COLD SOUP FOR HOT SUMMER NIGHTS!

Where do I begin...it's been months since I've last talked with you about my passion: FOOD! Now a full time Arizonan I think my menus and ingredients may change a bit. Certainly less fresh fish, but still so much to explore, learn, experiment with, and indulge in.

Our home in Plymouth, MA is sold and we are slowly adjusting to a new way of life. It's going to be exciting to experience the seasons in southern Arizona...right now, it's hot so I thought I would offer two cool, refreshing and very easy soups to make for these warm summer evenings...wherever you may be.

WATERMELON GAZPACHO

WITH FETA CHEESE AND MINT

I often go on the internet to search for recipes; read a bunch of different ones and then come up with my own tweaks, which is just what I did here. The beauty is you can make this your own soup by changing the herbs (basil instead of mint); or omitting the cheese; adding more jalapeno or less! This quantity made 4 first-course servings. It would be easy to double or triple if you need a larger quantity, and would work well as a main course with chunky bread and a simple green salad.

Ingredients:
4 cups watermelon, seeded and diced (I bought seedless which made it much easier.)
1/2 cucumber, peeled and diced
3 baby bell red peppers or 1/2 regular red pepper chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded, deveined and chopped
1 Tbsp. minced shallot
1 Tbsp. EVOO
1/2 tsp. (or more to taste) salt
1/4 tsp. white pepper
Mint-about 3 Tbsp. in the soup and then more for garnish
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. white honey ginger balsamic*
Additional chopped watermelon and cucumber for topping
Feta Cheese for topping

Preparation:
Put all ingredients (except those you are saving for topping) in a food processor or blender and blend in batches. Taste to adjust flavors. I like the combination of flavors in this soup: sweet, spicy and refreshing.  I think next time I would add a little more shallot.

Both the Persian Lime Olive Oil used in the next recipe and the White Honey Ginger Balsamic came from a little shop in Soniota, AZ called Skye Island Olives and
Grapes. They have a wonderful variety of infused oils and vinegars...and a large 'tasting room'. Check them out: http://skyeislandoliveandgrapes.com/

Don't over-blend the ingredients. A little chunky gives the soup some character. Chill a few hours or overnight. Garnish with the extra watermelon, cuke, and feta cheese. How easy is that?!



I made the Watermelon Gazpacho for my friend Tobi as a first course, followed by a smoky and lightly curried chicken salad on bed of mixed greens  dressed with citrus vinaigrette. Blanched asparagus, hardboiled eggs, and potato salad with heart-healthy dressing completed the salad! Very filling, but all good for you!

And the next recipe is equally easy!

 

COLD CUCUMBER SOUP

Ingredients:
4 cucumbers, 3 peeled and coarsely chopped; 1 peeled and diced for garnish
5 ice cubes
1/4 cup cold water
1/4 cup Persian Lime oil (or other citrus oil, grape seed or avocado oil)
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 small jalapeno, seeded and minced
3 Tbsp. shredded mint leaves, plus little sprigs for garnish
1/2 tsp. salt or to taste
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1/4 cup Plain Greek yogurt (I used the one Bobby Flay pushes, Fage 2%. I like it much better than Chobani.)
More Plain yogurt for topping

Preparation:
In a blender combine all ingredients except what you're using for topping/garnish. Do not over blend. Chill in refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. Serve with additional cukes, a dollop of plain yogurt and the mint sprig. So easy and so delicious!

Even on a hot summer night it's always good to finish with something sweet. If you like the combo of peanut butter and chocolate, you will love these cookies.

CHEWY CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CHIP COOKIES

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups butter, melted
2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups white flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups peanut butter chips

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl add melted butter and sugar. Beat well. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well again. In a separate bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Gradually stir into butter mixture. Add peanut butter chips. Drop by big, rounded tsp. onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to completely cool. As the cookies cool they will form those lovely cracks of chewy goodness!

Feels so good to be back in the blogging saddle.

More to come...I promise.

Until then enjoy the full harvest of summer using as many fresh fruit and vegetable combinations as you can imagine!

Our grapes are starting to ripen.
Thank goodness the leaf cutters eat only the leaves and not the fruit!

www.cookwithcindy.com

SONARENSES-AUTHENTIC FLAT ENCHILADA'S!

I was recently asked by my friend Bonnie to attend a cooking demonstration being put on at her neighbors house. Marena and her good friend Lupita treated us to a step by step demonstration of how to cook flat enchilada's, known as Sonarenses. This is an old recipe form Lupita's mother and was some of the BEST Mexican food I have ever tasted. Lupita is originally from Guadalupe and Marena from a beautiful little town in Mexico, called Magdalena. They are naturals at explaining how to put together a fairly complicated dish. I think they would make an excellent team on the Food Network!

I had never heard of this dish before. I have made enchiladas by rolling chicken, beef, or cheese, in a tortilla, covering with red or green chili, lots of Mexican queso and baking, but these were very different.

SONARENSES-MEXICAN FLAT ENCHILADA'S

 

To make the chili sauce:
Use a whole bag of Barker's Hot Mexican Chili Colorado Entero (Red Chili Pods), which I found at Food City here in Nogales. If they are not in your local market, you can easily buy them online.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add a little oregano (preferably Mexican oregano). Drop the pods in the boiling water. Cover. Cook for 5 minutes and then turn off heat. Set aside until the chilies are cool enough to handle. Strain the chilies, but reserve the cooking liquid. Remove stems and seeds. The skin of the chili will still be brittle. Blend the chilies in a blender with a little liquid from the chili pot. Add salt and 1 clove garlic for each blender of chilies. Add 2-3 Tbsp. chili powder. Lupita recommends La Reina de las Flores brand, but I could not find anywhere so used my standard chili powder from the Santa Cruz Chili and Spice Company (www.santacruzchili.com) in Tumacacori, Arizona. Pour the chili sauce through a fine mesh sieve to remove any seeds or stem pieces you may have missed making a smooth paste.

Here is Lupita making the flour/oil roux with blended chilies on her right ready to be mixed in.

Heat 1/3 cup vegetable or corn oil in a saucepan or deep frying pan. Add 1/2 cup flour and stir to make a roux. Add garlic powder, oregano, salt as needed. When it starts to thicken, add the blended chilies. This chili sauce would be great on many different things, not just the flat enchilada's.

And this is Marena stirring and adjusting flavors once the chilies have been blended with roux.

To make flat enchiladas:
Boil peeled potatoes until very soft. Set aside. Empty contents of Alejandro's masa (already prepared) into a large bowl. Masa is the Spanish word for dough, but in Mexico and other parts of South and Central America it is short for Masa de Maize and is a corn dough made from hominy.

Add some of the boiled potatoes and mix gently with your hands. Neither Marena or Lupita measure ingredients, but Bonnie and I watched closely to attempt to capture the amounts they used. They have been making this dish since they were little girls; know it by heart and do not need to measure.

Bonnie is carefully taking notes!

Add about 1 1/2 cups shredded queso fresca (fresh Mexican cheese) or shredded Mexican 4-cheese blend. Add 2 Tbsp. baking powder and a little salt. (Once mixed, masa can be frozen for future use.) Some recipes do not call for the baking powder, but that is what makes them rise giving these cakes their delicate texture.

Lupita expertly forming patties.

Form patties by rolling a ball of dough in your hands and then flattening with your fingers on a dishtowel. Patties should be about 3" in diameter, but you can also make mini enchiladas for hors d'oeuvres or larger ones for entre portion size.

Yours truly trying my hand at forming patties.

Fry the patties in about an inch of hot, but not smoking, vegetable or corn oil until golden and slightly puffed, turning once. Drain on paper towels. These flat enchiladas are light and airy inside with a crisp golden crust. They reminded me of little golden pillows.

 

To make re-fried beans:
Cook any type of dried bean in boiling, salted water until soft. Blend with an emulsion blender. Add 1 can drained La Costena Pimento Morron Tiras (I could not find this brand of roasted red peppers so just used what I could find in my local market. You could also roast your own red peppers.) Blend again to incorporate peppers. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil and 1 Tbsp. butter in a saucepan or deep frying pan. Add 2-3 Tbsp. chili powder to the hot oil then add beans and fry, stirring frequently for about 15 minutes. This next ingredient really surprised me...add 1 can evaporated milk. This is the ingredient that gives the beans a rich creaminess without using lard. Finally add about a cup of Mexican 4-cheese blend. Taste and season as needed. Set aside.

Now, here comes the fun part...
To assemble and consume:

Bonnie is contemplating the toppings she will use once she dips her flat enchilada in chili sauce.

Dip your enchilada in the hot chili sauce to completely coat each side. Spoon extra sauce onto your plate.

Top with re-fried beans, queso fresca, shredded lettuce, onion, green olives, avocado, Mexican crema.

This dish does not taste anything like enchiladas as you may know them. I am very fond of traditional enchiladas, but these were exquisitely delicious. Since Marina and Lupita's demonstration, I have made them on my own. My flat enchiladas did not have quite as lovely a texture as Lupita's did, but they were pretty darn good. I will make them again and try to perfect my technique! You can make the sauce and beans ahead of time which helps make putting this dish together a little easier.

Marena offered us a variety of beverages, but my beverage of choice with this dish are:

MARGARITA'S

Ingredients:
2 parts tequila
1 1/2 part triple sec (or Cointreau or Grand Mariner if you're feeling flush!)
1 1/2 part simple syrup (1 to 1 sugar/water. Heat to dissolve sugar. Cool before using.)
2 parts freshly squeezed limes. (I use little key limes.)

Put all ingredients in a shaker. Shake vigorously. Pour into glasses rimmed with salt.

SALUD!

What a fun day we had learning, eating, laughing and enjoying the company of two very gracious hosts. Best of all...we're going to do it again! Next time, Mole!

 

Thanks for sharing another cooking experience with me. 



Tune in again soon for another episode of:

 

www.cookwithcindy.com

I love experiencing the food, culture, and customs of Mexico!

SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE

This dish originated in the northern Italian city of Bologna. Traditionally it is a rich meat sauce with a small amount of tomatoes and tomato paste, served over spaghetti. In Italy it is called, Ragu alla Bolognese. Here, we tend to make Bolognese as a thick meaty tomato sauce. So if you are a purest the following recipe may go against the grain, but this is how my Mom used to make it. She generally made Spaghetti Bolognese in the winter, slow cooking it on her wood stove. The whole house smelled like a tratorria!

This dish is often served on spaghetti (hence the name!), but you can serve it on any pasta. In fact, when I made Spaghetti Bolognese with my friend Leslie, we tried it both on spaghetti and on a wonderful pasta she had from Italy.

Leslie had 2 types in her pantry, the one shown above, which had a little hint of red pepper and a plain pasta version. We tried the Bolognese on the spicy pasta and it was wonderful!

You may be able to find this pasta in your local grocers or upscale shop, but you can also buy it online. Here is one of what I am sure are many sites that sell this fabulous pasta. http://www.pellini-usastore.com/Pasta-Astorino-Maccheroni-Calabresi-11-lbs-8032601880134.htm

The Astorino website is very attractive, but of course all in Italian! http://www.astorinopasta.it/

On to the recipe!

A sauce like Bolognese offers lots of opportunity for tweaking. Some people add slab bacon or pancetta; a combination of ground pork and ground beef; others use sun-dried tomato finely mashed into the sauce. Sometimes you'll see a carrot or celery stalk thrown in. Emeril Lagasse uses cream and butter! This is how Mom used to make it:

 

SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE

Ingredients:
Splash of Olive Oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 pound ground beef (Yes, I used the grass fed beef again!)
1/2 to 3/4 bottle red wine (I used Rex Goliath Cabernet Sauvignon.)
2 (28 oz.) cans chopped tomatoes
4 Tbsp. tomato paste
2-3 Beef Bones (I had some nice rib eyes the night before. Cut the meat off the bone before serving and saved the bones for this sauce. You can skip adding the bones, but they give the sauce a great depth of flavor. Mom never put bones in her sauce.)
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Black Pepper, or to taste
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves picked off and finely chopped
2 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 bay leaf
Pinch of hot pepper
Parmesan cheese for serving
Fresh basil, optional

Preparation:
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add a splash of Olive Oil, a little salt/pepper, and saute the onion and garlic until soft, but not browned. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the ground beef. (Make sure your meat is at room temp before adding to the hot pan.) Stir the beef to separate the meat and thoroughly incorporate the onion and garlic. Cook until beef is browned; about 10 minutes. Don't be concerned if it is not cooked through as this sauce will simmer for hours. Add fresh rosemary; oregano; bay leaf, hot pepper, 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. black pepper. Add 2 cups of wine and reduce by half; simmering about 15 minutes. Add 4 Tbsp. tomato paste; mix well with the meat. Add 2 cans chopped tomato, with their juice, and mix well again. Add 1 more cup wine. Cover allowing the sauce to release steam. Simmer for 3-4 hours. Stir sauce every 20 minutes or so. Check for seasoning and if sauce gets too thick you can add a little more wine, beef or chicken broth, or water. Remove bay leaf and beef bones if you were using them.

Cook your spaghetti or whatever pasta you're using al dente and serve topped with Parmesan Cheese and a fresh sprig of basil.

While our sauce was simmering Leslie treated me to a delicious glass of wine.

I am not a wine expert, although I do drink my fair share. Fortunately for me, Leslie is. She chose to decant this wine to help accelerate the 'breathing' process and soften the taste of the tannins. She was able, just by smelling the wine after opening to make that decision.

Prado Enea Muga 2004 Gran Reserva was one of the smoothest, most pleasant red wines I've ever tasted. This is how Wine Enthusiast describes Prada Enea:

"Perfumed, lush, and complex to start, then vibrant in the mouth, with excellent integration of flavors, acidity, and tannins. Tastes of fine tobacco, mulled blackberry, chocolate, and spices."

That's just about how we described it, too! It was perfect to sip a glass of wine before the meal and also a fantastic companion to the Spaghetti Bolognese! Thank you Leslie!

UNTIL NEXT TIME, KEEP COOKING AND REMEMBER THERE ARE NO MISTAKES IN THE KITCHEN.

CRANK UP THE MUSIC, POUR A GLASS OF VINO,

AND ENJOY YOURSELF!

www.cookwithcindy.com

MEAT EXTRAVAGANZA! BONE MARROW, BACON, AND BRAISED ARM ROAST

Thanks to my friend Duncan Blair of Rio Santa Cruz Ranch who provided me with this fabulous treat, I had the opportunity to cook my first Marrow Bones. I have had them before in restaurants and loved them, but never cooked them myself. I seem to be in a bit of a meat kick, but that again is, in large part, due to my introduction to grass finished beef. Now I have to find a source for organically and humanely raised chicken and pigs. If you're interested in buying grass finished beef, go to: www.riosantacruzgrassfedbeef.com and place your order! You won't be disappointed!

ROAST BONE MARROW AND PARSLEY SALAD

I did a little research to figure out how to cook them and found a wonderful recipe from Fergus Henderson, London chef--someone I am very interested in learning more from. I just picked up his cookbook, The Whole Beast-Nose to Tail Eating.

Learning how to utilize every part of the critter is important to me and this chef has obviously mastered that art. The book is brilliant and also includes many more traditional recipes, although I am excited to try the "Pea and Pigs Ear Soup" and the "Lamb's Brain Terrine." These may not be every day fare, but you'd be surprised how delicious these underutilized cuts could be.

Cooking Marrow Bones really could not be easier. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place the Marrow Bones on a baking sheet. Roast for about 20 minutes. The time depends on the thickness of your bones. As Fergus says, "the marrow should be loose and giving, but not melted away".

Make the Parsley Salad while the bones are roasting. Chop a bunch of flat leaf parsley (I had curly on hand so used that instead), mix in 2 Tbsp. capers, 2 finely diced shallot. Just before serving dress with the juice of a lemon, olive oil, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. I used this Persian Lime Oil from a little shop in Sonoita, AZ--Skye Island Olive & Grapes. This store offers a "tasting room" with many different flavors of olive oil and balsamic vinegars, plus a nice collection of gifty foods.(http://skyeislandoliveandgrapes.com/). The Lime Olive Oil is delicious, but the flavor may have been a bit aggressive for this purpose. Next time I used regular Extra Virgin Olive Oil and the salad was much better.

Slice either sourdough or a nice French bread and grill or pan fry in a little butter. I served as an appetizer allowing each diner to spread the marrow on their toast, top with a little sea salt and then the parsley salad. The second time I cooked the bones was with my good friends Dennis and Diana. They had never had marrow and both really enjoyed! Very fun adventure!

In addition to many a fabulous dinner party, we've shared lots of other adventures with Dennis Diana.
Here we are Hot Air Ballooning at dawn over the Tortolita Mountains in Arizona.

A few weeks back my new rancher friend, Duncan, took me and my husband to the Willcox Meat Packing House in Willcox, AZ to meet owner Kirk Harris and see their operation. We had never been to a commercial plant like this and it was truly fascinating. Kirk is a gentle, soft spoken man who generously shared his knowledge (which is vast!) of how animals are killed and butchered. I know this would not be for everyone, but 'butchering' is another interest of mine and Kirk helped me to understand just how much is involved.

WILLCOX MEAT PACKING

Kirk Harris with a cow that had just been slaughtered before we arrived.

Willcox Meat Packing is an old family business and we were fortunate enough to meet 3 generations of Harris's. Kirk explained that they are a relatively small operation, slaughtering about 3000 cows per year, but also handle goats, sheep, pigs and wild game. They have started mesquite smoking hams and also make their own mesquite smoked bacon and sausage.

It was so smoky in the 'smoke-house' that my eyes watered, but the aromas were wonderful!

The Mesquite Smoked Bacon is like none I have ever had...thick cut, smoky, but not overpowering and unlike store-bought bacon, it tastes like pork! They don't have a website, but here is their address: 3266 N Fort Grant Rd, Willcox, AZ 85643; 520-384-2015. If you call, please tell him 'Cook with Cindy' sent you! I am trying their sausage next and have no doubt it will be equally special and delicious!

My husband's favorite breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Green Peppers, very crispy potatoes and BACON!

 

Next, I'm going to share a recipe for Arm Roast, another of Duncan's grass fed cuts. This recipe would work well with any roast or meat that requires braising--slow cooking at low temp.

 

BRAISED ARM ROAST WITH WILD MUSHROOM AND RED WINE REDUCTION

 

 

Ingredients:

1 Beef Roast-about 4 lbs. (I used the Arm Roast cut.)

Flour for dusting

Salt/Pepper

4 Tbsp. Olive Oil

4 carrots, peeled and cut in thick chunks

2 stalks celery, roughly diced

1 medium onion, peeled and roughly diced

1 leek, white and a little green, sliced

4 cloves garlic, smashed

3.5 oz. shitake mushrooms

3.5 oz. oyster mushrooms

4 oz. portabella mushrooms

4 oz. white buttons (OK, so these aren't too wild!)

5 sprigs rosemary

Half a bunch of parsley (Reserve some for garnish, which I did after I took this photo making the meat look much prettier.)

1/2 bottle red wine (I like to use Rex Goliath for cooking, either Merlot or Cab.)

1 cup (or more) chicken or beef stock (I had chicken in the fridge so used that.)

 

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. My Arm Roast was not thickly cut (about 2 3/4") and looked like it might fall apart after a long, slow cook so I started by tying some kitchen string around the perimeter of the beef to hold it into place. Next, liberally salt and pepper and coat with flour. The flour is what helps thicken the "gravy".

Heat 4 Tbsp. of olive oil in a roasting pan until it's nearly smoking. Brown both sides of meat. When nicely browned, remove the meat to a platter.

To the same pan, add carrots, onions, celery, and leek. Stir up any browned bits and cook veg for about 10 minutes. Add 1/2 bottle red wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Add chicken stock and simmer for another 10 minutes. Now add all your mushrooms, garlic, and herbs to the roasting pan. Stir to combine.

Place the meat in the roasting pan and cover pan. Put in oven for 1 hour. Check in about a half hour to make sure liquid has not reduced too much. You want it at least half way up the meat. Add more chicken stock/red wine if necessary. Cover again and cook for another 2 hours continuing to check level of liquid. Uncover for last 1 1/2 to 2 hours of cooking. Spoon pan juices over meat every 20 minutes or so. Check to make sure the meat is nearly falling apart. If it is not, cook longer. The size of your roast will determine the length of cooking time. Bigger the roast, more the cooking. The mushrooms combined with wine and herbs made this a very rich and satisfying gravy. The meat was fantastically flavorful and tender!

 

That's all for today.

Thanks for tuning in again for another episode of:

 

www.cookwithcindy.com

 

Next time we're going to talk about Spaghetti Bolognese;

a very special pasta imported from Italy, and the best red wine I have ever tasted--Prada Enea (2004 Muga).

 

 

 

 





MEAT AND POTATOES GET AN UPGRADE!

My good friend Paula's Mom, Betty recently had a birthday. I love birthday celebrations so we had a party in her honor. I know she's a meat and potatoes gal, but wanted to do something a bit more special.

Here's Betty admiring her cake adorned with pecans spelling
out the B-Day message. Very clever, Paula!

Paula made a fabulously moist and delicious carrot cake for dessert (can't wait to get that recipe!), but let's start with dinner. Our meal began with a bright, refreshing Spinach Soup...recipe courtesy of my friend Bonnie by way of Ree Drummond. Easy to put together and a perfect way to begin.

SPINACH SOUP

This soup has quite a kick so if you want to tame it down, just use less cayenne. It can be made a day ahead and is good cold, too.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
10 oz. fresh spinach
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup hot water
1/2 stick butter (4 Tbsp.)
1/4 cup flour
3 cup whole milk (I used 2 1/2 cups milk; 1/2 cup half and half)
2 tsp. kosher salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
Ground black pepper

Betty is ever smiling!

Preparation:
In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add spinach and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until the spinach wilts, about 3 minutes. Add the mixture to a blender, pour in 1/2 cup hot water and pulse until pureed. Set aside.
In a large soup pot, cook the onions in the butter over medium heat until onions begin to soften. Sprinkle the flour over the top and stir to combine. Cook the roux for about 2 minutes, then pour in milk, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper(s). Pour into the pureed spinach, then cook until thickened, another 5 minutes or longer if you want it thicker. I garnished the Spinach Soup with little drops of sour cream mixed with minced tarragon.

INDIVIDUAL MEATLOAVES WITH BACON CRISPS

For this recipe I used ground beef from Duncan and Susan Blair's Rio Santa Cruz Ranch here in Arizona. (http://www.riosantacruzgrassfedbeef.com/ ).

I doubled this recipe and it came out just fine, but here is the original which serves 4.

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup fresh bread crumbs (I generally grind crusts and ends of bread and keep in my freezer so have a nice mixture of different types of crumbs available.)
3/4 cup whole milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 Tbsp. finely chopped flat leaf parsley
1 1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. Tabasco
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 lb. meatloaf mix (Since I was doubling I used 2 lbs. of Rio Santa Cruz grass finished beef and 1 lb. of store-bought ground pork.)
1/4 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp. white or cider vinegar
4 bacon slices, cut into 1 inch pieces

Preparation:
Put oven rack in middle of oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Line a shallow baking pan with foil.
Cook onion and garlic in oil in a skillet over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until just softened, about 4-5 minutes.
Stir together bread crumbs, milk, eggs, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, salt/pepper in a large bowl. Gently combine meat mixture, then add to bread crumb mixture along with onion. Using your hands gently knead until just combined. Mixture will be fairly moist.
Using a 1 cup measure, drop slightly rounded cups of mixture onto the baking sheet and lightly pat to form 4 domes.
Stir together ketchup and vinegar and spoon over mounds. Bake meatloaves about 25 minutes (meat thermometer reads 155F).
While meatloaves are baking, cook bacon in skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 7 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
After meatloaves have baked, remove from oven and turn on broiler.  Broil meatloaves 2 to 3 inches form heat until glaze is slightly caramelized. Watch carefully as all that sugar in the ketchup can "catch" quickly.
Serve topped with bacon.

With the (not so little) Individual Meatloaves I served an interesting twist on mashed potatoes and a slightly different variation of peas, which in our household growing up, always accompanied meatloaf, but were usually frozen or canned.

MASHED POTATOES WITH CARROTS AND LEEKS

Betty is a fantastic dinner guest!...great conversationalist and ate everything on her plate!

Ingredients:
1 leek (white and pale green only), coarsely chopped
2 lb. potatoes (I used one potato--Yukon Golds--per person so had left-overs)
2 carrots, cut into chunks (My grocery store was offering beautiful purple, gold and orange heirloom carrots so I used one of each.)
1/2 stick unsalted butter
3/4 cup whole milk
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Preparation:
Wash chopped leek well in a bowl of cold water. Leeks hold their dirt so you really need to scrub them. Drain well. Peel potatoes and cut into 2 inch pieces. Cover with cold water in a saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are very tender, about 18-20 minutes. Drain and return potatoes to saucepan. While potatoes are simmering, cook carrots in a saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender, about 5-6 minutes, then drain. Cook leek in butter in a medium skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until very tender, about 6 minutes. Add milk, salt, pepper and simmer stirring for 2 minutes. Add leek mixture to potatoes. Coarsely mash with a potato masher, then stir in carrots. I really liked the look of the colored carrots with the potatoes and all the flavors came through beautifully.

Finally, for Betty's birthday meal, we had...

SNOW PEAS WITH LEMON TARRAGON BUTTER

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tsp. finely grated fresh lemon zest
3 tsp. finely chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 lb. snow peas, trimmed (Tearing the tough tendril off each pea is a tedious job, but well worth it. If you don't trim them they can be quite tough and fibrous.)

Preparation:
Stir together butter, zest, tarragon, salt, pepper. Cook snow peas in a steamer basket until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain well. Transfer hot snow peas to a bowl and mix in lemon herb butter. Toss to coat.

That's going to do it for today's special birthday meal. HAPPY BIRTHDAY all over again Betty Ann!

I am very excited to share with you next time, another cut from the Rio Santa Cruz Ranch... ARM ROAST! I had never heard of Arm Roast, but it is exactly what you'd think...a relatively thin (in roast terms) cut from the upper front leg (arm) of the cow. It's a cut you want to slow roast and I braised with wild mushrooms and reduced red wine sauce...Yummy!

Next time, I'm also going to share a very special visit, with behind the scenes shots, I had with a local Arizona butcher!

 EXPERIMENT!

LEARN!

DISCOVER!

LOVE!

The possibilities with food are endless...

www.cookwithcindy.com

Here's a shot of Betty and her family from 1965. My friend Paula will be born later that year!