Dutch Meat Loaf from Pennsylvania

My daughter Zoe, who lives on the east coast called me the other day and said that her boyfriend Pierce's mom Lynda made the BEST meatloaf she had ever had. She said that Lynda's mother got a postcard from Hunt's tomato sauce in the mail circa 1948. The Hunts ad said that "Hunts Tomato Sauce only costs a few cents per can and folks rave about the delicious things it does for their low-cost recipes". So I decided to make it, even though I don't like meatloaf. Well, I am now a fan. The sauce seems very watery, but it ends up evaporating. It's so good and ridiculously simple.

Here is a note from Lynda-
My Mom’s Pennsylvania Dutch Meatloaf recipe came right from Hunt’s Tomato Sauce Co. She sent away for 9 regional recipes and this was on the recipe cards! It actually came from Hunt Foods Inc. Fullerton, CA.
My Mom’s meatloaf was by far her best Sunday dinner! It was savory, sweet, and delicious. She used fresh bread that sat out for half a day and tore it into pieces.
The recipe calls for ½ can (8 ounce) Hunt’s Tomato Sauce ...... personally the more sauce the better I quadruple the recipe for the sauce! We always had baked potatoes and some kind of veggie with the meatloaf. As Mom used to say enjoy!

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  • Prep: 10 mins
  • Cook: 1 hr 15 mins
  • Yields: 6 Servings

Fennel and Orange & Arugula Salad

This is such a refreshing salad. The arugula or rocket, with its rich, peppery taste, goes so well with the bright, citrus dressing. Fennel is so underutilized. It is a highly aromatic and flavorful herb with culinary and medicinal uses and, along with the similar-tasting anise, is one of the primary ingredients of absinthe. You can make the vinaigrette and prepare the fennel and oranges ahead of time and refrigerate.

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  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Yields: 8 Servings

Pappardelle

Recently, I lent/gave my pasta maker (you don't necessarily need one to make this pasta) to my daughter Grace. She has been making a lot of pasta lately. My friend Melanie dropped off some homemade marinara sauce that she made from some homegrown tomatoes. So I called Grace and ordered some of her pasta to go with this luscious sauce. As per Melanie's instructions, we made vodka sauce by adding ½ cup of vodka to the marinara - simmer until the alcohol is cooked off then add some cream. It was SO delicious! I can't get any fresher than this! 

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  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Cook: 5 mins
  • Yields: 3 - 4 Servings

Lemon Rosemary Zucchini Bread

You turn your back on the garden for a day and then find a 5-pound zucchini the size of a baseball bat! I decided to make some zucchini bread, but I wanted something a bit different. I found this Lemon Rosemary Zucchini Bread. It has great flavor. I love to put it in the toaster.

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  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Cook: 45 mins
  • Yields: Makes 2 loaves

Burrito Pie

Here's another socially distant dinner I made in my Instant Pot on my Dad's porch. You can also make this layered  Burrito Pie in the oven. It's everything in a burrito - meat, refried beans and cheese that are stacked up with tomatoes and baked.

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  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Yields: 6 Servings

Chicken Wrapped in Bacon with Peaches & Brie

This Chicken Wrapped in Bacon with Peaches & Brie is a great way to use ripe peaches. I have a love-hate feeling about stone fruit. They are on your counter hard as a rock and then they are ripe and go bad very quickly. This recipe works because of the sweetness of the peaches and saltiness of the bacon and then, of course, there is gooey cheese!

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  • Prep: 10 mins
  • Cook: 25 mins

Lemonade Salmon

This Lemonade Salmon is fabulous. It's vibrantly flavorful, tangy and easy to prepare. I even used some of the marinade (not the salmon-soaked marinade!) and steamed some broccoli in it. My husband loved it and I will be making this again.

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  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Cook: 15 mins
  • Yields: 4 Servings

Meatloaf Pie

We have been having socially distant dinners on my Dad's porch. I bring my Instant Pot and plug it in outside. The neighbors always come and ask what I'm making! After making Lasagna, which was a huge hit, I wanted to come up with more things I can make in my 6" removable bottom pan. I love the fact that you can easily slice it into pie shaped wedges. You can also make this in the oven with the same pan. The recipe has a topping, but my Dad just likes ketchup on the side. 

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  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Yields: 6 Servings

The Enzoni Cocktail

I discovered this refreshing “gateway” Campari drink called the Enzoni cocktail which is a is a cross between a Negroni and a Gin Sour where the Sweet Vermouth comes in the form of muddled green grapes. An ideal drink to introduce a novice to Campari, which is my life’s work! First created by Vincenzo Errico whilst tending bar at Milk & Honey, NYC. Vincenzo was trained by the legendary Dick Bradsell (creator of the Espresso Martini). Red seedless grapes work well for this, too.

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  • Prep: 5 mins
  • Yields: Makes 1 cocktail

Lemon Roasted Fingerlings and Brussels Sprouts

The key to roasting vegetables together on a sheet pan is to make sure they cook at the same time. These Lemon Roasted Fingerlings and Brussels Sprouts do just that. The vegetables are tossed in a wonderfully, tangy sauce of lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic and honey. I love things that take little effort but have big results.

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  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Cook: 20 mins
  • Yields: 8 Servings