There is no doubt that most of us should eat healthier. This means more smoothies in the morning and less bacon and fried eggs. More salads with vinaigrette dressing and less vinegary German potato salad. More poached fish and less poaching the kids’ Halloween treats.
We know, we know.
I don’t believe, however, that we should ever have to walk away from comfort food. There is just something so, well, comforting about it. I’m willing to eat fish three times a week (okay I like fish so that example isn’t exactly fair) and leave the cheese sauce off my broccoli. I’m even willing to eat turkey hot dogs instead of beef hot dogs.
Okay I take that back. I’m sorry, but I will never be able to eat turkey hot dogs. It’s just wrong.
But you get my drift, right?
I want to eat healthy, but once every one or two weeks, I want my comfort food. Fried chicken and mashed potatoes. Meatloaf and macaroni and cheese (homemade macaroni and cheese—the boxed kind is also very wrong.) Potato soup made with whole milk. Lasagna and garlic bread.
I’m not going to spend time justifying why I don’t want to live without comfort food, or why you shouldn’t have to either. It has to do with feelings and serenity and fond memories and things that don’t need to be justified.
Comfort Meatloaf
1 ½ lbs ground beef
½ lb ground pork
1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
2 eggs
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
½ onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped garlic
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all the ingredients together well, and then shape the loaf according to what pan you’re using. Bake for about 45 minutes or perhaps a bit longer—you be the judge.
This is a basic but really delicious meat loaf. And dammit, it’s comforting!
