Sweet & Sour Meatloaf

Ooh, this is tangy!  The recipe calls for tomato sauce instead of ketchup.  Yuck, ketchup.  My entire family loved this one.  There were no leftovers. It was a little fall-aparty.  Next time I may make this and cook it the day before, so it has time to set up.

Sweet & Sour Meatloaf

1 lb. hamburg

1/2 lb. ground lamb

1 egg

2 shallots, chopped

1/2 roasted red pepper, chopped

1 cup tomato sauce, divided

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

Salt & Pepper

2 Tbsp. vinegar

2 Tbsp. mustard

1/2 cup brown sugar


Mix the meat, egg, shallots, pepper, and 1/2 cup tomato sauce.
Season with salt & pepper; press into a loaf pan.
Combine the rest of the tomato sauce, vinegar, mustard, and brown sugar.
Make sure sugar dissolves and pour over meatloaf.
Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour.

Make it a meal:  Serve with wild rice and roasted asparagus.

Wine:  Beaujolais or Pinot Noir

Mini-Greek Meatloaf with Feta Sauce

These are darling, and my man couldn't stop at two.  He said he didn't need anymore, but they were so good, he ate two more.  And EASY.  Serve these as a main dish or just one as an appetizer at a cool Spring cocktail party.

Mini-Greek Meatloaf with Feta Sauce 

 Loaves

1/2 lb. ground lamb

1/2 lb. hamburg

1/2 onion, chopped

1/3 cup bread crumbs

1 egg

4 cloves garlic, minced

Thyme

Mint

a tiny bit of Allspice

Crushed red pepper

Salt & pepper

Sauce

1/2 cup Greek yogurt (I like Fage 2%)

2oz. Feta cheese

Thyme

1 glug olive oil

lemon juice of 1 lemon

Combine all the ingredients for the loaves in a pretty bowl.
Smoosh into muffin tins sprayed with cooking spray.
Bake at 450 degrees for 7 minutes.
Broil for 3 minutes.
Put all the sauce ingredients into a blender.
Blend.

Make it a meal: Serve with a Greek salad of chopped tomatoes and cucumbers tossed with a vinaigrette.

Wine:  Cabernet Sauvignon or Shiraz

Pomegranate Sauce for Lamb

We had lamb for Easter and cooked enough to feed a small army--very small. So small Rhode Island could beat it in a war. Making this quick sauce put a tasty twist on leftover lamb.

Pomegranate Sauce for Lamb

1/4 cup onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/3 cup red wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup pomegranate juice
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. flour


1. Saute onion and garlic to pan.

2. Add red wine; bring to a boil. Cook until liquid almost evaporates, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.

3. Stir in broth, juice, and sugar; bring to a boil.

4. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 10 minutes), stirring occasionally.

5. Add flour, stirring until smooth; bring to a boil.

6. Reduce heat and cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Serve sauce with lamb.

Make it a meal: Serve over lamb with steamed green beans and roasted potatoes.

Wine: Shiraz or Pinot Noir

Irish Lamb Stew

This is so EASY. Put it together in the morning and forget about it. You cannot screw this up. The recipe called for cutting up the lamb into bite-sized pieces first. I don't do that. I do that about 8 hours into cooking. It is MUCH easier. Just pull out the lamb and pull apart. Put it back in for awhile. (Photo by Saquan)

Irish Lamb Stew

2 lbs. lamb

3 1/2 cups beef broth

1-2 onions, chopped

3 potatoes, diced (I don't peel them.)

a dash of marjoram

a dash of celery seed

a dash of thyme

salt & pepper

1 10 oz. package frozen peas, partially thawed

6 tbsp. flour

Brown the meat first in a skillet. I don't.
Put onions and potatoes in the bottom of the crock pot.
Place lamb on top.
Put everything else in except peas and flour.
After 8-10 hours, add the peas and flour; turn crock pot on high and cook 15-20 minutes more.

Make it a meal: Serve with sour dough bread.

Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon or Shiraz