A Pirogue is a flat-bottomed boat made from a hollowed tree trunk.  In this case, we will be using a loaf of bread as the tree trunk.  This is a great dish when you are hosting or making food to bring to a large party.

Ingredients:
4 Loaves of Italian Bread

3 lbs lean ground beef

2 eggs, slightly beaten

2 tablespoons minced onion

3 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon paprika

½ cup lowfat milk

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 bottle (12oz.) chili sauce

1 cup water

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

1 teaspoon dry mustard

Butter or margarine

Directions:

1. Cut a ½-inch-thick slice from the top of each loaf of bread.  Cut out the inside leaving a ½-inch-thick boat-shaped shell.  Crumble enough of the insides to measure 2½ cups. Cover the loaves to keep them from drying out.
2. Combine the ground beef, the 2½ cups of bread crumbs, eggs, onion, salt, paprika, and milk in a large bowl’ mix lightly until well-blended.  Shape into tiny balls, using 1 tbsp (there should be about 110 meatballs).
3. Brown meatballs in manageable batches in vegetable oil in a large frying pan; remove them with a slotted spoon to a large bowl.
4. Stir flour into drippings in a frying pan; cook stirring constantly, just until simmering.  Stir in chili sauce and water; continue cooking and stirring, scraping cooked-on juices from bottom and side of pan, until sauce thickens and boils 1 minute. Stir in brown sugar and mustard.
5. Place the meatballs in sauce; cover. Simmer 30 minutes.
6. Spread hollows of bread loaves with butter or margarine; heat in slow oven (325 degrees) for 10 minutes.
7. Scoop about 2 cups of meatballs and sauce into each. Cut into quarters to eat with a knife and fork.