My mothers signature meatloaf includes bacon layered on the top of her special sauce which crowns the meatloaf making it both moist and crispy at the same time. Serving the meatloaf with creamy scalloped potatos accompanied by brussel sprouts sauteed in olive oil with freshly shelled pistachios finished with a good squeeze of  lemon juice was delayed till last night because life just got in the way. 

The wait was worth it, and I am so not a meat and potato person as my husband proudly holds that title and he has no intention of giving it up.  I had two servings keeping in mind that two meat & potato people in one household would totally throw off the balance, and at this point in my life I need balance, but I still had seconds.

Being a stay at home mom for over 23 years, I fell into a natural rhythm that fit me  perfectly.  It was a match made by heaven,  a domestic goddess assignment, a rich glorious gift from God if for only part of my life.  Don’t get me wrong it’s not that I don’t like working, for I am a worker to the core.  It is just that the rhythm of working outside the home in a field that doesn’t suit me throws me off, it is an unwelcome intrusion that I struggle to find peace with. 

Being a woman of faith  I know about trusting God, even when life doesn’t make sense, but at times I get the distinct impression that God has lost my file, or misplaced it while tending to more important matters than my happiness or lack of it as it relates to my work.  Even with my faith it often feels as if I am a square peg in a round hole, and life is just not working out too great ………until I start to cook.

Yesterday was my day off which means catch up day, and no catch up day could ever feel complete or good or anything else worth remembering without cooking time worked into it.  After a few chores I got into my mom mode and picked up my daughter from a day stint at the dentist to have 6 hours of painful work done.  Now I got there at the scheduled time  to hear that she would be another hour or so.  Lucky for me there was a coffee shop around the corner, I ordered my favorite an Americano 2/3 full, I like it strong.  Coffee in tow I meandered to the cooking store to loose myself for an hour looking at gadgets, cookware and my favorite………….reading cookbooks.  I told myself I was just looking as I am on a budget, but despite my efforts to make Suzie Orman proud of me I splurged. I walked out with new a popover pan and……..The Gift of Southern Cooking by Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock.

This is what nailed the sale for me, the Pimento Cheese recipe made by roasting your own red peppers. I can taste how good this is going to be already.   And if the Pimento Cheese wasn’t persuasive enough the biscuits, cornbread, corn cakes, and popovers closed the deal.  I had my wallet open by the time I got to the counter with my two new finds, and nothing was stopping me.

I took my daughter back to her apartment to watch over her as my mothering instincts to make her feel better with food rose to the occasion.  A quick trip to the store to get the foodstuff needed to whip her up the meal I promised I would help her make for her beau last week before the intrusions got the best of me. Heading out the door I was reminded that, her beau was gluten intolerant so no bread crumbs in the meatloaf, mom.  I was back within the hour knowing that tonight’s dinner would be good.

A quick cooks tour from Meredith before I proceeded to make things right with a good dinner.  I made two of everything as I knew I could not forget my meat & potato husband who would not be pleased to say the least if he knew what I was cooking and  that I had failed to bring some leftovers home for him minus the brussel sprouts. Here are my recipes for the meal I made should you try them I hope they taste as good to you as they did to us.   

 Mom’s Meatloaf Recipe

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef

1 lb. ground pork

1 large onion chopped

1/4cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

2 large eggs

1 cup finely crushed plain rice crackers

salt & pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together using your hands being sure to mix gently keeping the mixture light and airy.  I divided the mixture into two dishes, though you may make one large meatloaf. Form into desired shape keeping a nice rounded dome on top. Bake in a preheated 375degree oven for 1 hour for the smaller meatloaves and 1 1/2 hours for the larger, after putting sauce and bacon on top.

Now this is what is going to make this a new mom meatloaf for my daughter.  Since her beau can’t eat the breadcrumbs we improvised using 1 cup of finely crushed rice crackers in lieu of the breadcrumbs.  The result, a better version of my mom’s meatloaf whether you are gluten intolerant or not, the meatloaf was lighter and well just delicious.  It was  a great discovery.

Mom’s Meatloaf Topping

2/3 cup ketchup

1/4 cup mustard

3 heaping Tbsp. brown sugar

6 slices good bacon cut in half

Mix first three ingredients together, spread 1/2 on top of each meatloaf. Layer bacon width wise of meatloaf leaving a little room between slices.

When meatloaf is done, carefully drain some of the fat and juices from the bacon before slicing. The bacon keeps the meatloaf moist while cooking and I love to cut the meatloaf so everyone gets a slice of the bacon with it.

 Scalloped Potatoes

5 large Idaho potatoes peeled and sliced on mandolin or slice side of grater

1 pint 1/2 and 1/2 cream

1/4-1/2 cup milk

1/2 -1 stick butter

salt & pepper to taste

Slice potatoes layering with butter in a baking dish. Cover with cream and milk. Salt & Pepper to taste, pop in oven for about 1 1/2 hours at 375 degrees till potatoes are creamy and brown on top.  Put a sheet of foil on rack below potatoes to catch the spill over of milk.

This is an adaption of a recipe in this months Gourmet Magazine, I am a brussel sprouts fan and they were absolutely fabulous, I am still thinking about them.

20 brussel sprouts

1/2 t o2/3 cup freshly shelled pistachios

3-4 Tbsp olive oil

2-3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Discard any brown outer leaves then cut brussel sprouts in half, remove core from each half. Pull most of leaves off leaving a small amount of the inside of brussel sprouts in tact saving all.  Heat oil in a pan over medium to medium high heat sauteing sprouts and pistachios.  When cooked through but still crunchy drizzle lemon juice on top and serve while hot.

I left my daughter’s apartment around 10pm a long but good day. I went into work feeling better today, not because my circumstances have changed, but because I am changing slowly.  Cooking last night, sitting at the kitchen table with my daughter watching  me trim the brussel sprouts and shell the pistachios with a occasional smile exchanged between us not just for the present time together but for all the times we experienced while she was growing up. Yes today was much better; I had found my way home again and was at peace if  only for a little while.