Meatloaf for Dinner

A neighbor of mine just had a new baby boy (her second) a few weeks ago, and now that all of her out-of-town family has come and gone, it is just the 4 of them again.  While that can be quite relieving in some respects, it can also be quite stressful in others.  We, too, don't live near any family, so when my mother came to visit after the birth of our second child, she cooked up about 15 different meals and put them in my freezer.  It was SO nice to be able to pull out a home-cooked meal from the freezer and throw it in the oven on those days when things just weren't going as June Cleaverish as I would have liked them to.  I felt so accomplished, as if I had really made a nice home-cooked meal...like I totally had it ALL together when my husband got home!  Yeah right!  So anyway, I have come to realize that a home-cooked meal, one which will freeze well and still taste great later, is the best gift you could ever give a new mother.  Here's what I made for my neighbor:

Meatloaf.  This is a recipe that I concocted a year or so ago.  I took some things that I liked from different meatloaf recipes I've had before, and put them together into what my husband says is the best meatloaf he has ever had.  These are the measurements that I use, but play around with everything and see what you like best!  This will make 2 loafs, so you can give your friend one, and still have one for you and yours ;)
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground sausage
1 lb. extra lean ground beef
2 eggs, beaten
Onion, diced
1 slice bread, torn into pieces
1/2 cup milk
2/3 cup shredded cheese (I typically just use cheddar)
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup smashed saltine crackers
1/3 cup grated carrot
2 t. parsley
1 t. kosher salt
1 t. freshly cracked black pepper
1 cup ketchup
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 t. mustard
1/4 cup maple syrup
Directions:
1.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2.) Stir together the eggs, milk, bread, bread crumbs, crackers, carrots, onion, cheese, parsley, salt & pepper
3.) Mix in beef and sausage with hands, but don't overmix, just evenly distribute ingredients throughout meat
4.) Bake for 30 minutes
5.) Mix together ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and maple syrup
6.) Top meatloaf with ketchup mixture
7.) Bake an addition 30 minutes

Some recipes are good to cook before you freeze them, however the meatloaf works very well to prepare it, and then freeze it while the meat is still raw.  So in this case, don't forget to include directions with the meal so that mom knows how to bake it when she is ready!

And because I couldn't forget about dessert...
Ice cream Cake.  This is a dessert that my Aunt Tami used to always make when I was growing up, and it is still my favorite dessert today.  The version that I like best layers crushed Oreo cookies, mint chocolate chip icecream, chocolate syrup, and whipped cream.  Freeze until ready to devour!

***And don't forget to put all of your prepared food into disposable containers (that are also oven-safe if need be) so that your new mom doesn't have to worry about clean-up or returning your dishes to you!***

Hopefully I'll get a chance to post a craft project or two a little later on!  Talk to you soon!
Jen