If you could fix anything, why not start by fixing dinner?

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I am a Johnny Depp fan. And a favorite line of Roux’s — played by Johnny in the movie “Chocolat,” is, “Very good but it’s not my favorite,” when Vianne, played by Julienne Binoche, asked her new love to taste several different handmade chocolates. And that might be where meatloaf sits on the list of favorite American dinners. It’s not too awfully far from the top but it isn’t exactly the top-ranked favorite. Iconic home-cooked meals from the USA include pot roast, brisket, chicken noodle soup, steak, fried chicken, chicken pot pie, mac and cheese, spaghetti, chili, pancakes, eggs, and, of course, meatloaf. (The very high-end favorites are more fast foods like burgers, tacos, fries, pizza, etc., though we do make those at home, too.) Now, I think meatloaf sometimes has a bad rap because someone’s mom didn’t know how to make it or baked it dry (cue the ketchup bottle), and so these days just the word, “meatloaf, ” elicits a sneery eyeball roll or nose scrunch from more than a few. I’m here today to again take up meatloaf’s cause, because if you’ve eaten my meatloaf, you didn’t walk away sniggering and you for sure didn’t get out the ketchup bottle on my dime. (I hope.) And when you make my newest version, SWEET BBQ BACON-TURKEY MEATLOAF WITH CHEDDAR, you might very well dance away smiling and singing. Meatloaf, then, could rise to the head of the class on your list of homey dinners, too! As long as you don’t overcook it, that is. I’ve warned you.

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