Cheesy bacon meatloaf
Ingredients
- 500g lean beef mince
- 4 rashers rindless bacon, chopped
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- 2 tbsp mild mustard
- 3 tbsp oat bran
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2 tbsp tomato sauce, extra
- ½ cup grated cheddar cheese
- ½ cup grated mozzarella cheese
- salt & pepper to taste (only for grown-ups)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C.
- Place the mince, bacon, tomato sauce, mustard, oat bran and egg in a bowl and mix well.
- Press into four lightly greased 1-cup capacity muffin tins. (Add a little salt and pepper to taste
to the ones that will be eaten by grownups, otherwise leave out). - Spread the extra tomato sauce over the tops.
- Bake for 25 minutes, then remove from muffin tins and place meatloaves onto a baking tray.
- Sprinkle a mixture of the cheeses over each one and bake for a further 10 minutes.
- Serve with salad and more tomato sauce.
Best for: Make tonight
Tip
Flavour these little meatloaves by replacing tomato sauce and mustard with 4 tablespoons of chutney.
Versatile mince sauce
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled & grated
- 2 sticks celery, thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 500g lean beef mince
- 2 tins chopped tomatoes
- 1 sachet tomato paste
- 1 handful fresh basil, parsley and oregano
- salt & pepper to taste (only for grown-ups)
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, fry the onion in the olive oil until golden brown, then add the carrots, celery and garlic. Fry for a few minutes more. Remove the vegetables from the saucepan and keep until needed.
- Fry the mince in the same saucepan until browned. Return the vegetables to the pot, add the tinned tomatoes and tomato paste and let simmer for half an hour.
- Add fresh herbs and stir through. Let cool completely and freeze for up to 3 months in suitable containers or Ziploc bags.
Good for: freezing for later
Meaty macaroni
Ingredients
- 2 cups savoury mince (recipe above)
- 2 cups macaroni or penne pasta
- 1 cup béchamel sauce
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ cup grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C. Cook the macaroni according to packet instructions.
- Drain and mix with the savoury mince. Place in an ovenproof dish.
- To make the béchamel sauce, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan. Remove from heat and add 2 tablespoons cake flour, a pinch of salt and white pepper and a ½ teaspoon of mustard powder. Use a balloon whisk to mix in 300ml full-cream milk. Return to heat and stir continuously until the sauce is thick.
- Pour over the macaroni and meat in the ovenproof dish.
- Sprinkle cheese over and bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.
Perfect for: children
Tip
Fork-mash this dish if your baby does not like textured food.