Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Why I Vote for Life
Some of you will wonder why I am writing this blog post after the election. I have been thinking about the subject for several weeks now and trying to determine the best way to articulate my views so that anyone can understand why I choose life over other social justice issues when I vote. Once I had determined how to articulate my position, I saw how negative people were being in social media, especially those on my friend lists, and I decided to post after we knew the results.
I am a single issue voter. I determine my position in any given election for any candidate based solely on that person's position regarding abortion. I know that this seems irresponsible or irrational to some/most of you. However, I feel that this is the most biblical position to take. It is my conviction.
The Bible is clear that the life of a child begins at conception. It is not a gray area. The stories of Jacob and Esau, Samson, David, Jeremiah, John the Baptist, and ultimately Jesus (to name a select few) all support the position that life begins before the baby is born. Therefore, any abortion is the killing of a life. It is murder. Even worse, it is murder based on selfish and sinful decisions. I have not heard a case made for a selfless abortion. In case some of you are going to argue about the quality of life in the case of severe physical or mental disabilities, who are we to judge the quality of life that a person can have? We know that all life is precious. Plus, a doctor cannot really predict the potential of a child before it is born. In the case of rape, why should the child be killed for the sins of the father? Think of how special it could be to tell the child that what their father meant for evil, God meant for good. Finally the health of the mother is cited quite a bit as well. The problem with that justification is shouldn't a parent be willing to die to give their child an opportunity to live? It seems that abortion points to heart problems and often results from a mother finding herself in a scary place and making a decision that is difficult, yet sinful. Thank God that He is able to forgive and restore women who have made the decision!
The Bible is also clear that the government and society is not to oppress the poor and is to take care of the widows and orphans. Poverty alleviation is a biblical goal for the government. I believe that many of my friends who chose other social issues over abortion are seeking to fulfill the biblical mandate to help the poor. I think that the problem with the governmental structure currently in place in our country is that it is set up as relief instead of developmental and therefore further oppresses the poor by making them dependent on the government for survival. Since it will take too much space to explain what I mean, I would refer anyone interested in reading about relief and recovery versus developmental and how relief becomes oppressive in the book called When Helping Hurts. It is not an attack on the American welfare system (in case that scares some away), but more of an attack on how Christians have been assisting the poor at a church level.
Knowing what I believe, I have to choose between the pro-life stance on the right and the social issues stance on the left. I have chosen to vote life over social justice. I cannot legally prevent a woman from having an abortion to protect the life of the unborn child without the help of the government. I can counsel. I can pray. I can offer resources. However, the decision is ultimately up to the woman, and I believe that abortion is like any murder and therefore should be legislated as illegal. The child should not die for the sins of the parents. It is as simple as that. Poverty and social issues are different. I can do my part to alleviate the poverty of some or all of the persons I encounter. I can feed the hungry and clothe the naked. I can open my home to provide a place for someone to stay. Some in poverty are reaping the consequences of their choices in life. For those, I should show mercy where appropriate. Some are in the situation due to circumstances beyond their control, and for those I should be an instrument of justice. I cannot support a government system that is oppressive to those in poverty. The current system keeps the impoverished in poverty because they are constantly in fear of making too much money to have the benefits taken away instead of learning and taking pride in living independent of government assistance. I do not know the answer to welfare reform. What I do know is that I am responsible as a human being and a Christian for each person in poverty that I meet and therefore I have to do my part. I also know that the government has to have something in place to keep from oppressing its citizens. Politicians cannot buy the votes of babies with benefits like they can the votes of the poor and oppressed. I often feel like my vote is being bought with a promise to protect the life of the unborn, but I would prefer to err on the side of standing against murder and using other means to alleviate poverty. Social justice issues are not as clear cut as abortion.
If I am ever presented with two pro-life candidates for president, I will be forced to think deeper about social and economic plans. Until then, I will continue to vote on the single issue and the party that is most likely to defeat the party taking the opposite stance, whether that be Republican, Democrat, Libertarian or some other independent candidate. I will also continue to try to alleviate the stresses of poverty for the impoverished I encounter. Finally, I will put my hope in God instead of the government because He is the only one who can provide for my daily needs whether He chooses to use the government or some other means. If I put my hope in politics or religion instead of God, I am putting my hope in the wrong place and sinning. If I have a selfish motive instead of a pure motive, I am sinning. I only pray that my motives can be pure and I can walk this journey staying true to my convictions so long as they line up with God's word. The methods used can be disagreed upon at times, but the biblical mandates remain the same - to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Forgiveness
I have probably written on the topic of forgiveness before, but since unforgiveness continually pops up in this life, I can never write enough about forgiveness. Forgiveness is one of those lessons that is painful to learn because it can only be learned by forgiving. You have to be sinned against in order to learn to forgive. In our human relationships, we are constantly being sinned against and sinning against others. Some sins are more painful than others. Some betrayals run deep. At some point we are all faced with the need to forgive.
There is a common misconception in the idea of forgiveness. I have noticed that us humans tend to see forgiveness as something we do for ourselves. We think that we need to forgive to keep ourselves from becoming bitter. We think we need to forgive to heal our own hearts. Although a true attitude of forgiveness will result in a healed heart, this is not the purpose of forgiveness. The purpose of forgiveness is to restore our relationship with God.
When we have an attitude of unforgiveness, our heart is sinning against God. Our heart is telling God that the sin someone else committed against us is worse than the sins we have committed against God. We put our pride ahead of God. We fail to see the correct perspective of our own sins. The absolute worst sin someone has committed against you cannot compare to the sins you commit against God on a day to day basis. This is a difficult realization to come to when you are on the path to forgiving others. No human wants to admit or even come face to face with the magnitude of the sin that we commit against God. However, when we have a heart of unforgiveness, we are sinning against God. The bitterness and discontent in an unforgiving heart comes because our heart is sinning against God. Unforgiveness affects our relationship with God. We cannot draw close to Him because we are not being honest about our own sinfulness.
Forgiveness is not easy. It is never easy to confront your own sinfulness so that you can put the sins of the other person in perspective. The Holy Spirit must give a spirit of conviction and humility to the person seeking to forgive. It is not a pleasant process, but it is a process that leads to a closer relationship with God. Only then can the heart begin to heal because the most special relationship is being restored. Only then can the Holy Spirit begin to reconcile relationships. Only then will the forgiver reap the benefits of the forgiveness. So yes, forgiveness is the only way to make yourself feel better, but it is not the purpose of forgiveness. Forgiveness has to flow from a heart of gratitude towards God for His willingness to forgive us when we have sinned against Him.
There is a common misconception in the idea of forgiveness. I have noticed that us humans tend to see forgiveness as something we do for ourselves. We think that we need to forgive to keep ourselves from becoming bitter. We think we need to forgive to heal our own hearts. Although a true attitude of forgiveness will result in a healed heart, this is not the purpose of forgiveness. The purpose of forgiveness is to restore our relationship with God.
When we have an attitude of unforgiveness, our heart is sinning against God. Our heart is telling God that the sin someone else committed against us is worse than the sins we have committed against God. We put our pride ahead of God. We fail to see the correct perspective of our own sins. The absolute worst sin someone has committed against you cannot compare to the sins you commit against God on a day to day basis. This is a difficult realization to come to when you are on the path to forgiving others. No human wants to admit or even come face to face with the magnitude of the sin that we commit against God. However, when we have a heart of unforgiveness, we are sinning against God. The bitterness and discontent in an unforgiving heart comes because our heart is sinning against God. Unforgiveness affects our relationship with God. We cannot draw close to Him because we are not being honest about our own sinfulness.
Forgiveness is not easy. It is never easy to confront your own sinfulness so that you can put the sins of the other person in perspective. The Holy Spirit must give a spirit of conviction and humility to the person seeking to forgive. It is not a pleasant process, but it is a process that leads to a closer relationship with God. Only then can the heart begin to heal because the most special relationship is being restored. Only then can the Holy Spirit begin to reconcile relationships. Only then will the forgiver reap the benefits of the forgiveness. So yes, forgiveness is the only way to make yourself feel better, but it is not the purpose of forgiveness. Forgiveness has to flow from a heart of gratitude towards God for His willingness to forgive us when we have sinned against Him.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Trayvon Martin
This post is barely coherent, and if I took more time, I could probably make it make sense. One of the things that has struck me about the Trayvon Martin story is that it seems too many (mostly white) people are refusing to see one of the real issues in this case. A black boy who was doing nothing wrong was basically chased by a man who thought he was doing wrong based on an irrational fear. Although I understand that there may have been some illegal activity in the area in the past, this man chased this boy down instead of allowing law enforcement to check the boy out. The boy was guilty only of walking to the corner store to buy a snack in the rain, and wearing a hoodie to do it.
This police department failed both the victim and Zimmerman by failing to treat the investigation as a homicide until the defense of self-defense was proven. Self-defense is just that - a defense to a killing. The investigation should have been conducted as if there was a homicide, and leave it to the DA or a jury of Zimmerman's peers to determine if there is a sufficient self-defense argument to determine if the case should be thrown out. This police department acted as a jury and accepted the credibility of Zimmerman on the scene instead of collecting evidence. Now Zimmerman is being tried in the court of public opinion, which is never a good court to be tried in. Martin was failed by the police department because he was treated differently than another victim would have been treated.
One thing that I think that most white people do not understand is how they react when they see a black man or teen walking around them. Do you pull your purse closer to yourself when you see a black man but not when you see a white man? Do you automatically assume that a black person walking through your neighborhood is up to no good but do not think twice about the white person? Those actions are based on irrational fears of a person who is different from you. If you are a white woman living in the South, a black man is very rarely going to do anything to you because they understand that it would be a max sentence if they did. You do not need to fear "them." They may speak to hit on you, so just politely respond declining the advances. Do not fear someone just because of their race! It is ok to watch someone you do not know in your neighborhood to make sure they are not up to something, but it is not ok to track them down with a gun so that an altercation ensues and someone ends up dead. It is ok to be vigilant, but not ok to have irrational fears that someone is up to no good because they are dressed in a hoodie or any other way.
I realize that I come from an entirely different perspective than most people I know because of my life experiences. I cannot help but think though that one of my innocent boys (and I have a few of those) could easily be Trayvon. My boys look like him. My boys walk to the corner store for snacks like him. My boys even wear hoodies in the rain like him. My boys would probably fight if they were followed like him. The police department probably would not do as thorough of an investigation if they were shot like him. If the tables were flipped and one of them followed Zimmerman and acted as Zimmerman did, there is not a doubt in my mind that a proper investigation and arrest would have occurred at that time. Our society values certain lives above others, and you can see it the most when those who are valued least are victims instead of perpetrators. It is time to do a reality check as a whole and start addressing the irrational fears. I think some are learning from Trayvon, and at least his death will not be in vain if some change their irrational fears. Justice will not be served because we are humans living in a fallen world. However, maybe change will come in the way that certain victims are treated and how some laws are applied. And maybe we can overcome some of our irrational fears and not take matters into our own hands.
This police department failed both the victim and Zimmerman by failing to treat the investigation as a homicide until the defense of self-defense was proven. Self-defense is just that - a defense to a killing. The investigation should have been conducted as if there was a homicide, and leave it to the DA or a jury of Zimmerman's peers to determine if there is a sufficient self-defense argument to determine if the case should be thrown out. This police department acted as a jury and accepted the credibility of Zimmerman on the scene instead of collecting evidence. Now Zimmerman is being tried in the court of public opinion, which is never a good court to be tried in. Martin was failed by the police department because he was treated differently than another victim would have been treated.
One thing that I think that most white people do not understand is how they react when they see a black man or teen walking around them. Do you pull your purse closer to yourself when you see a black man but not when you see a white man? Do you automatically assume that a black person walking through your neighborhood is up to no good but do not think twice about the white person? Those actions are based on irrational fears of a person who is different from you. If you are a white woman living in the South, a black man is very rarely going to do anything to you because they understand that it would be a max sentence if they did. You do not need to fear "them." They may speak to hit on you, so just politely respond declining the advances. Do not fear someone just because of their race! It is ok to watch someone you do not know in your neighborhood to make sure they are not up to something, but it is not ok to track them down with a gun so that an altercation ensues and someone ends up dead. It is ok to be vigilant, but not ok to have irrational fears that someone is up to no good because they are dressed in a hoodie or any other way.
I realize that I come from an entirely different perspective than most people I know because of my life experiences. I cannot help but think though that one of my innocent boys (and I have a few of those) could easily be Trayvon. My boys look like him. My boys walk to the corner store for snacks like him. My boys even wear hoodies in the rain like him. My boys would probably fight if they were followed like him. The police department probably would not do as thorough of an investigation if they were shot like him. If the tables were flipped and one of them followed Zimmerman and acted as Zimmerman did, there is not a doubt in my mind that a proper investigation and arrest would have occurred at that time. Our society values certain lives above others, and you can see it the most when those who are valued least are victims instead of perpetrators. It is time to do a reality check as a whole and start addressing the irrational fears. I think some are learning from Trayvon, and at least his death will not be in vain if some change their irrational fears. Justice will not be served because we are humans living in a fallen world. However, maybe change will come in the way that certain victims are treated and how some laws are applied. And maybe we can overcome some of our irrational fears and not take matters into our own hands.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Prison
One thing that hit me today as I read a letter from prison quoting Paul who wrote the verse quoted while in prison was that we benefited from Paul's imprisonment. If it were not for the imprisonments that Paul experienced, he probably would not have slowed down long enough to write letters. Paul was able to devote the time to writing letters because he had time on his hands. He was not preparing for the next sermon or dealing with church issues, but was able to devote time to the letters and to conversation with those around him at the jail. I am sure that I have heard this before in sermons, but it is something that seems to be more clear to me today.
One thing that prison gives a person time to do is think. One of the things that I think some of my boys needed was time to think. In the past when they have started thinking, they have done things to try to push out the thoughts. Although some of those things are still around in prison, they seem to be concentrating on good time more than trying to dull any pain. One of the brothers of both Guy and James are in jail right now. I heard from both this week. Their letters have a much different tone than the boys I saw before they went to jail. One thing I noticed in both - hope. They have thought about the future, and are planning for it. I think that one of them is finally ready to leave the old life completely behind. I pray that he continues toward his goals. I know that I am grateful for the words I have read this week. I am also glad that they know that there is still someone who has hope for them as well. I love my boys!
One thing that prison gives a person time to do is think. One of the things that I think some of my boys needed was time to think. In the past when they have started thinking, they have done things to try to push out the thoughts. Although some of those things are still around in prison, they seem to be concentrating on good time more than trying to dull any pain. One of the brothers of both Guy and James are in jail right now. I heard from both this week. Their letters have a much different tone than the boys I saw before they went to jail. One thing I noticed in both - hope. They have thought about the future, and are planning for it. I think that one of them is finally ready to leave the old life completely behind. I pray that he continues toward his goals. I know that I am grateful for the words I have read this week. I am also glad that they know that there is still someone who has hope for them as well. I love my boys!
Friday, September 16, 2011
Something Changed
The biggest change I think I have experienced between Guy's murder and James' murder - I don't even care who the shooter(s) is/are or whether they are ultimately tried for the crime. It is sometimes easier to not know and not put a face on the killer. I have barely given the shooter(s) any thought except to think about how I am not thinking about them this time.
I remember telling my pastor this summer that sometimes when a family learns who committed the murder, it is more difficult to deal with the death. When a family in our church learned who the murder was of their family members, that was proven true for them. It was true for me when Guy was murdered. I hope I never learn who did it to James because of the extra layer of emotions that it causes. His death is hard enough to deal with without knowing.
I remember telling my pastor this summer that sometimes when a family learns who committed the murder, it is more difficult to deal with the death. When a family in our church learned who the murder was of their family members, that was proven true for them. It was true for me when Guy was murdered. I hope I never learn who did it to James because of the extra layer of emotions that it causes. His death is hard enough to deal with without knowing.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Six Flags 2002
If there was one day I wish I could have captured on video so that I could watch it over and over again, it would be the day that the Center kids went to Six Flags in 2002. I remember bits and pieces of that day. I ended up with a group of four boys - I always get along with the boys better. One in my group was too short to ride many of the rides. I noticed his pouty-ness and decided I would not ride the ride if he could not ride it. I spent a lot of time with him that day. I also made the rule that we had to alternate rides between the ones he could ride and the ones he could not. My reward was some hand holding and lots of smiles. He was my buddy that day. My little sidekick. He was one sweet little boy.
Later the younger kids went back to the Center and I volunteered to stay with the teens. I assumed the older kids would not want me around. I was wrong. When they saw me they asked where I had been, and forced me to walk around riding rides with them. I say forced - I am sure I was easy to convince. One of the boys made me sit on the outside of him on a spinning ride. This resulted in him being pressed up against me for the entire ride. Another boy kept saying he felt like he was going to be sick causing me and my ride partner to laugh so hard we were almost crying. We got along that night. We were friends.
Now both of my ride buddies are gone. I said goodbye to the teenager - Guy - almost three and a half years ago. My short boy grew up - taller than me, but did not get to become a man. I will be saying goodbye to James this weekend. There is one day in my memory that unites them and it was that day at Six Flags. Sure, I remember them being around me together at other times, but this day was a special day. I am thankful for the precious memories. I am thankful for that day at Six Flags nine years ago. For the moment, it feels like it was yesterday.
Later the younger kids went back to the Center and I volunteered to stay with the teens. I assumed the older kids would not want me around. I was wrong. When they saw me they asked where I had been, and forced me to walk around riding rides with them. I say forced - I am sure I was easy to convince. One of the boys made me sit on the outside of him on a spinning ride. This resulted in him being pressed up against me for the entire ride. Another boy kept saying he felt like he was going to be sick causing me and my ride partner to laugh so hard we were almost crying. We got along that night. We were friends.
Now both of my ride buddies are gone. I said goodbye to the teenager - Guy - almost three and a half years ago. My short boy grew up - taller than me, but did not get to become a man. I will be saying goodbye to James this weekend. There is one day in my memory that unites them and it was that day at Six Flags. Sure, I remember them being around me together at other times, but this day was a special day. I am thankful for the precious memories. I am thankful for that day at Six Flags nine years ago. For the moment, it feels like it was yesterday.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
James Wells
May 1, 1994 - August 26, 2011
The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. Job 1:21b
Friday, August 26, 2011
Camelbak Water Bottle
I am not an environmentally concerned person. I am not one to really worry about the amount of trash I have. I do not recycle regularly even though that is available here. However, since becoming self-employed, I realized I was going through WAY too many bottles of water. While at the firm, I had a seemingly unlimited supply of cold water that claimed to be spring water and had very little taste. I do not like the taste of the tap water here so I became a bottled water addict once I entered the world of self-employment. I began to notice that I had too many water bottles everywhere waiting for the next trash day or recycling, and I would refrain from drinking water just because I did not want to throw away more bottles.
One day while shopping Target I ran across this water bottle:
I bought it on a whim, and I have been pleased with the purchase ever since. Due to its price and the price of the filters, I don't think it is cheaper (or it will take a while for it to be cheaper) than bottled water. However, I have noticed my water consumption returning to the pre-self-employment levels. The water tastes filtered coming from the bottle. The bottle is a convenient size. The filters supposedly last three months, and my experience has been that it was pretty close to the three month range before the taste suffered, and I think I used the first filter exactly three months (bought in late March/early April and changed in July). The filter system is easy to use. I have carried this bottle on trips, to camp, and all over the house. It is definitely a good alternative to drinking lots of bottled water. I still keep bottled water around for guests or to make Crystal Light since it is the act of using the straw to take a drink that filters the water. Additionally, the Camelbak, since it is a filter, is not made for flavored drinks, just water. Overall if you are a water drinker, I highly recommend this water bottle. I think it is worth the price for a single person drinking 3-4 bottles of water every day.
*The picture is a link to the Amazon listing for this water bottle. I bought mine at Target for a little bit more than this one, but I did not have to wait for it to ship. Also, my bottle is the charcoal bottle instead of like the one in the picture.
One day while shopping Target I ran across this water bottle:
I bought it on a whim, and I have been pleased with the purchase ever since. Due to its price and the price of the filters, I don't think it is cheaper (or it will take a while for it to be cheaper) than bottled water. However, I have noticed my water consumption returning to the pre-self-employment levels. The water tastes filtered coming from the bottle. The bottle is a convenient size. The filters supposedly last three months, and my experience has been that it was pretty close to the three month range before the taste suffered, and I think I used the first filter exactly three months (bought in late March/early April and changed in July). The filter system is easy to use. I have carried this bottle on trips, to camp, and all over the house. It is definitely a good alternative to drinking lots of bottled water. I still keep bottled water around for guests or to make Crystal Light since it is the act of using the straw to take a drink that filters the water. Additionally, the Camelbak, since it is a filter, is not made for flavored drinks, just water. Overall if you are a water drinker, I highly recommend this water bottle. I think it is worth the price for a single person drinking 3-4 bottles of water every day.
*The picture is a link to the Amazon listing for this water bottle. I bought mine at Target for a little bit more than this one, but I did not have to wait for it to ship. Also, my bottle is the charcoal bottle instead of like the one in the picture.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Homemade Refried Black Beans
I am a huge fan of black beans. I put them in almost everything. Today I decided to make refried beans with a can of black beans I had. All you have to do is mash them up and season them, right? Actually, yes that is all it took, and they tasted better than what you get out of a can!
Ingredients
1/4 an onion, chopped
1-2 teaspoons of garlic
1 can of black beans, mostly drained
1/2 small can of chiles
2 tablespoons chili powder
1-2 tablespoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Instructions
Spray pan with generous amount of cooking spray. Heat on medium and add onion and garlic to the pan cooking until the onions are softened. Push the onions to the side of the pan and add a spoonful of black beans. Let the beans sizzle for a few seconds, then mash with a potato masher. Stir together with the onions, push to the side, and repeat until all the beans have been added. Add the chiles and send through the masher again. Add the spices, simmer, then serve.
I don't really measure my spices, so these measurements are a suggestion. They are the approximate amounts that I used, and my beans were good and spicy. If you have a sensitive tongue, you may want to cut down on the chili powder and chile peppers. If you can take the heat, add the whole can. The nice thing about homemade refried beans is that the spices and the taste are up to you.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Ingredients
1/4 an onion, chopped
1-2 teaspoons of garlic
1 can of black beans, mostly drained
1/2 small can of chiles
2 tablespoons chili powder
1-2 tablespoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Instructions
Spray pan with generous amount of cooking spray. Heat on medium and add onion and garlic to the pan cooking until the onions are softened. Push the onions to the side of the pan and add a spoonful of black beans. Let the beans sizzle for a few seconds, then mash with a potato masher. Stir together with the onions, push to the side, and repeat until all the beans have been added. Add the chiles and send through the masher again. Add the spices, simmer, then serve.
I don't really measure my spices, so these measurements are a suggestion. They are the approximate amounts that I used, and my beans were good and spicy. If you have a sensitive tongue, you may want to cut down on the chili powder and chile peppers. If you can take the heat, add the whole can. The nice thing about homemade refried beans is that the spices and the taste are up to you.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Monday, May 2, 2011
Signature Meatloaf
Meatloaf may be the ultimate comfort food. Having a meatloaf recipe to fall back on is almost as important as having a stocked spice pantry ... or toilet paper in the bathroom. I am exaggerating a little, although for someone like me who loves meatloaf, but is also picky about the taste of it, it is pretty close. I have worked and worked on creating a meatloaf recipe that I could remember without a recipe and could make regularly without worrying about how it is going to taste. I have looked at many different meatloaf recipes, and I finally decided that the recipes are just inspiration instead of to be followed exactly. Saturday I finally came up with something that is quite possibly the best meatloaf I have ever tasted. Meatloaf is one of those things that you might think your recipe is the best, but someone else may not share your opinion because taste in meatloaf is so personal. Gather a group of moms together to share their recipes, and you will probably discover the same number of recipes as the number of persons present.
Here is my signature meatloaf recipe:
1 lb ground turkey
2 lbs extra lean ground pork
1 small onion, chopped
1 can of Italian bread crumbs
1 lb (minus a little) shredded cheddar cheese
1-1/2 cups of ketchup (eyeballed instead of measured)
3/4 of a small can of sundried tomato pesto (but save the rest)
1 small can of tomato paste
1 onion, sliced
Combine the first 7 ingredients in the same way you always do when you make a meatloaf. The longer you work with it, the better it combines. Plus, no matter how nasty it is, you really do need to use your hands. Form into a loaf. Meanwhile, put a layer of onions in the bottom of the pan/crockpot for the meat to lay on (to keep the bottom from burning and to soak up the cheese and meat grease). Put the loaf on the bed of onions, and place some slices at the edges too if the loaf is leaning on any edges. Cook like you would any meatloaf (3-4 hours on high in the crockpot). Combine the remaining tomato pesto with the tomato paste and spread on the loaf halfway through cooking (or at the beginning if you like it burnt). Cook until the middle is 165 degrees so you can eat it cold the next day (you know you like cold meatloaf almost as much as you like warm meatloaf).
I do not know if it was the ground pork or the Italian spices that sent this meatloaf over the top for me. Maybe it was the cheese. I am thinking about using Italian cheeses the next time I make it to see if it tastes good that way too. However, it was perfect made this way ... for me at least. I am so happy to have found my signature meatloaf! Feel free to try my recipe and mix it up. Make it your own. Get to work on your signature meatloaf recipe!
Here is my signature meatloaf recipe:
1 lb ground turkey
2 lbs extra lean ground pork
1 small onion, chopped
1 can of Italian bread crumbs
1 lb (minus a little) shredded cheddar cheese
1-1/2 cups of ketchup (eyeballed instead of measured)
3/4 of a small can of sundried tomato pesto (but save the rest)
1 small can of tomato paste
1 onion, sliced
Combine the first 7 ingredients in the same way you always do when you make a meatloaf. The longer you work with it, the better it combines. Plus, no matter how nasty it is, you really do need to use your hands. Form into a loaf. Meanwhile, put a layer of onions in the bottom of the pan/crockpot for the meat to lay on (to keep the bottom from burning and to soak up the cheese and meat grease). Put the loaf on the bed of onions, and place some slices at the edges too if the loaf is leaning on any edges. Cook like you would any meatloaf (3-4 hours on high in the crockpot). Combine the remaining tomato pesto with the tomato paste and spread on the loaf halfway through cooking (or at the beginning if you like it burnt). Cook until the middle is 165 degrees so you can eat it cold the next day (you know you like cold meatloaf almost as much as you like warm meatloaf).
I do not know if it was the ground pork or the Italian spices that sent this meatloaf over the top for me. Maybe it was the cheese. I am thinking about using Italian cheeses the next time I make it to see if it tastes good that way too. However, it was perfect made this way ... for me at least. I am so happy to have found my signature meatloaf! Feel free to try my recipe and mix it up. Make it your own. Get to work on your signature meatloaf recipe!
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