This semester I decide I wanted to cook more. I wanted to start making myself meals that were healthier and not of the frozen variety. I have always loved cooking. I even have a special dish I make every Thanksgiving for my family. I also took cooking classes in high school too. I am clearly no amateur.

I purchased a cookbook from Target before I came back to school called “Hungry Girl.” It is filled with all kinds of recipes, from sweet potato fries to smoothies. The first recipe I chose to make was a turkey meatloaf. It seemed harmless enough, and I didn’t think I would get sick from the turkey. (I just started eating meat again, remember!)

I had all the ingredients for my first cooking adventure that the cookbook recommended, so I made it. I didn’t have the exact amount of turkey that was needed, but I wasn’t off by much. I didn’t think it would be a huge deal, and it turns out it wasn’t. This recipe was for mini meatloaf, but I didn’t have cupcake holders, so I just made it normally.

I followed the recipe and put it in the oven; it took about 35 minutes to cook. When there was about 10 minutes left, I called my mom because it looked kind of weird. What she helped me come to realize is that I forgot to put the oats in the meatloaf, the ingredient that binds the meatloaf together. But, that wasn’t a huge deal; the only thing that happened was that it was crumbly. So it was more of a ground turkey meatloaf rather than a regular meatloaf.

I let it finish cooking, and then tried my master piece. I put it on my plate with some ketchup. (Because who doesn’t eat meatloaf with ketchup) I ate it, and it was good – really good. I finished eating it, put tin foil over the left-overs, and then it hit.

My stomach made some of the weirdest sounds I’ve ever heard. The meatloaf wasn’t agreeing with me in any way. Needless to say I didn’t eat any more of that meatloaf. Whether this was because I did something wrong in the recipe, or my body still isn’t up to eating a lot of meat, I’m not sure, which is why I decided not to eat any more of that meatloaf.

I haven’t tried another recipe from the book yet, but I want too! I have a few lined up, so I am going to take another whack at it. I may try something meatless for the time being though, or try something with turkey one more time!