Daddy's Meatloaf
Meatloaf is a staple in so many American homes. It is that hearty go to meal that is quick, easy, and so many individuals relate to good down-home cooking. For me meatloaf reminds me of a very specific incident in my life. My mother had to work late and my Dad was responsible for dinner. He decided that meatoaf was the way to go and he was going to let me help. He got all of the ingredients ready, the hamburger, ketchup, and the seasonings. Now all of us are full aware that there are also eggs and some form of breading involved in meatloaf but not Dad. He proceeded to put everything in a bowl and then he poured in the ketchup. I climbed up on the stool beside him and he let me mix it all together. I have always been one to get my hands dirty so I thought this was the BEST!!!! We had the mixture complete. I was about 6 years old and of course had no idea that this was doomed to be the worst meatloaf in history I was excited to be cooking with my Daddy!
He pre-heated the oven, scooped our concoction into the loaf pan, and placed it into the oven. He gave me a wink assuring me that it would be the best meatloaf ever and it began to bake. As it baked the aroma created was a wonderful classic smell of meatloaf throughout the house. When it was finally ready, we set the table together and he placed the loaf pan in the middle of the table with a flourish, most often reserved for "ta-da" moments in a magic show! He was so proud of himself and I was definitely proud of my Dad. I am pretty sure the rest of the family had joined us at that point but all I remember is me and my Dad and of course the meatloaf. He cut into it and served it up. And then one by one we each took a bite. I can remember tasting it and thinking it really wasn't quite meatloaf. It wasn't bad but it wasn't quite right either. My Dad looked at me, looked at his plate and stood up to go to the fridge. He returned with cheese, mustard, pickles and bread. We all laughed. He had baked hamburgers!
I learned something that day, my Dad may not be the best cook and he may not always know the right ingredients for a dish but if you are willing to improvise even if it isn't what you expected it can still be great. So everytime I discover I don't have all the ingredients for a dish or all of the answers to a situation in my life, I think of the meatloaf and I start looking for the add ons that will fix it...the result may not be what I had intended when I started out but still just as wonderful, and sometimes even better. The other important lesson I learned that day is that laughter at the dinner table is the best sound in the world.
Posted on Thursday, Jul 8, 2010
