Mmmmm meatloaf! Baked and Caked in flavour!

Ah meatloaf. It is a fall/winter comfort food that is surrounded in controversy! Everyone's Mama thinks theirs is best and I am sure some have been throughly insulted when others do not agree! lol

My Mom made great meatloaf. She really did. Hasn't made it in years! Why would she? I now make it and bring it to her! Mom had a great recipe. I don't even remember where she got it from or how long she has made it but, I can not remember not having it. Once I had the boys and have picky little divas in training to feed, I revamped Mom's meatloaf recipe! And thankfully, Mom approved.
Now this recipe requires a muffin tin pan or 2 and it is delicious!

Mini Meatloaves!
(makes about 12, give or take)

2 pounds ground beef, lean
1 egg (or use equivalent of egg replacer)
1 1/2 cups of GFCF flaked cereal OR if you use them, Soda crackers Crushed
1 heaping tablespoon of dried basil
pinch o' salt
dash or 3 of black pepper
2 small cans of tomato paste
Shredded Cheese OR Daiya "cheese" for topping

Alrighty, get a big bowl, mix the beef, egg, flakes or crackers and basil. Knead it like bread. I know it feels gross but this stage is important or nothing will stick together!
Now, Spray your Muffin tins (Yup that pan not the loaf pan) with cooking spray or wipe each muffin hole (I don't know what to call it... it's too early to remember) with a little olive oil.
Take about a half a handful of beef mix, press it into the tin so it is about half full. Now take a teaspoon of tomato paste and plop it on top of the beef. Take another half a handful and squish it on top of that! Now your muffin hole tin thingy should be full to the top! :) Yay! You did it! Congrats!
Now continue til you run out of beef mix. This usually makes about 12-14 for me.
Oh ya, preheat the oven to 350F and then you bake these for about an hour.
10 minutes before time is up I just pull out the pan a little bit and top each loaf with a spoonful of tomato paste and a light sprinkling of cheese or Daiya then continue baking for those last 10 minutes.

I usually serve this with alfredo noodles and some veggie based pasta sauce! If you are in a crunch you can even use one out of a can or jar (just always read the labels folks, companies change ingredients all the time). I plop the loaf right on top like a big meatball and Tyler's eyes light up like a christmas tree!He loves his "big meatball loaf muffins". That is what he calls them.
This is great to make ahead and freeze too! I freeze the mini loaves individually into freezer bags for quick dinners for the boys or for lunches!

Anyone can make this and AMAZE their family and friends! The debate will then continue.... who's mama makes the best meatloaf?
I think Bill, Jake and Ty's Mama does ;) 

Ohhhh I am a slacker but,

This should make up for it! Life got busy and let's face it... I can be soooo lazy (But at least I am honest!) So here is the Faked & Baked Scalloped Potato recipe I promised some of you over a month ago!

Faked & Baked Scalloped potatoes!

You need:

6 or 7 decent sized potatoes sliced (I use my food processor for this)
1 cup rice milk (Original flavor)
3 heaping tbsp of Potato flour (I am sure any GFCF flour would do! I just had potato)
2 tbsp of melted VEGAN GFCF Margarine
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup of Daiya Mozzerella Cheese (GFCF product)
1/2 cup of Daiya Cheddar Cheese

Ok so you slice the potatoes. Place 'em in a greased 9x13 pan.
Mix the milk, flour and margarine..... shake/stir well and pour over the potatoes! Shake a lil salt and pepper on top (We love pepper so I am liberal with it) and then sprinkle the cheeses on top.
Cover with Foil and bake @ 350F until tender.... about an hour.

We had this will pulled pork and we have had it with Ham steaks... delicious and my guests were impressed that the recipe is GFCF!
Totally faked! Just the way we like it! lol

More to come shortly! I got lots more to share!
Happy Faking!

Baked, Caked & Faked it! A lesson in Potato Flour Sponge Cake!

When baking, follow directions.  When cooking, go by your own taste.  ~Laiko Bahrs

10:30pm.

This is probably why I am an awful baker! I melt and pour quite nicely though! My friend Ann is GFCFSF, she has limited dessert options and says she eats a lot of homemade rice cereal treats. My goal is to bake a GFCFSF (Gluten Free, Casein Free, Soy Free) cake that tastes good. I think rice cereal treats are great but, I want to have more options. I think Ann should have some too. So, off to No Frills I went to purchase my GFCF Margarine, Rice Milk (as my almond milk was not ready yet... had to sub!) and I found Potato Flour (next to the muffin mixes, above the regular flour) this afternoon! The recipe is from the Joy of Cooking. 

It calls for sifting the potato flour 3 times. It seems fairly basic so I will be pausing here, making the cake and returning with pics as I make it. Wish me luck.

Midnight.

Alrighty, So I sifted the potato flour 3 times... separated the eggs, whipped, stirred, folded, and poured into a greased 9" foil pan and baked it for 20 minutes at 325F then increased the temp to 350F for 15 minutes. It baked up beautifully! We sliced a few pieces and ate it with nothing on it. Spongy (but it IS a sponge cake) and full of flavour! Tastes beautiful! 

The recipe is on Page 670 in the Joy of Cooking and it is delicious! Could easily be iced as a birthday cake or diced into a trifle! I think next time I make this (yes, I said next time... I am not a baker so this is huge!) I will try fruit or carob in the blend and see what happens.

I will post pictures once I find my card reader as it has disappeared. (Ahhh children with hands and legs... hmm school is back when?) 

Happy Baking All!

*edit* 
Ahhh finally... PICS! 

Fresh out of the oven... nicely separated from the edges and rose better than I thought it would!

First slice... Yum! It is spongy but delicious.

Give it a try if you have a copy of the Joy Of Cooking!