friday favorites

wow, friday already. what a week. busy, busy, busy. in a good way. earlier this week, what seems like ages ago, i made dinner for a friend. i have been becoming more and more domestic lately, so i thought it was time i learned how to make one of my childhood staples, meatloaf. i looked at a few recipes on line and combined them to come up with something rather delicious. if you're interested in an old fashioned american dinner, here's the recipe:

~classic meatloaf~

2 pounds ground sirloin
1(12 ounce) can evaporated milk
1 packet dry onion soup mix
1 egg
1/2 cup ketchup
1 clove garlic
1 small chopped onion
2 Tbsp brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix beef, milk, onion mix, egg, and 1/4 cup ketchup in a bowl with hands.
Consistency will seem soupy, but do not worry, it will come out perfect.
Pour mixture into loaf pan.
Combine 1/4 cup ketchup and 1 Tbsp. brown sugar and brush on top of meatloaf.
Bake 1 to 1 1/2 hours draining fat every 30 minutes.
Cook until meat is no longer pink inside {might have to cut a slice to check}.
If top starts to get too dark, cover with foil during end of cook time.
Let cool 5 minutes and slice.
enjoy!
.................

i also made roasted vegetables. so easy...and so good. here's the recipe:

~roasted veggies~

chop up some of your favorite vegetables. my favorites to use are:
zucchini
yellow squash
butternut squash
sweet potato*{my favorite-really adds a great sweetness}
brocolli
cauliflower
onion
garlic {cloves cut in large pieces}

toss all veggies in a large bowl and add some olive oil {enough to lightly coat vegetables}
add your favorite spices and mix with your hands.
my favorite spices to add are:
thyme, basil, salt, pepper, dill, and cinnamon.
you can add them all-which i do-or choose your own combination.
place on baking sheet covered with foil.
cover veggie mixture with foil.
bake at 375-400 degrees for about 45 to 1 hour. they are done when the sweet potatoes are soft and easy to stick a fork in.
enjoy!
................
i often make a big batch of this at the beginning of the week and eat it all week. yum!

here is some beautiful imagery to ponder over the weekend. i probably won't be back posting until late next week. i have some visitors coming in town this weekend and i'm gonna get my tourist on!

some gourmet goodness:
~ sugar domes
~untitled
~top off

some quiet stillness:
~spaces to grow
~wreck
~untitled

some mellow yellow:
~you would be right...
~found pillow


i have decided to re-release my dogwood print to celebrate the arrival of spring and have also added a new rununculus print. maybe this will help bring consistent warm weather to the northeast.

oh, and check this out.