So, my friend Brooke, can't cook at all (anyone remember eggshell brownies ha)! Ok, maybe not at all, but not too well. So I have decided to help her out. I am going to put recipes and pictures of what I cook on here each Thursday (that I remember to). So, here is recipe #1: Meatloaf

This is the best meatloaf recipe EVER! Mmm. Its from my Aunt Elaine, this woman can make the side of a barn tastey! So, here is what you start out with:

1 pound of Hamburger (its best to use the leanest meat you can afford, 97/3 would be best)

1 cup of quick oats (you can also use 1 cup of bread crumbs if you'd prefer, my grandpa does. Don't know why though, I think its because he knows oatmeal is better for you ha!)

1/4 teaspoon Garlic Salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon Worschestershire Sauce

1 egg

6 oz evaporated skim milk (it doesn't have to be skim, but its better for you. When I was at the store though all they had was whole evaporated milk.)

1/4 cup fresh onion OR 1 Tablespoon of dried onion flakes

In a bowl combine all of your ingredients. Now, before we go on to the next step, TAKE OFF ALL YOUR HAND JEWELRY!!! Very important unless you want to pick out hamburger meat from the tiny spaces in your rings! Also, before you go to the next step, make sure your little helper has plenty of munchies, because you aren't gonna want to stop and come back to this step.

Ok, are you ready now?? No more rings? Munchied up helper? Good. Now take your ringless fingers and mush everything in that bowl together. And squish and squash and let out a sound of disgust as your fingers combine all those ingredients together to form this:

(Please note there are NO egg sheels in here! That is how it is supposed to be, very important Brooke)!

Mmm tastey huh?

Now, take your blob o' meat and put it in an 8x8 pan (you won't need to grease it). Now smooth it all out with your yucky hands. I like to add some onion to the top of the meatloaf, I think it looks prettier, kinda like confetti. Now wash those gross fingers of yours. And then put it in the oven for about 45 minutes.

While its cooking you can play with your helper because most of those munchies are gone by now. But before your 45 minutes are up, you are gonna need to make the topping. I already had some made, we use it for BBQ sauce. But, you take a cup of ketchup (catsup?) and 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt, and 1/4 cup of brown sugar. Mix until its all saucy looking. When the 45 minutes are up, take out the loaf and pour on the sauce and spread the love...er...sauce around. Put it back in the oven for 15 minutes.

Then, cut into this bad boy and enjoy. I added some red potatoes and some brocolli for sides. (Hello ya can't just have meat for dinner, ya gotta have some veggies too. Otherwise your grandma might get mad! Did she ever say: Brooke, eat your vegetables so you can grow up and be president? Did she? I bet she did! Happy cooking Brooke.

So what does a stay at home mom do all day while her baby naps? Aside from cleaning, I get creative!

Here are a few pictures of what I have been doing the past couple weeks (sorry the quality is kinda junky, I can't find my canon, so I had to use my sony handycam):

View from top:

My baby shower gift for my Sister in Law. Its a diaper cake. Underneath the tissue paper, its filled with diaper rings, that are filled with some baby essentials, like receiving blankets, toy keys, bibs, a couple onesies etc. Her shower is a week from Saturday!

Sweater:

Buttons up close:

Close up of flower on hat: Wrapping: Trav's cousin found out she is pregnant about a month ago. She is due...SEPTEMBER 11!!! Its a little girl, she is naming her Blakely. So, I decided to try out a new hobby for me, good ol' fashion crochet! I made a pair of baby booties, a hat, and a sweater! Since these turned out pretty good, I am going to try and create an inventory and start selling them on Etsy.

What is Etsy you ask? Its a website that allows people to sell handmade items. Etsy.com. Pretty much anything you can think of, this website has. Even stuff you can't think of. (Uterus pillow anyone? No I am not kidding)!

And tonight, I made some cake balls for Trav's coworkers for tomorrow. These are inspired by Bakerella. You take a cake mix, bake it like you would normally, let it cool, and crumble it up into tiny pieces into a bowl. Then you add a can of frosting and mix. After that you stick it in the fridge overnight. Then spoon some out, shape into balls, and dunk in almond bark. Add sprinkles if you want! Careful though, you gain like 20 lbs just looking at these things! (Hello, its cake and frosting covered in candy!) Definitely not for the person on a diet!