Nana's NoMato Meat Loaf

This is one of the meat loaves I make with my home canned No-Tomato Sauce.  It is known on the Internet as Nomato Sauce.  If you want and have no problems with Tomato Sauce go ahead and use tomato sauce.

Nana's NoMato Meat Loaf
1 lb. ground beef.  (90% lean or ground beef drained and rinsed)
1/4 Cup NoMato Sauce or 1/4 cup tomato sauce
1 Tablespoon Ketchup (if not tolerated just leave out)
1 Cup hot sauteed diced onions
3/4 Cup dry quick oat meal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 egg or 2 egg whites

Saute' onions in non stick skillet sprayed with non-stick olive oil spray.  When finished sauteing set aside to cool down. 

Weigh your meet to equal 1 pound.  The rest of the package of meat I cook and package for later use or I make more meat loaves with different recipes.

Transfer your hamburger to a large bowl.  Add the sauteed onions.  Then combine the rest of the ingredients and stir till completely mixed.

When completely mixed.  Slightly press down the meat loaf till it looks like the above picture.  Make a cut of the mixture in the middle.  

Because there are only two of us, I use mini loaf pans.  Line them with plastic wrap or what ever you prefer to freeze the mini meat loaves in.

Press the meat mixture down into the loaf pans or pan and slightly press to form meat loaf.

Finish wrapping the meat loaf.  Place in freezer.  After the meat loaves are frozen I remove themfrom the mini loaf pans.  They are then wrapped in foil and labeled. They are then placed back in my freezer.

When I am ready I thaw the meat loaf and place it on a baking sheet like picture above.  This meat loaf can also be put in a crock pot frozen and cooked for 4 hours on slow.  If using a larger meat loaf place in crock pot frozen and cook 6-8 hours.  This can depend on where you live.  Since I live over 6,000 feet altitude, it can take a little longer for me.

Enjoy!

NOMATO SAUCE, NANA'S TWEATED

This recipe I use for almost all hamburger recipes that ask for tomato sauce.  Even some that ask for diced tomatoes or stewed tomatoes.
Roasting the peppers is a little time consuming but so worth it when used in this sauce.  There are recipes that do not call for the roasted peppers. Feel free to omit them if you want.  I just prefer the flavor in this sauce.
BASIC INGREDIENTS

3-4 roasted, peeled peppers
6 carrots

1 can beets (careful to not get the pickled beets), not drained

1 celery stalk, sliced

2 bay leaves

2 cups water

4 garlic cloves

1 medium onion

2 Tablespoons olive oil
SIMMERING INGREDIENTS

2 Tablespoons Italian Spices

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons onion powder

1/8-1/4 teaspoon white pepper (optional)

Clean and remove the seeds and white membranes from the red peppers.

Place on a lined cookie sheet, as seen in the above picture..

Put under your broiler until they roast and become somewhat blackened

Remove from oven and cool just slightly.

Place broiled peppers in a plastic bag. Be very careful and use a fork or something so you do not get burned. This will steam the peppers and they will peel easier.

Remove the skins. In case you are wondering about my antique metal bowl, I use it to put scraps in for my chickens. My grand mother use to do this, only she would bury her scraps in a pre-dug area in her garden.  It was her way of composting. Before composting was popular.  But I always thought it was neat.

Chop you peppers into small pieces ready to add to your vegetables to cook.

Dice your onion or place in food processor to chop up. I saute the onion in 1-2 Tablespoons of olive oil listed in the ingredients.

Combine the basic ingredients in large sauce pan and cook till softened.

 Allow to cool down to a warm consistency.

Then place 1-2 cups of the basic ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend till smooth. Pour back into your large pan. 

After I have done the above step, I add the spices and some water if needed. Cook this down till desired thickness.

This can be frozen for use when needed.   I prefer to can this in ½ pints about the size of small tomato sauce cans.  If canning check out each vegetable you use and the time period for pressure canning them.  Use the longest processing time required in your pressure canner.

I use this for pasta sauce, BBQ sauce, ext. Will do another post on my BBQ sauce hopefully next week. I really have enjoyed this sauce.