Can Meatloaf taste good AND be healthy?

My son and daughter-in-law visited us from Colorado this week, and while he was here, he asked to cook dinner for the family. Oh my...someone else cooking?!? YES! He did the grocery shopping once he arrived, and cooked dinner on Monday night. And he made his Mama proud, because this guy cooked a healthy, great-tasting meatloaf -- and lots of it! Made with ground turkey it had a wonderful flavor and, almost important as the original dish itself, made great leftover meatloaf sandwiches the next day. I asked for the recipe and fully intend on replacing my high-fat ground beef meatloaf with this yummy recipe from now on. Meatloaf Ingredients 1/2 cup chicken broth 1 tbsp veg. oil 3 large shallots, finely chopped 1/2 cup finely chopped carrot 10 ounces small white mushrooms, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper 1 pound lean ground turkey 1 1/4 cups fresh bread crumbs 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and grated 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage leaves OR 1 tsp dried, crumbled sage leaves 1 large egg, lightly beaten Directions 1. In a large, non-stick skillet, bring the broth and oil to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and carrot and cook, stirring, for about 4 minutes, or until the shallots are softened. Add the mushrooms, garlic, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and let cool. 2. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly oil (Pam Spray) a baking sheet. 3. With your hands, thoroughly mix the turkey, bread crumbs, apple, parsley, and sage into the cooled vegetable mixture. Add the egg and mix well. Divide the mixture in half and on the baking sheet, shape each portion into an oval about 6 1/2 inches long, 4 inches wide, 1 1/2 inches high. Transfer the loaves to the baking sheet. 4. Bake for about 45 minutes or until cooked through. Let the meatloaf rest, loosely covered, for 5 minutes. Serves 6. First, this recipe made my house smell SO good that even little Brayden came into the kitchen with his little nose sniffing the air! I will say, I did not taste the apple, the carrots or the mushrooms. In fact, I don't care for mushrooms, but loved this meatloaf, and I think it's because he chopped everything SO fine that it was more about the texture these items added than the flavor. The finished loaf did not have a "light" poultry taste, but had more substance of flavors to it than you expect from a turkey meatloaf. He accompanied this dish with a salad of fresh (uncooked) chopped green beans, sliced cherry tomatoes, red onions and almonds -- all marinated in Italian dressing. Again, I'd never had uncooked green beans as a main ingredient in a salad before, and they were fabulous. Everyone in the family loved this meal -- including daughter who's on a strict diet, husband who is the meat and potato man, and grandson who won't eat anything!

Freecycle isn't working for me

I need to vent. Once again, I've offered something (a working gas grill) on our local freecycle group, had several people respond, chose one -- and that person didn't show up to pick up the grill. I wouldn't be frustrated if this was my first time, but this has happened nine times for the past ten items I've offered an item. I sent email to the group, explaining my frustration. The letter was as follows:

I have had one more no show on items I've offered on Freecycle. I'm not sure if those of you who respond to offers understand how truly rude, inconsiderate and time consuming it is to not to pick up the item you said you wanted. People who offer items take the time to prepare the item for posting, post the item, read through and sort through many email responses, select someone to receive the item, send directions for the pick-up, email all respondents back whether or not they received the item, remember what time and day to make the item available for pickup, and more. It is a time consuming process, but we do it to first, to help others out, and second, to keep items that are still useable out of the local landfill. When an item is not picked up as promised, the person offering must now put in more time, emailing the next in line, waiting for a response, again sending directions for pick-up, etc. For the past five items I have put up for offer, I have had NINE no-shows. And of those nine, not one person bothered to email me and say, "Oops, sorry, I can't make it today after all -- how about tomorrow?". The freecycle list is not a contest to see who can be the first to respond to items offered. It is not a case of "he who gets the most, wins". It is obvious from all the no shows that people who do not actually want or need the items are responding simply to see if they can "win" and perhaps have no intention of actually picking up the item. Someone who may have actually needed or wanted the item may not receive it because of this "No Show Game". It is easier, takes less time, and gives tax benefits to donate an item to Goodwill, than to post items on Freecycle and not have them picked up. Those of us offering items and going through this "no show game" tire of it quickly, know that donating an item is an easier and quicker option. I ask you to consider before responding to Offers on any Freecycle list. If you don't truly want or need the item, or have no intention or means of actually picking it up, please don't respond!!! It's THAT easy!! If you do want or need the item offered, but something happens that you can't pick up the item as scheduled, have the common decency to email the person offering the item and schedule a new pick up date!! Remember - there are people behind these Freecycle offers. And ALL people need to be treated with respect and courtesy.

I just don't get it. WHY do people respond to Freecycle offers who 1) don't have the vehicle to pick up an item or 2) don't really want the item?? And why oh why don't people have the decency to just drop an email and say, "Hey, I can't make it today - how about tomorrow?" But no -- not ONE no-show has so much as sent me any kind of notice that they can't pick up the item. Not one. I think I'm done with Freecycle. Although absolutely wonderful in it's intent (keep working items from going into our landfills), it's just not working for me in practice. What a shame. Like so many things in life these days, a few ruin it for many.

The fruits of my labor

Son Jeff and DIL Lisa arrived on Thursday and it was SO wonderful to see them! I swear, there's nothing like a great big ol' bear hug from my son -- he does it with such enthusiasm! We saw them for a few hours, but they will be returning today to stay a few days with us. I think it was more difficult for them to split their time up between families than it is for us. Lisa's family lives just 20 miles away, and the first part of their trip has been spent with them (and JJ attending as many Cincinnati Reds baseball games in as humanly possible), and the latter part of their vacation with us. Brayden got to meet his Uncle Jeff and Aunt Lisa, and they got along beautifully. JJ and Brayden played soccer in the back yard, then moved on to hitting golf balls. Brayden had a ball. Lisa spent time with him throwing rocks in the creek, which was another "hit" with Brayden. He'll be able to spend more time with them this evening and again tomorrow. Jeff and I went to the annual Hammacher-Schlemmer warehouse sale yesterday and OH BOY did I find a bargain! A professional Steam Press! Normally $249, on sale for (drum roll here....) $24.99!!! There were only six of them in the sale, so I grabbed two and called my sewing friend Lynn to see if she wanted the second one (Of course she did!). I can't wait to give it a try. I'm seeing perfectly pressed final blocks for my quilts, as well as an easier way to steam iron large yardage of fabric that I've prewashed. Today is my daughter's 27th birthday -- HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARY!!! She will be coming over this afternoon to celebrate with a family cookout, cake, and lots of love. Of course, she won't eat the cake -- as she has lost 91 lbs. -- from a size 26 down to a size 12!! I will make a big salad with tomatoes and cucumbers from the garden for her, and I think she'll eat a small piece of steak. She will never ever get the "awww...just eat ONE piece?" or "one piece won't hurt..." from me! I'm proud of her for this major accomplishment! Today I'm running to the store to buy a new grill -- ours has been on it's last legs for a few weeks now, and I'd planned on buying a new one when they went on sale towards the end of the summer. I need to wrap Mary's present and make the salad, and then I'm done! The house is clean! Yay! Laundry is all caught up! Yay! OK, so the garden isn't 100% weeded, but it's not too bad. Half-a-Yay! Today will be the first day of just hanging around the house and enjoying having both my kids with me and NO HOUSEWORK. Yay!

NASCAR Day

On Sunday, Jeff and I took Brayden to NASCAR day at our local Krogers store. It was VERY hot and humid (as usual), so we only stayed for an hour or so, but had a great time. Brayden was quite amazed to see his Match Box-sized race cars "come to life". And his cuteness got him freebies that none of the rest of us got -- a Richard Petty bobble head doll, a Bobby LaBonte Matchbox car, and a Carl Edwards "Future Pit Crew" T-shirt! We had a great time!