Gobble-good meatloaf

A Berkeley friend and Episcopal priest, Kristin Krantz, mostly shares tidbits about her family life and ministry on Facebook, but she surprised me one day with a most unusual meatloaf. She makes it with beef, but said it originally called for turkey, so that's what I used. I think it would be great with ground lamb as well. My substitutions are in parentheses (I didn't have any feta on hand, so I had to modify to use what I had).

It was very tasty, moist and didn't need ketchup. I'll use fresh parsley the next time, maybe plain crumbs and a shallot and spices instead of the crusting mixture (which I was trying to use up, since I don't like it as a meat coating). And definitely the feta, which I adore.

Sundried tomato and feta meatloaf
Serves 4-6

Ingredients
1/2 cup plain dried bread crumbs (McCormick's French onion, pepper and herb Crusting Blend)
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (3 tablespoons dried parsley)
1/4 cup chopped garlic and herb marinated sun-dried tomatoes (sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 large eggs, at room temp, lightly beaten (1 egg)
1/4 cup olive oil (1 tablespoon olive oil)
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (1/2 cup Greek nonfat yogurt)
1 1/2 tsp. salt (1/2 teaspoon)
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper (1/2 teaspoon)
1 lb. ground beef (ground turkey)

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray 9x5 loaf pan with cooking spray
In a large bowl stir (or hand mix) the bread crumbs, parsley, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, eggs, olive oil, feta (yogurt), salt and pepper. Add the meat and combine. Pack the mixture into the pan. Bake until internal temp is 165 degrees, approximately 45 minutes.
Remove pan from oven and let meatloaf rest for 5 minutes. Soak extra fat on the surface with a paper towel.

From Kristin Nelson Krantz**The recipe is for turkey meatloaf, which is why I think there is olive oil in the mix - when I used ground beef I just used a little oil.

Rubber rubs some the wrong way

Latex allergies are not common, but we should be aware that some do suffer from them and adjust accordingly when preparing food for strangers. I got this letter after my recent tips column on using thin latex gloves to protect the hands when making meatloaf and using the heavy ones for dishwashing to open jars.

Lori,
I caught your tips on using natural rubber latex gloves or plastic when preparing food, washing utensils, or opening a tough jar lid. It would be great for us with natural rubber latex allergy if you would promote the use of plastic, vinyl, or nitrile gloves when preparing food or handling dishes and utensils used to prepare foods. It really is unnecessary to use latex when there are so many alternatives available. There are latex free heavy duty nitrile dishwashing gloves made that serve the same purpose as the regular latex dishwashing gloves without the possibility of inducing a severe latex allergic reaction. Many with this allergy do not discover it until it has become life threatening. Often it mimics food poisoning, or a bad case of stomach flu after eating latex contaminated food.

Most people understand the severity of peanut allergies, and would not let a peanut allergic person eat a food prepared on a counter or off dishes that had been contaminated with peanuts. Likewise, those of us with natural rubber latex allergy react with life threatening anaphylaxis if we are served foods contaminated with latex proteins.

I wanted to let you know that NIOSH publications recommends that latex gloves not be used routinely when other options are available.
http://www.cdc.gov/Niosh/98-113.html

Six states have passed laws to ban the use of latex gloves in food service due to the allergens present that are transferred to food, utensils, and dishes that cause severe allergic reactions to latex. The gloves also sensitize individuals resulting in workers compensation claims due to developing an allergy to natural rubber latex.
http://www.latexallergyresources.org/Newsletter/newsletterArticle.cfm?NewsletterID=18

Information at:
The American Latex Allergy Association: Provides resources for people allergic to natural rubber latex, including latex free alternative product lists, informational packets, support groups, and a newsletter. http://www.latexallergyresources.org

Latex Allergy Links
Comprehensive current data base of resources, msg. board,
"What's New" is a good link to check
http://latexallergylinks.tripod.com/

Many of us are devastated after developing natural rubber latex allergy, I wasn't a healthcare worker, or someone who thought they were at high risk of developing this allergy. I did have a few surgeries that exposed me to this allergen, now I am totally disabled due to the severity of this allergy. I can no longer even attempt to eat at a restaurant due to the many foods bought from suppliers that use latex gloves, or the use of latex gloves in restaurants that contaminate my food.

My mission is to keep others safe from developing this allergy, and to offer safe places to eat for others not as severely affected by this allergy as I am.
I own a web based support group for those allergic to natural rubber latex, sadly our membership continues to grow: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LAForum/

~ Ora Ruppel
Owner/moderator LAForum
lafer@sbcglobal.net

Summer time, and the dinners are easy

As summer wears on, salads are a good option for dinner. I had a nice salmon salad at The Nook on the C'ville downtown mall last Sunday night, with a deck-of-cards-size piece of fish, nice fresh lettuce (tossed with just a bit too much dressing) and shredded parmesan cheese. It seemed more appropriate for the weather than the meatloaf, but let me tell you, if you're hungry, that meatloaf plate at The Nook can fill you up in no time.

But foodies can't live by salads alone. That's why grills were invented. You just need to make sure it's not something that takes a lot of time or attention (have mercy on the griller in the heat). If you're doing chicken, make it boneless breasts or thighs, flattened. Oil that portobello mushroom cap good to keep it from drying out, and season it on the gill side, with a mist of oil to keep it from sticking right before you flip it (otherwise, that's the side that can really soak up the oil and add a meatlike proportion of calories to your meal). Or go for sausage; I like to boil ones that have fresh pork or chicken in them first, just a little, to make sure that the center cooks through. It also serves to firm them up if you want to split them for extra grilling taste.

And split zucchinis were made for the grill. Season the cut side with pepper and garlic salt, spray with oil and grill face down first. Flip over after 5-6 minutes and cook until they are the doneness that you like as you finish up the rest of the dinner.