Meat and Potatoes kind of day.

This past week we've had some intensely incredible weather to say the least. Which immediately led me to thinking about my food blogging of course. Living where I do I find has endless rewards however, weather and lighting are not among the bonus features. Its pretty consistently muggy, rainy, hazy or snowy a lot of the year. I'm finding myself struggling with my photography. I've made a home made picture box with so far what I'd consider limited success, I've fidgeted with my settings but still everything is kind of yellow and murky... Most bloggers from what I've read just point and shoot, some have light boxes but most just seem to be blessed somehow? Earlier this week we had probably the WORST hail storm I've ever witnessed with hail about 1/2" in diameter. Initially I thought it was some rabid squirrels attacking our metal roof with acorns (again) but as I looked out the window to my surprise it was a scene reminiscent of a Stephen King novel, I was just waiting for Cujo to pop out somewhere. It was above and beyond what I'd consider normal Pocono September weather.

I was forced to tackle this lighting issue head on. I got my "light box" (a medium sized rubber bin with the inside spray painted white) and my work lamps with high watt bulbs. Results? meh. I'll keep at it. I have a pretty good Nikon camera, but it just goes to show that conditions are everything. I need to be one with my camera and figure out whats ticking. Stephen insists its all about the settings but should I really have to manipulate and maneuver every single picture manually? I mean I know thats how REAL photographers do it but I'll openly admit I have no idea what I'm doing. I find myself looking at the cell phone and taking it into serious consideration. Although my pictures weren't to my liking the supper was definitely a stick to your ribs (thighs and buttocks too) meal. My initial plan was hamburger steaks with brown gravy but man meat trumped me and asked for meatloaf. Now I'm not anti-meatloaf per say its just... well its not my favorite. I did not eat meat loaf all that much as a kid, we had galumpki and chowder.  So I kicked around ideas and remembered a Paula Deen recipe I'd seen for bacon cheeseburger meatloaf. And Voila! that was the solution just add bacon and cheese. I made a meatloaf according to my normal procedure (see stout meatball hoagies for my basic meat mixture) and this time I added about a cup of cubed sharp Vermont cheddar cheese. For the topping I went classic "Oma" style and made a sweet and sour type ketchup dressing. (1/2 cup ketchup, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon cider vinegar, salt and pepper) Bake for 45 to an hour, roast some root veg for a side and you have perfectly classic meat loaf supper. Its all American with a slight twist . Take that gloomy weather!