Winner of Blog Candy

I have really been off to a slow start with this blog. I have had a lot going on so I apologize for not posting more often.

I promised blog candy on my very first post and I have a winner! Katiesniche please contact me via email at dinnerdell@yahoo.com and send me your address so I can get your prize out. Congratulations!

Everyone stay tuned as I have more stuff coming.

My Best Meatloaf

What's under that Deep Covered Baker dish you ask???? It's my famous meatloaf with a bit of altering that I made tonight. It was fantastic!

I am known for my famous meatloaf in my family. My kids say I make the best ever. Okay, I have experimented over the years making my meatloaf something you will always go back for seconds. I have been known to add grated potatoe to my meatloaf as a filler and other things that I have in my cupboard. Tonight however, I ended up altering my recipe a bit and honestly it was the best I have ever made! I added a special sauce layer and french fried onions to the top of it before I baked.

Check out the crust on top of my meatloaf. It made it soooo good.

Here's the recipe:

1 lb ground chuck

1/2 lb ground pork

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 egg beaten

1/2 cup organic ketchup

1/2 cup dried bread crumbs

1/2 cup Irish oatmeal

salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients well. If mixing with hands please remove your rings and wash them well. Once your meatloaf is mixed place in a baking dish. I used my Pampered Chef Deep Covered Baker (If interested, email me for more information). Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Sauce:

1/4 cup Gulden's Brown mustard

1/4 cup organic ketchup

Blend well and pour over the meatloaf spreading over entire loaf. Spread 1/2 cup Durkee French Fried Onions over the loaf and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour uncovered.

Fig Preserves

My sister-n-law, Jan who lives in Alabama has been putting up fig preserves most of the weekend. I just love fig preserves! Growing up my Aunt Lois and grandmother always made me several jars so I could eat them all year. They are so yummy on a homemade biscuit! In their memory I am sharing this wonderful recipe (which is a bit old-fashioned) for fig preserves. You can substitute Stevia if you want a sugar substitute version (thanks for tip Jan).

Aunt Lois’ Fig Preserves

This recipe is very old and gives me such fond memories of my favorite Aunt Lois who was married to a farmer. The directions are pretty short and sweet but they actually make a fantastic fig preserve!

Wash a dishpan full of fresh picked figs and layer with four pounds of sugar. Mix and set overnight. Cook real slow, stirring with a wooden spoon. Simmer all day and watch carefully. Mixture is done when foam forms at top. Remove immediately (or will scorch). Pour into canning jars and seal.

Amish Friendship Bread

Did you know that August 1st is National Friendship Day? So, to commemorate the day I thought I would post the following recipe I got from AllRecipes.com. I altered the recipe a bit to use organic and whole wheat products instead of white flour and sugar. This recipe is for Amish Friendship Bread. If you want to read more about the history of this bread check out armchair.com for more information. You have to begin making the bread by making a starter recipe.

INGREDIENTS
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
3 cups all-purpose whole wheat bread flour, divided
3 cups organic cane sugar, divided
3 cups milk (I use organic skim milk)

DIRECTIONS
In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Let stand 10 minutes. In a 2 quart container glass, plastic or ceramic container, combine 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar. Mix thoroughly or flour will lump when milk is added. Slowly stir in 1 cup milk and dissolved yeast mixture. Cover loosely and let stand until bubbly. Consider this day 1 of the 10 day cycle. Leave loosely covered at room temperature.
On days 2 thru 4; stir starter with a spoon. Day 5; stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Days 6 thru 9; stir only.
Day 10; stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Remove 1 cup to make your first bread, give 2 cups to friends along with this recipe, and your favorite Amish Bread recipe. Store the remaining 1 cup starter in a container in the refrigerator, or begin the 10 day process over again (beginning with step 2).
FOOTNOTES
Editor's Note
Once you have made the starter, you will consider it Day One, and thus ignore step 1 in this recipe and proceed with step 2. You can also freeze this starter in 1 cup measures for later use. Frozen starter will take at least 3 hours at room temperature to thaw before using.

Once you have the starter made you can make the bread:

INGREDIENTS
1 cup Amish Friendship Bread Starter
2/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 cups all-purpose whole wheat bread flour
1 cup organic cane sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 2 (9x5 inch) loaf pans.
In a large bowl, combine the Amish bread starter with oil, eggs, 2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix well. Pour into prepared loaf pans.
Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes.

Have fun making this recipe and don't forget to share with a few of your friends.