Meat Loaf Bourguignon
A perfect supper for one of those El Nino nights!

Ingredients

2 pounds lean ground beef
1 pound ground pork
2 large yellow onions
1-2 shallots
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons nutmeg
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 cup dry red wine
2 cups crushed salted crackers
½ cup finely minced walnuts
2 eggs, slightly beaten
½ pound Cheddar cheese, cut in slices
Parsley sprigs
* Use the Cuisinart to chop onions, garlic, parsley, and walnuts.

Now let’s get to cookin’

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large bowl combine onions, garlic, parsley, and mix well. Add all the dry spices, soy sauce, and Dijon mustard. Slowly pour in the red wine and crushed crackers. Add the ground beef, pork and eggs. Lastly, add the minced walnuts. Knead the mixture well to mix thoroughly.

Try not to overwork the meat, your meatloaf will turn out tough.

Divide the mixture in half and form each half into a compact loaf. Place the cheese on top of both loaves. Gently pinch the loaves together, leaving room for air to pass through. This allows the cheese in the middle to melt.

When I tried this recipe for the first time, my cheese didn’t melt all the way. Of course it was still delicious! Remember to pinch together loosely.

Place in a glass Pyrex dish or a small roasting pan. Place on middle rack of the oven and bake for 1 hour. Set your timer for 30 minutes and check the meatloaf. Turn the oven to 350 degrees if you feel like the top is browning too quickly.  Ovens are super tricky and vary in heat, so use your best judgement.

Remove for the oven and let sit for about five minutes. Using a sharp knife, slice the loaf and arrange slices on a warm platter. Garnish with parsley sprigs.  Two sides that I love to serve with this dish are, roasted herb carrots and red potatoes. This recipe can easily be doubled if you have a larger family or simply want leftovers.

So get the family together on a Sunday afternoon, for some good ole’ fashioned togetherness and yummy food!
With Love and Peace in my heart,
G-