Name: Mom's Meatloaf
Ingredients: 3 pounds ground beef; 1/2 small box Saltines or similar crackers; 2 eggs; 1 cup milk; 2 large green peppers, chopped; 2 medium-sized onions, chopped; 8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced thick; 1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes; 1 32-ounce jar prepared tomato sauce; A few teaspoons of butter or olive oil; Salt and pepper

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Mom's MeatloafCookbook cover image courtesy of Random House

This was my grandfather's recipe, which my mother learned by watching him make it many times. When I asked her how it was done so I could put it in my book, Cherries in Winter: My Family's Recipe for Hope in Hard Times, Mom said, "I don't know—you'll have to watch me!" So I did, and I took notes as she cooked this comforting, economical meal; these loaves served Mom, Dad, my husband Nathan, and me for at least two very satisfying dinners. And because they're cooked on top of the stove in sauce instead of baked in the oven, these meatloaves are always moist and delicious.

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