Meat

I grew up in the standard meat and potatoes family. You had both at most meals. Italian food was the only time you didn't have potatoes. Or occasionally when Dad wasn't around we'd order Shrimp Chow Mien, because that was the only Chinese food my Mom had ever had.

Pretty sure I've said this before on here, Mom wasn't a great when it came to cooking. She cooked a chicken to the point once where the cats wouldn't eat it. I swear the thing could bounce.

Pot Roast? Well, my friends and I used to have chewing contests on how long it took to chew a bite. I think we got well up into the 60's. This could be one of the reasons I'm not a huge fan of meat. When I'm at a restaurant I'll 99% of the time order the veggie option, for one it's normally cheaper and I'd prefer it. I ordered my first steak (a whole 6oz one) at the Outback steak house in Delaware when I was in the US last year, first time ever I've ordered one at a restaurant it was nice. I preferred the sweet potato fries though.

Mom however could make a few things, sloppy joe for one but the one she always got perfect was Meat Loaf, which I never got the recipe for so I thought I'd never be able to make it properly. However when Mark said he'd never had it I thought I'd best find a recipe. Betty Crocker's cook book came to the rescue again (the cookbook was published the first time in 1978 and has been helping me since I was 7).

Mom's (Betty Crocker's) Meat Loaf



1.5lbs mince (ground beef)
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 garlic clove chopped
1 egg
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1 small onion chopped
1/2 cup ketchup

Heat oven to 350/180

In large bowl mix all ingredients except ketchup. Shape in to a loaf like shape. Place in loaf pan.

Spread ketchup over top

Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Make damn sure there is no pink showing in the meat loaf.

Let stand a minute or two and then slice and serve.