Fifty-Two Meat Loaves (Hardcover)

~ Michael McLaughlin (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Food fads may come and go, but many American households still have "meat loaf night" once a week. What a relief, then, to have this new book from McLaughlin ( Back of the Box Gourmet ), in which he assigns a different meat loaf for every week of the year. Granted, some of these versions seem fairly fancy for everyday fare: "Pretty Much Pate" calls for chicken livers, ground veal, garlic and leeks, while "Veal Cordon Bleu Roulade" gives "a little country club class to ordinary meat loaf" by tucking Swiss cheese and ham slices inside the loaf. McLaughlin, who understands secret yearnings for "Classic Interstate Meat Loaf" made with "ketchup in and ketchup on," is a Brooklyn-based author and food industry consultant. Some of the recipes appear to be fugitives from his earlier book, such as "Campbell's Meat Loaf Wellington" and "Kellogg's Spicy Tomato Mini-Loaves." No matter. The main point of baking a meat loaf is to make the most of what's in the pantry. Need proof? McLaughlin's "Dream Loaf," which he considers "the ultimate expression of the entire genre," is made with Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, crumbled saltine crackers, ketchup and bacon. Likewise, "Ann Landers's Good Advice Meat Loaf" is redolent with Accent and Lipton onion soup mix. Despite the cutesy asides and kitschy '50s illustrations, which poke fun at good old American food, McLaughlin really does know his meat loaf.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

Fifty nostalgic photographs and tips for novices accompany recipes for a year's worth of meat loaves, one for every week, each paired with a tasty side dish. By the author of Back of the Box Gourmet. 50,000 first printing. Tour.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster (January 4, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671785397
• ISBN-13: 978-0671785390
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 7.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #682,081 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my favorites in a collection of almost 200 cookbooks., July 18, 1998

By	Frank Dunnigan (Santa Rosa, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you think that all meat loaves are the same--just hamburger and assorted bread crumbs--prepare to be surprised! The recipes in this collection provide tremendous variety for an old stand-by. The section entitled "Alternative Loaf Styles" offers a good many recipes for those of us who are trying to eat just a bit lighter and healthier these days. (One of my favorites is Shrimp & Chicken Loaf with Pink Tomato Cream--excellent!) Each of the recipes is paired with an appropriate side dish, along with other ideas to round out a meal. In addition, there are great leftover suggestions following each entry. The book is nicely illustrated with some nostalgic artwork and photos that will evoke your own memories of good eating back in the 1950s. This book is McLaughlin at his very best, with his warm writing style and personal anecdotes coming through on every page. It's one of the most splattered & regularly used books in my kitchen.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reliable recipes for a venerable comfort food, November 7, 2004

By	tired bob (Hanalei, HI) - See all my reviews

This is one of those cookbooks I reach for when I've got a couple of pounds of ground beef on hand and want to make something that tastes like I put more time into it than I actually did. If you think you don't like meatloaf, these recipes may change your mind, and if you like the standard ground-beef-eggs-onions meatloaf, these recipes will be a revelation. Excellent side dish recipes and menu suggestions are also included.

It's too bad this book is currently out-of-print; the good news is that it can be purchased used at a very reasonable price.