The Great American Monstrosity

A quick update on the past few months:
1) Thanksgiving with boyo's parents up in L.A. Had a delicious brined turkey that was juicy and everything a turkey never manages to be.
-Speaking of, did I mention I've begun eating meat again? Yeeah. Unfortunate, I know. On a semi-regular basis, mainly at home and mainly to try different cooking styles and, ah again, Julia- or at the very least french styled cooking. I really want to get back into vegetarianism and most likely will. Let's call it a reprieve.
2) Christmas! At my mom's, my grandparent's, and boyo's parents. It never seems to be that grand of an occasion anymore, though I do try. Decorating, getting a tree, making hot chocolate... yumm! Did receive a pizza stone and it's seeing it's fair share of usage! Oh pizza stone, I did not really know pizza until you came around. Now it will never be the same.
3) Haven't been shooting, haven't been writing. Catching up on books and having odd little adventures like breaking into the trunk of an old BMW with large flathead screwdriver to keep occupied while boyo scouted under the hood for usable parts. Also! Found a later version of my car sitting around with the doors open, so we climbed inside, took the tape player, led clock and I learned the basic workings of my car.
Before you call the cops, please understand our situation! It was perfectly legal all the way around. Being in a junkyard and all. =P We did manage to find an N-600! It looked to be in pretty good shape, too! Save for the roof rear which looked like an elephant sat on it, just enough to bend the rear window frame. *sigh*

Alright, now to the main story:

Yesterday, a great american monstrosity was created. It sat coated in thick red goo on our kitchen counter, protruding the retched stank of many a childhood meals of sweet deliciousness and dreaded moments. How could I do this to us? What have I done?!

It all began the night before. Boyo mentioned he'd like a burger, so off we went to the local deli to fetch the necessary ingredients for such a fine fatty feast. I escaped to the produce to procure onions, tomatoes, garlic, avocados, pineapple slices, and more while boyo finagled the meat. Hungry and beyond time to eat, we raced home and I immediately began to work. Some part of the back of my mind registered that there was no way two measly people could consume all of that giant bowl of now prepared patties. Not humanly possible! However, hell bent on making as many burgers as Boyo could consume, I ignored logic and pressed onward!

After actually cooking 4 patties, I opted out of making sweet potato fries and decided we must eat, now!

The 4 burgers were enough, but what was left, was about 1 lb of prepared meat... What to do the next day? Meatballs? Maybe. Freezer? Ick.

Instead, I did something I pretty much swore off when I signed up to be a vegetarian and leave my family home. Never would I recreate the dishes of my youth! Not that they were terrible, they were just ordinary! Pot roast with rice, beef stew (which I am currently making), corned beef hash, clay pot chicken, meatloaf.

There, I said it!

Meatloaf.

Does anyone ever really miss meatloaf? I didn't. It's not awful to eat, not too bad, actually. Perhaps it's just the thought of ground beef drenched in ketchup that bogs my mind. Not good enough? Put ketchup on it and don't worry about it, it will be fine.

Don't get me wrong, I loved my Mima's (grandma) growing up. It was a treat! Just one that I've always sought to avoid. Why? To be honest, it's easy. It lacks complexity, depth. It's not 3 hours worth of creating an orgasmic explosion of creamy, rich, decadence that rolls over your tongue and makes your eyes close.

Like this asian chicken recipe I've modified called "Tso Yummy Chicken" =P But that's another story.

Alright, it's not really so bad.

But man, that chicken recipe was a tough act to follow and, meatloaf? Didn't quite cut it.