When I make a Homemade Meatloaf, I always try to save a slice or two for a Meatloaf Sandwich.
There's nothing to this sandwich really, just regular toppings like tomato, lettuce (or spinach in this case,) and mayo.
You can make my Meatloaf Sandwich with any toppings you like. Next time I would add a pickle slice. Play my video below and you'll see what I mean.
Meatloaf Sandwich - Video
I also add a thick slice of Meatloaf. The main question is do you have Meatloaf cold, room temperature, or hot? I usually microwave mine until hot.
You could also just grill the Meatloaf in a frying pan. Anyway will be tasty if you follow my original Homemade Meatloaf recipe below. Or click here to see the tasty recipe text and yummy photo illustrations.
Homemade Meatloaf Recipe - Video
You'll find my Meatloaf Recipeis loaded with sauteed veggies like mushrooms, spinach, and bell pepper. Of course, you can leave out any veggie you don't like and keep it simple with just sauteed mushroom, garlic, and onion.
I also make my Meatloaf with cheap ground turkey. I always get a few one-pound packages when it comes on sale for less than three dollars per pound. It's a lighterMeatloafcompared to a beef one and less greasy, too.
As for year-end lists,my Top 9Recipes of 2021is one you can really sink your incisors into. And all of my top picks are deliciously cheap to make. Just click on any recipe name to see the original 2020 blogpost for tasty photos and my money-saving tips, and be sure to play any embedded video below. The ranking order is random and not by delectability, so go ahead and dig in!
1.Blackberry Pancakes
This fruity breakfast series is ongoing and past posts have featured Mangos, Strawberries, and Cherries. Now I can add tangy Blackberries. My Blackberry Pancakes are easy to do like my video below shows.
2.Swamp Chef Nachos
I can bet you've not had Nachos like these before! When I visit Louisiana to see Mom and my kin, the Swamp Chef comes out of the bayou to hang out. Check out the Cajun gooey hot mess he came up with, Swamp Chef Nachos.
3.Southern Fried Fish
What makes Fried Fish Southern is the cornmeal coating. And the fish of choice is usually tender fillets of catfish. So get out the hot sauce and a cold brew and check out my easy and tasty Southern Fried Fish recipe.
4.Chicken, Cabbage & Carrot Stir Fry
The Cheapest Chef has reached a new low. You can't squeeze more pennies out of a recipe that uses the cheapest protein and even cheaper veggies and it all comes together quickly as a delicious Chicken, Cabbage & Carrot Stir Fry.
5.Vegetarian White Beans
To make these Vegetarian White Beans extra-scrumptious I add plenty of flavorful chopped carrot, celery, and onion. If you have a fave veggie then go ahead and make this recipe your own,
6.Yuca & Mojo Sauce with Onion
Yuca or Cassava is unappetizing in appearance but tender and tasty when boiled like a potato. I first had Yuca at my local Cuban restaurant served with Black Beans, White Rice, and Roast Pork. It was made with a tangy Mojo Sauce that is just sauteed onion and garlic with lime juice. If you can boil a potato then you can make my Yuca & Mojo Sauce with Onion.
7.Swamp Chef's BBQ Sausage Po'boy
It's always a party when the Swamp Chef is cooking. Check out the Swamp Chef's BBQ Sausage Po'boy recipe and use the sausage of your choice.
8.Meatloaf with Spinach & Mushrooms
This is a comfort food recipe at its most satisfying. Everybody likes Meatloaf and I had to kick it up a delicious notch with the addition of sauteed spinach and mushrooms. Meatloaf may be boring, but give my Meatloaf with Spinach & Mushrooms a try, and the family will ask for seconds and thirds!
9.Easy Corned Beef
Come St. Patrick's Day holiday week, I always stock up on packages of Corned Beef to freeze. It is super cheap that week. The packages hold raw but brined hunks of beef brisket that only need three hours of boiling to tenderize for sandwiches or a main course served with boiled potatoes and cabbage. See below for my Easy Corned Beef recipe.
It has been a fruitfully abundant year of recipes here at the Cheap$kate Chateau. I did the heavy lifting for you, so now all you have to do is pick a recipe link and save yourself some hard-earned cash by trying out any of the above. And if you have a favorite recipe of mine, then leave a comment to share.
And make sure to keep checking in here from time to time. I create yummy-looking blog posts with a dollop of humor, and while my tastes are cheap, my recipe flavors are top shelf !
Let's face it, meatloaf is boring -- but oh so tasty. It is the only entree that goes well with soggy canned sweet peas and everyone and their granny has a Meatloaf Recipe. Allow The 99 Cent Chef to throw his whisk into the ring with a version loaded with veggies!.
I was raised with a traditional Meatloaf, that is just ground beef, sauteed onion and garlic, some bread crumbs, egg, and dried herbs. It was baked with a ketchup topping. I loved it.
Over time I've added mushrooms, then finally mixed in sauteed spinach. These veggie additions work wonders to typical Meatloaf. Plus it's almost a one-pan meal with protein, carbs, and veggies.
All the veggie ingredients come cheap enough. I get packages of cleaned spinach and small 4 or 5-ounce packages of mushrooms from my local 99c only Store. If you can't get mushrooms cheaply, then just buy a few loose button mushrooms. Add or subtract ingredients as you like.
Ground turkey or chicken is a light alternative to a typical beef Meatloaf. I look for ground meat on sale then snatch up a few 1 pound packages to freeze.
I find 1 pound packages of cheap ground turkey and that's enough meat for this Meatloaf.
I like fresh garlic, but use it from a jar, too. Dried garlic, celery flakes, and onion are fine variations.
There is a bit of veggie chopping to do but you are only using half an onion, a stem of celery, and half a bell pepper. I've made this Meatloaf without celery and bell pepper, so use what veggies you have on hand. Make this recipe your own.
I also get a lot of my favorite fresh veggies from a local Latin market, Superior Grocers, at great prices.
A couple slices of toasted bread add extra heft, a little milk gives richness and an egg binds it all together.
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl then form a loaf in a baking dish. I like to top my Meatloaf with a mix of ketchup and soy sauce. Finally, bake it for an hour - that's it.
You can feed the family with my Meatloaf with Veggies. And if you have leftovers they freeze well to make a meal later, or put a thick slice between toasted bread for a yummy Meatloaf Sandwich -- that's what I do.
Meatloaf with Spinach & Mushrooms - Video
Play it here, video runs 5 minutes, 1 second.
My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.
Ingredients for Meatloaf with Veggies (serves 2 - 3)
Ground meat 1 pound - beef, chicken, or turkey.
1/2 onion chopped.
1/2 bell pepper - chopped.
1 celery stalk - chopped.
Mushrooms sliced or chopped - about 8 button mushrooms or a 5-ounce package. Any favorite mushroom.
Spinach - one bunch washed and chopped. Okay to use a 6-ounce package of cleaned spinach. I remove most of the stems.
1 teaspoon garlic - chopped from the jar or fresh.
Herbs - 1 teaspoon fresh or dried. Any combination of oregano, basil, thyme, parsley, and/or sage. A dried Italian Herb Mix in a jar is an easy way to go.
1/4 cup half-and-half cream or milk - optional.
1 egg
2 slices of bread cubed or shredded - I like to toast mine. Use any favorite like whole grain, white, or even a whole bagel.
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce - optional. Okay to substitute with Soy Sauce.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil - for sauteing veggies.
Black pepper to taste - no salt for me as Worcestershire Sauce is salty enough.
* Extra veggies - half a cup of frozen/fresh green peas, a cooked chopped beet, and chopped or shredded carrot.
Meatloaf Ketchup Topping
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons soy sauce - or Worcestershire Sauce.
Directions
Prepare veggies by copping them. I like the pieces on the smaller side, but okay to have some chunky pieces. A rough chop is good enough. I like my mushroom slices larger.
Saute onions, bell pepper, celery, and mushrooms in a tablespoon of oil until tender, about 5 minutes. Veggies will cook some more when you bake the Meatloaf.
Add garlic and saute one minute more.
Add a bunch of cleaned spinach. Remove most of the stems. You can have one plastic package of fresh spinach that's cleaned, Usually about 6 ounces. Spinach will soften and cook down quickly in about 2 minutes as you stir veggies.
If you use frozen spinach then defrost and squeeze to remove excess water. No need to saute, just add to the mixing bowl.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl add raw ground meat, sauteed veggies, herbs, and bread. I like to toast the bread and slice or shred it into small pieces.
Add one egg and pour on the milk or cream. Mix all ingredients.
Add the Meatloaf mix to a baking dish or pan. I like to use a 2 1/2 to 3-inch deep dish so I get a thick meatloaf. If you use a thin sheet pan then the meatloaf can dry out. If your pan is large just pile up the Meatloaf into the center in the shape of a small loaf of bread.
For the Meatloaf topping, stir together ketchup and soy sauce then spread over the top of the Meatloaf. If you don't like a ketchup topping, it's okay to leave it off.
Bake uncovered for about 1 hour at 350 degrees, depending on how "thick" the Meatloaf is.
The Meatloaf will render a lot of liquid as it bakes, so leave an inch of clearance at the top of the baking dish, so it doesn't overflow. Okay to put a shallow and wide pan underneath the baking dish in case the rendered liquid overflows.
When done, remove Meatloaf and let it sit for about 5 minutes before serving. Slice into the thickest part of the Meatloaf to check for doneness - no pink juices. The Meatloaf will continue to cook as it cools.
Resting it will allow time for the Meatloaf to reabsorb juices like a sponge and create a divinely moist entree.
Ground poultry will render very little fat, however, if you use ground beef you may want to pour off some fat, once the Meatloaf has reabsorbed some of the liquid.
Let's face it, meatloaf is boring -- but oh so tasty. It is the only entree that goes well with soggy canned sweet peas and everyone and their mother has a meatloaf recipe. Allow The 99 Cent Chef to throw his whisk into the ring with his 99 cent version.
Ground turkey is a light alternate to a typical beef meatloaf. The Chef also has a tasty spin on Mom's classic ketchup topping: just add soy sauce. All ingredients are from the 99c only Stores (the Chef has also purchased frozen ground turkey for one dollar a pound at Ralphs and Albertsons.)
Ingredients for Meatloaf (serves 2 - 3)
1 pound 99c ground turkey - okay to use more expensive ground beef.
1/2 onion chopped
1/2 bell pepper chopped
1 celery stalk chopped
1 small package mushrooms (about 6 ounces) sliced
1/4 cup half and half cream or milk
1 egg
1 tablespoon 99 cent chopped garlic - jar or fresh
1 tablespoon oil
2 slices of toasted bread, crumbled (in the photo the Chef uses leftover 99 cent dark Russian, but any favorite bread will do.)
1 teaspoon dried herbs - any combination of oregano, basil, thyme and/or sage
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Meatloaf Ketchup Topping
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoon soy sauce
Directions
Saute onions, bell pepper and mushrooms in a tablespoon of oil until tender -- about 10 minutes (add garlic half way through sauteing.) Add toasted bread and all meatloaf ingredients into a bowl and mix well.
To a lightly oiled loaf pan add the meatloaf mix. For topping, stir together ketchup and soy sauce then spread over meatloaf.
Bake uncovered for about 45 minutes at 375 degrees, depending how "thick" your meatloaf is (the Chef likes his molded similar to a bread loaf.) The meat loaf, when done, may have a lot of liquid in pan, just let it cool off for 5 minutes. The meatloaf will reabsorb the juices like a sponge and create a divinely moist entree.
