"Meatloaf, Peatloaf, I Hate Meatloaf"

Tonight for dinner Brad made a meatloaf. He decided to experiment and used two recipes-his Mom's and Alton Brown's. I generally make my MIL's recipe; it is easy and good.

At the dinner table, the kids, especially Sam, were complaining about eating meatloaf for dinner. We, of course, say all the typical parent-trying-to-make-their-kids-eat things like, "It is really good" and "You can't say you don't like something until you try it", etc. So Emily takes a bite and says, "Yuck, I don't like it." I'm starting to comment about giving it another try until Brad says, "I don't like it either!" This stops me in mid sentence because he made the meatloaf. I taste it and sure enough it is gross!!!! It was too salty! We were so confused. Why would it be too salty? What had we done? After a little investigation we discover there is a misprint in my cookbook. Brad added 1 1/2 tablespoons of salt, as listed in the cookbook, instead of 1 1/2 teaspoons. When he was making it he asked me if I usually put in all the salt and I said yes-not realizing there was a misprint. It is one of those recipes I can make without thinking too much about it so I never realized there was a mistake-until now that is.

So there we were without our main course. No meatloaf to compliment our scalloped potatoes (which were delicious!!!), mixed vegetables and rolls. I have to eat protein with my carbs or else I get sick so Brad saved the day and made hamburger patties.

Next time I'll think twice about making the kids eat something when they say it is yucky. Maybe it really is.

PS The title of this blog is from The Christmas Story when Ralph's little brother doesn't want to eat his meatloaf and his mom is trying to make him. He eventually eats it-piggy style!

PPS If you have a copy of my red cookbook make the change to Dianne's Meatloaf so you don't repeat this experience (if you haven't already-oops).