When I held down a "real", outside of the house, job as a reference librarian, I had a wonderful office mate, even if he did think Bob Dylan was life's musical end-all and be-all. However, he also had a hang up about meatloaf. Many people do, I know. In fact, I don't think I ever ate meatloaf as a child. My parents certainly never cooked it anyway. I do like to try new things though and when I got this cookbook as a wedding present it had an interesting recipe in it for Confetti Meatloaf. Over time, I've made a few changes and I make the meatloaf entirely with beef, because I don't like ground turkey and I don't eat pork, but it is still a family favorite and a guaranteed way to get my kids to eat their vegetables, because vegetables baked in meat taste really good. I've never had this recipe turn out dry, by the way.

Confetti Meat Loaf
serves 8

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large carrots, diced
1 large onion, diced
1¾ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 large egg
1½ pounds ground beef
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
¾ cup oatmeal or plain dried bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350°. in 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add carrots, onion, salt, fennel seeds, and pepper; cook, stirring often, about 15 minutes, until tender.

Transfer to large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and ½ cup water; mix well. In 13x9-inch roasting pan, shape meat mixture into 9x6-inch loaf, pressing firmly (this will allow extra fat to drain out and not remain in the loaf). Bake meat loaf 1 hour and 15 minutes. To serve, with 2 pancake turners, place meat on warm platter.