Dinner for a Friend

Definitely not a glamor kitchen shot right here.

After working all day on JV things, I started cooking mid-afternoon so I could take dinner to a friend who had a baby three weeks ago (on Christmas Day!). I didn't stop to do any cleaning as I made the meal, a side dish and cookies so that's the mess in my kitchen tonight. As they say in France (which is my maiden name so I can claim French sayings as my own!):

C'est la Vie! That's life!

I still need to get in there and clean it up now that dinner is delivered to my friend, and we've had our own meal too. But first I want to post the recipe that I used for the main meal and give the link to the cookies because they are so just easy and yummy.

The cookies are Flourless Peanut Butter cookies, gluten and dairy free from a website called Domestic Fits. You can find that recipe HERE. Go make up a batch. You won't be sorry!

A little someone would be more than happy to be a taste tester for me. That's her "puh-leaze mom" look!

The other recipe is a tried a true one from Dave's aunt. Since I have no idea where this recipe came from other than the Cadence Missionary cookbook (and I think it's not an infringement of copyright to post something from there), I give you our family's favorite meatloaf recipe that I've been making for 20+ years.

Don't knock the lowly meatloaf until you've tried this one! Comfort food at its best.

MEAT LOAF - BARBECUE STYLE
Aunt Annette

1 1/2 lb hamburger
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
6-8 crackers, mashed (I often use GF bread cubes in place of crackers)
1 egg
1 can tomato sauce

Mix well and put in shallow baking pan (I often use an 8 x 8 dish). Before putting in oven, mix together the best part:

1/3 c ketchup
1/4 c vinegar (I use white)
1/2 c brown sugar

Spread over meatloaf and bake in oven at 350 F (180 C) for 1 hour. Serves 6.

You're welcome!