SUPER BOWL 'SUNDAY FUNDAY' ~ SIMPLE ONE PLATE SUPPER: 'FOOTBALL' MEAT LOAF & 'SPIRAL' SWEET POTATOES

"You have to play this game like somebody just hit your mother with a two-by-four."

~ Dan Birdwell

'FOOTBALL' MEAT LOAF 

~  Fun 'football' shaped meatloaf ... twist on Ina Garten's Meat Loaf recipe

2  Tbsp. virgin olive oil

4  cups chopped yellow onions (about 4 onions)

1  Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme

2  tsp. kosher salt

2  tsp. freshly ground black pepper

3  Tbso. Worcestershire Sauce

1/3  cup white wine

2  Tbsp. tomato paste

3  lbs. ground lean chuck

heaping 1/2 cup plain panko crumbs

3  extra-large beaten eggs

Mozzarella sticks (cut for football laces)

Piquant Sauce:

1/2  cup ketchup

3  Tbsp. brown sugar

1  tsp. dry mustard

1/4  tsp. grated nutmeg

• Preheat oven to 325º.
• Heat olive oil in medium saute pan. Add onions, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes until onions are translucent but not brown. Off heat, add Worcestershire sauce, wine, and tomato paste. Allow to cool slightly.
• In large bowl, coming ground chuck, onion mixture , panko crumbs, and eggs, and mix lightly with a fork. Don' mash or meat loaf will be dense. 
• Shape mixture into football shape (or rectangle if not wanting football shape) on a parchment lined sheet pan. Spread Piquant Sauce every on top.
• Bake for 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours, until internal temperature is 160º and meat loaf is cooked through. (A pan of hot water in the oven, under the meat loaf, will keep top from cracking.) Serve hot.

SPIRAL SWEET POTATO FRIES

For each large scrubbed sweet potato

2  Tbsp. Extra-virgin olive oil

1/4  tsp. cayenne pepper

1/2  tsp. garlic powder

coarse salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

• Preheat oven to 450º. Spiralize sweet potatoes (Paderno Spiralizer) or cut into slender wedges. 
• Toss sweet potato with oil and seasonings.
• Spread fries in a single layer on large baking sheet lined with aluminum foil - try not to overlap or they will steam instead of bake.
• Bake on top rack of oven for 20-25 minutes, flipping half way in between baking.

Note: I have a 4-blade Paderno Spiralizer from Williams-Sonoma