Shields Story: Tuesday Nights

So for several months now, my friend Lindsey and I have been taking turns (with Grandmom Burton also) cooking yummy dinners together on Tuesday nights. Usually before and/or after eating, Lindsey and I have also been addictively watching Dexter. Haven't heard of it? Well.. you're missing out! Check it out here on the Showtime website. One thing I think is really cool is that the actor who plays Dexter claims Raleigh as his hometown.

Anyway, I'm blogging about this now to share our meal tonight with you! Get ready for great recipes!!!

Lindsey got me a great cookbook by The Pioneer Woman for Christmas, so I put it to use tonight and made her meatloaf. I chose this so I could have something to go with my grandma's noodles that mom gave to my sister and I this Christmas (Thanks Mom!!). For dessert I made what we fondly referred to as "Yummy Explosion" in college. I got this recipe from a genius friend.

I totally failed at taking pictures (again) while I was making the meatloaf, so check out PW's if you want step-by-step pics. Because I'm being lazy today, I copy and pasted her ingredients/directions verbatim below.

PW's Favorite Meatloaf

Ingredients

Meatloaf:

1 cup Whole Milk
6 slices White Bread
2 pounds Ground Beef
1 cup (heaping) Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/4 teaspoon Seasoned Salt
3/4 teaspoons Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/3 cup Minced Flat-leaf Parsley
4 whole Eggs Beaten
10 slices Thin/regular Bacon

Sauce:

1-1/2 cup Ketchup
1/3 cup Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Dry Mustard
Tabasco To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour milk over the bread slices. Allow it to soak in for several minutes.

Place the ground beef, milk-soaked bread, Parmesan, seasoned salt, salt, black pepper, and parsley in a large mixing bowl. Pour in beaten eggs.

With clean hands, mix the ingredients until well combined. Form the mixture into a loaf shape on a broiler pan, which will allow the fat to drain. (Line the bottom of the pan with foil to avoid a big mess!)

Lay bacon slices over the top, tucking them underneath the meatloaf.

Make the sauce: add ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and hot sauce in a mixing bowl. Stir together. Pour 1/3 of the mixture over the top of the bacon. Spread with a spoon.

Bake for 45 minutes, then pour another 1/3 of the sauce over the top. Bake for another 15 minutes. Slice and serve with remaining sauce.

Brad doing the honors...
(isn't he gorgeous?!)

De-lish!

Here is a set up of our dinner tonight...
minus the homemade sourdough bread!

Now as for my grandma's noodles... I'm not ready to share that one. Is it bad I want to keep it secret? ha! I haven't made them myself yet, but when I do I shall share. To prepare them you rinse the noodles, then bring them to a boil in chicken broth. Done.