Call me the “Sophisticated” Hillbilly

As I am technically a virgin in the kitchen, I never thought that I am capable of making a meatloaf. As a matter of fact, I worried more about cooking than immigration, culture shock and the possibility of racism. Pathetic, eh? I grew up with ready food on the table, and my apparition in the kitchen is usually limited to, or because of surrendering to my mother’s military force to make me slice fiesta ingredients. Oh, the look on my face was priceless… I’d pay with my Capital One.

Married life screwed me in the kitchen with industrial strength nuts and bolts. No qualms, questions, no violent reactions. To my surprise, it was absolutely painless! I actually enjoyed cooking as another outlet of my creative ball of energy. I virtually excavated a hidden mine, no matter how much I deny its existence. My hubby is gastronomically grateful and satisfied that I’m sick of being asked “what’s for dinner?”.

Desperation can sometimes bring out the best in you. As you sigh to accept the extinction of your ideas, a new strain of thought will emerge, fresh and vibrant… just like new Operating Systems. So much for my hubby’s technical influence, let us move on to a more carnivorous phase.

Forget the boring Spam, Ma-Ling, or luncheon meat. Wash your hands and customize your own meatloaf!

Maple and Chili Meatloaf

1 pound ground meat (I like using Beef Kofta as shortcut)
1/2 to 1 cup bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1/2 onion, minced
4 cloves of garlic, minced or 1 tbsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
carrots, chopped
sprinkle of raisins
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Ketchup and Chili sauce (adjust according to taste)
drizzle of Maple syrup
salt and pepper to taste

1. Pre-heat oven to 350F to 400F. Because we have a small convection oven, I usually set the temperature lower as opposed to bigger ovens.
2. Mix the Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, chili and maple syrup in a separate bowl. Adjust the degree of flavor according to your taste.
3. Mix the rest of the ingredients, gradually add the prepared sauce, continue mixing.
4. Place the meat mixture in a loaf pan and even out the top. I use a silicon loaf pan because it is very versatile and non-stick.
5. Bake for 45 mins. to 1 hour, or until your cooking thermometer indicates it is fully cooked (170F for Beef Well).

A good cooking thermometer is a wise investment because it saves you the hassle of guessing. It is also very important in assuring the safety of the food you eat to prevent food poisoning (salmonella, etc.). I have a manual food thermometer but upgraded to a digital one (pictured above) because it is very handy. You can preset it according to your desired type (rare, medium, well, etc.) and it will alarm once the recommended temperature is achieved. It is not as expensive as you think, and is more cost effective than paying hospital bills.