Meatloaf

Preheat oven to 375.

  • 1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin (beef, bison or buffalo)
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
  • A splash of milk
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1 cup plain bread crumbs
  • 2 tablespoons grill seasoning (steak spice)
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin (optional)
  • 3/4 cup smoky barbecue sauce
  • 1/2 cup ketchup (or salsa)
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • jalapenos (optional)

Mix together the onion, pepper and jalapenos.  Beat the egg with the milk, and add to bowl. Add the bread crumbs, the grill seasoning, cumin and the meat; mix all together with your hands.

Mix the BBQ sauce, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce together; pour 3/4 of the mixture into the meat and blend in with your hands.

Oil a bread pan, put in the meat.  Brush the remaining BBQ mixture on top of the meat.

Bake until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 160, about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Manicotti

1/2 lb. ground meat (buffalo)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 (15oz.) container ricotta cheese
1.5 cups shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. olive oil
12 pieces of manicotti pasta
1.5 cups marinara sauce
1 tbsp. butter, cut into pieces

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat a skillet over medium heat; add ground meat and onion, saute until brown (about 5 minutes).  Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese, garlic, salt and pepper.  Stir in the meat mixture and set aside.

Brush 1 tsp. of the olive oil over a large baking sheet.  Bring water to a boil, and cook the manicotti noodles until softened but still firm to the bite (about 6 minutes).  Remove and let cool.

Spoon 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce over the bottom of the prepared pan.  Fill the manicotti with the cheese-meat mixture, and arrange the stuffed pasta in a single layer in the prepared dish.  Spoon the remaining sauce over the manicotti.  Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella and the 1/4 cup parmesan over the manicotti.  Dot the top with the butter pieces.

Bake the manicotti uncovered until it is heated through and the sauce bubbles on the bottom of the dish (about 35 minutes).