Tonight we had chicken on the grill, Houdyshell style, topped with Andrew’s amazing  Chimichurri Sauce and a Citrus Vinaigrette Salad.  It was like the culmination of all things friends and family and the beginning of summer.  I’ve made a pact to start using our grill more; we’ve taken an unacceptable hiatus due to an empty propane tank.  We feared the worst from our relatively new grill, as we’ve had terrible luck withgrills, but it turns out, yep out of propane.  Someone in this house (dear husband) is claiming that someone (yours truly) left the propane on all night to cause it’s sudden death.  Could be, but I don’t remember being responsible for that.  I grew up with the awesome gas hookup in the back yard, so there was never a previous need in my life to exchange these dang propane tanks.  We have a charcoal grill, too, and I know true grillers tout the extreme superiority, but this is one category where I vote for ease of use.  Even after finding the charcoal starter I inevitably leave the charcoal somewhere it gets wet or run out entirely or just forget to start in time to have a decent temperature going. 

Our friend Andrew had us over for dinner awhile back and no one could stop raving about his chimichurri recipe.  It’s the perfect combination of light and fresh and spicy enough to make the little segment under your eyes feel like it’s sweating but not enough to make you cry, kind of like the way I want horseradish, kick your dog hot.  Andrew matriculated from south Louisiana, home of all things amazing in the shellfish arena and has a wonderful business bringing crawfish equipment to you and yours anywhere in the country.  Come to think of it, the best kiddo birthday I ever attended was a 7 year old’s crawfish boil, perhaps I should rethink the bowling party and see about a crawfish boil… but that said Andrew and Darcie will be expecting their first baby right around then so maybe next year will be a better bet. 

We grill the chicken on a grill of course, Mama Houdyshell style.  When my first baby was a mere 3 weeks old, we had a rockin’ 4th of July party/sip ‘n’ see.  If you’re not from the south, I highly recommend you adding these parties to your repertoire.  This blog has almost my exact experience when first hearing about these events.  But Lord knows I love a party, so heh?  Mine consisted of a keg of Miller High Life Light on the front porch, 2 watermelons infused with vodka, chicken sandwiches and burgers from the grill, friends, family, a whole lot of fun, and my induction to parenthood.  I will note, mine was *not* a gift-giving exchange like a typical shower.  I get so uncomfortable in the gift giving process.  Mine was a, Hey y’all!  We just had a baby, come try out our Baby Bijorn and meet our party girl who went for margaritas on the way home from the hospital!  Back to topic, Mama Houdyshell brought the chicken for the sandwiches, and perhaps the watermelons, too.  Her way of doing it was so much better than mine that I’ve stuck with it and run. 

I also love the live butter lettuce, pre-kiddos, this was our staple.  I’ve fallen prey to simplicity now, so we have an awful lot of bagged or containered pre-washed salad.  I’ve made the switch by promising myself that these bagged salads contain more dark greens and are therefore healthier.  But especially cause it’s summer, I had to bring this back.  Light, fresh, and happy!

Mama Houdyshell’s marinade

3 split breast chickens

1 c. olive oil

3 whole lemons

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper

Place chicken breasts in a large ziplock or bowl.  Add oil, garlic and spices.  Half lemons, then squeeze the juice into bag, place rinds in bag.  Let marinate 6-8 hours, shaking occaisonally. 

Andrew’s Chimichurri

1 c. flat leaf parsley.  Finely chopped and lightly packed.
5 Cloves garlic,  Minced.
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp chili pepper flakes
2 tbsp onion.  Finely chopped.
3/4 c. Olive Oil
3 tbsp Red wine vinegar
3 tbsp Lemon Juice

Combine. 

Citrus Vinaigrette

5 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp shallots, finely chopped

1 tsp Murray River Pink Salt

1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Mix, whisk with fork and pour over a butter lettuce salad with your choice of addatives.  I did green onions, grape tomatoes and blue cheese.  Pine nuts or toasted almonds would have been lovely.

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Cooking is always an experiment.  The adaptation process to having this blog has been interesting.  It’s one thing when you’re family is the only one watching what you place on the dinner table.  I mean really, how much can they actually complain?  Dinner was on the table, right?  When I started this process, it was a way to compile what the heck I’ve been doing with my time with a very, very, very minor background thought of… maybe, perhaps….someday I might want to write a cookbook or something.  Hard to do if you have zero standing recipes and never write any notes.  I’ve been blessed with a pretty exceptional memory, but I certainly can’t recall adjustments I make in recipes I make two to three times a year.  Since I’m still in the inception phases of this blog, I feel like I’m passing the – aw hell, I’m out of ideas for new recipes I have in my repatoire phase – and heading into the – how do I discuss the changes I make on a day to day basis, why I made them and what the results are.  Hopefully, I won’t get boring, and certainly I’ll be trying new things and new whole courses as that’s what I love to do. 

I made the white whole wheat flour zuchinni bread recipe I referenced yesterday.  White Whole Wheat Flour is supposed to provide a closer end result to regular all-purpose flour in baking than flour made from  traditional red whole wheat.   I’ve had great results with my regular recipe for zuchinni bread, people like it, I like it, etc.  But it’s still bread and though full of some healthy ingredients, not an overtly healthy breakfast.  I attempted it this week with the white whole wheat flour, the end result was good, but not great.  It tastes better, to me, made with all-purpose flour.  Fluffier, lighter, less dense.  However, in the scheme of baked goods I’ve tried made with whole wheat flour – this is as good as it gets.  If you’re wanting a baked good made from whole wheat, hands down this is your recipe. 

I think this recipe needs more baking soda to increase the leavening.  I have to consult Robert Shimmin again to discuss my addition of extra lemon and the switch to whole wheat flour to get his opinion.  Of course, if I were a real scientist I would only adjust 1 variable at a time, but how many zucchini breads can I make???  I’m going to make educated guesses and do my best. 

3 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups sugar
1 cup olive oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup water
2 cups grated zucchini 
3 tsbp lemon juice
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, grease two loaf pans with butter. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, nutmeg, baking soda, cinnamon and sugar. In a separate bowl, combine oil, eggs, water, zucchini and lemon juice. Mix wet ingredients into dry, add nuts and fold in. Bake in 2 standard loaf pans for 1 hour or until a tester comes out clean. Alternately, bake in 5 mini loaf pans for about 45 minutes.

I finished my 24th vampire book I’ve read in the last six months today.  All this time, I’ve kept wondering why the vampires haven’t sought me out yet.  I have a sneaking suspicion it may be due to the amount of garlic I eat.  Vampire tales are mixed on their interpretation of their supernaturals ability to tolerate garlic, but the consensus holds well that they don’t like humans who’ve eaten a lot of garlic.  In case I have any vampire readers, come get me.  I’m ready to be bitten, we’ll work out the garlic stuff later.  I’m worthy, I promise and maybe this decade I can get into cooking with lemon grass or chili peppers instead.

My spaghetti sauce is very similar to the sauce I used in my lasagna post.  I change the consistency of the tomatoes and add some onion, and I didn’t manage to roast my garlic tonight, instead sauteing chopped garlic.  Tonight’s version was also made with ground beef, but I think I am firmly back in the camp of ground turkey only.  I’m still not satisfied with the ground beef I can procure.

I’m also using a whole wheat pasta these days.  Kayln’s Kitchen has a nice summary on the pasta I also use.  Back when my friends, Lisa and Bobby, started on this crazy Sugar Busters diet, I was overwhelmed with the whole wheat options in their home.  Flours, pastas, etc…. but when the darn gestational diabetes took me down, I vowed to integrate some of these options to my lifetime diet.  There are places that they work for me, like this spaghetti, and there are places that they don’t – the White Whole Wheat King Arthur flour pancakes I made this morning.  Then again, I don’t like pancakes anyway (unless I’m pregnant) so perhaps the White Whole Wheat flour pancakes would have tasted good to someone.  My husband knows not to complain in the morning, the kids are not nearly well enough trained to care.  They’d eat dog food if they’re hungry enough, all while swearing it’s fabulous.  I think of pancakes like the light and fluffy ones served at IHOP and whole wheat flour, in my experience (IMO), has a much denser, sturdier texture.  Whole wheat absolutely adds fiber and protein and other goodness not found in run of the mill plain white flour but it takes some experimenting to make it work.  Look out tomorrow for my zucchini bread with whole wheat flour results.

1 lb ground beef (or turkey)

28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes

28 oz. can of diced tomatoes, drained

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp bacon grease

1/2 tsp sugar

1 tsp kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 white onion, finely diced

Brown meat in a saute pan over medium high heat. Drain. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, bacon grease, sugar, salt, and pepper. Cook on lowest heat for 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saute pan, cook onion in olive oil on medium heat until soft, about 7 minutes, add garlic cook another minute, then scoop into the sauce.  Cook on low another 15 minutes.

Cook pasta according to package directions and serve sauce over drained pasta.

I’m feeling very celebrative (celebratory?) this weekend, and just in time to help me out, my sister sent me a bunch of sparkling wine for my birthday.  I have amazingly talented sisters who spoil me with absurdly nice presents.  Hopefully they’re okay with the fact that I’m the worst gift giver in America.  Nothing stresses me out more than picking out a gift for someone.  I almost had a nervous breakdown picking out preschool teacher gifts until I realized I was making myself crazy and just got Target gift cards.  Maybe I’m really completely self-absorbed and I just haven’t figured that out yet.  That said, I’m really good at cooking for other people and love to try and make them their favorites.  It’s hard with Allison though since she lives in San Francisco on the other side of the world (or seems that way anyway). 

Last year or maybe the year before, I discovered the most unusual wine at Katie’s Mom’s house.  Katie’s Mom has one of those cool wine clubs where they automatically ship you wine every month.  Only hers is only sparkling wine, which is so fun.  In general I don’t drink sparkling wine very often, but it is so festive and fun, on occasion.  I equate it to the feeling some women get when they are all dressed up in a brand new outfit or something.  Feeling down?  Sparkling wine automatically makes ME feel like it’s a special occasion.  Cuvee M Red is sparkling wine, but it is RED.  Not pink or rose or anything.  It is RED.  Click that link and look at the 3rd picture in the slide show.  I don’t imagine anyone would want to drink it every day, but it makes for great cocktail conversation.  I think you have to buy it online though.  None of my wine/liquor stores had ever heard of it and kept leading me to much more boring options. 

In the midst of this god awful recession, I recommend everyone turn off CNN and have a dinner party.  Doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive, it can be simple or potluck or soup or a swap.  The news is so awfully depressing and dinner at home with friends is such a simple, relaxed joy.  I always feel better after I’ve thrown a party. 

Sparkle on friends!

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I’m likely going to incite riots with this post but it’s truly just a matter of opinion.  And largely I think that opinion is formed by where/how you grew up.  I grew up in the midwest, by way of Alabama,  and I’ve now lived in Texas nearly half my life.  I’ve really loved everywhere I’ve lived, and I don’t feel strongly about the south, the midwest, or the great state of Texas being better or worse than the rest.  That’s likely a part of my personality, I get very attached to people and places and for the most part, I’m a pretty jolly person.

Anyhow, steaks taste COMPLETELY different in differnt parts of the country.  It’s due to what they’re fed.  In the midwest, we grow a ton of corn and soybeans and our weather is cruddier a much larger portion of the year making exclusively grass fed beef difficult and very expensive.  All my friends from ranching families in Texas are going to HATE me now, but I totally prefer corn fed beef.  I know that grass fed is healthier and more environmentally sustainable, but it just doesn’t taste as good.  To me.  I know a huge number of women who don’t eat red meat.  Mostly it’s for health reasons, but I have a sneaking suspicion it also could be that they’ve just never had a REALLY GOOD steak.  It seems like 9 out of 10 steaks I buy I’m disappointed in, unless I buy really expensive meat from a specialty butcher.  For whatever reason, I just don’t ever think, well that was a mediocre chicken breast or gee, that pork tenderloin was truly inferior, but with beef it happens to me all the time, except at home.  And maybe that’s just because my dad is better at buying steaks than I am.

When my husband brought home corn on the cob – so NOT his favorite vegetable, I was touched.  And decided to hell with it.  And we ate nothing green for dinner on Tuesday, unless you count those few chives on the potato, which I know don’t count.  We’ve been lucky so far, and I’m not feeding anyone on a daily basis who has a cholesterol or high blood pressure or a weight problem.  I know, I know, I keep this up and we will.  But really 1 meal isn’t going to be the death of us.  And we all love leafy green vegetables so we eat plenty of them.  If you read all of this week’s posts, you’re probably going to think I’ve lost my dang mind that I’ve eaten, steak, gravy, stuffing and ramen – then there was the day the kids ate nothing but popsicles.   So sue me.  I just don’t have the energy to become a true, only healthy whole foods eating person.  We eat pretty well, we don’t eat McDonald’s everyday, and to me food is about enjoyment.  Someone said to me once, “I don’t live to eat, I eat to live.”  I think I may live to eat. and cook.  My life is all about enjoying things, and I firmly believe – the purpose of life is to be happy.

The steak seasoning we use is from Cutters Cross, I talked about their Cajun spice here.   If you run out and buy it, I do want to note to use it sparingly the first time, it can be extremely salty if you get carried away, but the flavor is great.  I feel silly writing a recipe for grilling steaks since it’s not really a recipe or for a baked potato.  And on the off chance you’ve never made corn on the cob, Boil a large pot of water, throw in your corn (after removing the leaves and silks) and boil for 8 minutes.

Be Merry!

Judging by my dinner, I am so totally unqualified to write about anything food related.  Not what’s in the picture, I made that on Monday.  Tonight I ate Ramen Noodles.  Chicken Flavored.  And they were delicious.   I think my kids just ate popsicles.   Since normally they eat well balanced meals, I’m not going to worry about it too much.  It was a stressful day.

I can’t quite believe I haven’t written about chicken gravy yet, though I did write about turkey gravy here.   The chicken gravy process is obviously similar.   And I already wrote about a whole roasted chicken here.  One nice thing about this process is it makes a whole lot of gravy.  One of my sisters absolutely loves gravy on rice, the husband likes gravy on stuffing, I like it on mashed potatoes.  I think it freezes well, at least I’ve heard that.  I have issues with the freezer.  Like never wanting to get stuff out of it, always wanting it fresh, enjoying the process of getting from start to finish, but each year I seem to get a little less hostile in my relationship with the freezer, so I’m sure I’ll be there some day.

Drippings from whole roasted chicken

3 c. water or chicken stock

1/3 c. flour

Whisk flour and water until smooth.  Pour into drippings and stir with a wooden spoon scraping up all the brown bits.  Turn on stove to a medium heat and continue stirring until it begins to thicken.  When thickened and bubbling, let cook on medium high heat for 3-5 minutes.  Test flavor,  and season with salt and pepper to taste.

This week seems to have made me very nostalgic for my mother’s recipes. My mama taught us all so much about cooking. When I was younger, Marti and I always used to tell a then much much younger Hannah, “This is how southern women learn to cook!” while taking turns holding her and making meals. I’ve been so blessed to have so many family, friends, and roommates who love to cook, all who’ve taught me new basics, recipes and techniques. But the foundation came from my mother, so on Mother’s Day it’s only fitting that I would cook her pork chops.

This method of cooking pork chops yields such a tender wonderful result. Braising takes awhile to reach the perfect point, but really after the browning process, they’re simmering on the stove, not actually requiring attention just time.

Smoked paprika is everywhere in the culinary world right now. It seems to be featured on every food show, in every month’s food magazines and all over the internet. We’ve always made this recipe with regular paprika, but I decided to try it in a dish I knew well to taste the difference first. I don’t really think I’d repeat it for this recipe, but the smell straight from the jar is fantastic. I’d definitely be willing to try it on deviled eggs or broiled chicken. I think maybe the slow braising process might not have been a good match for the smokiness to present itself. It’s not that it tasted bad, it just didn’t add anything and if you smell the two spices side by side, there is a definite difference. It also would probably be delicious as a topping on hummus.

3 thick or 6 thin-cut pork loin chops, bone-in (we prefer thin)
2 tbsps butter
paprika
kosher salt
fresh ground pepper
water

Generously season pork chops with paprika, salt, and pepper. In a large saute pan, melt two tbsps butter on medium heat. Turn heat to high and brown pork chops on both sides. If using thin chops, brown in two batches. Cover with water so that just the tops are showing and simmer at least an hour on low heat. Longer the better. Serve with a side of the broth for dipping.

I started making this chocolate souffle recipe recently and it has jumped to my new favorite desert. I’m not entirely satisfied with this picture as my presentation so I’m going to remake this weekend and rephotograph for you. The key to souffles is all in the egg whites. I was trying to make this version while attempting to do bedtime for my two preschoolers. I’m not even sure if that’s the correct terminology for my kids as one technically isn’t old enough for preschool, but they’re bigger than toddlers.

Anyway, our current bedtime routine looks something like, bath, jammies, books, long discussion over which room and which bed(s) they are going to sleep in, me beginning to lose my temper, finally tucking in somewhere, with one extremely picky over proper blanket placement. Then the bigger one talks to the little one, or knocks on the wall or something, so the little one comes running out to “announce” this irritation, an average of 3-5 times. Anyway, it’s pretty chaotic. So that’s my backstory for my kind-of screwups on this souffle.

Souffle’s have a reputation for being difficult and apt to fall and a whole lot of hassle. This one is very simple and has only 3 real ingredients. I’m not a huge dessert person, but I do like chocolate, and I like to make things for other people who really like dessert. This souffle tasted good, and it did rise, even if not to quite as beautiful a presentation as I usually have. But everything that went wrong, was because of my egg whites, which I knew were totally off so considering, I think this was a really great result.

When attempting to beat egg whites to stiff peaks, it works best to have your eggs at room temperature. I succeeded there – though usually that’s the part I screw up, and it has always turned out fine anyway. I started out wrong by absentmindedly leaving the flat beater on my Kitchen Aid instead of my wire whip. You want the wire whip because the whole goal is to incorporate enough air into the egg whites to form first the soft peaks, then later the stiff peaks. Then I didn’t notice until I’d been beating the eggs for so long they’d already been abused and weren’t savable- really they’d passed on to that ribbony texture that’s kind of a yellow-y color instead of fluffy white clouds. So I turned off my kitchen aid and did what I could with my regular old wire whisk, like I should have in the first place, and got them as fluffy as I could.

I should have just started over with new eggs, but sadly, those were the last four eggs in my fridge. I thought about calling my neighbor, but she’s moving (I’ll miss you Genny!) and I hate bothering people after dark. Anyway, moral of the story, souffle’s aren’t as finicky as you may have believed, cause it all worked out fine – or edible at least.

After I made altered to this version of the recipe I ran the nutrition information for a friend once, so if anyone wants it….

Nutrition info per serving:
choc 150 cal fat cal 60
sugar 48 cal
yolk 27 cal fat cal 21
whites 16 cal fat cal 1
butter 25 cal fat cal 25

Calories 266 fat cal 107 – not too shabby for a real dessert!

1/4 cup of sugar minus 2 tbsps for sprinkling
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
4 large egg whites

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter 4 ramekins, then sprinkle with sugar, shaking out excess. In a double boiler, melt chocolate in top portion over barely simmering water. Stir occasionally, until smooth. Remove from heat, add egg yolks, stir, mixture will look thickened. Beat egg whites plus a pinch of salt on medium speed until it forms soft peaks. Add remaining sugar, slowly while continuing to beat, then increase speed. Beat until stiff peaks are formed. Stir a large spoonful of whites into chocolate mixture, then gently fold in remaining whites.

Spoon into prepared ramekins, then run your thumb around the inside edge of your ramekin (helps in rise process). Bake in middle of oven on a cookie sheet until risen and crusted, but center still jiggles, about 15 minutes, but I start checking by the minute at 12 minutes. Enjoy!

*notes*
Soft peaks – when you pull up your whisk peaks droop slightly to one side
Stiff peaks – when you pull up your whisk peaks stand straight up and don’t fall
Fold in whites – gently turning half your mixture over other half, not stirring – which would be to jarring on your fluffy egg whites

This crispy chicken is made with panko breadcrumbs. I really don’t know how I made it before I knew about panko. It seems like I use panko very frequently and I’ve probably only known about it for about 5 years. Panko is made from crustless bread, coarsely ground, resulting in a light extra crispy texture. Regular breadcrumbs can seem so dense, panko doesn’t absorb your egg or oil and maintains a light and beautiful presentation. I also prefer panko for crab cakes or salmon croquettes or other mixed seafood cakes.

My roasted zucchini is made in my cast iron skillet. I used to do it in a regular All-Clad Saute pan, but the cast iron seems to yield crispier roasted vegetables. I also roast broccoli and asparagus this same way. I used to steam vegetables exclusively, but we all prefer them roasted.

In retrospect on the chicken, I would pound it a little in the future, to break it down a little/tenderize a bit, but this result was good and would work well sliced for a salad dish also.

1 c. flour
2 eggs
1/4 c. water
1/5 c. panko
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
canola oil
kosher salt
fresh ground pepper

Spread flour over one dinner plate. Mix eggs and water together in a wide, shallow bowl. Spread panko over another dinner plate. Season flour with salt and pepper and stir thoroughly. Dredge chicken in flour, coating evenly and shaking off any excess. Then dip in the egg and finally, the panko. Coat evenly.

Heat a large saute pan on medium high heat. Add canola oil to barely cover bottom, swirl for even coating and heat another 2 minutes or so. Test oil heat with a pinch of flour, if it sizzles immediately, you’re ready. Brown chicken breasts in a single layer on first side 4-5 minutes, then turn and brown second side 3-4 minutes or until cooked through. Watch heat and underside of chicken to prevent over browning, but use caution when flipping to avoid scraping off breading.

4 zucchini, halved then sliced into 1/2 inch moons
olive oil
kosher salt
fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400. Toss zucchini in olive oil, salt, and pepper, coating evenly. Roast in oven about 20 minutes, until liquid has released and zucchini are slightly shriveled. Turn once with wooden spatula to even browning.

Some nights, it’s tricky just to get dinner on the table. I like our meals to be special and even more so, now that I’m attempting to write about them. But sometimes what matters is simply providing my family with something to eat.

Luckily this meal was made with all on hand products. It’s taken me years to be able to cook anything, much less a balanced meal, without a trip to the store. If you cook often enough, staples add up and eventually dinner can be served even after being out of town. This isn’t the healthiest meal ever, but it was quick, comforting, and sufficient.

I’m one of those aliens that actually likes meatloaf. Well, my mama’s meatloaf. I’m not sure if I’d like anyone else’s. My mom used to make this meal for me whenever I came home. And because we’re cut from the same mold, she too felt guilty that meatloaf wasn’t “special” enough.

The neon yellow looking rice is Mahatma’s Saffron Yellow. I love these packets for several reasons. They cost about 50 cents, which seems unreal. They are a nice quantity for two adults and two toddlers. I tend to grossly over-make rice quantities and we are not very good at using leftovers. It’s quick, but not Minute Rice quick. The package takes 20 minutes. Minute rice may only take five, but it’s quality is pretty squishy and poor, IMO.

The broccoli came from one of those steamer bags they’re carrying in the frozen aisles these days. My husband bought it, I probably never would have so I’ve no idea how much it cost. In the grand scheme of things, steaming broccoli in a double boiler is pretty easy anyway, and it makes me a little nervous microwaving in plastic. But in a pinch, it was an easy on-hand, not quickly perishing vegetable option.

I’m not a huge fan of bell peppers. A really nice thing about them though, is they freeze well. I freeze a partial in a plastic bag and it will last up to a couple of months, just pull out, slice, and add to your dish, no need to thaw.

1.2 lbs ground beef
1/2 white onion, finely chopped
1/2 a small green bell pepper, cored, seeds removed, and very finely chopped
1 egg
1 handful oatmeal
2 tbsps ketchup
6 strips bacon
can tomato sauce
kosher salt
fresh ground pepper
Jane’s Krazy Mixed-Up Salt

In a large bowl, combine beef, onion, bell pepper, egg, oatmeal, ketchup and spices. Mush into a loaf in a large glass casserole. To cook more quickly, make a shape that is flatter and longer, not more than 1 inch thick. Cover with strips of bacon and cook in oven preheated to 375. After 30 minutes, remove from oven, remove fat from casserole with a spoon. Pour tomato sauce over top of meatloaf and return to oven. Cook another 10-15 minutes and remove from oven. Slice and serve.