Cooking For Bob

Okay People, I know you all watch the cooking shows on TV and they are great but way too prestine for me.  Everything is so clean.......does your kitchen look like that?  Everything is premeasured and just sitting there in little dishes waiting to go into the perfectly prepared dish. Don't you wonder if they ever have failures and they just don't show them?  Well I've been cooking for 47 years. I am an excellent cook and believe I can cook as well or even outcook most of those professional Chefs on TV. I have prepared meals for family, friends, functions of every kind but mostly I COOK FOR BOB!  My husband is 71 years old and I have been cooking for/with him for 31 of those 71 years.  He sits at the end of our bar with his beer and observes, critizes and offers endless suggestions. Each day I am going to give you my daily menu and the preparation with Bobs comments as we go along. I am going to start with our standard meatloaf. Now I know everyone thinks they know how to make meatloaf but how many times have you been served that really hard pile of meat that looks like someone just threw it up and packed it together? Well, follow this recipe and it won't happen to you again.  Get out a bowl and place a pound of good hamburger that has some suet in it NOT that lean stuff that has no flavor but filled with good amount of suet. Chop up about 1/2 cup of white onion, 1/2 cup of green pepper and throw it in. Now, never use those canned bread crumbs or crackers, this is what makes your meatloaf hard.  Take one and a half slices of white bread and tear into little pieces and toss into the bowl. This soft bread tends to come alive and puff up in baking to make the meatloaf light and fluffy. At this point in time Bob will say, "Is that enough bread? Aren't you going to add an egg?" I make a face, "I have made this meatloaf a thousand times! Yes, I'll add an egg and yes, that is enough bread!"  Then back to the bowl and I add an egg and salt and pepper.  Now, get your hands in there and mush it all up good. Who ever thought of making meatloaf by stirring it with a spoon!?!  Just take your rings off and get in there and start mushing. When mushed enough, get out a cookie tray, yes, a cookie tray. I used to make meatloaf in a bread pan just like the rest of you but I discovered years ago that if you leave it more open on the sides it gets crispy all over. Form in into a ball then smash it down a bit and smear olive oil all over it. If someone wants ketsup, they can put it on later. Believe me this has so much more flavor. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for one hour.  You will be amazed at the flavor. I usually throw in two bakers since the oven is on anyway. Now all you have to fix is a vegy and/or salad to go with. I hope you try this and give me any suggestions.........I can cook anything you suggest!