Good Morning,

Yesterday's chicken was simply delicious, I am only sorry I didn't make more. I must thank my mother for that recipe. She did warn me that it would be quite tasty. Our guests just loved it!!!

Today is the Labor Day holiday and I am so happy that this year we are not celebrating with people at the house. Sometimes it's nice to just kick back and be alone for a while....it can get pretty hectic cooking for the masses, and I do that quite a lot!!

Tonight we are going to enjoy some old fashioned food; a meat loaf dinner with all the trimmings.

Happy Monday!!

Cottage Style Meat Loaf
Serves 6

1 lb. ground sirloin
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup tomato juice
1/2 tsp. salt and pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 eggs beaten
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely minced onion
2 tsp. mustard
1 garlic clove, minced

Topping:
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 tsp. mustard
2 tsp. brown sugar

Combine ketchup, tomato juice, salt, pepper, red pepper, eggs, bread crumbs, onion, garlic and mustard. Mix well. Add the meat and mix gently. Line a loaf pan with foil. Press in the meat. Combine topping ingredients and put over the meat. Bake at 400 for 45 minutes. Drain any fat and let rest for 5 min. before cutting.

Mashed Potatoes with Garlic and Sour Cream

6-8 potatoes, washed, peeled and cubed
1 stick butter
1/2 c. sour cream
salt and pepper
3 garlic cloves
1/4 c. milk or more if needed

Boil potatoes and the garlic cloves together. When tender, mash with potato masher, add butter and mash some more, add sour cream and enough of milk to your liking for consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
Fried Cabbage
2 pounds finely diced cabbage
1 pound finely chopped bacon
1 medium onion
1/4 t. Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Fry bacon until crisp and well browned. Drain and set aside.
Add chopped onion to the bacon grease and stir until limp.
Add pepper flakes, cabbage, salt & pepper.
Stirring well so that all the cabbage is coated. Add crumbled bacon bits and cover and cook over low heat until cabbage is limp and tender.

Florida Sunshine Glazed Carrots
Serves 6

6 carrots, peeled and sliced large chunks
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground corriander
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. fresh orange or tangerine juice

Place the carrots in a saucepan, cover barely with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Rinse under cold water and drain.

Stir the sugar and spices together and set aside.

Melt the butter in a skillet, stir in the carrots and the citrus juice. Sprinkle with the sugar mixture and cook over med. heat till carrots are glazed and sauce is slightly thick. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Angel Food Torte with Strawberries & Cream
Makes 1 ten-inch cake

1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
12 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 3/4 cups sifted granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
Macerated strawberries, for serving

Preheat oven to 275° with rack in center. Sift flour four times. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or with a flat wire whisk, beat egg whites and salt until foamy. Add cream of tartar, and continue beating until soft peaks form.

With machine running, add sugar in a slow, steady stream, beating until fully incorporated and stiff glossy peaks form. Add vanilla and almond extracts, and beat to combine.

Remove from mixer. Gradually add flour, gently but thoroughly folding it into egg-white mixture until fully combined. Pour into an ungreased angel-food-cake pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air bubbles. Bake 30 minutes. Increase temperature to 325°. Bake 30 minutes more. Cool, inverted, 1 hour before removing pan.

Strawberries & Cream Filling:

1 quart fresh strawberries
3 cups whipped cream

Wash and hull berries, slice all of the berries

Slice cake horizontally into three slices. Layer whipped cream on bottom layer and top with sliced berries. To it with another slice of cake and repeat procedure. Ice the entire cake with whipped cream and put decorate with sliced berries around top of cake. Refrigerate till ready to serve.