A Comforting Dinner

An early winter's storm is supposed to roll in

tonight, so it seemed a good time to serve some

comforting Midwestern fare.

First up was a meatloaf.

This time around I purchased about 2/3 of a pound of

ground beef,

1/2 pound ground veal and

1/2 pound ground pork.

To this I added:

1 minced celery rib (cleaned and trimmed)

1/2 carrot finely shredded (peeled first, please)

2 garlic cloves, grated

1/4 cup onion, grated

1 teaspoon dried Herbes de Provence

1/2 tablespoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

4 teaspoons Sycamore Falls™ Original Style Barbecue Sauce

50 grinds black pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon)

1 egg

1/2 cup bread crumbs

Mash the meat together with a fork* together

in order to avoid over mixing the meat.

*Or as Sandra Lee would say, "fork it."

Twit.

Add in the other ingredients.*

*I wouldn't recommend this method as one should

rather attempt to mix the ingredients as equally as possible.

I did this just for demonstration purposes.

Do as I say, not as I do.

Mix well with a fork.

Remember, your patience will be rewarded.

Shape and turn out into a baking dish.



Cover with more barbecue sauce.







Now on to the second dish.



I picked up a package of Klondike Medley™ potatoes.



I also have onion, bacon, salt and black pepper.






Here we have Peruvian purple potatoes,

red skinned potatoes, Yukon potatoes,

onions and bacon.








I urge you to seek out these Peruvian beauties.



They really don't taste any different, but they are lovely

on the plate.

I roast them with onion, salt and pepper in a 400 degree oven
for 1 hour,

adding the bacon for the last half-hour.






Finally, we have the Brussels sprouts.



I have had a hankering for these lately,

but unfortunately, it is difficult to buy them

- at least in limited quantities -

at our local stores.



I purchased three sprouts, but had to remove several

outer leaves due to mildew.

I also have bacon, sugar, salt and black pepper.









I have found through trial and error that I best like these

beauties when their leaves are exposed so that they

are exposed to the heat and can be caramelized.



This is tedious work,

but I find that I like to do my prep work for dinner

earlier in the day.



It is somehow restful for me.




After the bacon has been mostly cooked through,

the Brussels spout leaves are added to the pan.



Then the sugar, salt and pepper are added.





This is cooked until the sprouts are lightly caramelized.

And dinner is served.

I'm a happy Foodie.