Not a family member but a restaurant I miss

[missdiane]

I went peeking on Google Drive to see if I had any family recipes and stumbled on a cheat recipe that, interestingly enough, came up in discussion recently on LJ. Anyone in the US remember the ChiChi's Mexican Restaurants? Although the restaurants are no longer, you can still buy their (very good, btw) salsa in the grocery. I mentioned on the LJ discussion about how much I loved ChiChi's cancun and lo and behold, I've found a cheat recipe. I shall have to procure the ingredients and see if it's as good as I remember:


( Cut for recipe of NOMS )

Challenge #31: A recipe given to you by a loved one

[miss_s_b]

(this challenge suggested by fred_mouse)

Does your grandma make the best flapjack? How about your dad's champion roast potatoes? Does your friend punt you recipes on Facebook? Did your child bring home an interesting recipe from school?

Lets see the recipes that have come from people you love.

My Mother's Meatloaf

[wendelah1]

There's a story behind this recipe, so please bear with me.

My junior year of college was spent living in a tiny apartment on the campus at Kresge College, at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Kresge College was two years old and they had just opened their facilities the year I matriculated. I and three other young women were assigned to a two bedroom apartment with a kitchenette. Our food budget was $40/week to feed all four of us, which even in 1973 was tight. We took turns taking the bus downtown to the local Safeway to shop and rotated cooking responsibilities. One of the recipes I brought from home was my mom's meatloaf. At home, this recipe fed six people, with leftovers, so it was expected to stretch for two meals for four. We served it with homemade mashed potatoes, a steamed vegetable, rolls, and a big green salad.

Years later, one of my roommates opened her own restaurant in Booneville, California. She liked Mother's recipe so much that she included on the "always available" portion of the menu at Lauren's Place. "The secret is that the carrot and onion have to be finely grated."

My Mother's Meatloaf

1 lb. ground beef
1 medium carrot, finely grated
1 medium brown onion, finely grated
1 1/2 slices of dried bread, crushed
1 large egg
1/2 cup catsup
1 T. Worcestershire sauce

Mix ingredients together in a medium bowl. (I use a big wooden spoon but Mom always used her hands.) Add the meat mixture to a loaf pan. Pat it down to an even layer. Bake at 350 F for 45-50 minutes. Let rest for ten minutes before serving.

Enjoy!