It's a cupcake....I think she needs a half dozen assorted flavors?

I baked the meatloaf recipe.....on one of the hottest evenings we've had so far....
not the best planning on my part

I changed the recipe a bit by using beef instead of turkey and I left out the sage...
otherwise, it was the same.

The verdict? Man In Black loved it, I liked the topping probably more than the meatloaf (I'm not a big meatloaf lover)...and Mom liked it best in a sandwich - a meatloaf sandwich on a warm summer day? Now that's the best!!


I enjoyed eating dessert more....want a bite of Peach Melba Shortcake??

I posted the recipe a couple of posts back.....three days maybe?

I finished a new hat for Zoe.....I'll top her sweet lil head with a sweet lil cupcake!!!
I'll take another picture during the day.....it's cute and bigger than I think this pic shows.
I'm thinking I need to make something to go along with the yellow trouser jacket....I'll show you what I've come up with in a day or so. I seem to be on a hat making roll lately.

Last night I was thinking about how some of you show a bit of your homes....I was walking around the livingroom last night (thinking about how dusty it is and WHEN will I ever get around to cleaning?)

I love my stone fruit

Anyway,,,,I live with antiques....lots of antiques. Many of you seem to enjoy collecting and filling your "country" homes with vintage. For some, you may think of living in California as being surrounded by palms trees and swimming pools - I have neither. Shopping Ikea and The Pottery Barn, coastal living furniture with seashell topped coffee tables....nope, I don't  have that either.

My home is filled with wood....old wood. The old oak floors, plaster walls, old double hung windows. Furniture that dates back to the late 1700's and early 1800's. Ironstone filled hutches, old crocks, old linens.


Some folks come into my home and say it "looks like a store".....or....."your home is warm".....I take both comments as a compliment. Of couse, there's always that other comment...."how do you dust all this stuff?"

Here's a few areas that are waiting for my dust cloth....I'll show you the ironstone and my favorite piece of furniture after I remove the webs and dust bunnies..

California is a great place to live - lots of outdoor activities to enjoy and little interest in staying inside cleaning. I remember one winter day my relative back East called saying they were inside cleaning closets because you couldn't go outside since it was so cold and wintery....I remember thinking "I need a wintery day so I could stay inside and clean"....in California....it's a good day outside - EVERYDAY!!  

Enjoy your day...if you're interested in a bit of baking of a meatloaf????

Here's the recipe - I got it out of an old Country Living Magazine....
I have lots of those gathering dust too:-)

Turkey Meatloaf w/ Spicy Tomato Jam

3 tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 pd. shiitake mushrooms (I used the standard button whites)
3/4 tsp.salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 1/4 tsp. finely chopped thyme leaves
3 tbsp. diced roasted red peppers
2 pds. ground turkey
1 1/2 bread crumbs
2 cloves chopped garlic
1 tbsp. chopped fresh sage
1 tsp. ground ginger (I didn't use this)
1 med. finely chopped onion
2 cans (14 oz) diced fire-roasted tomatoes
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 tsp. allspice (I didnt use this)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In non stick pan saute mushrooms until just brown, season with salt and pepper, add thyme.
Continue to brown mushrooms and stir in roasted red peppers. Transfer to plate and set aside.

In large bowl, mix turkey (I used beef), bread crumbs, garlic, sage (I didn't use this), ginger (didn't use this), and half the onion and salt and pepper.
Mix  with hands and place 1/2 of mixture into a loaf pan. Top with an even layer of mushroom mixture and cover with remaining turkey (beef in my case) and pat down.

Bake for 40 minutes.

In skillet heat in remaining olive oil and cook remaining onion and softened. add tomatoes, crushed red peppers, vinegar, brown sugar and allspice (I didn't use this) and simmer.

Remove meatloaf from oven and spread 3/4 cup of tomato jam on top. Return to oven and bake for 30 minutes more.

Remove from pan and serve remaining tomato jam on the side.

 Happy Wednesday....see you soon friends!!!