S7 all you can eat spaghetti

Quote: JohnnyQ

Maxim ?

Yup.

Never been in the Westin.

Quote: beachbumbabs

Per pound of ground beef:

3/4 cup dry oats (like quaker oats from the canister)
1/2 cup white breadcrumbs
2 eggs
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
1/2 can (or fresh equivalent about 3/4 cup) diced tomatoes
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp allspice

add all but beef and mix, then mix in beef (use your fingers to knead beef in; a spoon will leave large clumps of meat in the mix). Generously butter meatloaf pan, then press mixture into pan. bake 90 min at 350. (depending on how thick your meatloaf is in the pan...if meatloaf is less than 1 1/2" high, might be ready in 75 min; this is about a 3-4" high meatloaf). For crispier top, lightly butter top of meatloaf as well. Let it rest 5 minutes after baking before cutting slices.

Easy to throw in oven potatoes for baking, on a spike for same time they'll be perfect. Or make mashed to go along side.

Can substitute Worchester sauce for allspice if you like that flavoring better.

Note: this recipe works best with the least lean (cheapest) hamburgers, as much of the flavor depends on fat distribution. For leaner cuts like chuck or 90% lean, I suggest you cut 1-2 tablespoons of butter back into the mix.

alternate recipe: add 1 can rotella (spiced tomato/onion/green pepper/jalepeno/cayenne mix) instead of onions and tomatoes above, and don't add allspice to this. Only use a dash of milk.

Takes 5-10 minutes to fix, can eat in 90 minutes. Cheap except for hamburger prices these days, even better chilled overnight and sliced for sandwiches w/ketchup.

Oh shoot! We have devolved into swapping recipes.........
And, of course, I have the better meatloaf!
Granted, before I claim to be victorious, I will have to attempt to cook Babs' recipe and serve it to the family, and ask them for an honest opinion. Maybe I can't even trust that, sometimes they play me and I lose......some white man's always sneaking up on me these days.....
My recipe later, gotta go now, I'm late, again...

Quote: AxelWolf

I have never understood people who actually go to a restaurant and order spaghetti. It's like ordering a P&J. Actually it's worst, because it usually tastes bad, frozen meatballs, yuck. Not to mention the cooks do bad things to spaghetti sauce.

Even at a nice Italian place I wouldn't order it, it's to generic and its rarely is better than I can make at home within 20 min.

If I make it at home it's my way, I know it's tasty and fresh, and it will last a few meals..

I buy a flavored greater value sauce( I try different flavors and brands occasionally, but GV actually tastes best) I copped onions, red bell peppers or mixed , mushrooms and grill it in olive oil until well done and soft in a frying pan (sometimes in butter). while the noodles are cooking(add a little salt to water). When vegetables are done, I add the cooked vegetables to the sauce. I use same pan to cook lots of fresh ground beef, I add a little salt and pepper. I drain grease then add the sauce and vegetables back to pan and heat it while draining the noodles and adding some to a plate. I add the sauce on top of noodles, I don't like mixing it up. Perfect Spaghetti and extra meaty meat sauce. Occasionally Ill add garlic, or stewed tomatoes, or ill puree red bell peppers and add it to the sauce.

Reheated spaghetti is actually better, because the sauce sticks to the noodles better.

I do the same thing basically and you're right it's better than most Italian places. Day or two old red sauce is definitely better than right when it's made. My wife (who is much better cook than me), says it's because the flavors of the sauce have a greater chance to meld together and this mellows the sauce some. I don't know about the science of that but the taste don't lie.

Back from 12 year old b'day movie party, still got several 12 year olds in the house, sleepover. But they are all busy playing Minecraft on 4 separate computers/laptops. One set up his own hotspot via cell cause my WiFi isn't fast enough for him. Kids....

But we were talking meatloaf, actually spaghetti then got hi jacked.

I said I had the best meatloaf, was just to get you excited. But I will now share my recipe, you might want to try it. It's my wife's favorite meal, my sons love it, blah, blah. To me it's just meatloaf and I can think of a dozen meals I make that I consider better, that without even thinking very long. Anyway, it is good, promise. I should add, my wife doesn't cook, period. I cook.

You need a 1.5 quart glass loaf pan (Pyrex is good). No need to lube it with butter or oil.
In large glass mixing bowl, add:
1 lb ground beef ( I use 90% lean from Costco, bought 8 lbs at a time and frozen in 1 lb freezer bags )
1/2 lb breakfast sausage ( I use Jimmy Dean mild, bought in 1 lb log looking pack, chopped into and again, frozen until needed)
Bread crumbs. Lots of things work fine. I save loaf bread ends and pcs getting stale. Freeze until needed. Leftover French bread works, I pkg of Nabisco Pemium Saltines works. Chop or crumble.
Not sure about the amount of crumbs (except Saltines, 1 pkg). Let's call it 2 cups bread crumbs. BTW, I don't measure a lot unless I'm baking bread type things, other meals I throw together.
Meatloaf I throw together. I forgot to mention, preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Add: chopped onion, I use at least a cup, and I use sweet onions, Vidalia or Texas equivalents. Use less if not 'sweet'.
2 eggs, 1/4 cup yellow mustard, 3/4 cup milk, a dash or two of Worcestershire, a couple long grinds of black pepper.
Wash hands, roll up sleeves, dig in and mix the hell out of all those contents, takes several minutes.
Transfer to loaf pan, then pan to oven, set timer for 50 minutes.

Then proceed with the homemade, baked, Mac n Cheese to accompany, that will take you another 15-20 minutes, put that 1.5 qt loaf pan in the oven with the meatloaf.
Wash some dishes and pans, cutting board etc.
Start topping/tailing your green beans, wash good, get that pot of water starting to boil in another 10 minutes
Have another glass of wine, quickly, things are gonna start coming together soon.

When the 50 minute timer goes off, remove meatloaf from oven and top with about 3/4 cup sweet and sour sauce ( La Choy is fine).
Return to oven for another 10 minutes (set timer)

Place a couple of thin slices of Pugliese (sp) bread in foil.
Have another glass of wine, you got several minutes, more cleanup, set table, including real butter for bread.

When timers chime, remove meatloaf, and Mac n Cheese, from oven, place beans in gently boiling water for 8-9 minutes (timer).
Lower oven temp to 200 degrees, place bread in.
By the time the beans chime, you will have plated the meatloaf slices,and the Mac n Cheese (a little soupy on day one).
Drain beans,
Late and serve immediately

2F,

I use the sausage/hamburger mix for my Swedish meatballs, but haven't yet in the meatloaf. I'm sure it's great in there. Kind of blinked at the sweet/sour sauce, but I'm gonna try it just as you wrote it, next time.

Thanks for being a sport! I mostly posted the meatloaf recipe for fun, but it's a hoot you took the next step.

I am going to try both recipes next week on back to back days and will give my opinion.