James' Favorite Meatloaf

If there is ever a time that I need to make dinner that I know will be a hit with James, this meatloaf will be front and center. It's really easy and doesn't have all the chunky, crunchy things like in traditional meatloaf that makes it taste like a slab of hamburger. The original recipe called for tomato sauce but I use jarred spaghetti sauce to give it a subtle Italian flavor. I could probably make this every day for the rest of James' life and he will be a happy man.

James' Favorite Meatloaf
Makes one 9x5 loaf


1 cup jarred spaghetti sauce
1 1/2 tbsp barbecue sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 lbs ground sirloin (must use lean ground meat, otherwise it's all grease)
6 tbsp flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Dash garlic powder

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Combine the tomato sauce, barbecue sauce and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat the mixture until it begins to bubble, stirring often, then remove it from the heat.

3. Reserve 2 Tbl sauce. In a large bowl combine the remaining sauce and meat until throughly mixed.

4. Add the remaining ingredients to the meat mixture and stir until combined.

5. Place the meatloaf into a loaf pan. Cover with foil and place in oven for 30 minutes.

6.Remove meatloaf from oven, uncover, and carefully drain the fat.

7. Pour the reserved sauce over the top of the meatloaf, in a stream down the center.

8. Return the meatloaf to the oven, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes or until done. Remove and allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.

Beer Bread

This bread is awesome. It was also one of the participating side dishes in one of the first meals I made James. It's deceptively delicious despite the minimal effort exerted in making it. It's crusty with a hearty flavor that would be perfect for meatloaf or chili. Because it requires no proofing or kneading, this quick bread can easily be a weeknight standard. Mix it up, pop it in the oven and go about your business. Experiment with different kinds of beer. We really liked the light taste of Blue Moon white ale.

BEER BREAD
Makes one 9x5 loaf

3 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 12 oz. bottle of beer (experiment!)

Start with a cold oven. Grease 9x5 loaf pan. Mix all ingredients until you have a lumpy, sort of spongy wet dough. Spoon into loaf pan. Put them in the cold oven and set for 375 degrees F. Leave in oven for 60 minutes. 20 minutes before they're done, brush butter on top of loaves and return to oven.

Macaroni and Cheese

I love homemade mac and cheese. There's something very comforting about sitting down with a bowl that has just come out of the oven that satisfies like nothing else will. It's one of the first things that I cooked for James (to go along with meatloaf that he adores) and he is never disappointed to come home and see it baking in the oven. This recipe calls for elbow macaroni but I use rotini or penne pasta all the time. I even use whole wheat pasta instead of white and it tastes just as delicious.

Macaroni and Cheese
Recipe courtesy of Betty Crocker

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (7 ounces)
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded or cubed Cheddar cheese (8 ounces)

Heat oven to 350ºF.

Cook macaroni as directed on package.

While macaroni is cooking, melt butter in 3-quart saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constanly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in cheese. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted.

Drain macaroni. Gently stir macaroni into cheese sauce. Pour into ungreased 2-quart casserole. Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly.