Meatloaf

I have been trying meatloaf recipes since we got married.  And that my friend is a LOT of meatloaves.  If I find one I like my husband doesn't like it, but if he likes it than I don't like it.  Isn't that how life works?  Well, the search is over, after 27 years of marriage I think we found a winner.  One that we both agreed was pretty good.  This recipe didn't call for Italian sausage but I had it in refrigerator so what the heck.  I think this is what makes the nice flavor we were always missing.  Hope you enjoy as much as we did!!!

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup ketchup
1 lb ground beef
1 lb Italian sausage
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup oatmeal
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon garlic


Pour oatmeal and milk in separate bowl to soften.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 5 x 9 inch loaf pan. Press the brown sugar in the bottom of the prepared loaf pan and spread the ketchup over the sugar.

In a mixing bowl, add the remaining ingredients along with the soften oatmeal, mix thoroughly and shape into a loaf. Place on top of the ketchup. Bake in preheated oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until juices are clear.

Rhubarb Butter Crunch

This is one my friend's Tracy favorite rhubarb dessert.  The topping is SO good.

3 cups rhubarb
1 cup sugar
3 tsp flour
1 1/2 cup flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup butter

Combine rhubarb, sugar and 3 tsp flour. Place in greased 9x9 pan.  Combine brown sugar, 1 1/2 flour, oatmeal, and butter.  Sprinkle over top.  Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

Oatmeal Cake

I don't like coconut but I LOVE this recipe.  This is the most moist cake you will ever eat.

Cake:
1 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease and flour a 9x13 pan.  To prepare cake, pour 1 1/4 cups boiling water over oats in a small bowl.  Let stand 20 minutes.  Cream butter and sugars with a mixer.  Add oats; mix well.  Add eggs and vanilla; mix well.  Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.  Add to oat mixture; mix well.  Pour into pan.  bake 30 to 35 minutes, until browned.  Preheat boiler.

Topping:
1/2 cup butter softened
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut

To prepare topping, combine all ingredients in a medium bowl; mix well.  Spread evenly over warm cake.  Place cake under broiler 2 inches from heat source.  Broil until lightly browned, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.

M & M Bars

I really am not for sure where this recipe came from.  I believe it came from a good friends mom who used to do a lot of baking.  Over the years we have changed the name but I still call them M & M bars as I just love me some M & M's.

2 cups oatmeal (quick)
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup butter
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 cup M & M's plain
1 cup chocolate chips semi sweet
1 cup toffee chips

Combine oats, flour, nuts, sugar, soda and salt.  Mix well, add butter, mix until dry ingredients are moistened and mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Reserve 1 1/2 cups crumb mixture.  Press remaining mixture into bottom of greased jellyroll pan.  Bake 12 minutes at 350 degrees.  Combine condensed milk and peanut butter in small bowl mixing until well blended.  Spread over partially baked crust.  Combine reserved crumb mixture and candies.  Sprinkle evenly over condensed milk, mixture, pressing in lightly.  Continue baking 15-17 minutes at 350 degrees.