Seven Layer Casserole...

We have all heard of and maybe even consumed seven layer dip, but what about seven layer casserole? I saw on Southern Food while looking for a tamale pie recipe and thought it was interesting. I would suggest adding a taco seasoning, omitting the bacon and changing the tomato sauce with a can of Rotel. Before serving top with salsa, sour cream and guacamole. I would serve with refried beans and tortillas.

Ingredients:

·         1 cup uncooked rice, washed and drained

·         1 cup whole kernel corn, drained

·         dash salt and pepper

·         1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce and 1/2 cup water

·         1/2 cup chopped onion

·         1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

·         3/4 to 1 pound extra lean ground beef, uncooked and broken up

·         dash salt and pepper

·         1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

·         4 strips bacon, cut in half

·         1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese or Cheddar Jack blend

Preparation:

Layer the ingredients in a buttered 1 1/2- to 2-quart casserole in the order given. Cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour. Uncover and cook 30 minutes longer, until bacon is crisp. Top the casserole with the shredded cheese the last 10 to 15 minutes.
Seven layer casserole serves 4.

What is in your meatloaf?

After doing some research on the meatloaf, I can tell you there is not one pinpoint date or country where it might have come from. Some who say it started with the Romans, 17^th century France or even the Pennsylvanian Dutch in the 18^th century. There is a consensus that meatloaf became popular with Americans around The Depression. The meatloaf filled the need to stretch the family food supply while be filling and nutritious.

The ingredients in a meatloaf are just as diverse as its origins. Most articles I read all agreed that Veal was probably the first meat used since it was cheaper than beef. Other items used in meatloaf, vegetables, breadcrumbs, oatmeal, rice, wheat germ even cornflakes. My mom used to make it with oatmeal onions, carrots and two slices of bacon on top. My mother-in-law makes hers with breadcrumbs. There is one constant ingredient in every meatloaf and that is a single egg.

I make my meatloaf a bit differently from both my mom and mother-in-law. I have also tried experimenting by wrapping the entire loaf in bacon before cooking. The recipe that follows makes a nice juicy meatloaf that freezes and reheats without drying out.

Paige’s Meatloaf:

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef, extra lean

1 pound ground pork

1 egg

1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tablespoon, dried parsley

2 Tablespoons, minced onions

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

4 ounce can of tomato sauce

Bacon grease

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven 400°F

Combine with hands first eight ingredients until fully blended.

Thickly grease 11” X 7” Pyrex glass baking pan with bacon grease

Form meat mixture into a loaf and place into prepared pan

If you have extra bacon grease, gently rub to outside of meatloaf then season with salt and pepper.

Pour tomato sauce over top of meatloaf, covering the entire top and sides.

Bake in oven until internal temperature is 160°F