TBS oil to pan and when hot, pour in the egg, potato and onion mixture. Run the edge of a sharp knife or spatula around the rim of the pan while the egg is setting to loosen the edges. I also poke it several times in the middle to let some of the runny egg seep down to the pan. Don't let it get too dark or burn. 6. When the edges are set and the middle is still half runny hold a plate over the top and flip pan and all over on to the plate and gently slide it back into the pan. Don't overcook as the centre should still be juicy. 7. Let cook a minute or two more on that side, then slide it out onto a plate. 8. Cut into wedges as a luncheon dish, or into small squares with toothpicks to be served on a buffet or as a tapa. Or keep it whole to take on a picnic. The edges should be fat and firmly rounded. If you've never tried making one before, start with a small non-stick pan and when you're an expert move up to a larger pan. A small 7 inch pan will make a nice luncheon omelette for two. ********************************************* SharonCb

* Posted by ruthanna (My Page) on Tue, Jan 19, 10 at 10:22 Another spinach lover here. We most often cook it the way Althetrainer mentioned, sauteed with garlic. I often buy the spinach pies at our Middle Eastern bakery but have never made them at home. Since I rarely buy tomatoes out of season, we eat a lot of spinach salads during the winter. I’ve posted this one before. It’s on the lighter side and a good complement to heavy dishes like lasagne. LEMON SPINACH SALAD 1/2 lb. sliced mushrooms 1 lb. young spinach leaves, washed and stemmed 6 Tbs. olive oil 2 Tbs. lemon juice 1/4 tsp. salt 1 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese 1 clove garlic, slivered Finely grated rind of 1/2 lemon 1 hard cooked egg Freshly ground black pepper Wash mushrooms and combine with spinach. Chill. Mix oil, lemon juice, salt, cheese and garlic. Chop up egg and sprinkle over salad. Add lemon rind to salad and grind pepper on top. Pour dressing over salad right before serving and toss. Note: Best if dressing is made about an hour ahead of time and garlic pieces removed before pouring on salad. Crumbled bacon pieces can be added if desired. ------------ Vegetable timbales have always been one of our family favorites for meatless meals. It’s common to find recipes for them in early 20th century cookbooks. Photobucket SPINACH TIMBALES 2 (10 oz.) packages frozen chopped spinach 4 eggs 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 cup butter, softened 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice Cheese or hollandaise sauce, if desired Cook spinach according to package directions; drain thoroughly. In small mixer bowl, beat eggs until foamy. Stir in cooked spinach and remaining ingredients except sauce. Divide mixture between 5 greased 6 oz. custard cups. Place cups on a rack in a 10" pot or deep skillet. Fill skillet with hot (not boiling) water to 1/2". Put a loose piece of foil over the cups, shaped so that the steam drips back into the pot instead of on the custard cups. Cover with lid and cook over medium heat for 18 to 22 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Loosen edges with knife; unmold. If desired, serve with sauce. Makes 5 (1/2 cup) servings. o RE: Cookalong #19-------SPINACH clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by annie1992 (My Page) on Tue, Jan 19, 10 at 11:33 Elery and I even made AND ate spinach this weekend, we did individual spinach and swiss cheese quiches for the "appetizer tasting". They were fast and easy and we did them without crust in mini muffin pans. Annie o RE: Cookalong #19-------SPINACH clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by bob_cville (My Page) on Tue, Jan 19, 10 at 14:46 beanthere_dunthat, The mint chutney that I usually use is a dark green runny paste. If you have a Coconut-mint chutney that you like then I'd substitute that for both the mango chutney and the mint chutney. A more authentic version of this recipe I came across started with making your own cheese. Yeah I'll get right on that. I found a mexican farmer's cheese at one local grocery store that was more like the "paneer" that is typically used, but to me the Feta cheese is pretty similar in in texture and "bite" in the dish, and although the Feta is much more strongly flavored than then usual "paneer", there are enough other strong flavors in the dish that you really don't notice it, and it is much easier to find feta than "paneer" or mexican farmers cheese. o RE: Cookalong #19-------SPINACH clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by denise8101214 (My Page) on Sat, Jan 23, 10 at 15:49 I got this from a friend who got it from epicurious. I have made it MANY times and everyone loves it. It is nice to make for a big family breakfast as a savory casserole in addition to the french toast type ones. Spinach and Cheese Strata, epicurious * 1 (10-oz) package frozen spinach, thawed (fresh works great too) * 1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion (1 large) * 3 tablespoons unsalted butter * 1 teaspoon salt * 1/2 teaspoon black pepper * 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg * 8 cups cubed (1 inch) French or Italian bread (1/2 lb) * 6 oz coarsely grated Gruyère (2 cups) * 2 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 cup) * 2 3/4 cups milk * 9 large eggs * 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard Squeeze handfuls of spinach to remove as much liquid as possible, then finely chop. Cook onion in butter in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in spinach, then remove from heat. Spread one third of bread cubes in a buttered 3-quart gratin dish or other shallow ceramic baking dish and top evenly with one third of spinach mixture. Sprinkle with one third of each cheese. Repeat layering twice (ending with cheeses). Whisk together milk, eggs, mustard, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl and pour evenly over strata. Chill strata, covered with plastic wrap, at least 8 hours (for bread to absorb custard). Preheat oven to 350°F. Let strata stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Bake strata, uncovered, in middle of oven until puffed, golden brown, and cooked through, 45 to 55 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Strata can be chilled up to 1 day. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before baking. Here is a link that might be useful: Spinach and Cheese Strata o RE: Cookalong #19-------SPINACH clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by wizardnm (My Page) on Sun, Jan 24, 10 at 19:45 There's some pretty tasty recipes here! I don't do spinach, so I couldn't help much. Maybe I'll give it a try again....in the next 7 years. Then again.... I just drew a name for the next Cookalong... Caliloo (Alexa) hope you can pick something fast, so I can get it started, I have to leave town for a few days tomorrow. Nancy o RE: Cookalong #19-------SPINACH clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by wizardnm (My Page) on Sun, Jan 24, 10 at 22:00 Caliloo?? o RE: Cookalong #19-------SPINACH clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by wizardnm (My Page) on Mon, Jan 25, 10 at 7:22 TTT o RE: Cookalong #19-------SPINACH clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by caliloo (My Page) on Mon, Jan 25, 10 at 7:46 Here I am! I actually already got to pick something (corn last time) so if I can have a second shot I will choose...... BROCCOLI! However, if you want to give someone else a turn to pick, I will certainly withdraw my suggestion :-) Alexa o RE: Cookalong #19-------SPINACH clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by wizardnm (My Page) on Mon, Jan 25, 10 at 9:07 Alexa, I drew your name fair and square so you are on! **********Broccoli*************** Nancy Here is a link that might be useful: Cookalong #20-----BROCCOLI o RE: Cookalong #19-------SPINACH clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by sally2 (My Page) on Mon, Jan 25, 10 at 10:02 Well, I almost didn't do spinach last night, because I've been eating spinach almost every day, and want to branch out into other veggies. But I decided to just try something different than what I usually do, which is spinach salad, or throwing a handful or two of spinach into whatever soup I'm heating up. So, I made spinach pesto. I used a basic basil pesto recipe as a template, but changed the ingredients quite a bit, keeping with the general idea of pesto. It turned out quite good, and even DH liked it. He says he doesn't like garlic with spinach (go figure) so I wasn't sure if he'd like this, but he loved it. I used 2 cloves of garlic, but I think one fat one would have been better - it was a bit strong. I'll write out the recipe as I made it, though. My recipe is adapted from Deborah Madison's recipe for Pesto, from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. Spinach and Goat Cheese Pesto 1 or 2 plump garlic cloves salt 3 tablespoons (or small handfuls) of walnuts 3 big handfuls (or cups, loosely packed) of fresh spinach 1 4 oz. package goat cheese 2 tablespoons pecorino Romano (optional, to taste) 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 squeeze, aprox. 1 teaspoon lemon juice pinch cayenne pinch freshly ground nutmeg In a food processor, process the garlic, salt and walnuts until fairly finely chopped, then add the spinach and olive oil. When smooth, add the goat cheese, lemon juice, cayenne and nutmeg, and process to combine. Sally