MOM'S Marinara Meat Loaf

*

Photograph courtesy of Wikipedia.

MOM'S MARINARA MEATLOAF, GLUTEN-FREE

This recipe

Serves six

• 1 1/2 c. homemade or store-bought marinara sauce, gluten-free
• 3/4 c. whole oats, certified gluten-free*
• 1 large omega-3 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup yellow onion, shredded
• 1 medium carrot, shredded
• 1/2 cup Parmesan, grated
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper, freshly grated
• 1 cup fresh parsley, finely minced
• 1 1/2 lb. lean ground beef, less than 9% fat, or ground turkey breast
• 1/2 lb. mozzarella, sliced

Pre-heat oven to 375º F.  Grease a loaf pan.

Set aside a half-cup of marinara and the mozzarella cheese.

Combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl, using your hands to mix well. Be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.

Place half the mixture in the loaf pan and smooth to fit pan. Top with the mozzarella and then the rest of the meat mixture. Spread the reserved half-cup of marinara over the top.  Bake for 50-55 minutes until internal temperature is 160º F if you're using ground beef or 165º F if you're using ground turkey.

* Oats are naturally gluten-free. However, due to crop rotations, they may become contaminated. I rely on Bob's Red Mill for quality and consistency. It offers three oat products. You'll also find some excellent recipes on the site.

Actual product ingredients may differ from than that which is shown or suggested on this blog. Please remember that you should not rely solely on the information presented here or anywhere online and that you always read labels, warnings, and directions before purchasing and consuming a product. 

NEGOTIATING: The Path of Java Jolt

Petr Kratochvil, Public Domain Pictures.net.

Starbucks says they are going to start putting religious quotes on cups. The very first one will say, 'Jesus! This cup is expensive!' Conan O'Brian

I stopped with a friend at a Starbuck's for a quick fix the other day. Her conversation with the young barista might sound familiar to you:


Friend: "I'll have a small coffee."
Barista: "You'll have a tall coffee."
Friend: "No. I just want a small coffee."
Barista: "Oh, yes. A tall coffee is a small coffee."
Friend: cross-eyed by now, "Ah, okay."
Barista: "Miss, will that be a decaf." (It was almost four in the afternoon.)
Friend: "No thank you! I just want a small, plain, caffeinated coffee."
Barista: "Okay, a tall, regular coffee."


Wow! I think it took me less time to negotiate the mortgage on my first house. And not to point a finger at Starbuck's, I believe it's a little like that almost anywhere these days. And that conversation didn't get into the challenges of flavored coffee drinks: "I'll have a small - no make that  a tall - decaf mocha with whipped cream - make that a nonfat, decaf mocha with whipped cream - no hold the whipped cream ... do you have soy? - I'll have a soy decaf mocha with whipped cream. Small. No! I mean tall. Make it iced. Oh, wait a minute. Is your soy gluten-free? I better not take a chance. I'll have a tall, iced nonfat mocha without whipped cream.Thanks! How much? An arm and a leg. Okay, and here's my right eye for a tip. Good job! Thank you." It's all a bit of a jolt: java included in the packaging.