Big Guy's going to be asking "what holiday" as this long weekend comes to a close. He had quite the day yesterday! Between laying backsplash tile and several trips to Home Depot, he managed to cook breakfast as well as whip up 5 lovely individual meat loaves for our dinner last night. Talk about an overachiever!
We've shared his meat loaf recipe with you in the past but it's just too darn tasty not to make over and over, particularly now that barbecue/grilling season is upon us. Loaded with ground beef, pork and spicy hot Italian sausage along with tons of garlic, jalapeno's, sun dried tomatoes and chopped mushrooms, there's not much filler in these babies - just pure unadulterated meat. The mushrooms really help to keep the loaves moist while they cook for an hour over charcoal flavored by alder chips and the resulting smoky flavor is absolutely incomparable. Hit this link and it'll take you to the recipe!
I'm always on the lookout for a new side dish, so when I saw the recipe for Onion Pie in the Best of the Best of Arizona Cookbook Big Guy brought back from his Grand Canyon hike for me last weekend, I just had to give it a try.
This simple pie has got most all the same ingredients as a quiche but is much lighter thanks to an untraditional crust made from crushed saltine crackers. Baked in a 9 x 13 pan, it comes out thinner than a normal pie, but absolutely packed with onion flavor and a perfect creamy textured, mild flavored foil for the spicy meatloaf. It's definitely going on our "keeper" list.
Onion Pie (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from The Best of the Best of Arizona Cookbook)
48 saltine crackers
1/2 cup butter, melted and divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 extra large onions, thinly sliced
1/2 pound grated Cheddar cheese
2 cups whole milk or half and half
3 eggs, beaten
Salt and course ground black pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg
Preheat oven to 350. Place saltine crackers into a large zip bag and crush to fine crumbs. Add all but 2 tablespoons butter to the crumbs, close bag and mix together well. Pour 2/3 of the crumbs into a 9 x 13 pan and press evenly onto the bottom.
Heat oil and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter together in a large sauté pan. Add onions and cook until onions are softened but not browned. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Arrange onions on top of cracker crumbs in pan and top with grated cheese. Heat milk in microwave until hot but not boiling. Pour slowly over beaten eggs, whisking constantly. Season with salt and coarse ground black pepper, and pour egg/milk mixture over cheese and onions in pan. Sprinkle with reserved cracker crumbs and top with freshly grated nutmeg.
Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before plating. Makes 8 servings.
A year ago - Buffalo Shrimp on Lemon Caesar Salad
Two year's ago - Curried Chicken with Fresh and Dried Cranberries
What a beautiful side. It would make a great brunch dish too. The BG really knows his way around a meatloaf.
Posted by: Lorraine | 05/28/2012 at 09:18 AM
You're right, it would be great for brunch with a little crispy bacon on the side.
Posted by: June | 05/28/2012 at 11:41 AM
The Big Guy scores again!!!! What fabulous looking meatloaf - and the idea that he grills them just blows me away!
That onion pie looks awesome! Cracker crumb crust - I'm there!
Posted by: Lea | 05/28/2012 at 04:54 PM
Yes Lea - that man can COOK! His meatloaf is amazing and the benchmark for all my meatloaf efforts, but none can compare to his BBQ version.
Posted by: June | 05/29/2012 at 07:09 AM