“I am not vegetarian. I eat what I crave, but most of the time I don’t crave meat.” Toyah Willcox, English musician, and TV presenter

As for me, my craving turned out to be meatloaf. It’s been a while since my last post ~ life just drums on. Like many, I’ve turned to cooking to keep busy and satisfying cravings. I’d like to share this recipe; some will be surprised at my modified vegetarianism. This meatloaf contains enough vegetables that the guilt for eating meat is somewhat slightly diminished.

Meatloaf is the perfect comfort food. It brings back fond memories of enjoying the leftover, cold meatloaf sandwiches that Sheila made so many years ago. So, with that in mind, I went in search of a good recipe … although prior experience and being a devotee of cooking shows gave me the basics to work with.

Lucky for me I came across this delicious Mexican Meatloaf from Marcela Valladolid, a Food Network star, of “Mexican Made Easy,” with the keywords: “…an easy and tasty recipe.”

I’ve now made this meatloaf twice; the second time with a few improved alterations. Cooking allows for experimentation; adjusting spices to taste and using foods and tastes you most enjoy. I love the subtle, earthy taste of roasted poblanos, therefore, tripling the quantity with great success. Panko is substituted for the breadcrumbs for a lighter feel. And using Soyrizo gives the seasoning intended without all the additional fat.

An option: David likes having sweet and savory ketchup topping baked onto the top of the meatloaf, like a BBQ sauce, as it was when he grew up. So, you can top the prepared meatloaf just before baking.

After reading, I dare you to deny a craving . . .

MEXICAN MEATLOAF

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 medium carrot, finely chopped

1 rib finely chopped celery

1 garlic clove, minced

1 pound ground beef

6 ounces soft Mexican chorizo, or Soyrizo, removed from casing and crumbled

1 poblano chile, roasted, peeled, and diced *** add more if desired

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

2 eggs, well beaten

1/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup sour cream or Mexican sour cream

1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs *** I use Panko

PREPARATION:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a heavy skillet, add the oil (I use butter) and heat over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring often until vegetables are soft, about 8 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

In a large bowl combine the sauteed vegetables, ground beef, chorizo, and diced poblano chile.

In a medium bowl, combine the salt, pepper, cayenne, cumin, and eggs. Add the ketchup and sour cream. Mix well with a fork and pour it on top of the mixed meats. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and mix thoroughly with clean hands.

Put the mixture into a standard loaf pan. (*** option to top the meatloaf with a sweet and savory BBQ sauce before baking). Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the meatloaf registers 160 degrees F, about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully pour off any accumulated pan juices.

Hope you try it and give your taste buds a little surprise.