Mama Bird’s Valentine’s Day Dinner
Do you have a tradition for Valentine’s Day dinner? YEARS ago my husband and I decided that dining out on Valentine’s Day was just not worth it. The last time we ate out, we left work early (along with everyone else) and sat in traffic, picked up the kids from daycare, picked up the sitter, changed quickly, arrived at the restaurant on time only to wait 30 minutes, and then be rushed through our pre-fixed expensive dinner. It was then and there we decided that we would do something special at home with the kids from now on.
Since then we have LOVED this menu and each year would look forward to our special family tradition. Especially now with two kiddos grown and married and a teen who is working I cherish the memories we made for so many years.
Soooo, what is our menu you ask? Heart-shaped meatloaf patties with smashed potatoes and pan gravy. This recipe came from Rachel Ray back in 2007!!! Feel free to make the patties as big or small as you wish. The sauce is zesty and so flavorful and goes great with the potatoes as well as the meatloaf patties. Serve a simple salad or a roasted veggie on the side and winner winner meatloaf dinner.
I hope you will give it a try and maybe it will become a family tradition at your house.
Happy Valentine’s Day to all my readers!!
Heart-Shaped Meatloaf Patties, Smashed Potatoes, and Pan Gravy
Ingredients for Meatloaf Patties:
1 pound ground beef
1 slice white bread, spread with softened butter, and cut into small pieces
2 Tablespoons of milk
1 egg beaten
2 teaspoons of grill seasoning blend or coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
½ teaspoon ground allspice
1 heaping Tablespoon of tomato paste
1 medium onion, finely chopped (reserve ¼ cup for the gravy)
Directions for Meatloaf Patties:
Place meat in a large mixing bowl and create a well in the center of the meat.
Fill the well with the bread cubes, milk, beaten egg, seasoning or salt and pepper, allspice, tomato paste, and onion to the bowl.
Mix well form mixture into 4 large heart-shaped patties 3/4-inch thick.
Pan-fry patties in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 7 minutes on each side.
Remove meatloaf patties to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm.
Ingredients for the Smashed Potatoes
2 pounds small red potatoes
¼ cup sour cream
¼ cup butter
2 green onions chopped (whites and greens)
½ cup milk (or more to your desired consistency)
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions for the Smashed Potatoes
Cover the quartered, red-skinned potatoes in water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
Cook potatoes 10 minutes or until fork-tender.
Drain potatoes and return them to the hot pan and warm stovetop to dry potatoes out.
Add butter, sour cream, scallions, and milk to potatoes and smash to your desired consistency.
Cover to keep warm while you prepare the gravy.
Ingredients for Pan Gravy (THIS STUFF IS AWESOMENESS)
2 Tablespoons butter
Reserved ¼ cup chopped onion
2 Tablespoons flour
1 - 1 ½ cups beef stock
1 Tablespoon ketchup
1 rounded teaspoon spicy brown mustard (or whole grain mustard)
1 Tablespoon Steak Sauce (I only use A 1)
Directions for Pan Gravy
Bring the pan that meatloaf patties were cooked into to medium heat and add butter and onion to your skillet.
Cook the onion for 2 minutes until softened and sprinkle the pan with flour.
Cook flour for 1 minute and whisk in 1 cup beef stock and bring broth to a bubble. (If gravy is too thick, thin with additional stock)
Stir in ketchup, mustard, and steak sauce then warm gravy through for about a minute.
Serve meatloaf patties and liberally pour on the gravy. Pile smashed potatoes alongside and make a well in the center for sour cream or gravy.
Since I only started blogging in the past year, I only found one picture of Valentine's with the food! As you can see, it's pretty casual, but it's pretty special to us.
