You know you're a housewife when...

...you can make a good meatloaf!

Maybe that's not true, but I feel like meatloaf is a very old-school housewifey thing...maybe that's just me. At any rate, when I asked my husband what he wanted for dinner this week, he took less than 10 seconds to say "meatloaf!" oh dear, I've never made meatloaf before!

Thankfully I received several cookbooks for shower and wedding gifts. So I searched through them, picked the tastiest and easiest sounding recipe and went to the store. I was actually really excited to make it!

Maybe it's because cooking for someone other than me is pretty new, maybe it's because I have beautiful and colorful new things to cook with (gaze at Fiestaware canisters, salad spinner and cutting mats) or maybe it's from all the hours of Rachel Ray I have watched...but whatever it is...I am excited to cook! I want to read cookbooks. I want to try new things often. I want to take pictures and blog about it. So here's to many recipes, successes, and failures in the kitchen to come!

Some things I like about cooking meatloaf...

1. I actually enjoy squishing all the ingredients together with my hands (Rachel Ray style and rings off of course)

2. the long time in the oven allows me to set the table, clean up dishes, and prepare side dishes easily

3. my husband likes it

Something I do not like about cooking meatloaf (in the summer)...

1. it makes my already hot house EVEN hotter! :S

So after an hour in the oven....voila!

Yes, I realize meatloaf is not the prettiest meal...it's messy. But this was a sight to behold for me. I was so excited! It was a success.

I made mashed potatoes (from the box, I admit...that will be another day's challenge to make real ones) and green beans.

The meatloaf tasted SO good. We were both stuffed but went back for seconds and have leftovers for today!

Mission Meatloaf--accomplished!
(a special thanks to the Grimm Family cookbook)

Recipe for Sweet and Sour Meatloaf
1 1/2 lb ground beef
1 c dry bread crumbs
1 t salt
1/4 t pepper
2 eggs
1 t minced onion
15 oz tomato sauce divided

Topping
tomato sauce
2 T brown sugar
2 T vinegar
1/2 c sugar
2 t prepared mustard

Mix together beef, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and eggs. Add onions and half of the tomato sauce. Form into loaf and place in pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

In saucepan, combine topping ingredients, bring to boil. Pour over meatloaf. Bake 10 minutes more.