In the Kitchen With Mattie

I don’t have a picture yet because it is still in the oven. I am doing a kind of experiment tonight on one of hubbys favorite things…..meatloaf. If you have been keeping up with this blog of mine you might remember that I said meatloaf is not one of my favorite things, I do like a good hamburger but for some reason when it is mixed with all sorts of other things (even those I love) it just somehow doesn’t make me happy. I have had and made so many different meatloaves over the years you would think it was one of my favorite foods but alas it still has not found its way into my favorite foods list. Another of hubbys favorites is carmelized onions, he is wild about them and would eat them as his main vegetable every day if he could. I like doing little things for him that make him happy and making him some of his favorite things once in a while even if they are a little more work in the kitchen just gives me pleasure too. I probably would never have tried this when the boys were still at home because they would have turned their noses up at just the thought of it but combining some of hubbys favorites just seemed logical to me tonight. Hubby is working all day today and won’t be home for any meals, he called a little while ago and said he won’t be getting off when he thought he was so it will be even longer by the time he gets home, maybe there will be a nice surprise for him when he finally does make it home, I hope this turns out like I think it will and I hope he loves it. I’ll put pictures up tomorrow after it is done and has been cut, I’ll also put up how it came out and if he likes it. When I started this blog I decided that even if something comes out awful I will still put it up here and tell everyone about it because I am not perfect and sometimes my cooking turns out badly as everybody elses does occasionally and I want new cooks to realize that those of us who have been cooking for ourselves and our families for many years also have disasters in the kitchen once in a while.

                                        Carmelized Onion Stuffed Meatloaf

An hour or two before you will assemble your meatloaf peel and cut into 1/4 inch slices 2 large yellow onions. Put a tablespoon of butter and one of oil into a medium saute pan and allow them to melt and foam, add the onions and a few grinds of fresh pepper and turn heat to medium low, continue to cook and stir occasionally until they are wilted and browning, be mindful of them as they burn easily, if neccessary turn down the heat under them. They should be nicely caremlized in about 45 minutes to an hour. Place into a bowl and set into fridge to chill.

ingredients

                                               Meatloaf Mixture

2 pounds ground beef (I used some ground sirloin tonight)

1 jumbo egg

1 shallot diced finely

1 cup panko bread crumbs or use fresh bread torn and soaked in the milk

1 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon pepper

1 package Maggi Onion soup mix (my first time trying this)

1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

one splash of Maggie Seasoning liquid

You will notice I didn’t add any salt to this recipe, that is because these soup mixes tend to be salty on their own and just in case this one is the meatloaf would be way too salty, as it is I am keeping my fingers crossed that this mix won’t be so heavily salted.

onion mixture

Place all the meatloaf ingredients into a large bowl and mix together very well. On a clean counter or cutting board place the well mixed meat and flatten it into a large flat rectangle. Spread the chilled onion mixture  across one end of the rectangle and then roll the mixture like a jelly roll, encasing the onions in the center. Place into a shallow roasting pan with the seam side down and cook at 350 until it tests at 180 degrees in the center of the roll, remove it from the oven and let it sit for 20 minutes to firm up before slicing. I am keeping my fingers crossed with this experiment and hope hubby loves it when he gets to try it. You can also use your own favorite meatloaf recipe and just try the carmelized onions in the center if you are an onion lover.

THE UPDATE:  This is a really good meatloaf!  I think I would like to make it again and maybe kick it up a little with the addition of maybe some dried mushrooms and a few sun dried tomatoes diced small. The Maggi Onion Soup mix wasn’t salty at all, it had a nice moist consistancy and sliced without falling apart, hubby really liked it too. Finally a meatloaf that tastes like more than a big dried out burger, the shallots added a nice flavor and the carmelized onions are a nice touch. Hubby is looking forward to taking meatloaf sandwiches to lunch on Monday. The onion taste didn’t overpower the loaf at all, the soup mix wasn’t as harsh as others we have tried. And now for the picture.

Carmelized Onion Meatloaf

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