Did you know that Meat Loaf is a vegetarian? Despite his famous name, Marvin Lee Aday doesn't even eat meat! Of course, I'm talking about Meat Loaf, the rock legend. Don't laugh; he's sold more than 30,000,000 albums, and happens to be the only 300-pound man able to make women and girls across the globe weep with adoration in his presence. Yup, this is my lame segue into a column about meatloaf.

I'm a big fan of meat loaf (the food!), but my husband never was. However, I've recently started stuffing the meatloaf, and now we're both hooked. Meatloaf, at its best is very tasty, but at its worst is nothing more than a meaty-flavored bread loaf you'd get in the school cafeteria. Stuffing it takes ordinary meatloaf, and transforms it into an elegant meal (well, almost).

(A word to the wise about making your meat mixture #) you need to mix the meatloaf ingredients well, but do not overdo it, if you do, the meatloaf will be very tough and take on a very heavy texture.)

Aunt Becky:

I actually like meat loaf #- the man and the food, but I usually don't make it because of the time involved. You know, the three minutes it takes to combine meat (just beef), eggs, bread - that I actually tear with my hands - some ketchup and a little salt and pepper and then the 45 minutes it takes for it to cook. So of course making the whole process a great deal more time consuming doesn't really appeal to me.

Julia's first recipe looks really good, and I may suggest to my son that he make it (minus the pesto of course) so I can try it. But I'm thinking that the meat in the loaf is probably enough so I might cut just a few corners and leave out the Capicola all together (or put it on my antipasto appetizer - right!) and just mix some mozzarella into the meat loaf mixture. I think that would work.

The thought of a Reuben meat loaf does nothing for me. Sauerkraut is one of those hideous foods from my childhood. Every Sunday we had our main meal in the middle of the day at the huge mahogany dining room table. I don't remember what the meal was, but I do remember that it included sauerkraut. My brothers finished eating (or hid the offensive food in their clothing and went out to play. I was told I couldn't leave the table until I ate some sauerkraut. I said I would be sick (or words to that effect), if I were made to eat it. My parents proved to have a stronger will than I - or I was more afraid of what they might do than they were of what I might do - and I ate it. However, the final revenge was mine. I got sick! So, I don't eat sauerkraut, let alone go the trouble of wrapping it in my meat loaf. Greek meat loaf has so many things wrong with it. First of all #) the name. I don't think I would eat anything called Greek whatever.

And then we have lamb, cumin, spinach and cinnamon. I wouldn't eat it even if someone else cooked it for me. I think I'll stick with plain old meat loaf, make a little stove top stuffing and some bag-o-salad (in the future to be referred to as B-O-S) my inspiration having been that annoying chef on TV that Julia made me watch who talks about EVOO - and then I'll have time to watch my reality shows.

Julia Allen, of Owasco, is a personal chef and owner of A La Carte chef service. Julia can be reached at julia@alacartechef.com