When I first got married - long, long time ago - I didn't cook much. I knew how, so I thought, just didn't need to do it.
So fast forward about 4 years. My ex had told me he never wanted to see meatloaf served at our table. Got burnt out on it in the first marriage. So I didn't make it.
We had about 5 traveling lineman living in our home, a group of his drinking buddies. Let me tell you folks - it was tough coming up for different dinners for 6 drunks and 3 kids. Yikes!!
So one night he asks why I didn't make meatloaf. Was I stupid? Huh?!?! I didn't bother to try and explain - I knew better.
The next night I set out to do just that....make a meatloaf. For the first time. Ever. In my whole life. (get the picture?)
So - I bought 5 lbs of ground beef. Added some schtuff and started looking for a pan. Hmmmm meatloaf, probably ought to use a LOAF pan. So I pulled out my bread pan and made the prettiest lookin' meatloaf ever. EVER.
Our oven was a really, really, really old gas range. I put the pan in the oven and got to thinkin' about where the grease would go. So brilliant Tammi puts a piece of tin foil on the rack below - to catch it, don't ya see.
Well - everyone get's home, and everything SMELLS wonderful. They are all in the living room and I check on dinner. Hmmmm a lot of grease on that tin foil. I better dump it.
(you see where this is going already, don't ya?)
For some reason I pulled the pan out with one hand and grabbed the tinfoil with the other. As I pulled, the grease all ran right down in the the really really old gas oven. Fire shot from the inner core. Scorched my hair, my face - but the meatloaf was saved.
All you heard from the living room was "*ckin' FIRE!!!" as they charged into the kitchen. By the time the idiots got there it was all fine. However - I have never lived it down. My Flaming Meatloaf is the thing of legends.
I made a meatloaf last night. No fire. It was just really, really good. But I had to giggle while I was putting it together......Flamin' Meatloaf. Damn - sometimes I scare myself.
Posted by Tammi at February 10, 2006 06:58 AMDon't sell it short - it's Meatloaf du Flambe' and it's haute cuisine. Allll in the marketing...
Posted by: jody at February 10, 2006 09:12 AMp.s. - Atilla-the-Husband used to tell everyone that my kitchen utensil set included asbestos gloves and a fire extinguisher. Start ONE little stove fire (okay, granted - I was boiling a pot of water!)and you're labeled for life. Every Thanksgiving he makes a great show of ritualisticly (sp?)disconnecting the smoke alarms. They're soooo cute...
Posted by: jody at February 10, 2006 10:08 AMMy best is a dish we like to call "rockrittos". Never, ever cook on "preheat". My soft and gooey cheesy burritos became hard as frickin rocks.
The hubby, bless him, tried to eat them anyway.
Posted by: oddybobo at February 10, 2006 10:48 AMMeatloaf Flambe, my dear. And for the Flambe we charge extra. You are merely more cultured than your friends.
Posted by: og at February 10, 2006 12:04 PMYou brought back the memory of a cooking class for Scouts at the Gas & Electric company.
Don't know if they still do this stuff. Back in the day, to earn our cooking badge, we went to their kitchen which had electric and gas stoves and ovens. Our group got to cook on the gas stove. We made meatballs or mini meatloaves and placed them in a cupcake pan. When the instructor pulled it out ...OOpsie! Grease Fire. Good little scouts that we were, we remembered her earlier safety instructions and grabbed the Morton's salt and poured it on the fire. I liked to add salt to meatloaf but even that was a bit much. *grin*
Posted by: cin at February 10, 2006 12:08 PMWhat's a guy gotta do to try a piece of the legendary flamin meatloaf?
Posted by: Sgt Hook at February 11, 2006 12:19 PM