Old-Fashioned Meatloaf and a Giveaway Winner!

There are some tried and true dishes that will never go out of style for me.  I love a good traditional meat lasagna, chicken pot pie or shepherd's pie.  It is obvious to me that the reason I love these dishes are because they remind me of my childhood.  My mom made classic versions of these dishes and one bite brings me back to our family's kitchen table.

Recently, I discovered that meatloaf can be added to this list.  My mom made an incredible meatloaf with the traditional ketchup glaze.  While meatloaf has been pretty popular on a lot of "comfort food" menus in restaurants, I haven't had a meatloaf dish that really reminds me of my mom's version.  When Bret made a request last week for a classic ketchup-glazed meatloaf, I decided to give it a try on my own.  The first thing I did was to call my mom and ask for her recipe.  Because my mom rarely cooks with exact measurements, she didn't really have a recipe for me.  I did a quick search online and found a Paula Deen recipe for Old-Fashioned Meat Loaf a/k/a "Basic" Meat Loaf.  I figured that if there was anyone who could do my mom's meatloaf justice, it would be Paula Deen.

First, I gathered my ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef (I used an 80% cut)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped onion (This was about half a small yellow onion)
• 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper (I used half a green bell pepper)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 8 ounces canned diced tomatoes with juice (This is one cup of canned diced tomatoes with juice)
• 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoon brown sugar (I used dark brown sugar)
• 1 tablespoon prepare mustard (I used Stonewall Kitchen's Bourbon Molasses Mustard)

I pre-heated the oven to 375 degrees and got to work chopping up my onion and green pepper.  I put the chopped vegetables in a large bowl.

I then added the rest of the meatloaf ingredients to the large bowl - the ground beef, salt, ground black pepper, lightly-beaten egg, diced tomatoes with juice and quick-cooking oats.

I mixed everything together by hand.  I wasn't worried about over-working the meat since the tomato juice and egg added a nice moisture to the meat mixture.

I then greased a loaf pan and tightly packed the meat mixture into the loaf pan.  Earlier this year, I made mini turkey meatloaf using mini loaf pans to shape the meatloaf.  I set the loaf pan aside and let the meat mixture take shape into a loaf.

Meanwhile, I got my ketchup topping ingredients together.

I mixed together the ketchup, brown sugar and bourbon molasses mustard in a small bowl.

I lined a baking tray with aluminum foil and gave it a quick spray with baking spray.  I flipped the loaf pan over onto the baking tray and there was a beautiful meatloaf shape!

I generously brushed the ketchup glaze onto the top and all four side of the meatloaf.

I then put the baking tray into the oven to bake for about forty-five minutes.  The original recipe says to bake for an hour but my oven runs a little hot and I always cut down the baking time.  When the meatloaf was done, it had a beautiful glaze to it.  I let the meatloaf cool down and then carefully sliced it for serving.

The meatloaf was incredibly moist.  I actually think that the meatloaf could have used a little less moisture and I would drain the juice from the tomatoes the next time I make this dish.  The vegetables added a lot of flavor to the meatloaf and the ketchup glaze added the perfect sweet crust.  I cut the richness of the meatloaf by serving it with a side of Green Beans with Coriander and Garlic.

This recipe was a close version to my mom's classic meatloaf.  I'll have to disagree with Paula Deen though and say that there is nothing "basic" about this meatloaf!

Tell me, what is your favorite classic, traditional or old-fashioned dish?

Thanks to everyone who entered my giveaway for a free Eversave voucher to Sibling Rivalry!  Using Random.org, the winner is...

 ...Melissa from Melissa Nibbles!  Congratulations Melissa!  I'll email you the Eversave "save"!

Drunken Pound Cake

First up, I've had a lot of great reader giveaways going on my blog post lately and I wanted to announce the winner of the Spring Wine Fest Ticket Giveaway.  Using Random.org, the winner of my giveaway is (#4) Erin from the Sweetest Times!  Congratulations Erin!

Thanks to everyone who entered and I wanted to remind you all that today is the last day to enter my other giveaway for the Free Eversave Voucher to Sibling Rivalry!

In lieu of a regular blog post today, I'd like to ask you to head over to my friend Jen's blog - Beantown Baker.  I am a guest blogger on Beantown Baker today and I'm sharing a wonderful recipe for Drunken Pound Cake. 

Here's a photo for a teaser...



Happy Friday!

Win a Free Eversave Voucher to Sibling Rivalry!

There are a lot of exciting reader giveaways here at Fun and Fearless in Beantown!  I love reader giveaways because it is a great way for me to say thank you to my readers  - for their support, comments and readership!

Today, Eversave Boston is offering a $20 for $40 voucher for Sibling Rivalry in the South End.  If you aren't already familiar with Eversave, it is a company that offers local deals (called "saves") on their website everyday!  Eversave Boston also has a Facebook page and a Twitter account, which makes them pretty easy to follow.

The kinds folks at Eversave Boston are offering one reader a free $40 voucher to Sibling Rivalry.  And there are two easy ways to enter:

1.  Since Sibling Rivalry's showcases a "dueling" menu between sibling chefs, leave me a comment telling me whether you have a sibling (or other family member) that is more like a rival or a friend?
2.  For an extra entry, tweet "I want to win today's Save to Sibling Rivalry from @EversaveBOS and @Funfearlessbean!" and leave me a comment telling me that you've done so.

All comments must be left by Friday, April 29, 2011 at 11:59 PM EST and a winner will be selected by Random.org.

Spring Wine Fest Ticket Giveaway

Earlier this week, I was contacted by the folks at Boston Event Guide about their upcoming Spring Wine Fest.  The Spring Wine Fest takes place this Saturday at the Cyclorama in the South End.  During three different sessions (12-3 PM; 3-6 PM; 7-10 PM), you can taste different wines from different regions around the world

The kind folks at Boston Event Guide have offered me two tickets to give to one lucky reader for the 12-3 PM session.  It is super easy to enter - just leave me a comment about your favorite type of wine to drink during the warmer months.  For me, I love a glass of sparkling rose - preferably outdoors somewhere! 

All comments must be entered by Thursday, April 28th at 11:59 PM EST and a winner will be selected by Random.org!

For more information about the Spring Wine Fest, please visit the event website here.

Green Beans with Coriander and Garlic

With the warm spring weather finally here, I've been craving foods that are a bit healthier.  I'm ready to give up my heavy slow cooker meals and trade them in for lots of greens, fruits and veggies.  Bret and I may have been a little over-excited for spring since we somehow managed to order two pounds of green beans in our latest Peapod order.  I typically prepare green beans by steaming them or sauteeing them but I wanted to try something different so I did a quick search on Epicurious and found this recipe for Green Beans with Coriander and Garlic. 

The ingredients were are all really simple: 

• 2 pounds green beans, washed and trimmed
• 3 quarts boiling water plus 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced (the original recipe calls for two large cloves)
• 2/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh coriander (note, fresh coriander is cilantro)
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and 3 tablespoons herbs de Provence extra virgin olive oil (the original recipe just calls for top-quality olive oil)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3 to 4 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

First, I cooked the green beans in the boiling salted water for about ten minutes.

While the green beans were cooking, I placed the garlic and cilantro in a large heat-proof bowl.

As soon as the beans were done, I drained the pot and returned the green beans to the pot.  I turned the heat up to medium-high heat and shook the pan for about a minute to drive out the excess moisture.

I dumped the hot green beans on top of the garlic and coriander and let them stand for about ten minutes.

I then added the two types of olive oil to the bowl.

I tossed the bowl well to mix.  The garlic had cooked from the heat of the hot garlic beans and the aroma was unbelievable.

I covered the bowl with plastic wrap and let the green beans marinate in the fridge for about four hours.

About an hour before serving, I took the bowl out of the fridge and left it covered on the table.  Right before I served the green beans, I added the lemon juice, vinegar and pepper.  I tossed the green beans well and gave it a taste.  I loved the garlicky flavor of the green beans and the bright acidity of the lemon juice and cider vinegar.  The green beans tasted fresh, crisp and so sharp.  I didn't need to make any additions but you can add more vinegar, olive oil, salt or pepper to taste.

This preparation of green beans were so simple but really flavorful.  I really liked how this can be made ahead of time, which makes it a great side dish if you're hosting or attending a dinner party.

Do you like green beans?  What is your favorite way to prepare green beans?

Not-My-Grandmother's Challah Bread

I've seen a lot of great recipes online lately for challah bread and I've been dying to try it on my own.  I did some research and found a recipe on Epicurious for Almost Grandmother's Challah.  I'm certain that neither of my Korean grandmothers would have ever made (or even tried) challah bread so I've playfully renamed it "Not-My-Grandmother's Challah Bread".

First, I gathered my ingredients.  You should note that this recipe makes two loaves of challah bread:

• 1/2 cup plus 2/3 cup warm water
• 2 tablespoons dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon plus 3/4 sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 7 1/2 cups (about) all-purpose flour (I ended up only using about six cups)
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon water

I combined the 1/2 cup warm water, yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in a small bowl and stirred it until the yeast dissolved.  I let the yeast mixture stand at room temperature while I got the rest of my ingredients together.

In a large bowl, I beat the five eggs until blended.

I added the oil, salt, and 3/4 cup sugar and beat after adding each ingredient until the mixture was pale yellow and slightly thickened.

I beat in 2/3 cup warm water and then added the yeast mixture.  The yeast mixture had foamed and risen quite a bit!

I then started adding flour one cup at a time until the mixture turned into a smooth dough.  I only ended up using six cups of flour in total.  I turned the dough onto a floured surface and kneaded the dough for a few minutes.  I lightly oiled a large bowl.  I added the dough and turned it over to coat it with oil.

I covered the bowl with plastic wrap and then with a clean kitchen towel.  I let the dough rise in a warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about one hour.  I punched the dough down and re-covered it with plastic wrap and the kitchen towel.  I let it rise for another thirty minutes.

I then lined two large baking sheets with parchment paper.  I turned the dough onto a lightly floured surface.  I divided the dough into two equal portions.  I further divided each portion into three equal pieces.  I rolled each piece into a nine-inch long rope.  I braided the ropes together and pinched the ends together to seal.

I repeated this with the other portion of dough.  I placed each braid on the baking sheet and covered with a towel.  I let the loaves rise in a warm area until almost doubled, about thirty minutes.

I then preheated the oven to 400 degrees.  I whisked one egg yolk with one tablespoon water to blend.  I brushed the dough with the egg mixture. 

I baked the bread at 400 degrees for ten minutes before reducing the temperature to 350 degrees and continuing baking for another ten minutes.  I then switched the loaves from the top and bottom racks and baked for another ten minutes.  I baked the bread until they were golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

I transferred the loaves to a rack to cool completely.

The challah bread was really awesome.  I've only had challah bread a handful of times but Bret said that this tasted just like a traditional challah bread.  I ate my first slice smeared with butter and I realized how deadly it was going to be to have two loaves of challah bread in our house!  Thankfully, I brought the other loaf home for my family to enjoy.

Tell me, what was the most recent thing you baked up in your kitchen?

30 by 30: Three Month Update

On Saturday, I spent the morning volunteering at the Greater Boston Food Bank with the UMass Amherst Greater Boston Alumni Group.  If you know me at all, you know that I'm very proud of my UMass roots and am very involved with the Steering Committee for the Greater Boston Alumni Group.  In fact, I've organized this volunteer event for the past two years!  We had a lot of fun and it was great to give back during this holiday weekend.

I completed about four hours of community service, and I've got twenty-six more hours to go for my 30 by 30 List!  I also thought this would be a great time to give my three month update on what I've checked off on the list thus far!

1. Run a 5K. - COMPLETED
2. Go camping, like real camping...overnight...in a tent.
3. Pay off all of my credit card debt.
4. Attend a live WWE event (don't judge).
5. Make Gordon Hamersley's roast chicken. - COMPLETED
6. Walk the Brooklyn Bridge.
7. Go out to dinner and a movie by myself.
8. Watch all three of the original Star Wars movies.
9. Boil a lobster by myself for the first time.
10. Write my will. - COMPLETED
11. Write a letter of apology to someone that I have wronged and send it.
12. Experiment with molecular gastronomy.
13. Learn to drive stick shift.
14. Learn to make my own kimchi.
15. Learn how to change a car tire.
16. Go to a shooting range.
17. Redesign "Fun and Fearless in Beantown" - COMPLETED.
18. Launch a wedding website. - COMPLETED
19. Cook a three-course vegan dinner for my vegan friends.
20. Make turducken for the first time.
21. Climb a mountain.
22. Complete thirty (30) hours of community service or volunteering.

• Completed four hours at the Greater Boston Food Bank.

23. Finish an entire plate of Hell Pasta from East Coast Grill. - COMPLETED
24. Floss every day - So far I've only missed four days of flossing since January 14th!
25. Take a self-defense course.
26. Make homemade ice cream for the first time.
27. Make gnocchi for the first time. - COMPLETED
28. Fly a kite.
29. Milk a cow.
30. Participate in a city dinner crawl, which means having cocktails, appetizer, dinner, dessert and post-dinner cocktails each at a different place in one city in one night.

I'm definitely looking for more community service and volunteer activities.  Tell me, do you volunteer in your community?  If so, what are some great volunteer opportunities?

Finally a Visit to Charlie's Sandwich Shoppe

Since I moved to Boston in 2003, I've heard lots of great things about Charlie's Sandwich Shoppe in the South End.  I've heard so many wonderful things about their food, especially their breakfast dishes.  They are open on Saturdays on the weekends, but Bret and I just can't seem to motivate ourselves to get there in time for brunch.  Since the stock market was closed for Good Friday, Bret had the day off of work and we decided to finally visit Charlie's Sandwich Shoppe! 

We arrived a little before 9:30 AM and the restaurant was full.  There wasn't too much of a line and within five minutes, we found ourselves with two stools at the counter.

Bret and I perused the menu and there were a lot of great sweet and savory items to choose from.  I should mention that my friend Justin's family owns Charlie's Sandwich Shoppe.  I had already asked him weeks in advance what his favorite dishes were and we followed his advice closely.

Bret opted for the turkey hash with eggs-over-medium and a side of bacon.  The turkey hash was nicely seasoned and cooked perfectly crispy. 

I chose the mushroom and cheese omelette and added hot peppers to the omelette.  This omelette was no joke and it was absolutely massive!  My omelette also came with a side of homefries and very strangely a salad.  I've never been served a salad with my breakfast but I actually liked having a little side of greens to this heavy breakfast.

Both of our dishes came with a side of toast but it completely wasn't necessary as the portions were so huge!  We washed our breakfast down with two large glasses of orange juice, along with the water that we poured ourselves from the water station.

Charlie's Sandwich Shoppe is a real neighborhood joint where the servings are generous, the prices reasonable, and the seating limited.  The restaurant is cash only and doesn't have a bathroom, which tells you how long this restaurant has been around.  But Charlie's has real character and I loved looking at all of the photos and autographs of the celebrities who have frequented Charlies Sandwich Shoppe.  I'm glad that I finally got to do so too.

Charlie's Sandwich Shoppe is located at 429 Columbus Avenue, Boston, MA.

Blogger-Inspired Pasta with Sardines

Last month, my friend Bianca wrote about a Spicy Anchovy Pasta dish she made in her kitchen.  I really liked the idea of anchovies with pasta and her dish recently inspired my own quick pasta dish with sardines.  After a long day of work and a committee meeting in the evening, I wanted to make a quick dinner on Wednesday night that would be still be healthy and delicious.  I remembered Bianca's dish and decided to make my own version.

Bret had an equally long and busy day but he wanted to help with dinner.  Over text messages on the T, I asked him to get a pot of salted water boiling and to put together a simple side salad with romaine, grape tomatoes and cucumbers.

When I got home, I got to work and gathered my ingredients.  I didn't take exact measurements so the below is an estimate of measurements used:

Please forgive the flash photography. 
I was too tired to set up proper lighting.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Tin of boneless sardines canned in olive oil
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
• 5 large cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup grape tomatoes
• No yolk egg noodles (you can really use any pasta)
• Parmesan cheese (to taste)

I warmed up the Dutch oven on the stove with the olive oil.  I slowly added the capers, sardines with the olive oil, tomatoes and garlic to the pan at five minute intervals.  I lowered the heat and put a cover on the Dutch oven.  I mixed these ingredients from time to time but let them really break down in the pan and let the flavors come together.  When the capers and tomatoes began to burst open, I then seasoned the sauce with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes for more flavor.

When the pasta was almost done cooking, I drained the pasta but reserved a cup of the pasta water.  I added the water to the sardine mixture and let the sauce cook on high uncovered to thicken up.  I then added the pasta to the sauce and gave everything a mix.

The pasta was served with a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

This pasta dish was so warm and comforting.  The capers and tomatoes added a nice acidity to contrast with the sardines.  Bret mentioned that a squeeze of lemon juice would have been a welcome addition to the dish to add even more acidity and I couldn't disagree. 

I normally take step by step photo instructions of my meals but I was just too exhausted.  But I guess that is why I liked this dinner so much - it was so simple and easy to make!

Do you cook dinner after a long day or do you order out?  If you cook, what do you like to make that is quick and easy?

Zagat Boston Breakfast at Island Creek Oyster Bar

On Wednesday morning, I was lucky enough to attend the 2011/12 Zagat Boston Restaurants Survey launch party at Island Creek Oyster Bar.  If you aren't already familiar with Zagat Boston, the survey is based on the opinions of local diners and covers restaurants in Boston, Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, and the Berkshires.

The breakfast started out with the most delightful basket of breakfast breads that included sticky pecan buns, doughnuts, and vanilla-almond scones. 

As I nibbled on a jelly doughnut, I watched award presentations for Menton (highest overall score in the decor and service categories), O Ya (highest food score) and Legal Sea Foods (most popular for the fifth survey in a row).

I also learned some other interesting statistics about Boston diners:

• 83% of people surveyed feel that it is acceptable to take pictures of food or dining companions, but 63% of people said that it is “rude and inappropriate” to text, e-mail, tweet, or talk on the phone at a restaurant.
• 65% say that service is the number one complaint in Boston (followed by Noise, Food, and Prices)
• Bostonians tip an average of 19.4%, putting them above the national average of 19.2%

Over breakfast, I got to chat with the always fabulous Rialto team and also meet some interesting new food bloggers, including Cristin Nelson.  Breakfast included a family-style serving of crispy Island Creek oyster sliders, Maine lobster sliders, house smoked salmon, thick-cut bacon and spiced home-fries.

Crispy Island Creek Oyster Slider

Thanks again to Zagat Boston for inviting me to this lovely breakfast!

Island Creek Oyster Bar is located at 500 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA.

Healthy Habits Kitchen

Earlier this month, I was invited to come take a tour and learn more about a local business called Healthy Habits Kitchen.  Healthy Habits Kitchen is a business that creates nutritionist-approved meals that are ready to be cooked for a hot and healthy meal.  I was intrigued by the concept so Bret and I ventured out to the facility in Wellesley last week to check it out.

We met with Susan Schochet, the founder of Healthy Habits Kitchen, and we could have talked to her for hours.  A former insurance executive, Sue found herself creating this business when she found herself in the middle of a major career transition.  Sue has always loved cooking and she wanted to find a way to make home-cooking both healthy and accessible for people who don't normally (or can't) cook.  Healthy Habits Kitchen creates meals that can be cooked without the actual meal planning or prep.  It is a great alternative for professionals or soccer moms who just don't have enough time to do it all.  I really liked that all of the meals are reviewed by a licensed dietitian to ensure that all the meals contain no more than 400 calories per serving, less than 30% fat and a maximum of 800 mg of sodium.

Healthy Habits Kitchen has a menu online so you can pick what meals you'd like to have.  You can either come in and assemble the meal kit yourself, pick up already-prepared meal kits or have the already-prepared meal kits delivered to your home.  The menus are constantly changing as Sue has over 150-200 recipes that meet the health and taste criteria for each meal.  Sue and I bonded over our common sources of meal inspirations - cooking shows, restaurants, the Internet, or our respective mom's recipes.

Sue invited us to try out one of the meal kits.  Since Bret and I cook on a regular basis, she recommended the Peachy Chicken with a side of Smashed Sweet Potatoes because it involves more steps than the other dishes.  If you're not going to cook the meal right away, all of the kits are freezer-friendly and just need to be thawed in the refrigerator about twenty-four hours before you plan on cooking.  We put our meal kit in the freezer and didn't get around to cooking it until Monday night.  After spending Patriot's Day watching the Red Sox at Fenway Park and then cheering on our friends in the marathon, this meal was the perfect solution for a quick meal.

All of the containers have the nutritional value and instructions right on the packaging.

The Smashed Sweet Potatoes were put in a small baking dish and warmed up at 350 degrees for about half an hour.

While the sweet potatoes were in the oven, I got to work on the rest of the meal. 

I seasoned the portioned chicken breasts with salt and pepper.

I then warmed up a skillet on the stove at medium-high heat with some vegetable oil.  I browned the chicken and then removed the chicken from the pan onto a plate.

I then added the ingredients for the sauce and the chopped peaches to the pan and scraped the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  I turned the heat up on high and let the sauce thicken up before adding the chicken breasts back into the pan.  I covered the pan and lowered the heat to let the sauce simmer and the chicken cook through.

While the chicken and sauce were simmering, I made a quick salad using chopped romaine and grape tomatoes.

And just like that - dinner was ready!  I've got to be honest and tell you that nothing about the meal tasted like something that was frozen or already prepared. 

The kit took out all of the prep work for a home-cooked meal but it didn't sacrifice on flavor. 

If you already cook on a regular basis and don't think you would need meal kits for yourself, Healthy Habits Kitchen also provides a gift registry so that you can provide the gift of a hot meal to someone, like a new parent or someone who is ill.  I wish something like this existed when I was studying for the bar exam years ago!

You can also host a private party for you and your friends to prepare a week's worth of meal-kits while being provided a complimentary meal.  Or you can check out one of their events, like the upcoming Wine Workshop on April 26, 2011.

Thanks again to Sue for letting me check out Healthy Habits Kitchen.  To find out more information, you can check the Healthy Habits Kitchen website. 

Healthy Habits Kitchen is located at 36 Washington Street, Suite 2, Wellesley, MA 02481.