While picking the last of the blueberries, I noticed that several bag worms had formed sacks on the bushes. I had seen those spindle-shaped bags on my Leland and Italian Cypress trees, and I know the damage the pests can cause. I began removing the bags and throwing them out to the chickens. I had previously fenced the blueberries from the chickens and the girls usually gather around when I’m picking, knowing that I’ll toss them the split or bird-damaged fruit.

They showed little interest in the bags, berries being their priority. Then to my surprise, I noticed the worms were crawling back towards the blueberry bushes, dragging their sacks with them. I thought it was uncanny that they were all squirming in the correct direction, not just any which way, but right back to the bushes. It’s like they were thinking and acting upon a decision they had made. It was eerie.

I wished the chickens had taken an interest in dealing with the bag worms, but since they didn’t I had to step in, literally. I squished several with my shoe and noticed that if you align it just right, the worm will squirt out the top of the bag. That’s probably a little too gross for some, but again, I have seen the damage they can cause. It was satisfying. A few of the chickens thought so as well.

Oatmeal, Almond and Blueberry Muffins
(Gluten free and good too!)
Olive oil for greasing muffin tins
1-1/2 c. almond flour
1-1/2 c. quick-cooking oats
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 egg
1/2 c. Greek yogurt
2/3 c. unsweetened applesauce
1/2 c. brown sugar (packed)
zest of 1 lemon
1 c. frozen blueberries

Heat the oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease a muffin tin with olive oil.

In a medium bowl, mix together the almond flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

In another bowl, whisk together the egg, Greek yogurt, applesauce, brown sugar and lemon zest. Add that to the dry ingredients and stir just until everything is moistened. Gently fold in blueberries.

Fill muffin cups two-thirds full and bake for 15 minutes until the edges are just barely browned. Let cool five minutes, then release the muffins from the tin. A knife inserted around the edges will help release them if they don’t pop out easily. Let cool completely on a rack. Makes 24 muffins.

Blueberry, Apple and Pecan Chicken Salad
1 rotisserie chicken
1 c. fresh blueberries
1 apple, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
1/3 c. red onion, diced
4 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. celery seeds
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/2 c. pecans, chopped

Pick chicken from the bones, removing the skin and shredding the meat. Combine in a bowl with blueberries, apple, celery and red onion.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, celery seeds and pepper, making a dressing. Toss chicken mixture with the dressing. Serve over a bed of lettuce and top with chopped pecans.

I’m increasingly concerned with the warm weather we’re experiencing. Normally the high temperatures are in the 50s at this time of year. I’d be pruning my roses. However, they are now sprouting new growth and I haven’t pruned yet. I’d like to rough-prune my grapevines, but I’m afraid that activity will encourage an early bud break. It is certainly a crazy winter.

This is the earliest I’ve seen asparagus coming up in my perennial bed. I’ve been picking them, but wonder if we aren’t going to have another hard freeze soon. Like most people, I’m just doing the best I can, and I am trusting that it will all work out – maybe not for the best, but it will work out.

My husband has tilled one of my three vegetable plots and will soon complete the other two. I’ll have onion sets planted by the end of the week. I just have to keep planning for the future. In doing just that, I’ve looked through my freezer and found a bag of frozen roasted chile peppers that I put away last year. I want to use up the vegetables in my freezer so that I’ll have room when I harvest this coming summer. This soup is a great way to use fresh or frozen vegetables.

Roasted Green Chiles and Corn Chowder
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. butter
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tsp. cumin
3 tsp. red chile powder
2 bay leaves
6 c. vegetable broth
4 c. potatoes, cubed
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 c. roasted green chiles, diced
3-4 c. corn
1/2 lemon, juiced

Begin by sautéing onions in olive oil and butter for about 15 minutes. Then add the garlic, cumin, chile powder and bay leaves. Cook for about 5 minutes and then add the broth. Immediately add the potatoes, salt and pepper and stir, bringing the contents up to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer about 10 minutes.

Add the thawed roasted green chilies and corn and cook until they are heated throughout. Removed the bay leaves and about half of the potatoes, corn and onion.

Then use an immersion blender and purée the rest of the mixture in the pot. If you want a chunkier chowder, remove more of the chunks before puréeing. If you like a soupier mixture, remove less.
Add the chunks of potatoes, corn and onion back to the pot along with the lemon juice. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

Serve garnished with torn cilantro leaves, grated cheese and fat-free Greek yogurt. A little Louisiana hot sauce is also good to add before serving. I toasted tortilla chips with grated cheese to serve on the side.

A few weeks ago, County Extension Agent Gowin had an article in the Leader about army worms. At that time I didn’t know what they looked like. I googled army worms, and still didn’t really know. Last week, I found out after a hair-raising encounter with those beasts! Talk about creepy crawlers – they are super scary. I noticed them first as hundreds were crawling up the side of my house. Then I stepped out into the yard. I did not immediately see them. I believe they froze as I approached. However, after standing motionless for a few seconds, the whole ground began to move. No, it was not an earthquake, but thousands and thousands of army worms.

My husband sprayed Malathion around the house and that certainly slowed them down. However, at the chicken coop, I noticed that there weren’t any worms in that yard. That’s when I realized that perhaps the most effective way to eradicate the creepy-crawling pests was to unleash the girls. Using a bucket of scratch, I lured them to other parts of the property where I found more army worms. They ate greedily, and I received huge satisfaction while watching those feathery eating-machines gobble up the crawlers. The girls certainly put a dent in the worm population. I hope they didn’t get tummy aches, but I bet their egg yolks will be extra-dark orange. Life on the farm is always interesting.

I meet a lot of interesting folks each Saturday at the winery. It seems that people who enjoy wine also enjoy food. Two things we have in common.

The next two recipes came from some of the friends I have made at the winery. We often share gardening stories and discuss what to do with too much okra and too much squash.

Barbara’s Memaw’s Squash Dressing
1 stick of butter
1 c. milk
5 c. cooked squash, chopped
2 eggs
1 tsp. sage
1 onion, chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 pan cooked cornbread, crumbled
salt and pepper, to taste
grated cheese for topping
* optional – add 2 cups cooked chicken, sausage or hamburger to make it a meal

Melt butter in a 9×13″ casserole dish. Cook squash and onions until tender. Pour melted butter into a large mixing bowl with the ingredients of milk through cornbread. The butter that remains in the dish will keep the dressing from sticking while baking.

Add meat, if you have chosen that option. Mix everything together. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Pour into the casserole dish. Spread the mixture out evenly. Top with grated cheese. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 50 minutes. The copy of Barbara’s recipe card ends with “Enjoy!” Yes, we did. I took the option of adding a pound of cooked Italian sausage.

Okra and Rice Casserole
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. flour
1 c. onion, chopped
1/2 c. celery, chopped
1/2 c. green pepper, chopped
2 tsp. garlic, minced
1 can Rotel tomatoes (mild or hot)
3 c. chicken broth
2 lbs. fresh okra, chopped
1 c. corn kernels
2 tsp. Cajun seasoning
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 c. butter, melted
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 slices French bread
3 c. cooked rice

Cook oil and flour in a skillet until golden brown. Add onion, celery, green peppers and garlic. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add Rotel tomatoes, broth, okra, corn, Cajun seasoning and pepper. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Cook about 10 minutes, and stir occasionally.

Combine melted butter and minced garlic, and slather over the French bread slices. Bake in a 350-degree oven until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool. Using a food processor, pulse until coarsely crumbled.

Spread rice in a greased 9×13″ casserole dish. Spoon okra mixture over the rice, and top with the breadcrumbs. Bake in the 350-degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove and after 10 minutes of rest, serve and of course – enjoy.

I hope that you’ll find the recipes to be fun to make and yummy to eat.

Last year I planted a few artichoke seeds. For various reasons, only one plant survived. I think it may have to do with the potting soil I used. Most of the seedlings planted that year sprouted just fine, but fizzled out after only growing a few inches. I transferred many to larger pots with different soil and most perked up and flourished. For some reason, the lone artichoke didn’t. It survived all summer long in the larger pot, but never put out more then four or five leaves.

Finally in the fall when I was moving plants back into the greenhouse, I decided to drop that little artichoke into my herb garden on the south side of the house. I noticed it started looking better, but didn’t give it any extra care. I just let nature do the watering. I did mulch it and hoped that it wouldn’t be hit by frost. It survived and thrived all winter. In the spring, it shot up and really started adding leaves.

A month ago I noticed it had a flower head forming. I picked the artichoke last weekend. It was the size of my fist. I was so jazzed – I have never grown and harvested an artichoke before. I showed it to David and even he was impressed. He asked to see the plant, so I brought him around to the back of the house and showed him. He couldn’t believe that huge thistle-like plant had been there all this time. He was mostly amazed that he hadn’t taken a machete and chopped it down. Sometimes I’m thankful when he doesn’t try to help me.

That night the artichoke and my new vegetable spiralizer inspired our dinner.

Mediterranean Vegetable Pasta
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, julienne-cut
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. dry white wine*
1 artichoke, cleaned and sliced thinly
1/4 c. Kalamata olives, quartered lengthwise
1 Tbsp. capers
2 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
3 Tbsp. butter
4 small zucchini squash
Salt and pepper, to taste

Sauté the onions and a pinch each of salt and pepper over low heat until they begin to turn light brown, about 20 minutes. Add garlic and cook for one minute. Add white wine, artichoke, olives, tomatoes and spices. Simmer on very low heat while preparing the zucchini squash.

I used the spiralizer to cut thin strips of the squash. Without a spiralizer, just slice the squash as thinly as possible. Bring a pot of water with about 2 tsp. of salt to a boil. Add the squash “pasta” and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Back to the sauce, add Parmesan cheese and butter. Stir and remove from heat. Drain the “pasta” and serve with the vegetable sauce. I garnished with crumbled goat cheese and chopped fresh basil.

*I used a dry Noon-day Onion wine created by a winery in Rusk. I’ve sold them grapes in the past and had bought the onion wine because it was such a novelty. Maydelle makes several unique wines. It was excellent in the sauce and it had just a hint of onion flavor.

Last week I visited a local farm store on RCR 3410. I was there about a tractor, but also purchased 5 lbs. of beautifully ripened red tomatoes. They were grown locally in a greenhouse. My own tomatoes won’t be producing soon and I just couldn’t resist those.

The tomatoes were meaty and sweet – perhaps they seemed better than usual because it’s been so long (November?) since I had a real naturally vine-ripened tomato. David and I ate tomatoes every day of the week in salads and sandwiches. It also encouraged me to get my own tomato seedlings into the ground. I planted 52 tomato plants over the weekend. I like tomatoes, okay?

I started the plants from seeds, planting Big Boy, Roma, San Marzano and Rutgers. I will buy a couple of cherry and yellow pear tomato plants soon – just to round out the offering. I’m looking forward to transplanting the rest of my seedlings – eggplant, tomatillo, melon, okra and pepper plants.

With the last two tomatoes and my own home-grown asparagus, I pulled together a savory quiche for Sunday night’s dinner. It wasn’t a quickly pulled together meal, but David agreed it was worth the wait.

Asparagus, Tomato and Bacon Quiche
6 slices bacon
1 onion, sliced
1 bunch asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 c. Greek yogurt
4 eggs
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. flour
1 Tbsp. Fat-free Half-and-Half
1 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. salt
6 dashes of Louisiana Hot Sauce
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
2 medium-sized tomatoes
1 pie shell

On the stove top, cook bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Saute onion and asparagus stems in about 1 Tbsp. of the bacon grease. Save the asparagus tops to add to the quiche later. They are tender and do not need to be pre-cooked.

In a blender or food processor, combine the yogurt, eggs, Parmesan cheese, flour, milk, onion and garlic powder, salt and hot sauce until smooth.

Chop the bacon into smaller pieces and add to the onion and asparagus stems. Scoop that mixture into the bottom of the pie shell. Sprinkle cheddar cheese (I used white and orange cheddar) over the vegetables and pour the yogurt-egg mixture into the shell.

Slice tomatoes thinly, about 1/4 inch thick. Gently dip one side into the yogurt egg mixture and flip them over and lay on top. You want them to be thinly coated. Place the quiche on a sheet pan and cook in a 350-degree oven for 45 minutes or until set. I ended up cooking for a total of 55 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Quick Pie Crust
2/3 c. shortening, really cold
2 c. flour
1 pinch salt
6-7 Tbsp. icy-cold water

Using a pastry cutter – or fork tines – cut the shortening, flour and salt until pea-sized crumbles form.

Add the water 2 Tbsp. at a time and continue to work the dough. I usually only add 6 Tbsp. and by then the dough can be squeezed into a ball. Wrap that ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before using.

Really cold shortening and icy-cold water are the keys to getting a light and flaky crust.

I was pruning roses this weekend when one of my sons came over to borrow tools to fix his dirt bike. He brought his little dog with him. I worried because the little thing weighs less than five pounds. Her name is Francine Anita – I’m assuming she was named by Dereck’s girlfriend. Anyway, the puppy is so tiny that I worried she’d be snatched up by a swooping hawk or owl.

So I took a break and picked up Francine Anita and cuddled her on my lap until she stopped shivering. She was afraid of our dog Sally, the barn cats and even the chickens. Eventually she settled down and I took her with me as I tackled the rest of the rose bushes.

I kept an eye on her while I worked and she never wandered far – happily bounding back when I spoke to her. She rode on my lap in the golf cart as I carried brush to the burn pile. She’s cute and has an underbite that gives her a defiant look. She was always happy to see Dereck as we drove by, but was enjoying our adventure too. I mused that it might be like having a grandchild. I’m not quite ready for a grandchild, but enjoyed having a granddog for a couple of hours.

Dinner was leftover brisket sandwiches. They are like grilled cheese sandwiches, but with a lot more stuff. The layers included a slice of wheat bread with Dijon mustard, Monterrey jack cheese, sliced brisket, prepared horseradish, sautéed onions and peppers, more Monterrey jack cheese, mayonnaise and a slice of wheat bread. I heated each side of the sandwich in olive oil leftover from sautéing the onions and peppers.

Sometimes dinner needs to be simple and those sandwiches were great comfort food after working outside all day.

Sunday afternoon, I tried a recipe recommended by a Leader reader. She suggested that my husband might find it more interesting and appetizing than some of the other quinoa dishes I’ve tried.

Quinoa Blondies
1/4 c. softened butter
3/4 c. almond butter
2 eggs
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. quinoa flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. chopped walnuts

Beat butters together until smoothed. Add eggs, brown sugar and vanilla, continuing to beat.

Mix quinoa flour, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl. Add to the wet ingredients and stir until blended. Then add chocolate chips and nuts.

Spread into a greased foil-lined pan and bake 25-35 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out cleanly.

I made the blondies and they were very sweet, so David liked that. I did grind my own quinoa flour and perhaps didn’t grind it finely enough. I liked the texture, but David did not. I also used a tri-colored quinoa blend, so the blondies were really more of a dark-blonde to light brown – my hair color before the gray.

I entered the recipe into an app that provides nutritional information and assumed the recipe made 12 servings. With 328 calories and 7 grams of protein, I realized that the recipe could make a great protein bar – if I reduced the amount of chocolate chips and added more nuts. Perhaps raisins or dried cranberries and whole oats would be good too.

I am happy to have the dessert recipe and love experimenting and playing with new ideas. The reader also sent a quinoa cookie recipe, so I’ll have to try that soon.

I picked all my tomatoes last Friday night before the freeze hit. I’ve heard that one could pull up the whole plant, with green tomatoes still attached, and hang it upside down in a shed sheltered from the harsh weather. Then the tomatoes will ripen as though the plant was still in the soil. Well, maybe I’ll try that next year.

I did leave a few tomatoes connected to the vine. I’m going to place them in a paper sack with an apple or banana. I’ve heard that’s another way to get them to ripen.

Of course fried green tomatoes are a popular southern tradition for using the unripe fruits. I prefer to let others fry them and keep my kitchen clean. I ran across a recipe for a casserole that promises to bring out the tangy flavor of fried green tomatoes without the mess.

Green Tomato Casserole
6 large green tomatoes, cubed
3 stalks celery, cubed
1 large onion, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
5 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 c. olive oil
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 c. Panko bread crumbs
olive oil for finishing the top of the casserole

Mix green tomatoes, celery, onions and cilantro together in casserole dish. Whisk soy sauce, olive oil, brown sugar, vinegar, pepper, salt and red pepper flakes together. Pour over vegetables. Bake in 350-degree onion for 20 minutes. Stir, add bread crumbs, drizzle olive oil over the top and cook for 20 minutes more. Serve warm.

Turn those green tomatoes into a tangy zesty relish and they’ll keep for a year in the pantry. They also make great Christmas gifts for friends and family.

Green Tomato Relish
24 large green tomatoes
3 red peppers, seeded
3 green peppers, seeded
12 large onions
3 Tbsp. celery seeds
3 Tbsp. mustard seeds
1 Tbsp. salt
5 c. sugar
2 c. cider vinegar

Use a food processor to coarsely grind tomatoes, peppers and onions. Strain the vegetables for a few hours. In a stock pot, combine vegetables with the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat. Pour into sterile jars and place the two-piece lids. Process in a boiling-water bath for 30 minutes.

Green Tomato Chow-chow Relish
1 head cabbage, shredded
1 head cauliflower, separated
4 large green tomatoes, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
2 green peppers, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
3 Tbsp. salt
1-1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. mustard seed
2 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
2-1/2 c. cider vinegar

Sprinkle vegetables with salt and let stand overnight. Drain well, rinse and drain again. Combine sugar, spices and vinegar and simmer in a large pot for 10 minutes. Add vegetables and cook for 10 minutes. Then bring to a boil. Pack relish into hot sterile jars and place the two-piece lids. Process in a boiling-water bath for 10 minutes.

I’m excited to have broccoli and cauliflower producing in the garden. I picked some of the broccoli florets and steamed them. They were terrific on baked potatoes with cheese. I dug up a couple of recipes in anticipation of getting more florets before the first freeze.

Roasted Cauliflower
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 cauliflower heads, separated
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

Toss cauliflower, garlic, oil, salt and pepper together and spread out on a sheet pan. Roast in a 425-degree oven for about 25 minutes.

Scoop into an oven-safe serving dish. Top with Parmesan cheese and parsley and broil for 3 minutes until golden brown.

The next recipe uses both broccoli and cauliflower. It is a hearty meal all by itself.

Broccoli and Cauliflower Bake
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 medium onions, diced
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 zucchini squash, thinly sliced
1 head broccoli, separated
1 head cauliflower, separated
5 eggs
1 c. cottage cheese, small curd
1 c. mild cheddar cheese, shredded

Saute onions in oil with salt and pepper until translucent. Add squash, broccoli and cauliflower. Cover and steam for about 10 minutes.

Transfer vegetables to a bowl. Add eggs and cottage cheese. Stir all until combined. Pour half into a greased casserole dish and top with half the cheddar cheese. Repeat, creating a second layer.

Cover and bake in a 325-degree oven for 40 minutes. Remove cover and bake 15 minutes more until cheese is bubbling.

Last Saturday I worked in my garden preparing it for fall planting. I pulled a lot of weeds and hand-tilled, but one section was so overgrown that my husband shredded it with the tractor. Then I raked up the cuttings. I found a couple of snakes while raking – one small and alive, the other huge and thankfully dead. I killed the small one and counted my blessings that I didn’t run into them while on my knees pulling weeds by hand. Then David tilled that section with the tractor.

There’s something beautiful about freshly tilled earth. I planted green beans, then mulched and watered. This week, I’ll till more areas and plant kale, beets, squash, chard and salad greens. Digging in the dirt, planting seeds and tending the garden rejuvenates me. My husband doesn’t understand it, but puts up with it because it makes me happy.

I am still picking okra, melons, squash and cucumbers from the spring garden. My tomatoes never produced much this year, but they are alive. I cut them back and gave each a Tbsp. of Epsom salts. I hope that will perk them up and they’ll produce again before the weather turns cold.

I decided to fry the okra and squash after reminiscing that I had ordered fried squash on my first date with David. I was so nervous that I hardly ate two bites. Now, 32 years later, fried zucchini dipped in ranch dressing is still one of my favorites and nerves won’t keep me from enjoying it.

Homemade Ranch Dressing
1 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. sour cream
1 c. buttermilk
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1/4 c. parsley, minced
1 Tbsp. basil, minced
2 Tbsp. dill, minced
1 Tbsp. chives, minced
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. sage vinegar (or one of your choice)

Combine mayonnaise, sour cream and buttermilk in a bowl. Chop the garlic and sprinkle Kosher salt over it. Then using the flat side of the knife, scrap the garlic and salt until it forms a paste. Scoop that into the bowl. Make a mound of the fresh herbs and chop them until finely minced. Scoop those into the bowl. Add Worcestershire sauce, pepper and vinegar. Stir to combine and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. It will last at least 4 days in the fridge.

Freshly made dressings taste far superior to the ones found on the condiments aisle in the grocery store. I can detect the preservatives in those and do not care for the taste.

I prepared the okra and zucchini by slicing them on the bias about 1/2-inch thick. Then I soaked them in buttermilk for about 20 minutes – that helps season and reduces the okra slime.

Meanwhile, I brought about 2 inches of oil (canola or peanut will work) up to heat in a small pot on the stove – about 365 degrees. Using a slotted spoon, I drained the buttermilk from about a cup of zucchini and coated it in a mixture of cornmeal, garlic salt and pepper.

Test the oil by dropping one battered zucchini slice in the pot. If it immediately fries and starts to turn golden brown, gently drop in the rest. Watch the heat level. I turned down the heat to medium and found that it held the temperature for frying without burning.

Working in small batches, continue to drain, batter and fry about a cup of vegetables at a time. Remove each batch when golden brown with a slotted spoon and let them drain on a paper towel-lined plate. When cool, taste the fried vegetables and sprinkle with a little salt if needed.

The next evening I made a simple meatloaf, smashed potatoes and salad. I used leftover fried okra as a garnish on the salad and potatoes. They were like croutons, but better.

Simple Meatloaf
1-1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 c. onion, finely chopped
1/2 c. bell pepper, finely chopped
2 eggs
1-1/2 c. crushed tomatoes
3/4 c. Italian bread crumbs
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Mix all ingredients together, place in a baking dish and form into a loaf.
Topping:
1/2 c. ketchup
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. spicy mustard

Mix topping ingredients together and spread over the loaf. Bake in a 375-degree oven for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.