ApacheDug’s Award Winning Meatloaf!

I know, I know:  meatloaf is boring, they’re simple to make & if you google the word ‘meatloaf’ you’ll find 228,565 recipes already out there.  

But it seems like everytime I convince myself there’s a better meatloaf online and try one of those other recipes—nope!  Mine’s always best.

C’mon people—chili powder?  Carrots?  Raisins??  Why don’t you stir in a dash of crazy!

ApacheDug’s Award Winning Meatloaf

• 1 lb. 80% lean ground beef
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup Progresso Breadcrumbs
• 1 chopped (fine) onion
• 1 chopped (fine) green pepper
• 2 tablespoons Worchestire Sauce
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 1/4 cup milk
• Dash of garlic powder
• Dash of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (careful!)

Topping:

• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar

1.  Preheat oven to 350F.  Whisk egg & milk together first.  Add remaining ingredients (except for topping) in a large bowl, shape into a loaf. 

Bake uncovered at 350F for 1 hour.

2.  Whisk topping ingredients together in small bowl until blended, spoon on top of cooked meatloaf and place back into oven for an additional 10-15 minutes.

3.  Remove from oven, transfer to large plate & let sit for 4-5 minutes. 

Enjoy!

I’m back in the city, thanks to some very special people… it’s a beautiful thing

 

This past Saturday, with the help of my sister Shawn, brother-in-law Jim and my niece Sophia, I moved back to the city of Pittsburgh.  (Well, about 5-6 miles north if you want to get specific.)  But right now, all I can say is—it’s wonderful to be home again.   And there’s no way I could’ve done it without them, thank you so much guys. 

My sister Shawn also got me this awesome welcome mat for my new front door

So after a busy weekend of unpacking, bright and early Monday morning I headed out of my new apartment building—and walked up the main avenue to my former neighborhood of 22+ years, to drop in on some folks & businesses I haven’t seen since last summer.  I had to laugh when my old friend Tilla at Lincoln Deli exclaimed  “WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!”   When I started to reply, she said “YOU MISSED OUR FRUIT PIE SALE LAST WEEK!” 

Anyway, I’m not all moved in just yet so to speak—I still don’t have a couch (it’s on order!) or dining chairs for my new dining table, or anything for the walls—but here’s what I DO have, and for all this I am grateful & happy.

An awesome view out my giant livingroom window—it’s an 8 foot square of new glass that looks down on a tree-lined street in the daytime, and at night I can see the twinkling lights of Mt. Washington in the distance.

Did I mention my building has an elevator?   (And yes, that’s a bouquet of fake flowers in the former ashtray attached to the wall…)  Now this is city living!

My new bedroom, with a cool green metal bedframe I bought at IKEA—assembled by my awesome brother-in-law Jim.  

Here’s my new red dresser, ALSO bought from IKEA, and ALSO assembled by Jim and Sophia.   

I had to get a new tv stand (my old one was a corner unit which wouldn’t work here) and also bought this stylish glass-top dining table (sans the chairs).  My sister Shawn found it for me, all I had to do was plunk down my credit card!

The kitchen is small as they come, but everything is happy, shiny & new; easily the nicest one I’ve ever had, along with the rest of this awesome apartment.

Well, that’s all I have for the moment—I just wanted to get some pics of the new place on here, and again say a big thanks to my family for helping me get back where I belong.   But as glad as I am to be back in the city, I’m very much looking forward to going home again this weekend—and seeing this little handyman for Easter!