I am waddling around today.

We had some cool days this week, so last night I was in the mood for comfort food.

I cooked a meat loaf using a recipe from a 1963 (oops, my fault, Peg) Good Housekeeping cookbook, a tomato sauce, and mashed potatoes. Then ate like an infantryman.

The meat loaf:

2 cups fresh bread crumbs
3/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup minced green pepper
2 eggs
2 lb. ground chuck
2 T. horse-radish
2-1/2 t. salt
1 t. dry mustard (a dollop of plain yellow prepared mustard will do)
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup ketchup

Prepare bread crumbs, minced onion and green pepper.

Beat eggs slightly in large bowl. Lightly mix in chuck, crumbs, onion and bell pepper. Add horse-radish, salt, mustard, milk, 1/4 cup ketchup. (I added a good dash of black pepper.) Combine well.

Shape loaf in shallow baking dish. (Never mind, I used a Corning dish.)

Spread top with 1/2 cup ketchup. (I laid a few strips of bacon on top, too.)

Bake at 400 degrees for 50 minutes.

8 servings

The tomato sauce:

1 medium onion, chopped
1 small bell pepper, chopped
Chopped garlic, to taste
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
Oregano to taste, about 3/4 t. for us
Salt and pepper to taste (I used a little Cajun seasoning and black pepper)
Olive oil

Saute onion and bell pepper in olive oil until transparent. Add garlic, saute a minute or two more.

Add tomatoes and tomato sauce, then oregano.

Let simmer for 20 minutes or so uncovered until sauce thickens just a bit. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve under, atop, or beside meat loaf.

Good with mashed potatoes and any green vegetable or salad on the side.