Home again!

​We had a great time visiting our friends, Joanne and Arv Soma in Tucson, they house sit a relative’s home for 6 weeks in the winter. Joanne’s fx pelvis is healing, she and Arv had food prepared in advance so all we had to do is set the table, help heat up the food and a little clean up. Arv even made pancakes for us at breakfast. The first two days it was rainy and cool with the temperature 60 degrees but our friendship kept us warm! The last two days were sunny and warm, warm enough to sit in lounge chairs by the pool and even have  lunch outdoors. None of us were in wheelchairs this year, altho one of us ( I won’t mention names) had a uncomfortable leg, needing a cane and walker part of the time and I took a tumble the day we left but no trips to ER!!
I have always loved meat loaf, a real comfort food in my estimation, I recently tried a new recipe, again from the Paula Deen magazine, it was good enough to make again.


Barbecue Glazed Cheese-stuffed Meat Loaf:
Topping:
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup chili sauce
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Whisk all together in a small bowl and refrigerate.
Meat Loaf:
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup red bell pepper ( optional)
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup chili sauce
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 1/2 pounds lean hamburger
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
4 mozzarella cheese sticks


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
In skillet, heat oil over medium heat, add onion, bell pepper ant thyme, cook until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes, cool 15 minutes.
In a large bowl, stir together bread crumbs, chili sauce, ketchup, salt and pepper until crumbs are moistened. Add vegetables, beef, and eggs, stirring gently with a fork. Shape mixture into a rectangular loaf on the prepared pan. Press well into the center of meat mixture, add cheese sticks, cover cheese with meat mixture. Bake for 30 minutes, spoon barbecue topping over meat loaf and bake until meat thermometer inserted into the center of meat registers 160, 20 minutes more. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Have a great week!