Turkey-Mushroom Meatloaf - Classic Comfort Food

Turkey-Mushroom Meatloaf can also be made with ground beef, if you prefer. Either way, I use old-fashioned rolled oats instead of breadcrumbs, so this will work for those on wheat-free or gluten-free diets. 

I remember watching an episode of America’s Test Kitchen or Cook’s Country a long time ago about meatloaf. Their aim was a meatloaf without many vegetables “because it’s a meatloaf not a vegetable loaf.”

Well, I’m the opposite. I like lots of vegetables in my meatloaf. And I cook them well before they go into the mixture. It gives the meatloaf better flavor and better texture.

I’ve gone years without making a meatloaf, then I make one and wonder why I waited so long. Along with Perfect Mashed Potatoes, it’s such a true comfort food. Nothing complicated, just good and comforting.

Love having Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls with it, but not this time. And it makes the best meatloaf sandwiches! What do you like on your meatloaf sandwiches? I like lots of mayonnaise, a little mustard and just a tiny bit of ketchup. 

Turkey-Mushroom Meatloaf

(Serves 8 to 10)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper or carrots
1 6-ounce package crimini or white mushrooms, chopped
1 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup ketchup (plus 1/4 cup for top, optional)
1 cup (3.5 ounces/99 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces/118 ml) milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 pounds (0.91 kg) lean ground turkey
1 pound (0.45 kg) thin-sliced bacon (streaky bacon in UK), optional

1 In 12-inch skillet, heat oil and cook onion, celery and bell pepper or carrots until softened, about 10 minutes. Add mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until any liquid from the mushrooms is evaporated, about 10 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, parsley and ketchup. Set aside to cool.

2 In large mixing bowl, stir together oats and milk; let stand 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in egg, then add vegetables. Add turkey and 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 12 hours. This will firm up the mixture so that it will form a tidier loaf. If you’ve worked with ground turkey, you know what I’m talking about.

3 Preheat oven to 400F/205C/Gas6. Line a 15x10x1-inch baking sheet pan with foil (you will regret it if you don’t!); spray lightly with cooking spray. Form chilled meatloaf mixture into a 15x4-inch loaf on the foil-lined pan. If using ketchup, spread ketchup over loaf. If using bacon, arrange bacon slices crosswise over loaf, overlapping slightly and tucking ends under loaf.

4 Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until it reaches a temperature of 165F/74C on an instant-read thermometer. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.

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Jean

Peach Frangipane Galette - Rustic Tart

Peach Frangipane Galette was not going to be on the blog this week. But when I found peaches were still available, the planned post had to be bumped for something, anything, peach!

Peach Cobbler is another favorite, and you can check my Recipes index page under Desserts for more peach recipes. I’m a real peach fan, so this is pretty much peach headquarters during the season. 

For me, an unsweetened shortcrust pastry balances out the sweetness of the filling. But you may also use this lightly sweet shortcrust pastry. A bit of softly whipped cream would not go amiss, but I just wanted to focus on the peaches.

If I can get my hands on some organic figs, soon I’ll be making my Fresh Fig Frangipane Galette. Soooo looking forward to autumn. I’m not going to miss summer at all, except summer fruit, especially peaches. Summer's last hurrah. 

Peach Frangipane Galette - Rustic Tart

(Makes one 9-inch tart/6 to 8 servings)

The Pastry - Shortcrust

1 1/3 dip-and-sweep cup (6.67 ounces/189 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick (4 ounces/113 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large egg yolk, reserve the white for filling

1 tablespoon cream, milk or water

The Filling - Frangipane and Peaches

4 tablespoons (2 ounces/57 grams) unsalted butter
1/4 cup (1.75 ounces/50 grams) sugar
1/2 firmly packed cup (2 ounces/57 grams) super-fine almond flour (ground almonds)
1 egg plus the reserved egg white
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
Pinch of salt
About 3 medium (15 ounces/425 grams, total) perfectly ripe peaches
A bit of cream or milk

2 tablespoons (0.5 ounce/15 grams) sliced almonds
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon mixed with 1 teaspoon sugar

1 Add flour and salt to work bowl of food processor; turn on for about 3 or 4 seconds to combine. Add chunks of butter; pulse to a crumb texture. Add egg yolk and cream; pulse until the dough starts clumping together. This is to be a crisp, more cookie-like crust, rather than a flaky pastry; so there's not quite the concern about over-processing. Flatten slightly into a 4- to 6-inch round disc, wrap and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes.

2 In 1-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Take off heat, and stir in the sugar, then the ground almonds, egg, almond extract and salt until well combined. Set it in the refrigerator until the pastry has chilled for 30 to 60 minutes. 

3 Preheat oven to 400F/205C/Gas6. Roll out the pastry to a 13-inch circle on a lightly floured 13-inch square of parchment paper. No need to trim the edges; this is supposed to be rustic. Leave the pastry on the parchment and slide it onto a large rimless baking sheet (or a rimmed baking sheet at least 10 inches wide; it will hang over the side until you’ve folded the edges in).

You know how you usually try to carefully roll out the pastry to have smooth edges and perfectly round shape? Not for this! With a rustic tart, irregular edges are a good thing, adding to the rustic appearance.

4 Wash, dry—no need to peel—and slice the peaches. I do it like this: Quarter peach, cut each quarter into 3 or 4 wedges, cut wedges in half. For a fancy tart, I would not cut the wedges in half; would arrange the lovely wedges in a nice pattern. But this is a rustic tart, so no need to "arrange" anything! You should have about 2 cups or so of peaches. 

5 Spread the frangipane over a 9-inch circle in the center and scatter the peach slices over it. Fold the edges in, sort of pleating as you go. Brush the pastry with a bit of cream or milk and sprinkle on the sliced almonds, pressing them in a bit to make them stick. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar.

6 Bake for about 35 minutes. Leave on baking sheet to cool for 25 minutes before moving to serving plate. 

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Jean

Chocolate Chunk Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies - The Adult Chocolate Chip Cookie

I first came up with these double chocolate cookies way back in the days when I thought the more chocolate the better. And I must say, even though I’m no longer all that keen on chocolate, I rather enjoy these.

Of course, I’ve taken a couple of measures in recent times to make them less cloyingly sweet and a tad more “adult.” I’ve cut back on the sugar and used bittersweet (72% cacao) chocolate chunks instead of semisweet chocolate chips.

So, with less sugar and all organic ingredients, these are practically “health food,” right? And if you make precisely 46 equal cookies as I do, 3 of them come in under my self-imposed daily sugar allowance!

I like to freeze half the cookies in their raw state, to be baked fresh on another occasion. This is the sort of cookie that is really good just-out-of-the-oven warm with a cold glass of milk. Or in my case, a hot cup of tea! How about you?

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Chocolate Chunk Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

(Makes 46 cookies)

1 1/2 dip-and-sweep cups (7.5 ounces/213 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder*
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (8 ounces/227 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 firmly packed cup (5.25 ounces/149 grams) dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (3.5 ounces/99 grams) sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup (2 fluid ounces/59 ml) water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (8 ounces/227 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats

Half of 10-ounce package (1 generous cup/5 ounces/142 grams) bittersweet chocolate chunks

1 cup (4 ounces/113 grams) chopped walnuts

* I always buy organic, fair trade certified chocolate products.

1 In small bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.

2 In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand electric mixer, beat butter on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add sugars and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, water and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture, then oats, chocolate chunks and nuts. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to a few days. (Very cold dough will need to sit at room temperature for a bit to become more scoopable.)

3 Preheat oven to 350F/180C/Gas4. Drop #40 scoops (0.8 ounces or approximately 1.5tablespoons) of dough 3 inches apart on parchment-lined cookie sheets. With a glass (I use a 2 1/4-inch diameter 1/3-cup flat-bottomed metal measuring cup),* press each scoop into a 2 1/4-inch round. Bake for about 13 to 15 minutes, or until firm around the edges but still a little soft in the center.

* Actually, that's what I used to do. I'm not that prissy anymore! I just use my fingers to flatten them a bit because I can't stand a mounded up cookie that isn't supposed to be that way!

4 Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Store in airtight container.

To freeze dough: Drop scoops of dough on foil-lined cookie sheet and flatten slightly, as directed above. When the unbaked cookies are completely frozen, push them all to the middle of the foil and wrap them well in it.

To bake frozen dough: Preheat oven to 350F/180C/Gas4. Place raw cookies 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 15-17 minutes.

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Jean

Sheet Pan Chicken Dinner with Romesco Sauce

Summer just goes on and on. I can’t stand the heat, but I can’t get out of the kitchen. So I’m concentrating on Simple. And nothing is more simple than a sheet pan dinner. 

I started with the chicken. Could have used bone-in skin-on chicken breasts or thighs; but I went with the boneless skinless chicken breasts because that was all that was available in the organic section. 

Then I moved on to the organic produce and went with what looked especially good. Zucchini and red bell peppers. Then I spotted 18-ounce bags of “Organic Vegetable Medley," broccoli, cauliflower and carrots, already cut up and ready to go—I couldn’t resist! Sure, you pay for that convenience, but today it was worth it! 

You can make a sheet pan dinner any size you want. If I had been cooking for four to six, I would have used an 18x13x1-inch half sheet pan. But this was dinner for two, so I used a 15x10x1-inch pan. And the only reason I lined it with foil is because it is a horribly ugly pan, my only horribly ugly pan, and I thought foil would look a little less tacky.

(I'm going to replace it soon with this Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker's Jelly Roll Baking Sheet. Their Half Sheet Pan is a real workhorse in my kitchen.) 

The Romesco Sauce comes together quickly in the blender or food processor. This sauce tastes soooo good that I used next to no seasoning on the chicken and vegetables. I mean it when I tell you, I can eat that stuff by the spoonful all by itself. 

Do you like sheet pan dinners? 

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Sheet Pan Chicken Dinner with Romesco Sauce 

(Serves 2) 

Sunflower Seed Romesco Sauce -- Make it first or after you put the sheet pan chicken dinner in the oven

1/2 teaspoon paprika 

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided 

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, divided 

2 6-ounce (or more) portions boneless skinless chicken breast 

1 medium (about 8 ounces) zucchini, cut diagonally into 1/3-inch-thick slices 

1 medium red bell pepper, halved vertically and cut into wide strips 

1/2 18-ounce bag of fresh “organic vegetable medley” OR 2 cups of vegetables

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Garnish: chopped cilantro 

1 Preheat oven to 400F/205C/Gas6. Spray 15x10x1-inch jelly roll baking sheet with cooking spray. In small dish, combine paprika and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Place the chicken pieces in the middle of the pan and sprinkle them with the seasoning mixture. 

2 Spread the vegetables in the pan. Drizzle on the olive oil and toss the vegetables around a bit so that they are all coated. Sprinkle the remaining salt and pepper over the vegetables. 

Note: I actually used more chicken than listed in the recipe because I wanted to have leftover chicken for chicken salad sandwiches the next day.

3 Bake for 30 minutes. (You would need to bake bone-in chicken pieces longer.) 

4 To serve: Spread a bit (maybe 3 or 4 tablespoons?) of the Sunflower Seed Romesco Sauce in the center of each plate. Place the chicken and vegetables on top of the sauce. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Put a dish of the sauce on the table because you ARE going to want to add more!

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Jean

Italian Meatball Sandwiches

Italian meatball sandwiches make a great meal in any weather, but meatballs and sauce might be too much trouble to cook on a hot summer afternoon. No worries. I do my summer cooking in the morning.

I developed this recipe with dried herbs so that it could be what I call a Pantry Meal, a meal I can make from what's always on hand rather than having to make a grocery run. And I like to make a double batch and freeze half for another day. 

How many sandwiches this recipe makes depends on what size rolls you get. Today the bakery had some crusty French rolls that were just under four inches, so I put two meatballs on each one; so I could make eleven sandwiches. If they'd had the rolls that are just under six inches, I would have put three meatballs on each and made seven sandwiches. (Ooh, the math, my brain is smokin'!) 

Though I usually aim for perfectly round meatballs, when making them for a sandwich I like to flatten them out slightly. Some people put the meatballs straight into the sauce, but I like to brown them first, get a nice crust on them before simmering them in the sauce. But if you do it the other way, that's okay too.

Are you a meatball sandwich fan, or would you rather have your meatballs and sauce on some spaghetti? I also like to make double batches of my Spaghetti Meat Sauce and freeze it in these meal-size portions. 

Pyrex 3-Cup Rectangle Storage Containers

Italian Meatball Sandwiches

(Serves 4)

The Meatballs (Makes 22) 

2 slices good white bread, crusts removed, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup (2 fluid ounces/59 ml) milk
1 large egg
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
1 1/2 teaspoons very finely minced shallot
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon oregano
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 pound (16 ounces/0.45 kg) very lean ground beef

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

The Sauce

1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup very finely shredded carrot
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes (organic fire roasted)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
3/4 teaspoon basil
3/4 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

The Sandwich

Crusty French rolls or homemade buns
Thinly-sliced Provolone cheese

1 In medium bowl, combine bread and milk and let stand a few minutes before mashing to a paste with a fork. Add remaining meatball ingredients, except ground beef and olive oil, in the order given. Using hands, mix in the ground beef until everything is well combined. Chill in refrigerator for at least an hour, or in freezer for 5 minutes or so, to make mixture easier to handle.

2 Roll #40 scoops of meatball mixture with both hands to form meatballs. (First I scoop all of the meatball mixture and then roll all the meatballs.) 

3 In 12-inch skillet*, heat olive oil. Brown the meatballs in two batches, rolling them around, browning on all sides. Remove to a plate or bowl.

4 In same skillet, cook onion for a few minutes, add in shredded carrot, and then stir in crushed tomatoes, scraping up brown bits in the pan. Add remaining sauce ingredients. Bring just to a boil, then reduce heat. Add meatballs to sauce. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Sauce should be quite thick; you don't want a soggy sandwich.

5 Split rolls and line each with thin slices of Provolone. That's another thing that will prevent sogginess. Much better than putting the cheese on top. Heat the sandwiches in preheated oven, toaster oven or broiler just enough to melt the cheese. 

* I love my All-Clad 5112 Stainless 12-Inch Fry Pan! AND my Pyrex 3-Cup Rectangle Storage Containers.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites.

Jean