Smeerkase

Servings:       6
Yield:             1 Cup

Preparation Time:   10 minutes
Cooking Time:          0

Start to finish:           10 minutes

Ingredients

8 Oz  Cottage Cheese, drained, as needed

3 T    Cream

2 T    Chives, chopped

1 T    Caraway Seed

Instructions

1.   Press the Cottage Cheese through a fine sieve.

2.   Add remaining items to the puree and mix well.

3.   Refrigerate one hour or longer until served.

-----Notes-----
This is a quite a common German appetizer and surprises guests not only with the simplicity but also the flavor of Caraway – so little used in American cooking.
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Variations
Instead of the Caraway Seeds use grated onion or beets, finely diced smoked fish or shrimp, bacon, ham or other smoked meat are all good examples of what you can do with this appetizer to fit the occasion.
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Service
With your favorite cracker or Melba Toast.   I like to use Table Water Crackers as they are light and have no real flavor themselves to mask the mild Caraway flavor.
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History
As served by the now long defunct Heidelberg Inn.

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Meatloaf

Servings:       8+

Yield:             1 Loaf

Preparation Time:   20 minutes

Cooking Time:         1:15

Start to finish:          1:35

Ingredients

1 Clove Garlic, Minced

½ t         Oregano

½ t         Marjoram, dried

½ t         Thyme, dried

1 Slice    Bread, fine dice

½            Onion, fine dice

1             Egg

1.5 lb      Hamburger

½ C        Barbecue Sauce

   Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

1.  Line standard loaf pan with parchment paper

2.  Combine all ingredients and thoroughly mix.

3.  Press meat mixture into the loaf pan, keeping the parchment layer higher than the meat

4.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes

5.  Remove from loaf pan using pancake spatulas, or by picking up with the parchment paper (however, this will make a greasy mess!)

---Notes---

This was the first dish I attempted to make following my series of surgeries in 2015 - and it was an unmitigated failure!  How hard can it be to make something from scratch, from memory - that you have made thousands of times?!?!?!

This was the point I realized that I had lost all of my memories and what I did have actually was not reliable at all.  Hence, the recipe restarts and relearning about a lifetime of cooking.

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Variations

Use ground chuck or hamburger under 4% fat.

Use sugar free Ketchup or sugar free BBQ Sauce.

Use egg whites or egg substitute.

A variety of meats maybe used and mixed as well!

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Service

Meatloaf begs to be served with mashed potatoes and corn!

Boiled potatoes and baked winter squash!

Baked sweet potatoes or yams with a green salad.

How about cauliflower and/or broccoli with cheese and garlic bread?

Yes, this is an early spring, fall dish or cool evening dish.

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History

Meatloaf dates back to at least the 5th century AD, we have a written account of how to make this, found sealed in a Roman wall atTrier, Germany.

This American style of meatloaf only dates back to the 19th century.

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