Who am I -- June Cleaver?

Last night, I had a moment when I looked down at the dinner I was making and thought that it must have been transported to my kitchen straight out of the 1950s. Yes, I went old school last night and made meatloaf, mashed potatoes and broccoli. Of course, my versions of these timeless classics would be a little unfamiliar to the June Cleavers and Donna Reeds of yore. The ground beef was from grass-fed cows. The broccoli was purchased from the local farm 15 minutes away. And the potatoes were...nothing exceptional. They did come from from Trader Joe's. (How did we manage with out Trader Joe's?)

The point is, that no matter how many new food trends and techniques I love to try, I also relish the opportunity to come back to a classic. And it doesn't get any more classic than our dinner last night.

My children, it turns out, are less enamored by the solid fare of the 1950s. They both eschewed my delicious meatloaf -- so they doubled up on mashed potatoes.

This recipe comes from my stepmother who was an amazing cook. To me, meatloaf is all about the sauce, and the this is a particularly saucy, dare I say sassy, loaf. Enjoy!

-In a large mixing bowl combine:

• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef (or turkey or a combo of the two)
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup onions finely chopped
• 1 tsp sage
• 1 tsp parsley
• salt, pepper and any other spices that you like -- Worcester sauce, Cajun seasonings, garlic, chili powder, Tabasco etc.

-Mix with your hands until combined. Put meat mixture into a loaf pan or form into a loaf shape and place in the center of your broiling pan. (You can definitely make the meat mixture ahead of time and refrigerate until you are ready to cook. I have never tried it, but I am sure you could freeze it in a loaf pan, too.)
-To make the sauce, combine in a small bowl:

• 1 tsp mustard
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 cup ketsup
• 2 tsp nutmeg
• Chili powder, cayenne pepper powder or Tabasco if you like spicy stuff

-Adjust the seasonings to your liking.
-Pour half the sauce on the meatloaf and bake at 375 for 45 min or so. Pour the rest of the sauce on top just before serving.