Kellogg’s Special K Cottage Cheese Loaf Recipe - SDA Style
Written on March 5th, 2006 by JennaPosted in Cooking, Food and Drinks, Recipes, Uncategorized
In the subculture of Seventh-day Adventism, most of the churches have a weekly Sabbath-afternoon potluck when every family brings a dish and fellowships together. There are a couple of entrees that are unique to Adventists.
One of those common dishes is the Kellogg’s Loaf. The main ingredients are cereal, cottage cheese, and eggs. Non-Adventists reading this might be thinking, “What?! Cereal should only be eaten with milk, not with eggs!” You’d be surprised how great this tastes. Best of all, it’s vegetarian!
I was looking for the Adventist variation of this recipe and I found a great one at TAGnet. Unfortunately, the page does not exist anymore. So, the following is the lost recipe with my adjustments. One named Amy Higner submitted the original recipe. Amy, if you’re reading this, I just want to say, “Thanks!”
SDA Style Kellogg’s Cottage Cheese Loaf
- 1/4 Cup Butter or Margarine
- 1 Clove of Garlic
- 1 Onion
- 2 Stalks of Celery
- 2 Tablespoons of an SDA-style Vegetarian Stock like McKay’s Seasoning, Broth, or Worthington Gravy
- 1 Tablespoon of Soy Sauce
- 3 Beaten Eggs
- 1/4 Cup of Milk
- 1 Cup of Cottage Cheese
- 3-5 Cups of a “Flakes” Cereal - Most of the time, Adventists use Kellogg’s Special K Cereal. I’m cheap. So, I use generic Corn Flakes
- 1/4 Cup Pecan Meal, Ground Fine (Optional)
- Preheat oven to 350 F
- Heat the butter or margarine in a pan
- Sauté the garlic and onions until cooked
- Add the celery to the pan and sauté until soft
- Mix the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl
- Add the sautéed vegetables to the bowl
- Let the cereal get a little soggy (about 5 minutes)
- Place in a generously greased baking pan. It should be 1″-3″ deep. Do not pack. In fact, use a fork to make it fluffy.
- Bake at the top rack for 1 - 1 1/2 hour(s)
- Cut the loaf into 2″ x 2″ squares
Subscribe to Be a Bree by Email
March 6th, 2006 at 11:23 am
As a life long vegetarian and professional Home Economist I found your Special K recipe “interesting”!
I use olive oil, not butter
No milk is needed
1/2 cup pecans
1 egg, beaten in the the cottage cheese (I use 16 oz cottage cheese)
Being one who likes to eliminate as many dishes as possible, I make mine in my wok, which allows me to saute and then mix the ingredients in one container. I mix in the first half of cereal, let it sit for about 10 minutes, then add the remainder.
I jump start baking by heating the loaf in the microwave before placing in the oven. This cuts down on baking time.
Here is what I tell people who have favorite meat loaf recipes:
Use ground nuts and cottage cheese in place of the ground meat, pound for pound and use seasonings (see note below*). Then use your favorite meat loaf recipe. Replace bread crumbs with Special K.
I cook mine in a glass loaf pan that has been lined with parchment paper, I do pack my mixture, so it can be turned out meat loaf style on a plater. One needs to let the loaf rest for about 10 minutes after removing it from the oven before you do this.
*I don’t know if you know about Bill Best Seasonings, but they are by far the best I have found. SDA health food stores are starting to carry them. http://www.billsbest.net/
I will bookmark your site to read from time to time!
Good work!
Kathleen
December 12th, 2006 at 12:32 pm
It is very important that vegetarians get Vitamin B-12. Without B-12 the nervous system breaks down and “Parkinsons like” symptoms occur, this is PERMANENT neuological damage. B-12 Dose NOT occur naturally in plants, only in animal products. Milk and eggs do have some but not enough in present in a HEALTHY serving. Supplements are available and are effective but you can also get a full serving OF B-12 in JUST A CUP OF SPECIAL K cereal. So I’d encourage people to use Special K for this reason. Thanks.
April 26th, 2007 at 3:56 pm
i use for this recipe.
1 pk of Lipton Onion Soup mix
1/2 teaspoon of oil
3 eggs beaten
4 Cups of cottage cheese
1 cup of chopped walnuts
4 Cups of Special K cereal
Mix well, grease pan and bake 45-1 hour on 350 degrees. yum!
May 17th, 2007 at 7:50 am
I added cherry tomatoes curry paste and weetabix to this it worked very wel.
June 10th, 2007 at 11:47 am
This use to be one of my favorite dishes to eat when I was an adventist for almost 30 years. I haven’t had the dish in over 12 years now and I miss it . Its a great and simple dish that I can cook for the wife and friends .
September 17th, 2007 at 9:25 am
I was online looking for a special K recipe and came across your site. I was very excited because I am an SDA and was happily suprised that our good old SDA food is quite famous! I can’t wait to try out your recipe. Thank you.
September 23rd, 2007 at 9:52 am
I am going to try this recipe today for my family, I am SDA and I love this dish, i am glad i ran across this website have a wonderful day.
Thank you.
November 29th, 2007 at 10:02 am
I made this for lunch at an sda school. They loved it. Thanks so much. I am so glad that I found this online.
January 3rd, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Editing note: it should be 2 STALKS of celery, not stocks!
My dish is in the oven, hope it tastes as good as it sounds.
January 3rd, 2008 at 11:27 pm
thanks for the correction! Hope everything worked out!
February 3rd, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Thank you for the posting, I was raised SDA (not any longer) but cook both vegetarian and non-vegetarian now. Does anyone have the recipe for Icelantic Patties? It is something that they used to serve at potluck while I was growing up. I have two of the SDA Apple cookbooks but it isn’t in them.
March 11th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
My mother always made this for Sabbath potluck her’s was a bit different-
1 envelope G Washington seasoning
8 oz cottage cheese, small curd
1 onion diced
1/3 cup oil
3 beatten eggs
1 box Pepridge Farms Seasoned crutons
Saute onions
then simply combine ingredients in loaf pan or casserol dish at 350 for 40 min.
March 15th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
Mmmm!! Cottage Cheese Loaf!!!! My favorite! I’m SDA, but I do eat meat. But there is just nothing like this stuff! SO GOOD! Now I’m gonna have to go make some, I’m starving!
March 24th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
I am SDA, non-vegetarian and have been looking for this receipe. Googling cottage cheese loaf got me nowhere, then from a distant childhood memory of making this, I thought aha! Special K, sure enough here it is, I didn’t even type SDA!
Keep up the good health and Adventist pro health message.
April 15th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Hi there,
Thank you for your recipes.
Due to the fact that there are animals that are sickly, do you have a cottage cheese replacement recipe please (vegan).
Thank you and God bless.
Rosaline Kerrigan
April 18th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Rosaline, I found a recipe for making vegan cottage cheese using tofu. It might work for the recipe. I haven’t personnaly tried it but here you go:
BRYANNA’S TOFU “COTTAGE CHEESE” (A Weight Watchers Core Plan recipe)
1 lb medium-firm tofu, mashed coarsely and drained
2/3 cup firm or extra-firm SILKEN tofu
1 Tbs lemon juice
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar or alternate
Sprinkle 1/2 tsp. of the salt on the mashed tofu in a medium bowl. In the food processor mix the silken tofu, remaining salt, sugar and lemon juice until VERY smooth. Scoop into the bowl with the mashed tofu and mix gently. Refrigerate.
Servings: 5
Yield: 2 and 1/2 c.
I found it at http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.com/2006/11/getting-more-creative-with-breakfast.html
Good luck and I hope it turns out for you. Special K loaf is so good. My daughter was just asking me to make some for her. I am an SDA and I hadn’t really thought about how we have a few of our “own” dishes - except Hay Stacks which is always a favorite and not known outside of SDA circles.
April 24th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
Mine is in the oven now!!
I had not thought of this is years….and had lost the recipe. Wonderful!!
Yes, it is very good made with tofu. There is a recipe over at http://clearcreekkitchen.org/recipes/view.php?id=197
Have not tried that particular one, but it is close enough that it should work.
May 19th, 2008 at 9:49 am
I use 5 eggs,melt a stick of butter. 1 reg cottage cheese or 1/2 of a costco size container. small onion diced small. 7 oz special k (its worth it) and season with chicken seasoning with out the real stock. Butter the 9×13 dish. Oil recks the texture. My meat eaters love this dish.
July 18th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
Well, i made the recipie as listed above, ( the first recipie) and tried to substitue the tofu straight across for cottage cheese! Did not work. Then I found the vegan recipe on the bottom. should have tried that first.
cooking for a group of thirty next week, vegan dishies, and was hopeing to make this one. Will have to try the vegan recipe, hope it works!
August 1st, 2008 at 9:16 am
I would like to be able to print the recipes with out using all the ink printing pictures and other unwanted stuff.
Can you please tell me how to do it.
Love the recipies.
September 4th, 2008 at 8:11 am
Marian, if you will send me an email at cholministries @ aol.com (without the spaces), I will forward you a copy of the recipe. I copied it from the website, but I realize some people don’t know how to copy and paste, so if it would be easier, just shoot me that email and I’ll help you out.
Be sure and put Special K Loaf on the Subject line so it doesn’t accidentally get deleted. 
God Bless!
BethC
October 19th, 2008 at 10:52 am
I\’ve been eating Special K Loaf since I was a little girl. I\’ve revised my mother\’s recipe a little. I use a can of Campbell\’s mushroom soup, a pkg of Liption onion soup mix, egg, cottage cheese, onion, stick of melted butter mixed with a small can of evaporated milk and of course a box of Special K cereal. It is the best ever! And yes Haystacks is definitely an Adventist thing-I love it!!
Kenya
Atlanta
October 31st, 2008 at 8:51 pm
I make this with:
1 onion
2 cups mushrooms chopped
2 stalks celery
1 cup pecan meal
6 cups special k, stuffing or bread crumbs
4 eggs
16 oz. cottage cheese or 2 pkgs of tofu (skip eggs if using tofu)
3 packets GW broth or non MSG McKays
Dash of cumin
sage or poultry seasoning
November 19th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
No one ever says if the special K is crushed or left whole…it makes a difference in quanity!
November 20th, 2008 at 11:59 am
After 45 - 60 minutes in the Oven I put a thin layer of ketchup, sprinkle over a sparse layer of brown sugar and then Top with Slices of Stripples. Cook till the Stripples are nice and crispy. It adds an excellent dimension to the loaf.
November 20th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
For Rebecca: Leave the Special K Left Whole. You want to mix the ingredients carefully so you do not crush them to sand.
November 24th, 2008 at 9:35 am
I tried the loaf for the first time yesterday, it came out ok, I have some ideas of how to tweak the recipe. I have a few questions:
(1) Do you cover the loaf initially?
(2) Can you add more liquid if required? I thought that mine was a bit drying after mixing.
December 1st, 2008 at 7:41 am
Actually, the best receipe for this is:
about a half a box of regular sized special K
one large container of cottage cheese
one onion chopped
stick of melted butter
3 eggs.
mix, and cook at 350 for about 45 minutes. No need to add any of the broth, or celery….its wonderful this way!
December 3rd, 2008 at 10:45 pm
Thanks for posting this recipe. I bought a new stone casserole dish and I can\’t wait to try this. It\’s fun to read all the variations too.
December 24th, 2008 at 7:08 am
My husband grew up SDA and for Christmas Eve, we always ate Special K Loaf and Baked Zita, especially when his Mom was alive. I hae tried various ways since not being able to find Washington or MBT seasoning. Knorr Vegetable soup mix is the best. I did buy a concentrated vegetable broth, that I am going to try for tonights dinner. I have to make 4x the usual amount for 11 people as our family goes wild for it.
February 23rd, 2009 at 2:43 pm
I\’m so glad I found this recipe. I am SDA, but my mom never made this dish. I always had it at school (academy) or at a potluck. I can\’t wait to try one of the many variations. It\’s interesting to read the differences. Oh, and yes Haystacks are definately the best! Non-SDA\’s know it more as taco salad, but haystacks are still better!
February 25th, 2009 at 5:02 pm
My mom used to make this when we were growing up. The whole church went crazy over it. I am thinking maybe I should make it for a potluck and surprise everyone since no one has eaten it in years since my mom passed away. Thanks for posting the recipes everyone!
This is making me hungry and I just ate lunch
March 4th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
I was a student at Thunderbird Academy in Scottsdale, AZ in the late 60\’s, early 70\’s and they had the BEST cottage cheese loaf that I had ever eaten. I can\’t wait to try this one. There was also a cashew loaf, not sure what was in it, but I remember I liked that one too. Any recipes for that? I\’m glad I found this website and will put it in my favorites.
Annette
March 20th, 2009 at 10:50 am
This is by far one of the easiest and most satisfying recipes for a family of both vegetarians and meat eaters. It is a dish that I have found both like equally, many thanks for posting all of the variations of this recipe, I can\\\’t wait to try them out.
March 31st, 2009 at 8:35 am
Please send a copy of the Special K Cottage Cheese Loaf. Thank You
April 18th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
Mesa, Az. Over the years I lost the recipe Cashew Nut Loaf using Special K. I googled Special K recipes and this website popped up on the first page. Glad to find it. I\’ll make two - one for me and one for potluck. Just substitute the nuts to change it.
June 6th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Can I make the mixture the night before, refridgerate it, and then bake it the next day? Or do I have to do it all at once?
June 10th, 2009 at 10:45 am
Yes, you can make it in advance and bake it the next day. Sometimes I make it on Friday and then put it in the oven on Sabbath morning before church with the delayed start feature on my oven. It smells SOOOO good when we get home from church.
Anyone know if using the tofu cottage cheese worked?
July 17th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
I would love to make this recipe, but I do not use eggs. What substitute can I use?
Thanks
July 29th, 2009 at 5:23 pm
You can vary the recipe greatly and it usually turns out great. I use onion powder instead of onion because of picky children. I usually use corn flakes. I have tried with tofu as well. I prefer cottage cheese but tofu will work. I usually cover mine for 45 min then uncover for 30. And stoneware pans are the best for crunchy casserole.
July 31st, 2009 at 9:24 am
What a nice site!! I am SDA -non vegetarian and I wanted to make this recipe. I used to have to call some of the \
July 31st, 2009 at 9:26 am
I used to have to call the “older saints” for th recipe. I really wanted this for Sabbath dinner tomorrow and am on my way to the store for the ingredients. I am thankful for SDA networking!
Thanks! I will visit here again for SDA tidbits!
August 7th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
I really enjoyed that this recipe is online!!! i am very happy about that, and my loaf is in the oven cooking for tomorrow’s sabbath potluck! Thank you so much!
August 28th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
I have made this recipe for years and has been a staple for our pot lucks at church. But now I have become vegan and need some great tips on how to vegan-ize this wonderful standard. This is a great site. Thanks!
August 31st, 2009 at 10:15 am
I’ve had many a Cottage Cheese Loaf (some call it: Special K Loaf) through my adult years being SDA. I’m pretty particular on the texture as I was raised eating meat and potatoes and not a fond lover of “mushy” food. The rendition of the Cottage Cheese Loaf has been interesting to say the least! This recipe has been in my husbands family for years and well, sometimes those recipes are the best! I’ll share it here for those who would like to try it. I’m working on a cook book and this recipe will be in it. Enjoy!
2 Large containers Cottage Cheese (small curd-it’s creamier)
1 Med. onion finely chopped
3 envelopes G. Washington broth powder (both dark and light)
4 or 5 beaten eggs
1 C. Pecan Meal (not pieces or chunks or walnuts but ground pecans)
1 stick butter
5 or 6 C. crushed Special K (do not use anything but Special K)
Melt your butter in a skillet and saute your onions. Add to the remaining ingredients above and mix well. Bake in a 9×13 loaf pan sprayed with oil. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 min. Test for doneness by inserting a butter knife in the center. If it comes out clean, it’s done.
Our family will slice the left over loaf into 1/2″ slices and fry it in a little olive oil and a touch of butter the next morning for breakfast!
October 10th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
i was raised adventist and still am.i grew up eating special k loaf made many many different ways but they were all good!i\’ve just tried making mine with bran flakes because thats the only kind i had. i hope it\’s as good!
October 23rd, 2009 at 3:51 pm
To Nola: this may come late but you can substitute flax seed in place of the eggs, it works great! 1 tbsp of ground flaxseed (you can grind in blender until powderish) + 3 tbsp of water, whiz in the blender together until gets kind of thickish like an egg, and then put in whatever you are making. So much better for you than eggs too!
Googled this for my sister. Will have to try it and veganize it. I don\’t do eggs or cottage cheese for that matter. I am SDA and NEVER ran into this dish so I wonder if it was predominantly a regional thing.
October 31st, 2009 at 3:12 pm
I do not like the taste of cottage cheese or tofu, even when it is cooked. Can I just use grated cheese in this recipe? Thanks, Marti
November 3rd, 2009 at 7:01 pm
I didn’t know how to submit a recipe on your website. Here is my version of the Special K Loaf.
I am always trying new recipes.
Enjoy,
Jeannie
SPECIAL K COTTAGE CHEESE LOAF
2 cups low-fat cottage cheese OR (substitute 2 cups firm tofu, mashed)
3 eggs slightly beaten
¼ cup home made onion soup mix (see recipe below) OR 1 package Lipton’s onion soup mix
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 c. milk (substitute soy milk or water)
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
2 c. Special K breakfast cereal
1 tsp. Bakon Yeast or to taste (optional)
2 large chopped onion
2 c. cooked brown rice
Sauté onion in oil until tender. Add remaining ingredients in order given and mix thoroughly.
Bake in an 8 or 9-inch square pan sprayed with Pam for 1 hour at 350º.
Serve with mushroom soup which has been diluted with water and seasoned with soy sauce or your favorite brown gravy.
NOTE: This recipe may be doubled and baked in a 9 x 13-inch pan.
November 21st, 2009 at 1:35 pm
I am a non-SDA but my boyfriend was raised a vegetarian SDA and cottage cheese loaf is all he has been talking about for 5 years. I figured I would surprise him and make it as a side for Thanksgiving. Thanks for the recipe, can’t wait to try it.
Also we have hay stacks all the time
November 25th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
My ex in-laws are SDA and we have this for every Holiday. We have an official SDA cookbook, which does not call for celery, milk, soy, or garlic. I use the Washingtons Broth because I am lucky enough to have a store right by my house that carries it. It is brown so it adds to the color (which is probably why the soy sauce is added here), so its nots pale. I also use Purple onions, because the color is festive, neve have sauted them either, they come out soft. My son is a picky eater and will eat his weight in Special K loaf. There is nothing better than a left over special k sandwich on rye bread too.
Our recipe also calls for 45 mins covered adn 30 mins uncovered, this makes nice crust on top and along edges.
Never have used anything but Special K, though my ex Grandmother in law says that Special K use to not be such BIG flakes and she thinks that rice crispies would probably be a good substitute. Corn flakes have a different flavor, Special K is not corn. One day I am going to try that and if she is right boy I can make tons of Special K loaf then! Special K does not come in a generic. LOL
Thanks everyone this was really fun to read. The variations are fascinating.
Sheila
December 26th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
Lots of mention of something called Haystacks,
could any one explain what it is and do you have
a recipe? Can’t wait to try the different loaf
recipes.
December 27th, 2009 at 3:20 am
Hello Shirley,
“Haystacks” is a delicious, fast, and easy dish that many SDAs prepare for potluck-type get-togethers. It may be dish unique to specific Adventist sub-cultures, I don’t know. Or people may call it something else in different parts of the world. Basically, it’s layers of taco components which typically go like this from bottom to top: fritos, stewed beans, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, olives/onions/guacomole/sour creame/salsa/etc. Try it sometime and tell us how it and the loaf turns out for u! Thanks for visiting!
January 10th, 2010 at 9:20 pm
I make a vegan version of this…I use a vegan ricotta style filling.
2lbs tofu
1/4c fresh lemon juice
4 tsp sweetener of choice (agave, maple syrup, sugar)
1 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp salt
4 tsp basil
4 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
Mash tofu mix ingredients in ( makes 4 Cups)
I use egg replacer but add a couple extra eggs. Thanks… I can’t find my cookbook so I am using your special K recipe. My mom used to put fry chick pieces in hers… I am gonna try tofurky slices cut up…
January 20th, 2010 at 9:53 am
I grew up SDA and have been looking for a good cottage cheese loaf recipe after not having it for at least 10 years!
A note to Shirley…haystacks are awesome and one of my 7 year old son’s favorite meals! I still make them a couple of times per month and they are easy and good leftovers. However, you have to cook your beans right…I soak mine the night before and cook them all day over low to medium (you will have to continue to add water to keep beans hydrated). In the morning, I add a BUNCH of chili powder, chopped onion and green pepper (2:1 ratio, depending on how many beans you are cooking), and salt, garlic, cumin, and coriander to taste. I am a lover of all kinds of meats and LOVE haystacks…they are so very satisfying!
February 17th, 2010 at 4:38 pm
Hi, I’ve been making this for years with my mom when I was a kid and now for my husband.
A couple of thoughts. We have a Bosch blender(it’s pretty powerful if you have a wimpy blender this is probably not a good idea), and just put everything except the special k and cottage cheese in there whole (onion, pepper, egg, nuts, etc.) Blend until well chopped:)
This freezes wonderfully. Make 2 recipies and throw one in the freezer before baking. It’ll keep for at least a month (I don’t actually about longer because we eat it too soon). I have some in my freezer right now.
For those trying this for the first time, it is not a picky dish. If it looks dry add some more liquid. If it looks wet add more special k. If you really like onions add a bit more, etc. Have fun, there is probably as many variations on this as there are SDAs.
February 23rd, 2010 at 8:26 pm
Thanks for the recipe. I miss Ouida Turner’s Cottage Cheese loaf at potluck. Didn’t know what was in it, but I’ll figure it out as I go. I grew up with them in the Edinburg SDA Church. She made the absolute BEST Cottage Cheese loaf recipe. Her husband Ray baptized me. South TX isn’t the same without them. They moved to Possum Kingdom a long time ago. During the last year I saw them appear on the cover of “The Record” (Southwestern Adventist Conference). God bless them and their family wherever they are.