{image by Colin Cooke}

Maple Syrup and Apricot Roasted Chicken from Paul of Sweet Paul…

I came up with this recipe after working on Katie Lee’s first cookbook. She had this wonderful turkey that was based with maple syrup. So I changed the recipe to chicken and added apricot jam. What is great about this recipe is that you make everything in the same pan, except for the sauce. Its really good, I have just overdone it a little and need to take a step back from the maple syrup bottle. Serves 4.

Ingredients:
1 large chicken
salt
pepper
2 pounds small potatoes
8 shallots, peeled and cut in half
10 cloves of garlic, peeled
2 large carrots, diced
10 sage leafs
1/2 cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons apricot jam

For the sauce:
1 cup of the chicken drippings
1/2 cube of vegetable stock
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup cream

1. Pre heat the oven to 400ºF, 220ºC.
2. Rub the chicken in with salt and pepper.
3. Place all the vegetables in a large roasting tray and place the chicken on top. The drippings from the chicken will seep into all the vegetables and make them oh so good.
4. Stir together maple syrup and apricot jam in a bowl.
5. Baste the chicken with the mixture.
6. Into the oven with the beast and roast for about 1 1/2 hour or until the skin is golden and the juices run clear when pierced. Remember to baste the chicken every 15 minutes with the maple mixture.
7. Take it out and pour 1 cup of the drippings into a saucepan.
8. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before you start cutting into it.
9. Add stock and water and bring to a boil.
10. Let the sauce simmer until halved, add cream.
11. Cook for 2 minutes, taste with salt and pepper.
12. Serve the chicken with all the vegetables and the sauce.

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Roasted Vegetables from Melissa of IS•LY…

I have a hard time eating canned or frozen vegetables. They’re always soggy and flavorless! I grew up eating freshly picked vegetables and fruits from the garden, so even buying vegetables from the store is a little painful. There’s NOTHING, and I mean nothing like fresh fruits and vegetables.

Almost two years ago, my mother-in-law came to visit and take care of us right after I had Penelope. With her, she brought all sorts of Cook’s Illustrated magazines. I had never heard of the magazine, so you can only imagine my delight when I read an issue for the first time. One of the first articles I read was about how to make sad store-bought green beans taste like they’re fresh from the garden. Of course this piqued my interest. I read on.

Basically the article was all about roasting green beans. We tried it. I was amazed at how yummy and flavorful the beans were! A few days later we tried carrots, then broccoli, then beets, then cauliflower! Turns out you can roast any vegetable (even romaine hearts, although I have yet to try that). I later learned from a fabulous cook in my neighborhood that roasting brings out the sweet flavors in otherwise bitter food. MMmm.

This is my adapted version that serves 4-6 people. Prep and cook time is about 30 minutes. Feel free to mix and match veggies: broccoli, carrots, yams, beets, cauliflower, green beans, potatoes, onions, garlic, etc. And the Cook’s Illustrated version calls for olive oil. I prefer butter because the lower burn temperature allows your vegetables get really brown and caramelize.

Ingredients:
2-4 cups of fresh vegetables, diced*
2 tablespoons butter**
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Rinse and cut vegetables and place in a bowl.
2. Add melted butter and seasonings. Toss until evenly coated.
3. Spread the vegetables evenly on a 9×12 inch jelly roll pan and cook at 400ºF for about 20 minutes or until golden brown or shriveled. Check and turn vegetables every 10 minutes.

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Puff Pancakes from Melissa of The Inspired Room…

With kids of all different ages and a busy household, family time is precious to us. One way we gather everyone together on a regular basis is with a breakfast of Puffed Pancakes. In our house, we just say the word “puffs” on a Saturday morning and everyone comes running! “Puffs” (as we affectionately call them) are puffed pancakes (a.k.a. Dutch Babies) topped with fresh squeezed lemon and powdered sugar. YUM! We’ve been making Puffs for over a decade. They are simple to make and everyone loves them. Best of all, Puffs are a frequent reminder of special times together.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup butter
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Put butter in 3-4 quart pan and set in 425ºF oven.
2. Mix batter as quickly as butter melts.
3. Put eggs in a blender and blend at high speed for 1 minute.
4. While motor is running, gradually pour in milk, the slowly add the flour; continue blending for about 30 seconds. Add a teaspoon or more of vanilla.
5. Remove pan from oven and pour batter into hot melted butter.
6. Bake until puffed, about 20 minutes.
7. Garnish with fresh squeezed lemon and powdered sugar.

Frozen Lemonade Pie from Vanessa of V & Co…

Because Mr. V&Co. was over seas, I made everything he hated for his birthday last year. We did this so he wouldn’t be sad that he couldn’t be here. But this year with him being with us, we had to opportunity to do the birthday tradition of making the very infamous ice cream birthday cake that all the kids in my husband’s family got to have for their birthday growing up and one that I’ve sort of kept going for him in our family.

Crust Ingredients:
3 cups crushed graham crackers
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup melted margarine
2 teaspoon cinnamon

Filling:
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
12 ounce frozen pink lemonade (can be substituted with a type of berry concentrate)

1. Mix together the crust ingredients and set aside 1 cup of the mixture. Press the rest on the bottom of a 9×13 inch pan. Bake at 350ºF for 5-10 minutes. Cool.
2. Mix the ice cream and lemonade together and pour evenly over the cooled crust.
3. Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the top and cover.
4. Freeze at least overnight. (24 hours reliably.)

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Swedish Pancakes from Amy of Mod Podge Rocks…

My great-grandfather was Norwegian – straight off the boat! My mom’s side of the family has Norwegian pride, and many a Scandahoovian joke is thrown around at family functions. We not only love the Scandanavian culture, but the deserts – no one can do heavy cream like a Norwegian! This recipe for Swedish pancakes is actually from my great-grandfather, and I can tell you that it’s loved by everyone in family including myself and my four brothers. There is nothing better than waking up on the morning of my birthday and my mom has made me a Swedish pancake breakfast. It’s all I ask for on my big day!

Ingredients:
4 eggs
2 cups milk
4 tablespoon butter, melted
2 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1. Beat eggs until thick.
2. Add milk to the eggs.
3. Add melted butter to the milk and egg mixture.
4. Add sugar and stir until dissolved.
5. In a separate bowl, mix flour and baking powder.
6. Adding one third at a time, add the flour mixture to the egg mixture. Stir but do not beat. Batter will be lumpy.
7. Heat a griddle to medium high. Using approximately 1/8 cup of batter, pour into a thin circle on griddle. When top of pancake has lots of “holes” and turns from shiny to flat looking, turn it over for about 30 seconds.
8. As you remove the pancake from the griddle, roll it into a tube.
9. Eat with syrup, jam, fruit, lemon and powdered sugar or whatever you like — not sardines though. Sardines suck.

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Cay’s Firehouse Special from Jen of Tatertots and Jello…

This was my favorite recipe that my mom made when I was growing up. It’s kind of a mix between spaghetti and tacos. And so fun! My kids love it because it tastes good and they love that there are chips so it’s crunchy. I have no idea who Cay is, but that’s the name the recipe has always been called.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 1/2  yellow onions, chopped
1 tablespoon oil
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, undrained
1 (1 pound) can solid pack tomatoes, well drained
1 (3 ounce) bottle taco sauce
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 (4 1/2 ounce) can sliced olives, drained
1 (4 ounce) package cheddar cheese, shredded
1 medium package corn chips
shredded lettuce
2 cups sour cream

1. In a frying pan, brown the beef and onions in oil. Drain well.
2. Add beans, tomatoes, taco sauce, chili powder and olives.
3. In the bottom of a 3-quart baking dish, put half the meat mixture. Sprinkle with half the cheese. Cover with corn chips. Repeat.
4. Place in 350ºF oven, covered for 45 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes out of oven. Top with a thick layer of lettuce, chips and lastly, a layer of sour cream. Just like a fire call.

Chicken Enchiladas from Mique of 30 Handmade Days…

I loved the food that I grew up on. We had home cooked meals every night. McDonald’s was a luxury. I didn’t really learn to cook until I got married, almost 12 years ago. In college I survived on baked potatoes and pasta with red sauce (freshman 15, what?). When I asked my mom to teach me to cook, she told me to just follow a recipe. By the way, I am now teaching all three of my kids to cook! After the wedding I decided I just had to go for it. Jump in and cook. And guess what? She was sort of right- you just have to follow a recipe. BUT, which recipe to follow? I started with some family favorites. These enchiladas happen to be a family favorite. They are quick and easy but still taste great. And they don’t require a lot of weird ingredients. Although my husband didn’t grow up eating these, he now loves them as well. My daughter requested them for the third year in a row for her birthday dinner.

Ingredients:
3 chicken breast, cooked, shredded
3/4 cup sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk
3/4 cup salsa
12 corn tortillas
2 cup shredded cheese

1. Mix soup, milk and salsa. Heat in microwave on medium heat, 3 minutes.
2. Add sour cream, heat 1 minute.
3. Heat tortillas by wrapping 4 at a time in wet paper towel and heating in microwave for 1 1/2 minutes.
4. Take 1 tortilla and place in greased 9×13 inch pan.
5. Put 1 1/2 tablespoon of chicken, 1 1/2 tablespoon of cheese, 2 tablespoon of soup mix in the middle and roll up placing edge on bottom of pan.
6. Reserve about 1 cup soup mix and 1 cup cheese to cover entire casserole.
7. Bake at 350ºF for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly. May cover with foil while baking for more moist enchiladas.

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Beef and Hummus Lettuce Wrap from Mari of Small for Big…

I have an odd history with food. I’m honestly surprised that I’m eating something that requires a recipe. The short story is I have diagnosed allergies to dairy, eggs, and gluten. Plus a million other food sensitivities – like tomatoes, onions, citrus, soy, corn, processed sugar and black pepper. You see the problem?! For many years I lived mostly on plain meat, steamed green veggies, butternut squash, almonds, bananas, pears, blueberries and agave nectar. That’s it, I’m not leaving anything out.

The hummus and beef combine together and create a really creamy satisifying flavor and texture – it’s great for a non-dairy gal like me. I would guesstimate this should make about 9 – 12 lettuce wraps. I usually eat it as leftovers for a couple of lunches during the week.

Ingredients:
1 pound beef
1 bunch green onions (6-8 medium stalks)
1 tablespoon cumin or to taste
1 tablespoon chili powder or to taste
2 tablespoon ketchup or to taste
Salt to taste
2-4 tablespoon water (optional)
Shredded carrots or other fresh finely chopped veggies
Roasted red pepper hummus – the smoother the better (Trader Joe’s has cilantro hummus that’s the best!)
Butter lettuce leaves

1. Finely slice the green onions.
2. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet on medium heat, add onions and cook for 2 – 3 minutes to soften.
3. Add ground beef.
4. Sprinkle salt over the top and brown beef through, 10 minutes or more.
5. Add cumin, chili powder and ketchup.
6. Add water if necessary, depends on how juicy you like your meat.
7. Simmer for a couple of minutes to combine flavors.
8. Meanwhile: Rinse lettuce leaves, pat dry and arrange on plates. I eat small portions, I usually make 3 lettuce wraps per serving.
9. Place a dollop of hummus in the center of each leaf.
10. Add beef.
11. Add shredded carrots or any other ingredients you prefer.

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Chocolate Marshmallow Cake from Dana of MADE…

Looking back, it would seem that I simply loved this cake because there were mounds marshmallows on top. Every kid likes a mallow, right? But now as an adult I realize, that’s exactly why I love it. Life really is that simple. Chocolate, marshmallows, cake. YUM. The cake itself is moist, uber chocolatey. and delicious. Then pair that with slightly melted marshmallows? Down right dreamy.

One of my mom’s tried and true recipes, I make this cake for any family celebration. It never disappoints. Just looking at it is delicious. In fact, my blog MADE is a site for sewing and crafts but I once posted a picture of my daughter’s birthday and readers started to ask, “What is that cake?”

Well, I’m happy you asked. Here’s the recipe! Guarantee… You’ll be making this Chocolate Marshmallow Cake for years to come!

Ingredients:
1 cup boiling water
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk (or use 1 cup milk mixed with 1 tablespoon vinegar)
1/2 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
Chocolate Satin Frosting (see recipe below)

1. Heat the oven to 350ºF and grease a 13×9 inch pan.
2. Bring some water to boil and keep it simmering while you make the batter.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla and beat with an electric mixer for 30 seconds.
4. Add the 1 cup boiling water and carefully stir until the water is mixed in; beat for 1 1/2 minutes.
5. Pour the batter into the 13×9 inch pan (batter will be thin).
6. Bake at 350ºF for 35-38 minutes or just until the top springs back when lightly touched.
7. Make the frosting while the cake is baking. When the cake is done, pour the warm frosting over the hot cake.

Chocolate Satin Frosting:
1/2 cup butter
6 tablespoon buttermilk (or use 6 Tbl milk mixed with 1 tsp vinegar)
4 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 (16 ounce) box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups marshmallows (optional)

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, buttermilk and cocoa. Cook, stirring constantly, just until it comes to a boil; remove the pan from the heat.
2. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, and beat with a wooden spoon or electric mixer until the frosting is nearly smooth (stir every few minutes while the cake finished baking).
3. Add the marshmallows, then pour the warm frosting over the hot cake, gently spreading until it covers the cake evenly. Cool to room temperature before serving.

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Creamy Broccoli Soup from Lorie of Be Different… Act Normal…

This recipe came from one of my very good friends. After my daughter (who was 5 at the time and who HATES all vegetables with a passion) ate an entire bowl (even AFTER she was told it was brocolli) I knew we would be adding it to our dinner rotation. But the fact that it is super easy and perfect for a cold day AND that I love it cold, which makes it good for a warm day too, it gets used year round in our home.

Ingredients:
4 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoon flour
3 cups of half and half (can be substituted with heavy cream or milk)
1 pound frozen broccoli, fresh or frozen
2 cans chicken broth
Grated sharp cheese for garnish, use more to make it cheesy

1. You pulse the broccoli and half of the broth in your food processor for about 1 minute.
2. Combine broccoli ‘mush’ and the remaining broth in a soup pan and bring to a boil.
3. Make a roux with the butter and flour and add that to the boiling soup.
4. Once you have stirred that in, you pour in the half and half and stir until thickened.
5. Serve and garnish with grated cheese.

- or -

1. Pulse thawed broccoli and 1 can of chicken broth with your food processor or blender until desired consistency. I like broccoli pieces, but when I am hiding it from the kids I process it until it is nice and smooth. If you use your blender, but you will have to do it in smaller batches.
2. In your soup pot, combine the broccoli mixture and the second can of chicken broth over high heat and bring to a boil.
3. In a sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once completely melted, add the flour and cook while stirring for about 3 minutes to create a roux. Once your broccoli/broth mixture has begun to boil, add the roux to the pot and stir until completely incorporated.
4. Pour half and half into the boiling mixture and stir until thickened (usually right before it starts to boil).
5. Serve and garnish with grated sharp cheddar cheese.

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The Baconator’s (aka my husband) Italian Meatloaf from Lisa of The Moxie Pear…

My husband is the cook at our house. He is from New York (we live in Georgia) and half Italian so everything he makes has some sort of twist. The first time he made this meatloaf for me was for our second date. Yep, after that I was in love! Over the years it has just become a staple in our house. I also associate this meal with family because we usually invite my parents over for dinner if we are having this and so everyone is around the table enjoying good food and great company.

Tips: Since this is an Italian meatloaf we use the leftovers for Spaghetti the next night. Just break up the leftover loaf into a pan and add a jar of spaghetti sauce and stir until everything is heated through. Add over pasta and you have another quick dinner.

Ingredients:
2 pounds 80/20 lean ground beef
1 tablespoon pepper
1/2 cup onion flakes
1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup ketchup

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Mix ingredients thoroughly in large mixing bowl, form into a ball.
3. Put the ball into a 9×13 inch pan (Pyrex preferred) and shape into a loaf, leaving at least 2 inches on each side.
4. Bake for 1 hour. Let sit for 5 minutes.
5. Cut and add a drizzle of ketchup.

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Chili Corn Chowder from Victoria of SF Girl By Bay…

A friend gave me this recipe a while back and it called for parsley on top, but I thought since it was Mexican Corn Chowder, that it might be nice with cilantro, instead. And then I added the avocado and squeeze
of lime, to really spice things up. I love the way it really enhanced the flavors! Instead of using cream, the tofu adds protein, so another great thing about this soup is that it’s really filling and satisfying, but all very healthy. This recipe is low-fat and 100 percent vegetarian. Quick and easy to make – 30 minutes prep, cook for 40 min, use a blender.

Ingredients:
2 medium onions, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup celery diced
1/2 red pepper, diced (or more if you want)
4 cups frozen corn kernels
1/4 cup canned green chilies, small dice (Ortega is a brand I use)
6 cups chicken stock (I use organic)
1/2 cup white wine (optional)
2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
black pepper
1 cup silken tofu (this is the thickener instead of cream…..tofu is soft, not firm)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 avocado chopped and served on top of soup
1/2 lime, juice squeezed on top of avocado

1. Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent. Add celery, peppers and sauté 5 minutes.
2. Add green chilies and corn and sauté 5 minutes.
3. Add stock, wine, dry herbs and pepper.
4. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Puree half the soup with the tofu in the blender until completely smooth. (Just a little bit at at a time – given the heat, you don’t want it to explode!)
6. Return puree back to pot, stir really well. Serve in bowls and add fresh cilantro, avocado, lime juice to garnish.

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Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Shells from Aubrey of The Mother Huddle…

This recipe is not only a favorite because it is SO yummy, but because it freezes well! When I make this, which I do often, I usually double the recipe and then freeze the prepared shells in a freezer zip-loc bag. Then when we want them, I will pull out just enough for a quick meal. Two or three of these shells are filling, especially if you serve garlic bread or other sides with it. The great thing about this meal is that you can really dress it up to make it look like a fancy meal, but it is really easy. I love those meals that make it look like you worked all day in the kitchen. Enjoy the cheesy Italian goodness!

Ingredients:
1 (16 ounce) container of cottage cheese
1 (10 ounce) package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained
1 cup mozzarella cheese,
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
20 jumbo pasta shells, cooked, drained
1 (26 ounce) jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce

1. Cook the shells, drain and place them on tin foil to prevent them from sticking to each other.
2. Mix together the cottage cheese, spinach, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning.
3. Fill each shell with a heaping tablespoon of spinach and cheese mixture.
4. Put half of the spaghetti sauce in a 9×13 inch pan and then put the shells in. Spoon the remaining sauce over the shells.
5. Cover with foil and bake at 400ºF for 25 minutes. Remove the foil for the last few minutes and top with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake until melted.

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Pudding Cookies from Jess of Makeunder My Life…

This pudding cookie recipe is one that I remembered from my childhood. While in high school, the long lost memory of these awesome cookies resurfaced and I’ve been baking them ever since. The texture is perfect, soft, cake-like without the oily feel of many chocolate chip cookie recipes. And the dough is to die for! If you’d like to switch it up, try using chocolate pudding mix instead of vanilla for a chocolate cookie.

Ingredients:
2 sticks butter, softened
1 package vanilla pudding
2 eggs
2 1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
6 ounces chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Pre-heat oven to 350ºF.
2. Mix wet ingredients and gradually add flour and baking soda.
3. Stir in chips.
4. Place drops of dough on cookie sheet. Then bake for 10-12 minutes.

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Pop Up Pancakes With a Twist from Marie of Make and Takes…

This is my favorite go to meal, the kind where you don’t need to get out the recipe card because you know it by heart. My family has been making these for years, ever since I was little it was special on New Year’s morning. But as I’m a huge fan of breakfast, we’re eating them a lot more than once a year. And with my little kids, I’ve started making them into fun muffin tins. The whole family gobbles these up!

Ingredients:
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
6 eggs
1/4 cup melted butter
dash salt

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. Blend all the ingredients, works best in a blender to get the batter smooth.
3. Grease your muffin tins or baking pan very generously. Makes 24 muffins or fills a 9×13 inch baking pan.
4. Bake them for 15 minutes, or until puffy and golden on top.
5. Use a knife to pry them out, hopefully they were greased well enough and should pop right out.

Visit Make and Takes for more detailed photos for making Pop Up Pancakes.

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Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy Chicken recipe from Kate of Centsational Girl…

I’m a busy mom who often runs out of ideas for quick dinner meals. Thank goodness for all those marvelous recipe sites out there as a source of inspiration! About two years ago, I was desperate for something new so I pulled out some standard pantry staples and a lemon and created this recipe. It’s my husband’s favorite weeknight meal, so I make it twice a month. My kids love it too, especially over penne pasta or plain rice. The fresh lemon is the key ingredient in this creamy sauce. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
4-5 chicken breasts or 12 chicken breast tenders
fresh sliced mushrooms
1 whole lemon
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup milk (whole or lowfat)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon celery salt (I like Morten’s)
Salt to taste (especially with low sodium soup)

1. In non stick pan, saute cleaned sliced mushrooms on medium heat in butter about 5 minutes, then set aside.
2. Brown chicken in pan about 3 minutes on each side on medium low heat.
3. Meanwhile, mix cream of mushroom soup, milk, oregano, celery salt and the squeeze of an entire lemon in a large bowl or Pyrex measuring cup. It helps to squeeze the lemon over a sifter to catch the seeds.
4. Stir well and pour over chicken.
5. Simmer on low for 25 minutes, then serve over rice, penne pasta or linguine.

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Meatloaf recipe from Amy of AmyLouWho…

This is the meatloaf my mom always made. I don’t remember thinking much of it as a kid, but after college I remember eating it a lot and LOVING it. When I moved away I asked my mom to send me the recipe. In that email she told me that it was a recipe a dear family friend made for our family after my mom came home from the hospital when I was born. So really, I think I’ve loved it my whole life, and didn’t know why!   There are four of us in my family, my husband and two toddlers and it always gets eaten. Another reason I love it, it’s always a hit! And makes awesome meatloaf sandwiches, especially on sourdough toast.

The key is the sausage and the homemade BBQ sauce. I don’t think it would be as good without. I’ve tweaked the orignal recipe a bit. It can be pretty greasy so I use a reduced fat sausage and extra lean ground beef. I also line my loaf pan with parchment paper so I can easily remove the loaf from the excess drippings and slice it.

Another tip: If you like to prepare once, cook twice – double the recipe and make two loaves. I freeze one right in the pan and when it’s frozen I transfer it (parchment paper and loaf) to a freezer bag/foodsaver bag. Then when I need an easy dinner I pull it out in the morning, let it thaw in the pan I’m cooking it in. When I’m ready to throw it in the oven I whip up a batch of sauce for the top.

Oh yes, about the sauce. I’ve had to make extra to have on the side for dipping. It’s that good.

Meatloaf ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound sausage
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
2/3 cup cracker crumbs (I use the commercial bread crumbs)
1 teaspoon bouquet garnish

Topping:
3 T brown sugar
1/4 c catsup
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp dry mustard

1. Mix meatloaf ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
2. Shape in loaf pan.
3. Mix topping ingredients in a separate bowl.
4. Add topping to the loaf.
5. Bake at 350ºF  for 1 hour or until done.

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