Recipe(tried): Meatloaf and Baked Potatoes, Gingered-Up Veggies, Fruit-n-Fluff, and British Flapjacks

SUNDAY DINNER MENU:
Meatloaf and Baked Potatoes
Gingered-Up Veggies
Fruit-n-Fluff
British Flapjacks

---

Sunday dinner needs to taste good, and be in large enough quantities to become another dinner on another day. Years of meatloaf experimentation and sampling have improved my basic recipe. Recently in Albuquerque, I went to the Standard Diner, featured on Guy Fieri's "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" show. Their meatloaf, wrapped in bacon, and including golden raisins, had layers of flavor and was truly tender.

Mine gets its great flavor from veal, and stays soft and juicy, with wonderful browned edges that we all fight over. Combined with baked Idaho potatoes, buttery and slightly spicy vegetables, a light fruit salad, and rye rolls, it's a great dinner that takes minimal watching and effort.

Dessert was something new to us: British Flapjacks - not too sweet, chewy and nutty, with a wonderful caramel flavor.

MEATLOAF AND BAKED POTATOES
A great part of the American recipe repertoire

3/4 lb ground chuck
1 lb ground veal
1/2 medium white onion, finely diced
2 eggs, lightly beaten
6 saltine crackers, crushed
1/2 to 3/4 cup dried bread crumbs with Italian seasoning
1/2 cup ketchup (or Italian tomato sauce*)
1 tsp Italian seasoning mix
1 tsp Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper (to taste)
4 medium-size baking potatoes, scrubbed and steam cuts made

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine all ingredients, except potatoes, in large bowl. (If using a chunky Italian sauce, mash well with a fork, or whirl in food processor until smooth, before adding to the mixture.) Adjust bread crumb measurement according to the size of the eggs used and how moist the ground meat feels to your fingers.

Spray a metal roaster pan with cooking spray, and mound meat mixture evenly in pan, with a one inch margin around the meat, not touching the pan walls.

Bake 15 minutes, then add baking potatoes to oven. Bake another 50-60 minutes. When edges of meatloaf are deeply browned and appear almost caramelized, it's done, so check it in the last 15 minutes, in case your oven runs extra-hot. Remove meat from oven, drain off any fat, and lightly cover with foil. Let sit 10 minutes, then use a wide spatula to remove from pan onto platter for serving.

Remove potatoes from oven, split and butter; serve with meatloaf. Warm extra Italian sauce to serve with meatloaf, or offer ketchup.

*Italian sauce: I recommend Paul Newman's jarred Fra Diavolo Sauce. It's spicy with crushed red pepper, and just a little chunky - it hits the right note with a mellow-flavored meatloaf. Or use your favorite marinara sauce.

---

GINGERED-UP VEGGIES
Just a little different - and you can use the rest of the orange in the next recipe

4 medium carrots, peeled, cut in half, and halves then quartered
1 cup frozen petite peas
1 tsp orange zest
1 tbsp orange juice, freshly squeezed
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp butter
Freshly ground pepper to taste

In small saucepan, cover carrots with water; cover pan and bring to boil. Reduce heat to maintain an active simmer, and cook 7-8 minutes. Test with fork; if tender, add peas. Return to boil, cook 30 seconds. Turn off heat, let sit one minute.

Drain and immediately add butter, toss to coat. Then add remaining ingredients, tossing again lightly until vegetables are well-coated. Serve with meatloaf and potatoes.

---

FRUIT-N-FLUFF
A no-fat or low-fat alternative to the old cream cheese and jello fruit salads of yore!

1 (6 oz) carton no-fat yogurt, strawberry or raspberry flavor
1/2 of a 12 oz carton no- or low-fat whipped topping
Fruit, fresh if available

Cut-up seasonal fruit into bite-size pieces, peeling as needed. Use about one piece of fruit per person. Offer at least 3 kinds of fruit. (You can also use canned/jarred fruit packed in water or low-sugar syrup.)

Combine yogurt and whipped topping until smooth. Place in small bowl in center of a plate, and heap fruit around it. Place a small amount of fluff on your dinner plate, and dip fruit into it.

---

BRITISH FLAPJACKS
From a recent Bon Appetit edition, the author characterized these as a British version of Rice Krispie treats - and they really are just as easy to make, but with a grown-up flavor and lots of fiber. Not too sweet, the author also recommended them as a breakfast alternative to cereal. I found the golden syrup in the International Foods aisle - it comes from the UK.

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed golden brown sugar
1/4 cup Golden syrup (such as Lyle's)
2 1/3 cups uncooked quick-cooking oats - NOT instant or old-fashioned

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 8x8x2 inch pan, set aside.

Combine butter, brown sugar, and syrup in medium saucepan. Cook, stirring, over medium heat, until well-combined, and sugar is dissolved.

Remove pan from heat and stir in oats until completely coated, using a spatula. Transfer mixture to prepared pan and smooth top.

Bake 25 minutes until top is golden - edges will be slightly darker. Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes. Cut into quarters, then cut each quarter into 2 triangles. Let cool until pan is just slightly warm to touch, then remove bars to a plate to completely cool.

Wonderful slightly warm, the bars will crumble if removed too soon. Cover with plastic wrap to store, vented at one corner.

Enjoy!