Meatloaf and a Story of Surival

So, funny story about meatloaf:

As a child, I was a very picky eater and wouldn't eat anything except for cornbread and chicken nuggets.  One night, my parents sent my older sister and me to a baby-sitter.  Before dropping us off, they told us that we better eat everything the sitter served us for dinner, or else.  They even took it one step further and told us that we must compliment her on the food she prepared.  Imagine my horror when the sitter served us the most grotesque, disgusting meal I had every seen in my short little life - meatloaf!  In hindsight, the meatloaf was probably perfectly good - but to a 4 year-old, there could be nothing worse.  

As an obedient child, I did just what my parents told me to do and slowly choked down this atrocity before me.  I still remember vividly the little white chunks inside of it (probably onions). Once I finally gagged my last bite, I turned to the baby-sitter and lied, "Thank you, that was delicious.  I really loved it!"

My older sister, also hating meatloaf and being a bit more conniving than me, saw an opportunity here.  She slowly looked at me, the baby-sitter, and then back to me again.  I could see the wheels turning in her mind as she feverishly thought about how she could get out of eating this disaster of a meal. A smile slowly spread across her face (think: the Grinch), as she sneered at me and exclaimed, "Oh Amy, I know how much you love meatloaf.  Unfortunately, I am so full from lunch earlier - why don't you have the rest of mine?"  She then proceeded to scrape the chunk of dog food, I mean meatloaf, on to my plate, and then ran off to play.  

I was trapped and saw no other way to get out of it, so I ended up heaving down another serving of the dreadful meatloaf. 

To this day, I still get after my sister about this.  When ever she would complain about how unfair it is to be a middle child, I would gently remind her about the meatloaf incident of 1988.  

As a result of this experience, I didn't eat meatloaf again for well over 20 years.  

Recently, my husband and I had been invited to dinner at the Browns.  When I saw that Bonnie was making meatloaf, I nearly had a panic attack from the post traumatic stress I had experienced as a child.  Being in a similar predicament of not wanting to offend the hostess, I knew I had to eat what she served me.  I took one bite, and . . . and . . . it was delicious!  Truly a magnificent meal!  I really, really loved it and requested the recipe immediately.  Now, I am proud to say that meatloaf makes it into our regular meal rotation.  

If nothing else, I am a survivor.  :-)

 

Meatloaf

Slightly adapted from a recipe provided by Lipton's Onion Soup Mix

Ingredients:

• 1 envelope Lipton® Recipe Secrets® Onion Soup Mix 
• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 3/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup water
• 2/3 cup barbecue sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Combine all ingredients in large bowl.
2. Shape into loaf in 13 x 9-inch baking or roasting pan.
3. If desired, top with additional barbecue sauce and cook uncovered for 1 hour or until done.    Let stand 10 minutes before serving.