Steakhouse Elite Beef - Awesome!
Meatloaf - Amazing!
Steakhouse Elite Stuffed Meatloaf - Perfection!
 
Maybe you just love the taste of savory meatloaf or perhaps you are trying to substitute your carbohydrate intake with protein-rich dishes. Either way, this Goat Cheese Stuffed Mini Meatloaf recipe says you can have it all!
 
Why mini-meatloafs? Well, while this recipe can be easily adapted and made into a larger meatloaf, we found the mini-pans are perfect for freezing, help with portion control, are easy to take for lunch, and are perfect for a one-person meal!
 
So, whether you decide to do this recipe in mini’s, or go all in, you have a savory, low carb dish good enough deserve delicious Steakhouse Elite beef.

Steakhouse Elite Goat Cheese-Stuffed Mini Meatloafs
 
Ingredients
 
6 mini-meatloaf aluminum pans
2 lbs Steakhouse Elite grassfed beef
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 pinch of oregano
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
2 eggs
3 scallions, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bunch raw spinach leaves
5 fresh basil leaves, chopped
4 oz goat cheese
4 oz can of tomato paste
1 sprig of fresh rosemary, de-stemmed
 
Instructions
 
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line up mini meatloaf pans and spray inside with cooking spray to grease.
 
In a bowl, season Steakhouse Elite grassfed beef with cayenne, oregano, salt, and pepper. Add two eggs and mix well with hands Add scallions, onion, and garlic and mix with hands until well distributed.
 
Grab a handful of the beef mixture and firmly press into bottom of each meatloaf pan. Then, layer on top of the meat mixture spinach and basil leaves, a dollop of goat cheese. Seal mixture by placing another handful of beef mixture on top and sealing it by folding in the sides to create a stuffed “pocket” in the center.
 
Top the mini meatloafs with tomato paste and sprigs of rosemary. Bake at 425 until cooked throughout and middle temperature reaches 160 degrees (actual time depends on altitude and size of mini-pans).

Such a simple twist on traditional meatloaf, but when made with premium ingredients like Steakhouse Elite premium ground beef, goat cheese, and fresh herbs, this small change turns a bland dish into a culinary treat!

How do you become a "host with the most?" Well, whether you are hosting a tailgate, BBQ or holiday party, we believe the best hosts are those who make their guests feel comfortable and relaxed by being comfortable and relaxed themselves. Preparing ahead of time, being organized, and enjoying some of the holiday cheer yourself will ensure guests will be comfortable enough to do the same.

Hosting Hack No. 1: Prepare, prepare, prepare!

Preparation is the key to good hosting so you can spend time with your guests instead of with your stove top. Cook what you can ahead of time, and chop, slice, dice, and prepare anything you can’t. Simplify buffet preparation by marking trays, bowls, and platters with notes of what dish goes where, what time it needs to go in the oven/on the table and what it is served with.  Not only will this help you visualize the display, but it will also allow you to enlist the help of others to pop items in the oven or transfer the food from pots and pans to the correct bowls.

Hosting Hack No. 2: Pick the right food.

Stick with easy, delicious, and proven recipes. If people always compliment your meatballs or dip--no matter how simple--now is the time to break it out! A holiday party is NOT the time to experiment with a six-page recipe! Simple, delicious finger foods will keep you out of the kitchen and part of the party. Plus, finger foods keep serving ware and utensils at a minimum, helping with overall clean up afterward. 

And speaking of food, here are a few Steakhouse Elite party favorites:

• Crockpot Meatballs (Kobe-crafted Steakhouse Elite meat mixed with onion, cranberry, walnuts, parsley and breadcrumbs and topped with your favorite BBQ sauce)
• Beef and Sweet Potato Empanadas with Avocado Cream (made with our Angus beef)
• Stuffed mushrooms (Kobe-crafted Steakhouse Elite meat mixed with breadcrumbs, blue cheese, chives and steak seasoning stuffed into mushroom caps)

Hosting Hack No. 3: Organize. 

Decide ahead of time where guests will put their purses, coats, and other personal items.  Assure there is room for leftovers in the fridge. Find the bottle openers. Make sure there is ice. Empty the garbage cans and put them out for guests to use. Make sure there is extra toilet paper in the bathroom. Anything you can do now to prepare and organize ahead of time will help you navigate through your guests without getting stopped dozens of time to answer questions like "where is the garbage?"

Hosting Hack No. 4: Mix up your guest list. 

A good party has a mix of guests: couples, singles, old friends, new friends, work friends, friends from the gym, older individuals, and young ones, too! A good mix keeps things fun and interesting, just be sure to introduce everyone so no one feels like an outsider. And about kids...kid-friendly parties are at the sole discretion of the host, but if you choose to make it an adult-only occasion, be clear on the invite (and address parents with infants who might think they don't apply). If kids are allowed--that's great! But set up a place for the kids to be and establish any limits or rules ahead of time.

Hosting Hack No. 5: Create the mood. 

Put on your favorite party music, enjoy a glass of wine, light the candles, and dress up! All of this will contribute to the overall mood and atmosphere of the party.  The guests will follow your lead for a more enjoyable time.

Hosting Hack No. 6: Create independent guests.

Having independent guests helps the host have a good time, so be sure to show them where they can serve up their own beverages and food, and introduce them to the other guests so you can spend your time mingling instead of pouring a glass of champagne or serving food. Setting up a beverage station can also help guests feel comfortable pouring their own drinks. A general rule is to get your guests their first glass and then let them know to help themselves moving forward.

Hosting Hack No. 7: Trade out the good stemware. 

Too much holiday cheer can leave your good crystal shattered.  Minimize the damage with a preventative stash of cheap stemware (we promise that guests will gladly swap fancy stemware for a good host)--and try to cry over split wine.
 
Hosting Hack No. 8: Limit the cleanup.

Table cloths, paper and plastic utensils, and paper napkins all make cleaning up a snap.  If this is too informal for your tastes,  then at minimum be sure to clear away and any preparation dishes before the guests arrive so your left with less of a mess when they leave.  Either way, whatever you do, don’t let the cleanup begin until after the guests leave--a good host is never distracted by a mess!

While we will always love our bacon-wrapped, Kobe-crafted burgers and savory meatloaf made from Steakhouse Elite ground brisket, we have a lighter side, too! And we thought there was no better way to feature our feel-good grass-fed line of Steakhouse Elite ground beef than with a grass-fed Paleo recipe.
 
So, if you are thinking more about what you are putting into your body, or maybe you’ve even made the switch to a more natural or even paleo diet, here is a recipe that pairs feel-good grass-fed beef with a Paleo dinner dish.

Paleo Swedish Meatballs
 
Meatballs
1 lb Ground Steakhouse Elite Grass-fed Beef
1 lb Ground Pork
2 Eggs
1 TBSP of Parsley
1 TSP Salt
1 TSP Black Pepper
¼ TSP Cinnamon
¼ TSP Nutmeg
1/8 TSP Ground Cloves
1/2C Sweet Onion, chopped
1 Garlic Clove, minced
 
Gravy
1/3C Sweet Onion, chopped
1 Garlic Clove, minced
14 oz Can of Full-Fat Canned Coconut Milk
2 C Beef Broth
2 TBSP Butter
1 TSP Black Pepper
3 TBSP Tapioca Flour (for thickening)
Salt to taste
 
For the Meatballs

1. Combine the beef, pork, eggs, parsley, salt, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and onion in a bowl. Knead together.
2. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Coat the bottom with cooking lard or fat.
3. Form meat mixture into 1-2” meatballs and add to cooking pan. Cook until done throughout, about 8-10 minutes depending on the size, rotating the meatballs throughout the cooking process.
4. Remove the balls and place in a strainer to drain. Repeat cooking the remainder of the meatballs in batches. Drain excess grease from pan when done.

 
For the Gravy

1. Add the onion and garlic to the skillet and cook for about a minute until partially translucent.
2. Slowly add coconut milk, broth, butter, and pepper. Whisk and cook for five minutes.
3. Slowly add the tapioca flour one tablespoon at a time, whisking briskly until dissolved. If your gravy does not solidify, add a touch more tapioca flour, a teaspoon at a time.  (If the gravy clumps, you can blend contents in a blender). Add salt if desired.
4. Add meatballs to sauce and coat with gravy. Serve alone, over potatoes, or with shredded zucchini.

Feel good food made with feel-good beef. Now that’s a win-win!

Just because we are picky and love the best doesn't mean that our team here spends hours over a stove, oven or barbecue. We believe that meals can be simple, quick and restaurant quality without all the work. That's why we offer our Kobe-Crafted, Grass Fed and Angus products, conveniently packaged and available in your grocer's case in the form of ground beef, fresh burgers, frozen burgers and even sliders.

But you can't have burgers every night (however if you do, no judgement here...you've now become our favorite customer). So, coming up with a way to mix up your dinner routine without a lot of extra effort is at the top of many of our customers' lists. We see you...out there on Pinterest, pinning ideas for meal planning and meal prep, and we get it! In fact we are meal planners ourselves. So, to help you along with this process, here are a few realistic tips we've developed for meat-loving meal preppers. Hey, we're not superman either. We like the short cuts and easy way to do things when they don't compromise taste.

Compile a List of Recipes.

Enlist your best effort deciding ahead of time the meals you would like to make and sketch out a list. We find the best way to do this is to compile a working list of meals you like to cook or would like try and write them down or create a Pinterest board. Make sure to include recipes with a variety of meats, vegetables and sides so you have plenty to choose from.

When selecting recipes, consider one dish wonders. Casseroles, foil meals and crock-pot recipes are a great way to get your meats and veggies in one simple dish. They also require little prep, attendance, and clean up afterwards.

Check Out What's On Sale and In-Season.

Now that you have a list of recipes you would like to cook, take a look at your favorite grocer's ad to see what's on sale and in-season. From there, you can get a good idea of what makes the most sense to cook that week. For example, if pork chops are on sale, pull out that Mustard Dill Pork Chop Recipe, and if Steakhouse Elite is on sale (lucky you!), you can opt to try one of our many recommended beef recipes. Same goes for fruits, vegetables and other fresh foods.

By thinking ahead of time what you want to serve for the week, you can eliminate last-minute runs to the grocery store, saving you time and money.  Those who meal plan well not only save by cooking around what’s fresh, on-sale, and in-season, but they also find ways to re-use pieces of their meal throughout the week. For example, a roast can be eaten one night, and then used to make shredded beef tacos the next; or spaghetti and meatballs becomes pizza sauce and toppings the next. Another way to do this is to try to target recipes that have similar ingredients to maximize your budget, like tacos, a southwest chicken salad and a ground beef pizza.

Make Your List.
 
The most time-consuming, and probably least favorite part of meal planning is making the list. We suggest doing this chore when you can squeeze in a free 15 to 30 minutes. Many of our people are seen pulling their lists together during baseball practice, on lunch break or while waiting in line at the DMV or post office. Efficiency is key!

You can opt to make a list on paper, digitally, or directly on your grocer's website. Often, these lists and orders can be saved so you can simply re-use the same list or order when you choose that same meal plan another week.

Find Ways to Cut Corners.

With the development of online ordering, store delivery and in-store pickup, the process of grocery shopping has become a lot easier! We have found that ordering online, though it initially takes about 20-30 minutes, is much less time-consuming than driving to the store, meandering through the aisles, checking out and loading up the car--all of which can take upwards of one to two hours. There's also an added bonus of only buying what you need and nothing more, which saves money and waste!

Make Your Food Prep Painless.

There are a few ways you can really cut down on the time spent prepping in the kitchen. Some of these include:

• Pre-shredding cheese or buying pre-shredded cheese
  
• Washing and de-stemming fruits and vegetables ahead of time
  
• Dicing commonly-used vegetables such as onions
  
• Measuring and bagging any items you like to have portion control on
  
• Pre-thawing any meats you will be using
• Buying pre-made chicken stock, pre-chopped garlic, and other healthy pre-prepared items
• Pre-shredding meats when possible
• Buying prepped meats like Steakhouse Elite pre-made burgers or pre-pulled chicken off the rotisserie (often available in the deli section)
• Purchasing disposable cooking trays and tins for easy storing, cooking and clean up afterwards

Rethink Your Idea of Balanced.

We spend a lot of extra time preparing unnecessary extras for our dinners. Next time you are pinched for time, take a moment to really evaluate each ingredient for taste and nutrition. For example, do you really need to add croutons to the salad? Or dinner rolls? Or even rice or pasta side dishes?  You can simplify your meals by creating beef and vegetable combinations and skimp on the starches.  This will save you time, and your family may not even notice the difference.

Make You Cooking Day Fun.

Pick one day out of the week to prepare the majority of your meals ahead of time and make an event out of it. Put on some music, invite a friend over to prep with you and maybe even cork a bottle of champagne and cook with mimosas-infused enthusiasm. Let the cooking begin, start dicing, prepping, stirring and storing. Put all ingredients for your crock-pot meal in a baggie, or prepare and refrigerate a lasagna or casserole so all you have to do is reheat and serve on a busy night.

Clean Up Time.

After meal prepping there's always a mess in the kitchen. The good news is, if done right, it is one mess, one time a week! There's nothing else to clean up for the rest of the week because your meals are grab-and-cook with very little--or no--dishes to scrub, counters to clean or messes to sweep up!

Before the National Anthem. Before the lights. Before someone wins and someone loses.

Before all of that there is a long moment when sports fans come together over a cold beer and hot grill in honor of their favorite team or athlete and think, "we could win this one."

Before there are winners and losers, there are tailgaters. But to non-sports the mystery of tailgating is one that is perplexing. Why does it draw such a crowd and what makes it so fun? The answer is actually quite simple: the excitement of the possibility of winning exists and it is amplified by surrounding yourself by other people who want it just as badly.

Hope, tradition, and camaraderie bring sports fans together to tailgate. As long as these three things exist, a tailgate culture is inevitable, whether you are at the track or stadium, in a bar or on the comfort of your own couch with friends.

1. Hope.

You love what you love. That may be a racer, player or team. We become connected to these teams and players as if we know them personally, wishing upon them the best as if they were a son, daughter, niece, nephew, friend or family member. Their win is our win, and their loss pains us personally. But before the game or competition, there is a moment when anything can happen. That moment conjurers hope: the idea that the win is there for the taking and it could belong to anyone. Everyone wins in a tailgate because before game time or race time, everyone has an equal opportunity to win.

2. Tradition.

Think tailgating is a new development? Think again.

John Sherry, a University of Notre Dame cultural anthropologist, conducted a two-year study of college tailgating and found that the parking lot parties have ties to harvest celebrations in ancient Rome and Greece, picnics during Civil War battles and modern gatherings such as camp-outs at Jimmy Buffett concerts and Occupy Wall Street encampments. He says, "The idea of getting out of your house and feasting and drinking somewhere else is a pretty old tradition. People eat and drink and build up community in the process. It's one last blowout before we hunker down for winter."

So, the idea of gathering over food and events is not only one of ancient tradition, but it's one that takes on many forms--from concerts, to rallies, to celestial events, to sporting events. It is almost ingrained in us to celebrate an event or happening over food and drink and is the reason we associate the smell of charcoal-roasted burgers and iced-down drinks with BBQ's, tailgates, picnics and festivals.

3. Camaraderie.

There's a reason every stadium, track, game or tailgate flows with sports fans daunting the same attire, talking the same sports talk and eating the same tailgate foods: camaraderie.

At a tailgate, sports fans become a miniature, temporary community of people. A spectator may scratch their head as to why every week fans would be such a magnet to a tailgate that often dons the same food, entertainment and people. The answer to that is tailgaters have created their own community and culture within the sport that they love.

Tailgating "is more about sharing than it is about competition," and people who participate help build the brands of their favorite teams. "The individual traditions that they are creating add to the larger tradition. They see it as participating in the team experiences," says John Sherry, Anthropologist from University of Notre Dame.

While the culture behind the tailgate may seem perplexing, it quite simply has to do with meeting the needs of the things we want: hope, tradition and belonging. It's a couple hours over the grill, in a parking lot and with friends that creates an environment where there aren't yet any winners or losers, just sports fans.