Southern My Way

It's no secret that I love to cook. My cookbooks & 3 ring binders (stuffed full of beloved recipes) are prized possessions. Whole Foods is my favorite place to shop...seriously. So, when I saw Gena Knox's newest cookbook, "Southern My Way" on my last grocery run, I had to have it! Just as soon as I picked it up, I noticed the price, $35! As I flipped through all the beautiful pages, I convinced myself to look online & see if it was any cheaper. 


Much to my delight, I came home to a little surprise last weekend...
My sweet husband, Tony, had bought the cookbook for me! In celebration of my culinary conquest, I created our entire meal plan this week from Gena Knox recipes - old & new.

It's only Thursday, and I've been in food heaven all week. Every single meal has been crazy good. The sauces & dressings are mouthwatering - so far I've made the Buttermilk Chive salad dressing, tarter sauce & a tomato jam. I was already in love with Gena because of her last release (my 2nd favorite cookbook ever), "Gourmet Made Simple" and I'm head over heels for "Southern My Way!" If you like to cook or you want to become a better cook, you need some Gena in your kitchen! It's a small investment for years of great meals!

Right now, I've got a marinated turkey roasting in the oven, Grandpas barbecue sauce cooking down in my stockpot & onions caramelizing for the Macaroni & Cheese with caramelized onions. What are you having for dinner tonight? May I suggest the Classic Meat Loaf served with Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes? You won't be disappointed!

• PREP TIME: 15 minutes
• COOK TIME: 1 hour
• YIELDS: 6 servings + leftovers

Ingredients

Meatloaf

• 2 pounds lean ground beef or sirloin
• 1 small onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• ½ cup tomato sauce
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¾ cup fresh breadcrumbs, about 2 slices sandwich bread pulsed in food processor

Sauce

• ¾ cup tomato sauce
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1½ tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 
  
• Instructions
• FIRST Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine meatloaf ingredients (using hands is easiest) and season with freshly ground black pepper.
• NEXT Using hands, shape meat into a 5” x 9” oval loaf and set in a 9” x 13” baking dish. Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl and brush over meatloaf, reserving some for basting.
• LAST Bake for about 50-60 minutes until internal temperature registers 155°F. Baste with sauce once or twice throughout cooking. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with extra sauce if desired.