Dadi and Nati's Meatloaf

Meatloaf is better than you think. Use equal amounts of finely diced onions( 1 / 2 med) and finely diced mushrooms, 2 eggs, 1 /4 c milk, 2 tblespoons worcestershire , 1 /4 c ketchup, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp crushed red pepper, 1 tsp granulated garlic, and a half tube of crushed soda crackers per pound of ground beef. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, cover w/ ketchup or BBQ sauce and bake at 350 degrees for the remaining 20 to 30 minutes until cooked thoroughly.

Serve w/ baked potatoes, carrots and cabbage; butter and ketchup on the side. Yum .

If you finely dice the onions and mushrooms and saute them before you add them to the meat mixture, your 12 yr old daughter, who hates onions and mushrooms, won't even know that they are there, and will say" great meatloaf, Dad." Lucky me and lucky her.

Rat- a- Tat Touille w/ Polenta And More

Polenta is corn meal mush. You can use the same cornmeal that you use for cornbread, but cook it like you would cream of wheat for about 20 minutes. Use a whisk in your sauce pan and add water as necessary. Add salt, pepper( red and black), garlic, parmesan cheese and Herbs De Provence or basil.

Serve the polenta with a red or marinara sauce or a spaghetti sauce of your choice. It is an excellent substitute for pasta.

If you turn the polenta into an oiled( olive or vegetable) pie pan and chill, you can slice it into pie like wedges and fry in oil in a pan or heat it in a microwave and serve it with appropriate( any) Italian sauces or even ratatouille or chili. Yes. It is great. Add accompaniments like sour cream, cheese, green onions, etc... .