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Monday's Leftovers: Basil-Tomato Meatloaf Sandwich

partysugar — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 08:13:33 -0800

One of the reasons I love making meatloaf is for the scrumptious leftovers. A meatloaf sandwich with all the fillings is just as tasty as the original meatloaf! For extra flavor, jazz up store bought mayonnaise with chopped basil. Although the recipe doesn't call for it, I would definitely add some shaved Parmesan to this sandwich. It's delicious served cold for lunch and divine when warmed up for dinner. To get the recipe please read more.

Basil-Tomato Meatloaf Sandwich
From Southern Living magazine

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
8 hearty white bread slices
8 (1/2-inch-thick) cold meatloaf slices
1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
2 plum tomatoes, sliced
Salt and pepper to taste

Stir together 1/2 cup mayonnaise and 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil.
Spread 1 Tbsp. mayonnaise mixture on 1 side of each bread slice.
Top 4 bread slices, mayonnaise sides up, evenly with meatloaf slices, shredded lettuce, and tomato slices; sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Top with remaining bread slices, mayonnaise sides down.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

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Adventures in Expensive Sandwiches: Turkey Meatloaf

YumSugar — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:00:28 -0800

It's unusually chilly in San Francisco this week and downright frigid in other parts of the country, which has me craving comfort food: sandwiches, soup, lasagna, turkey, meatloaf, turkey meatloaf . . . So although I dismissed the Sentinel's shoddy construction on my last adventure in expensive sandwiches, I was lured once again to the nearby shop by the thought of turkey meatloaf, snuggled in a hot, buttery roll and slathered with cranberry sauce.This sandwich was both lip-smacking and something of a letdown. To hear what I thought and to get the recipe, read more.

On the one hand, the spicy flavor of the chipotle mayo against the more Midwestern meatloaf was delectable, and I'm always a fan of cran with my turkey. Like before, the Sentinel really excels with its fresh-baked bread, which tastes like a buttery dinner roll.But the meatloaf wasn't what I was expecting. I wanted a very traditional taste, albeit with turkey instead of beef, but instead I got what was essentially a juicy turkey burger. A good turkey burger, but not the best ever, and not enough like meatloaf for my taste. Also, as you can see from the photos, the mound of turkey was enormous - really too much in proportion to the bread. When I make it at home, I'll opt for a more traditional meatloaf and slice it about an inch thick. Check out my version of the sandwich below.

Turkey Meatloaf Sandwich
Inspired by The Sentinel

Ingredients

1 white or sourdough sandwich roll
1 slice of turkey meatloaf, about 1 to 2 inches thick
2 tablespoons canned whole-berry cranberry sauce
2 tablespoons chipotle mayonnaise
2 leaves of butter lettuce

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Slice the sandwich roll in half horizontally. On each half, spread 1 tablespoon of chipotle mayo.
Lay the sliced meatloaf on the bottom half of bread, then place both halves of bread in the oven for 5 minutes or until bread is lightly toasted.
Cover the meatloaf with a generous dollop of cranberry sauce and spread evenly across the meat.
Cover the cranberry sauce with leaves of butter lettuce, place the other half of the roll on top, cut in half, and serve immediately.

Makes 1 sandwich.

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Don't Forget the Sides: Caramelized Onion Cranberry Sauce

YumSugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:40:14 -0800

When I was younger, cranberry sauce was one of those Thanksgiving sides that wasn't given much thought; often, we ate something that was pre-made or canned. However, I have since learned that fresh cranberry sauce is light-years better than the canned variety. It's exceptionally easy to make and can be prepared up to three days prior to the feast.

The combination of sweet caramelized onions and tart cranberries is perfect to pair with turkey. While I might not be cooking my bird for a couple more weeks, I can't wait to use this sauce to top chicken or a meatloaf sandwich. If you want to give up the can and make your own scrumptious cranberry sauce, keep reading.

Off To Market: Pepper Grinder

partysugar — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 01:28:33 -0700

Last night was the first night I felt settled into my new apartment. By settled I mean I finally unpacked my kitchen! Desperate to learn my way around the new kitchen, I decided to treat myself to a delicious and tasty meatloaf sandwich. As I was whipping up a quick basil mayonnaise, I reached for the pepper grinder only to realize I do not have one!!! Can you help me find an awesome pepper grinder? Look for one that is easy to turn when hands are wet and grinds a decent amount of pepper with each turn. Bookmark the pepper mills in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag Pepper Grinder. Good luck, I can't wait to see what you discover!

For more on the bookmarking function, please refer to geeksugar's helpful how to.

Not sure where to start surfing? Check out a list of my favorite online stores, just read more

Bed Bath & Beyond
CB2
Cooking.com
Crate & Barrel
Ikea
Linens and Things
NapaStyle
Pier 1
Plum Party
Pottery Barn
Sur La Table
Target
Restoration Hardware
Williams Sonoma
Wishing Fish
World Market

Hell's Kitchen - 3.8 Recap

partysugar — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 11:03:37 -0700

This week we found our favorite chefs of Hell's Kitchen narrowed down to the last five: Bonnie, Jen, Julia, Rock, and Josh. Before things get boiling, Ramsay tells the cheftestants they will no longer be working in separate teams, boys vs. girls. Instead, the five will cook, clean, and cooperate as one big happy family. Bickering and bitching abounds, Ramsay loses it (surprise, surprise), and Bonnie has her best night ever. For all this and more - including what happens when the chefs feed some of L.A's most prominent trendsetters - read more

In the day's first challenge, the final five must feed trendsetters. Blindfolded, they are driven to an off-site location where they will find the, "people with their fingers on the pulse." Although they are expecting celebrities, the chefs find themselves in the middle of a high school cafeteria. Given an hour to prepare a school lunch for 100 high school kids, the chefs - who are working individually against one another - get down to business. Rock makes Kobe beef meatloaf sandwiches, Josh does a baked salmon, Julia whips up grilled cheeses and onion rings, Bonnie tosses a salad with fried goat cheese, and Jen boils up a chicken and pasta dish. The chefs personally serve their lunches and chummily chat up the students. With over 51% of the student votes, the wining prize of a ~~romantic~~ glamourous getaway to Las Vegas with Ramsay, goes to Julia who picks Jen as her escort to Vegas. The gals are whisked off, champagne in hands, to board Ramsay's private jet. The losing three are left to vacuum, clean, and iron the linens of the Hell's Kitchen dining room.

In Vegas, Julia and Jen are given the royal treatment: lux suite, Cristal champagne, spa treatments, and lunch with last season's HK winner Heather West. Back at the chopping block, for the first time in Hell's Kitchen history, the men and the women have to work together. Rock overcooks the scallops and Josh jumps the gun by preparing both risotto and spaghetti before anyone has even ordered it. Julia screws up her garnishes and is overall not on. Several of Josh's risottos get sent back for being undercooked and Ramsay violently kicks Josh out of the kitchen and off the show.

The four are left to finish the service. Julia fumbles, Bonnie takes the lead, Jen perfectly seasons Josh's risottos, and Rock throws an immature temper tantrum when the girls push him into cooperating. After much arguing between Rock (could Rock be any more of a complete jerk???) and Jen, the dinner service is finally over. Bonnie is chosen to select two of her teammates for elimination. She picks Rock (for being such an asshole) and Julia (for falling off her game). Ramsay says it's the hardest decision he has made so far and with a huge hug, asks Julia to hang up her chef's coat. For all of her potential, improvement, and hard work, he awards her a full ride to culinary school along with job placement aid when she graduates - who would have thought Ramsay was such a nice guy???
Oh that Ramsay, isn't he just full of surprises? And insults? Here are my top five Ramsayisms from last night:

Open wide Josh, you do have a talent, you can catch champagne!
Ladies, you didn't think we were going to be traveling commercial, did you?
We've opened, we haven't served anything yet but we've lost money! What a f**king doughnut.
Even my mom cooks spaghetti seven minutes before she wants it... We cook spaghetti to order, even the f**king dirtiest, scummiest Italian restaurant in Venice Beach cooks spaghetti to order!
Oh my god almighty! Come here you, what the fuck are you doing? You stand there and you screw me. You are f**king useless, get out! Get out! *throws spoon at Josh's head*

Finally a few things to think about until we meet Ramsay & Co again: Wasn't it cute how they got so excited about getting new chefs jackets? Wasn't it obvious that Julia was going to win the high school food challenge? I mean kids don't want food their parents will make them! Baked salmon? Chicken & pasta? Hello! Obviously the high schoolers are going to like the onion rings the best, come on!

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Top Chef: It's Cool To Stay Cool (Episode 10 Recap)

YumSugar — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 18:30:04 -0800

So last night's episode of Top Chef was a bit of a shocker in the sense that no one won, but really, was anyone surprised about Mike getting the boot? Okay, so I actually thought Cliff was going to pack his knives this time, but really, even though I loved the fact that Mikey won everything last week, hasn't he overstayed his welcome? Don't get me wrong, I'm sure he's plenty talented, but he didn't really seem like he ever wanted it.

I was glad that this week was more about the cooking and less about the bickering, but I must ask, what was with Marcel's rooftop rap? (If anyone has the words, please post, I forgot to write them down.) Oh and another what's with Marcel moment: what was with the "Cut Out 4 Us" hand gestures? Did it remind anyone else of Uncle Joey from Full House?

Anyway, enough chatter, let's talk food. To check out my full recap, read more

The episode started off with a Kraft sponsored Quickfire challenge. Now, I completely understand product placement, but these sponsored challenges are starting to irk me. This time our favorite fledgling chefs had to turn BBQ sauce, Zesty Italian dressing and mayonnaise into a gourmet snack. I was really excited to see what they'd come up with, and although there were some impressive dishes, not very many of them seemed like "snacks." The two that stood out to me were definitely Sam's sandwich and Marcel's lamb kebabs with curried mayonnaise. I thought his use of the mayonnaise was quite effective and like Marcel said, "meat on a stick, who doesn't like that?"

Apparently it's not guest judge Mike Yakura of Le Colonial in San Francisco (you may remember him from last year's street vendor episode, although probably not, because this time he's sporting a wicked new mohawk), because Marcel, along with Sam, won this particular challenge.

The two winners were then granted the prize of choosing their teammates for the Elimination challenge. Once the teams were chosen (Sam, Ilan, Mike vs. Cliff, Ilia, Marcel), they were told they had 24 hours and a limited budget to open a restaurant.

Sam's team ended up going with a rustic Italian inspired place called LaLaLina (named after their girlfriends, and I must add, a very cute name). Their menu featured:

Fried Meatball on Crostini with Parsley Pesto
Spaghetti with Mushrooms and Walnut-Parsley Pesto
Bacon Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pork Tenderloin and a side of polenta
Watermelon gnocchi with bruleed cheese

Strangely missing from their menu: wine.
And bowls to put olive pits in. Good ol' Mikey went to the supply store and only stuck to his list. Sam took over as the kitchen leader and Ilan boringly worked the front of the house.

With the exception of the meatball, which they loved, the judges found the food to be boring, salty and disgusting. Judge Gail obviously did not like Sam's watermelon gnocchi, but that still isn't hindering my desire to eat it (honestly, I really would like to try it). The judges were also disappointed to have no wine offering.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the wall, Marcel's team has whipped up an impromptu "high end" classic diner named M.E.C. Their menu included:

Barbeque Coffee Chicken Wing
Tempura Vegetables and Mozzarella with Cornichon Aioli
The M.E.C. Burger with Prosciutto
Oreo Lemon Pie
Root beer floats or beer

Ilia and Marcel did most of the kitchen duties while Cliff ran the front of the house. Again, the guy in the front of the house was not the most exciting guy; he paid no attention to the judges (they waited over 10 minutes!) and he didn't mingle with the guests either. The chicken ended up being undercooked (scary!) and the hamburgers (because they had sat so long), were overcooked and "meatloaf" like. They did however, like Marcel's perfectly executed tempura veggies.

When everything was said and done, neither teams were deemed good enough to win and in the end Mikey had to pack his knives and go.

Now for a few things I'd like to discuss:

Marcel's rap, please people tell me what this is all about!
Ilan's attempted jab at Marcel with a sadly non-foaming Zesty Italian foam.
If Ilia wanted to be front of the house, then why did she say she could do either? Why didn't she speak up when given the chance?
I wonder why they had to break the budget up to $500 for food and $500 for supplies instead of letting the chefs choose what to spend the $1000 on.
Oreo lemon pie? That thing looked like a Little Debbie snack cake.
Who doesn't serve wine with Italian?
I really want to eat watermelon gnocchi. I don't care how gross Gail says it is.
Sam lurking from behind the plant while the judges ate. Also, his face when the judges told Ilan he did most of the work.

So tell me what you thought and then join me next week when we find out who's going to Hawaii!

Source: BravoTv.com

Come Party With Me: How The Grinch Stole Christmas Watching Party

YumSugar — Sat, 16 Dec 2006 08:46:08 -0800

Looking for an informal yet celebratory reason to entertain this season? Hold a get together where you make a comforting dinner and watch your dearest holiday special/movie/television show. The original cartoon version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas is my choice for this party, but BuzzSugar has a list of other holiday classics and holiday-ish films for you to choose from. To make the menu and get all the party details, read more

Invites: Make an invite that has a picture of the show you are going to watch. To change things up make a long and skinny invite the size of a legal, everyday envelope by folding a piece of evergreen card stock in half. On the front paste a long and skinny picture of the Grinch. On the inside write (or you could print out the info on a piece of colored paper, cut with crinkled scissors for a festive feel, and paste inside the card) the facts of the party (time, date, place, occasion...). Slide the card into a chartreuse envelope and send to your invitees.

Menu: Take a classic concept: the TV dinner, and redo it for a finger-licking, melt-in-your-mouth, lip-smacking good meal (think old school recipes updated). Have shrimp cocktail waiting for your guests to arrive and during the show serve pancetta wrapped meatloaf sandwiches, smoked gouda mac and cheese and green beans with parsley and garlic. For dessert: apple pie with vanilla ice cream.

Decorations: As this party revolves around watching a show on the television and most of us don't have private home theaters, set up pillows, blankets, fur cushions and TV dinner trays in your living room. Light a fire to warm the room and dim the lights or turn off the lights and light a few candles. The number of guests you invite should be proportional to the size of your sofa. Everyone should fit comfortably into your living room. Pile up everyone's plates, fill their glasses and then sit down to relax, eat and watch.

Music: Once again, the point of this party is to watch a show on television so music is not a large part of the equation. Put your iPod on shuffle and let it do the work for you. Turn off the music for the show and restart the playlist for dessert.

Drinks: With the shrimp cocktail offer guests a champagne cocktail in the form of a Kir Royale. During the show drink a Medium-bodied silky red wine (i.e. Chianti, Malbec, Rioja). For a non-alcoholic option offer ginger ale and sparkling water.