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Dear cooks,

Oh, my gosh! It's only been a few days since I asked, "Do you cook rice to put in your meatloaf?" and I've already heard from 52 people! (Only ONE was a stinker, chastising me for daring to joke about possibly becoming "allergic" to corn and rice since I eat so much of those things. Some people are far too serious!) Anyway, here are a few of the highlights; thanks so much for all of your responses and your RECIPES!

As for my main question, most people said "yes, cook it first," but a couple said they use Minute Rice straight from the box with great results. In that case, nearly everyone said to add extra liquid (milk or water or whatever you like - even wine!).

The real surprise, though, was all the various other fillers that folks use. Many suggested using crushed corn tortilla chips; potato chips; dried potato flakes (add milk and eggs); and cornmeal (not cooked!)! GF flours were recommended, as well as shredded baking potatoes (cooked or uncooked, peeled or not). Corn flake crumbs (cereal) also was suggested.

M. Greaves made me smile when she said, "Do cook the rice first, Gail, otherwise they´ll resemble little lead pellets
in your meatloaf! Bon appetit, and I hope you do not become allergic to rice as well! (I haven´t and I LIVE on a diet of rice: I´m expecting my eyes to slant anytime now)."

Toni Gaylene suggests using brown rice, wild rice blends and exotic rice blends which produce a nutty flavor and crunchy texture. "Sweet brown rice is also very good. For a more traditional meat loaf use a sticky white rice." 
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Toni's Recipe for Meatloaf:

A couple cups cooked rice
One of pound ground beef
Two eggs

Maybe a third cup of catsup, maybe more and a couple tablespoons of honey
OR
A small can of tomato paste and a little more honey than above

Seasonings to taste:
Oregano
Basil
Celery seed
Salt
Pepper
Cayenne Pepper

Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour and 15 minutes.
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William Lucas and a number of others use cream of rice cereal -- 2 to 3 tablespoons per pound of meat, depending upon the fattiness of the meat.  He also makes a  meatloaf florentine, which has cooked chopped spinach in it, but you don't taste the spinach. I wish he would post his recipe!

Dennis Tonetti saves " bread ends, 'didn't work' breads, gone stale, etc.; broken crackers received in the mail, corn bread just about anything that is baked like bread I save the leftovers and make crumbs and add to the bag..  So, I always have a big bag in the freezer. "

Raymond Dmochowski sent a recipe for "low carb " meatloaf that doesn't use any breadcrumbs, rice, flour, etc. Here it is and I would very much like someone to cook it for me and deliver it ASAP!
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Raymond's Low Carb Meat Loaf 
Serves 8

Prep Time = 30 min; Cook Time = 1 hour 15 min

Ingredients:
2 lbs ground chuck (or use meat loaf mix with ground pork)
2 eggs
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup red onion, diced small
1/4 cup roasted or fresh red bell peppers, diced
2 Tbls chopped fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 lb prosciutto, or any type of ham, thinly sliced
1/4 lb provolone cheese, sliced

Tomato Topping:
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
1/4 cup sugar substitute (recommended: Splenda)
2 tsp white vinegar or water


Method:
(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
(2) In a small bowl, mix together the tomato topping ingredients.
Set aside. You may add a few drops of water to thin to a ketchup
consistency.
(3) In a large bowl, mix together the beef, eggs, Parmesan, vegetables,
herbs, and seasonings.
(4) Working on a waxed paper lined sheet pan or counter, form meatloaf
mix into a 10 by 8-inch flat rectangle on the waxed paper. Place a layer
of prosciutto slices on top, followed by a layer of provolone slices. Roll up
the stuffed meatloaf mix like a burrito and seal the edges all around by
pinching the meat.
(5) Place the roll, seam side down, into a 5 by 9-inch loaf pan. Spread a
heavy coat of the tomato topping to completely cover the top of the meatloaf.
Place in oven and bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the temp
on a meat thermometer registers 165 degrees F. Drain fat and let rest
at least 10 minutes before slicing.
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Vi Orloff reminds that "celiacs may have amaranth, millet, buckwheat, soy, teff, so there is no need to limit your food choices."

Lynn Robbins uses baby rice cereal, straight from the box for her meatloaf filler.  Great idea!

Dick of Fairbanks, Alaska, says he cooks the rice first and suggests "adding fish to (your meatloaf).  We use salmon as it's everywhere up here. It adds a nice change." Uh, I may pass on that one.

Mitzi from Michigan says she puts the rice in a blender to "smash it a little'' before adding it to meatloaf.

Ellen says her family loves meatloaf she makes with ground chicken or turkey and tofu as a 
filler.  "Major protein and no carbs!"

Gosh! Aren't celiacs creative???

 Lois Benard cooks a Mexican Meatloaf with 1 cup of broken corn chips, 1 1/2 pounds of ground  beef, 4 oz can green chiles, 1/2 can tomato sauce, 1 T. chili powder. She's probably a Texan. Would someone please make this one for me, too?

Jewel Ariola of San Angelo, TX., really touched my heart (or tummy) when she suggested using Bob's Red Mill Oat Bran Flour (buy it at Wal-Mart) to make chicken fried steak.  "Makes a passable cream gravy, too." Awl right! Makes me feel "normal" again!

Joe Ellison of  Evanston, Ill., says there are gobs of safe grains besides corn and white rice, including millet.  amaranth, quinoa, pure oats, wild rice, sweet/sticky rice, buckwheat, and
 sorghum. "Then there are all the non-grain flours, mostly from beans, and
 the various starches--tapioca, green bean, sweet potato, regular potato,
 water chestnut, etc." Wow! He must cook a lot.

Leslie Ann Cardinal says she uses "Ener-G Tapioca bread for lots of recipes that call for bread...it
makes delicious stuffing, for holidays...my family has declared it better
than the regular stuffing and I am now they want my GF stuffing at all
holiday dinners!" 

As for my joke about becoming sensitive to corn or rice, Dave in Ponder, Texas, said, "To get a change in grains you could use Quinoa flakes; they look like tiny oatmeal. Concerning your dependence on only two grains: get amaranth flour for breading meat, garbanzo flour for gravies. Sorghum flour will do either and makes good pancakes. " Doesn't that sound good??? I wonder where Ponder, Texas, is?

Well, I couldn't mention everyone, of course, and forgive misspellings (one of my fingers has a bandage on it; it ran into a knife!). Keep on cooking and send food!

Hugs! Gail in Houston

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