Those of us residing in the dorms know that living away from home is simply fantastic. There are no parents to get on our cases, no horrific commutes to campus — unless you want to count getting past those crossing guards — and let’s not forget the sweet, sweet freedom.

But with life’s ups come its downs. On campus there are no mothers to help out with our laundry, and because our fathers are not the ones mowing the grass outside our windows at ungodly hours of the morning, we can’t tell them to knock it off.

On top of this we are cognizant of the distinct lack of delicious home-cooked meals. After enough turkey sandwiches and instant noodle cups, heading home for a weekend starts to look pretty appealing. But don’t go packing your overnight bag just yet.

With this recipe for meatloaf and mashed potatoes, you can be transported home without going through the 30-minute ordeal of detaching yourself from your mother’s embrace when trying to leave.

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, reserving 2 tablespoons of the ketchup. Transport mixture to a loaf pan. Brush the top of the loaf with the remaining ketchup. Bake in an oven at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 165 degrees.
Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes. Put the cubes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil. Boil potatoes for roughly 20 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.

Strain potatoes and transport to a mixer. Add the butter and mix on high for 2 minutes. Add seasoning to taste and mix. If the potatoes lack moisture, add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until desired consistency is achieved.

Cost: Approximately $6.00 per person

Serving Size: Three people