The Sunday Matinee

One could question the validity of Health where this sandwich is concerned, but let's be clear, everyone needs a vacation from other healthy options and sometimes you just need to bite into something that rocks your world. Although the Sunday Matinee may be deemed as a departure from certain health conscious eating habits...it is made with whole, healthy ingredients and will promote health if you stick to those ingredients. Just allow yourself to stop eating at some point, it will be difficult, just know that.

This recipe is a throw back to Sundays after church when I was a kid. Belly up to the supper table with this crispy/tender pan fried herbed meatloaf nested in grilled marble rye and covered in melty Sharp Wisconsin Cheddar, crispy onion straws and tangy oven roasted tomatoes. This tastebud heaven is comforting and delicious.

Ingredients

1.5 lb. grass fed ground beef
1 cup rolled oats, ground 
2 eggs
Salt & Pepper
1 tsp. of each - dried rosemary, thyme, basil
Grape Seed cooking spray
3 Tomatoes, sliced medium thickness
Olive Oil (to drizzle over tomatoes)
8 oz. Wisconsin Sharp Cheddar, sliced or grated
1 container of crispy onion straws
1 Loaf Marble Rye, cut into 8 thick slices
Butter, generous amounts
Instructions

STEP ONE:
Slice tomatoes and lay on foil covered cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast on the top rack of a 400 degree preheated oven. Cook for a total of 30 minutes (check at the 20 minute mark).

STEP TWO:
After the tomatoes are in the oven, put oatmeal in blender or food processor and pulse until like a flour. Mix beef, oats, eggs and seasonings with a fork. Press in a sprayed loaf pan. Reduce oven heat to 350 and cook for 25 minutes. Remove both meatloaf and tomatoes and let sit for 10 minutes.

STEP THREE:
While they are cooling, slice the bread, butter one side of each piece, load up one side with approximately 4 oz. of cheese.

STEP FOUR:
Slice meatloaf. Add butter to skillet and fry on medium until each side is crispy. Add one slice of meatloaf, 2 tomato slices and a liberal amount of onion straws to each sandwich. Then grill them in the skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes per side.