Love is in the air, or something

Good grief! How did a week go by so quickly? I know how: my baby sister got engaged on Saturday, and she and her wonderful fiance, Jarred, are planning an August wedding. August! (Although that seems much more doable than Jarred's original suggestion of a June wedding.) Suddenly, wedding plans are all our family can talk about. Which is great. We love Emily, and we love Jarred. And I love being the only bridesmaid, so I can choose a dress that is not strapless, spaghetti-strapped or mini-skirted. With Em's approval, of course.

In other news, all of the thrifty, crafty blogs I've been reading lately have inspired me, so when I saw an ad in the paper for a free upright piano, I called. Said piano is now waiting a few towns over for us to pick up. I think we'll wait till the snow melts, though.

So, in honor of snow, of winter, and of Emily, here is her favorite recipe of our mom's. (As soon as our digital camera is up and running again, I'll be inserting some pictures.)

Sweet and Sour Meatloaf (Dairy free, egg free)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together:
1-1 1/2 lbs. ground beef or turkey
1 cup dairy-free breadcrumbs*
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
Put in a greased loaf pan, cover with foil, and bake 45-50 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix together the sweet and sour sauce:
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons prepared mustard

When the meatloaf finishes cooking, uncover and drain off fat. Pour the sauce over the meatloaf and bake for 10 more minutes, uncovered.

*Most prepackaged bread crumbs have dairy. I usually make my own by running stale dairy-free bread through the food processor. Another option is to purchase a dairy-free stuffing mix (such as Brownberry) and crush it into breadcrumbs. Very therapeutic.