Sunday Dinner featuring Meatloaf, Mac and Cheese rice pudding and more!
Sunday Dinner 3/7/2021
This week the menu was:
Italian inspired meatloaf filled w cheese
Mixed fresh Turnip and Collard greens
My recipe for Alfredo and Queso Blanco Mac and Cheese infused w Bacon
Topped w bread crumbs made from Processed Bacon and Cheddar flavored Cheez It crackers
Crostini
Dessert Cinnamon,Sugar and dried cranberry Rice pudding.
Some tips on how to make it!
My meatloaf is pretty similar to my meatballs and I may have shared my recipe before but here are just a few tips.
I use (for home cooking) the largest log of ground beef the market sells.
For professional gigs of course I buy a better quality of meat.
In your meat mixture add…
2 whole eggs
As much Bread crumb as you like
Merlot Salt
Pepper
Old bay
All purpose Seasoning
Parsley flakes
Onion powder
1 jar of pesto
3 smaller bags of cheese, I used 3 diff types but you can use whatever cheese you like.
mix till all mixed together evenly
In your roaster pan form into a large loaf.
Then take your fingers and make a deep opening down the middle also fill that with cheese.
Next fold it back closed and pat tightly into the loaf again. Make it as pretty of a shape as you can.
Over with foil.
This meatloaf is SUPER BIG, so it takes longer to cook than the average meatloaf.
I cook it covered for the first hour at 425 degrees.
Then for the next hour I uncover it and take it down to 350 , this is when I cover it with the fresh tomato and tomato
paste and crushed tomato sauce I made (you’ll see it in the video) You’ll also add sliced tomatoes on top and ketchup.
cover and cook for another 30 min of 350
Then uncover it and add the mozzarella cheese
Lower temp to 250 for 20 min to melt the cheese.
If you have a meat thermometer check the temp to make sure its at least 160 degrees inside if it is you are done.
I then add Cilantro leaves and cover pan in wax paper ( so cheese wont stick to foil) and then foil till ready to serve.
Of course the first thing I put on the stove were my Greens ( cooking time slow cook with smoked meats total 4 hours)
To make you chop up your Fresh Turnips and Collard Greens
then clean them well.
Next put water in your pot till it covers your greens.
Add 3 tablespoons of Baking soda
2 cups vinegar( I cooked a large amount of greens. For a smaller pot please do not use 2 cups)
Full pack of smoked meat. I use Pork or Turkey depending on what store I go to.
1 small bottle of liquid smoke
Salt
Lemon pepper
5 cloves of fresh Garlic
Smoked Paprika
cover and cook for 4 hours on medium heat.
The Mac and Cheese
This is a white mac and cheese BUT its is not the nasty non flavored version you are thinking of!
I used the following
Queso Quesadilla Cheese
Mozzarella cheese
Fresh Queso Blanco Cheese
Velvetta Queso Blanco
2 small jars of Alfredo sauce
(you place these in a stainless steel bowl on top a pan of boiling water add 1 cup buttercream and 1 cup milk and stir
till liquid) Turn heat to low and leave in the bowl on top of pan covered with a lid to keep the cheese from
hardening till you are ready to use it)
I oven baked 2 large packs of Bacon.
Once it was crispy let it cool. Then add to food processor and chop it all down.
It’ll still have some oiliness to it and still be somewhat moist to exude flavor all throughout the dish.
Make your roux to make it all thick and creamy.
In a skillet and you will need a Wisk.
Add flour,butter,some milk ( not too much) and some hot water and wisk just like making a gravy but thicker.
I use Rotini pasta noodles.
Also be sure to have poured your Cheez it crackers into the food processor and grind them up fine.
Now put your noodles in the 2 baking casserole pans
add equal amounts of Roux, cheese sauce and bacon.
Season with Salt and pepper..
Stir all the ingredients till you are sure that youll have a taste of bacon in every bite.
Next cover evenly with your processed crackers turned to bread crumbs.
Put in oven on 350 for about 40 min till edges bubble.
Lastly…
The rice pudding.
In my pan I brought to a boil
2 sticks of butter
2 cups cinnnamon sugar
3 cups white rice
3/4 gallon of whole heavy milk
5 teaspoons of nutmeg
1 bottle of vanilla extract
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup granulated cinnamon
1/2 cup unflavored Gelatin
3 small bags of dried cranberries.
Keep some extra water to the sides in case the liquid begins to dry out to quick and the rice still isnt done.
Similar to how you’d cook a risotto. You must baby sit the pan. Stirring the whole time to not scorch or overcook.
Once it is done, I put mine in a small casserole pan. Cover with foil and I bake on low heat 250 for 20 min.
To serve it I use a round pastry cutter to from a pretty circle.
Sprinkle it and the plate with more cinnamon sugar and top with Star Anise.
I hope you’ll enjoy the video.
Please be sure to subscribe to my Youtube.
See you in Baltimore April 19-23rd!
Chef Charlene
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