Balsamic Glazed Meatloaf

Guest Post and Recipe by Cibaria Culinary Writer: Mary Rose Gahon

Last Minute Meatloaf

Have you had one of those days where you were caught unprepared?  That amidst your repertoire of know-hows in the kitchen, how great you can whip up some pan fried chicken breasts or spaghetti with meat sauce, you still catch yourself uncertain of what to make for dinner?  I think we all have been in the same dilemma several times before.  For any cook, it’s a natural occurrence.  But we get through it.  And once we do, the seemingly daunting task of coming up with a descent last minute meal has bigger rewards in the end.

It was late Wednesday afternoon and because of sudden changes in everyone’s schedule, it would seem that everyone would be home.  Rare was this occasion, all my family under one roof, so I decide I would cook.  I tried to figure out what meal to make different this time.  I wanted something good and easy.  I asked members of my family if they were craving anything, but none supplied me with a definite answer.  At this point, feeling pretty exhausted from work, I didn’t want to think too hard myself.  So I turned on the computer and perused the internet to joggle my mind.  And in one of those popular recipe sites, it would seem that they understood my dilemma… for there it was, a word sure to equate good and easy: meatloaf.

I haven’t had a meatloaf for a while.  Since culinary school, I haven’t made meatloaf.  But reading through a basic recipe, I decided that, based on my experience as a cook, I would make it my own by using extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  That and I wanted to make use of everything that was already in my pantry and refrigerator.  So in addition to the extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, I added garlic and paprika.  I had old ciabatta bread that needed to be moved so I cubed it and combined it with the meatloaf.  To my balsamic glaze, I whisked in some prepared mustard which had only been used once from a barbecue during Superbowl Sunday.  With this meatloaf so much was accomplished; not only did it feed a  family of five, but it also became an excellent way to deplete those ingredients that were already in my kitchen.

Balsamic Glazed Meatloaf

4-5 Servings

Meatloaf Mix:

• 1 cup dry rustic bread, cubed
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp Cibaria’s 25 Star Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
• 1 ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground pepper
• ½ tsp paprika
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced
• ½ cup onion, chopped
• ½ cup bell pepper, chopped
• 1- 8oz can diced tomato, drained
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 lb ground beef

Meatloaf Topping:

• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 2 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp prepared mustard

Preheat oven to 375º.

In a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup, balsamic vinegar and mustard for the topping and set aside.  Meanwhile in a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients, except the ground beef, and mix really well.  Once this is done, fold in the ground beef, careful not to over mix because it will result in a tough meatloaf.  Fit the mixture into a loaf pan that in turn is placed on another tray to catch drippings.  Bake for 1 hour.  After an hour, let rest for fifteen minutes before serving.

Food Friday! Glorious Recipes From the Web

As food bloggers and culinary writers continue to grow exponentially in their numbers, the number of incredibly creative and delicious foods and recipes that hit the web on a daily basis also grows. Below, we’ve noted some of this weeks top picks from some of our favorite blogs and food websites. For us, they make it feel just a bit more like Spring has spring!

Ah yes, and they also just happen to feature some ingredients that we’re quite fond of – such as Olive Oil or Balsamic Vinegar!

‘Ino’s Tuna with Black Olive Pesto Panini

For Pesto’s, we recommend a nice, hearty Extra Virgin Olive Oil such as a Spanish Olive Oil. Cibaria’s Signature Olive Oil featuring Spanish EVOO’s such as Hojiblanca, Picual, and Arbequina varietals would work incredibly well in this dish.

What It Takes:

Lemony Olive Oil Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips

Food Writer, Mellisa Clark has created a heavenly delight with this delicious Olive Oil Bread that features almost everyone’s weakness…chocolate chips. This recipe is featured in her book, that is due out later this year. For baking light, sweet, breads such as this one, we recommend a smooth Tunisian Extra Virgin Olive Oil, or even the famed Fior D’Italia Extra Virgin Olive Oil Tin. (Everyone should have one of these on standby in their kitchen, and we’re not just saying that because it’s our brand!)

What It Takes:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup coarsely chopped bittersweet chocolate
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 cups mashed, VERY ripe bananas (3 to 4 bananas)
• 1/4 cup sour cream or plain, whole milk yogurt
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Olive Oil as a Butter Replacement

With the vast amounts of information now available to us that tells us how beneficial Extra Virgin Olive Oil is to our health, people are always looking for new ways to use olive oil in their everyday cooking. With it’s great amounts of free-radical fending antioxidants, to it’s new link to the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, Olive oil is truly one of the most overlooked essentials in a healthy diet. While many Americans use butter on a consistent basis, even more are finding delicious ways to substitute butter for Extra Virgin Olive Oil in their cooking and old family recipes.

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Surprisingly, many people have noticed no dramatic taste differences when using Olive Oil instead of butter in their cooking. In fact, many have reported a smoother, more richer flavor and texture in their cooking, as well as their baking. Of course, there is an Olive Oil to fit your every taste. For peppery or more robust oils, you could turn to an olive oil such as our Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil. For recipes calling for a smoother, more buttery flavor, our rich and buttery Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil would be a perfect fit.

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We see a growing trend of baking aficionados using more and more Olive Oil in their specialty baked creations. Everything from cakes, cookies, to cupcakes can benefit from this miracle oil.

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Substitute Olive Oil for Butter – A Helpful Replacement Chart

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