my meatloaf moment

tonight i made meatloaf...and it was edible!!!

when i first married, i have to say that i didn't come to the table with much culinary knowledge. basically, i could make anything that came in a package with explicit directions. i considered chris to be more of the family cook because he knew how to make the presentation stellar, no matter how easy or fast the meal was.

through the years i've become a bit more interested in cooking. although, my cooking is very different from chris' style. i have a desire to cook from scratch and create my own marinades. i prefer to divert from the recipe. i'm always wondering what else i could add or do differently. there are two problems with this...1.) it takes longer and 2.) i run the risk of the food being horrible. chris' idea is to cook meals that are fast and easy. when he shops at the grocery (and yes, he generally does the major shopping), he looks specifically for things in packages or boxes that have as few ingredients as necessary and have the shortest cooking times. i've actually come to appreciate these meals, because our life doesn't allow for many home-cooked meals due to taegan's hectic soccer schedule.

about a year ago, i decided to make meatloaf. i looked online and in my cookbooks for the easiest recipe that didn't involve eggs...we were out. it turned out terrible!! the food looked like cat food. chris pretended to like it. his actions convinced me that day that he was the best husband ever! despite his sweetness, i was humiliated. i wanted to make him proud of my meatloaf. don't ask why! even i don't know why i cared.

lately, i've had the urge to try and make meatloaf again. again, i found a recipe online. i followed it step by step, and i didn't divert. it actually turned out great! even cooper asked for "seconds". dinner was a typical all-american, southern meal. meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and corn.

as i was washing the dishes, chris kissed me on the cheek and said, "thanks, june cleaver!". what a compliment!

here is the recipe:

2 lbs. lean ground beef
2 cups bread crumbs
1 cup milk
1 medium onion
1 green bell pepper
1 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 cup ketchup (on top)

mix all ingredients together and bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hrs. enjoy!
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