A Special Present & Play Time

I received an amazing gift yesterday.  My mother-in-law, Annette, brought me this 'old time' family cookbook that I've wanted for a long time!  You can't purchase this cookbook in stores though.  The family that created this cookbook is another, huge, long time ranching family in the area who originally immigrated to this country in 1884. In 1998 they printed a family cookbook.  {I can't divulge the family name because I didn't ask permission to do so, but if you're reading this and are part of said family and want to divulge, please do so!}

The family just had copies reprinted so Annette was able to secure one for me:)   Included in the book are recipes that have been in their family for generations.  I LOVE cookbooks like this because contributors submit their very favorite recipes of all times and you end up with a fantastic compilation of recipes for the book. 

There's even some diet tips included.  Here they are:

*If you drink {diet soda} with a candy bar, they cancel each other out.

*If you fatten up everyone else around you, then you look slimmer.

*If no one sees you eat it, it has no calories.

Tips to live by!

Bryce requested some sort of meat for dinner, so I looked through the cookbook for something easy.  I decided on Joyce's recipe titled "Mark's Favorite Meatloaf".  I took some of our natural ground beef out of the freezer, let it thaw and got busy.  Here's what you need:  {complete recipe below}

I used two pounds of ground beef.  {we eat a lot and it makes for good left overs}

I love onion.

I did alter the recipe a bit.  The original calls for 1/4 cup of chopped green pepper, which I didn't have so I used zucchini instead.  But that's one of the things I like about meatloaf, you can throw anything into the mix.

If my zucchini looks a little frozen, it's because it is.  One of the drawers in my fridge is set too cold.

Mix everything together with your hands.....my favorite part.

Almost forgot the olives.

And the catsup.

Now mix.

I don't use a loaf pan, I just form the mixture into loaves and place on a baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour.

Enjoy.  I eat mine with catsup.

1 1/2 lb. ground beef

1 egg

1 Tsp. catsup

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped green pepper {I used zucchini}

6 chopped olives

3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs

salt, pepper and paprika

1 cup milk

Mix all together, put into glass pan {or form and place on baking sheet}.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/4 hours.

Stay tuned, other recipes I plan on trying from the cookbook are: 

Six Pack Duck

Cheese Cake from Switzerland

Polenta Concia

but one that I know I will not be able to stomach is Tripe {sorry I couldn't resist}

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After I was given the cookbook, the kids wanted to stop at the commodity barn to play and slide on the way back up to our house. I was planning on doing laundry so I let them play and get dusty and covered in grain.

Ground squirrel was hanging out before we arrived.

He didn't want to stay and play though.

This is such great exercise.  And it wears out the kids.....always a bonus:)

Yipee!

What's your favorite family recipe?  Care to share?

Happy Friday!  Cheers! Pin It