A Dinnertime Crowd Pleaser: Our Not-So-Secret Family Meatloaf

Shortly after Jamie returned home from his first deployment in February 2012 and we began “real” married life, I had a conversation with his mom about how I was already running out of dinner ideas. I’d been so used to eating pasta and Lean Cuisines while he was gone and wanted to up my “dinner game” and finally feel like a wife. 🙂 A few hours later she emailed me a big attachment with a handful of Jamie’s favorite meals growing up as well as some of their traditional family recipes.

There’s one recipe in particular that I’ve referred back to dozens of times throughout the last few years that never fails as a crowd pleaser; of all things – meatloaf! Many of my girlfriends have also adopted this as their staple meatloaf recipe. It can’t be beat!

Though I was never a meatloaf fan growing up (just the idea of it used to gross me out for no good reason), this family recipe completely changed my mind! Passed down from Jamie’s paternal great-grandmother’s sister (cool, right?), this meal tastes incredibly savory and sweet and also does a stellar job of making the entire house smell good (side note: I weirdly find it extremely gratifying when my husband walks in the door and immediately pauses and grins before letting out a big Man, it smells good in here!).

If so, I’m so glad you’re here and I’d love to have you stick around! You can find me and keep up with our family adventures here: Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

Erica

Hi! I’m a proud Army wife and mom to two little girls (ages 1 and 3), and I love sharing our lives with you. Where we’re going, what we’re eating, what’s making our lives more helpful or fun, what we’re wearing, how we’re doing this or that… I truly enjoy sharing it all! I can’t get enough of birthday cake ice cream, weekend sunrise runs, or making my girls belly-laugh. I write almost daily about my family’s lives, and though I like to keep things light, I also share the messy parts too. Welcome! So glad to have you around. 🙂 I’m active on Facebook and Instagram and would love to communicate with you there!