JACK ALLEN’S MEATLOAF (sort of)

A few years ago we met some friends at Jack Allen’s Kitchen restaurant for lunch. We’d never been there before, but were surprised by the menu and tasty dishes we ordered! Their claim to fame is Texas comfort food in a local fare farm to market restaurant setting. I was so impressed I actually bought the cookbook being sold at the front door as we left.

Every recipe I’ve made has been great. A few though, like this one, I’ve adapted to meet our likes and deal with food allergies! We love this adapted version

JACK ALLEN’S MEATLOAF (sort of) 😀

2 stalks celery, FINELY chopped
1 large red pepper, FINELY chopped
1/2 cup FINELY chopped onion
3 LARGE cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds extra lean ground beef
1 1/2 pounds ground pork
2 LARGE eggs
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons Frank’s original hot sauce
FRESH ground sea salt and tri-color pepper
2 teaspoons paprika
1 1/4 cups breadcrumbs
1/2 cup ketchup + 1 cup ketchup for topping

• Preheat oven to 375°.
• With clean hands mix everything together except the 1 cup of ketchup for the topping until uniformly mixed.
• Form into loaf pan.
• Spread with remaining ketchup.
• Bake 45-60 minutes, until cooked through.

BANANA SPICE CAKE from A Thousand Ways to Please a Husband

I seriously adapted this recipe into a modern day form from its original recipe. Adapted from 'A Thousand Ways to Please a Husband' by Louise Bennett Weaver and Helen Cowles LeCron (page 142)

BANANA SPICE CAKE

1/3 cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2/3 cups sour milk
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups flour, sifted
2 small VERY RIPE bananas, well mashed
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup maple syrup

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
• GREASE loaf pan or 8x8 baking dish.*
• With a wooden spoon blend the butter, sugar and eggs.
• Blend in bananas until well mixed.
• Sift dry ingredients together.
• Add dry ingredients and mix well with swift strokes.
• Add vanilla and raisins.
• Bake 45-55 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.
• Immediately invert on to serving plate.
• Wait 15 minutes for cooling.
• Warm the maple syrup in the microwave for 30 seconds.
• Using a toothpick, pierce holes into the top of the cake.
• Drizzle maple syrup over the cake and allow it to drip down the sides.

*Works really well in today's decorative bundt style pans.

SNAPPER WRAPPERS

SNAPPER PATRICK from PAT'S FISHERMAN'S WHARF was a fantastic choice!!  I will make this again and again, but next time I will go simpler and make it more of a casserole bake.

SNAPPER WRAPPERS
1 pound lump crabmeat, drained (I used chopped flaked Krab)
4 skinned red snapper fillets (any white fish would work)
1 teaspoon salt (we felt this was too much-next time I'll use 1/4 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon garlic powder (we felt this was too much-next time I'll use 1/2 teaspoon or fresh)
1 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons water
lemon wedges (I used lemon slices under each roll up while cooking)

• Preheat oven to 400˚.
• Pick crabmeat, removing any bits of shell.
• Cut snapper fillets in half lengthwise.
• Top each fillet with about 1/3 cup crabmeat.
• Roll up fillets and secure with wooden toothpicks.
• Blend together the salt, garlic powder and red pepper.
• Combine melted butter and water in the bottom of your baking dish, blending well.
• Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of seasoning mix over top of the butter  mixture.
• Arrange roll ups in baking dish.
• Sprinkle roll ups with remaining seasoning mixture.
• Bake uncovered for 16-18 minutes or fish flakes when tested with a fork.
• Plate roll ups. 
• Spoon pan drippings over roll ups before serving.
• Serve with lemon wedges.