Bena Mae’s Kitchen: Is the age of respect and civility dead?

It may not be dead but it’s definitely on life support. All you have to do is listen to a talk show and all you get is both sides screaming. What does anyone gain from this kind of behavior? Mics should be shut off when a person refuses to answer a question and wanders off the subject to his own prepared statement that doesn’t address the original question at all.
This is just one example that drives viewers crazy. And it leaves them confused. In the end they are no more well informed than when the program started. And it only leaves us feeling like we’ve been watching a rooster fight.
When the president of the United States is interrupted during his State of the Union Address by a crude shout of “You Lie,” it shows how deplorable our manners have become. Regardless of our politics, we owe the office of the presidency our deepest respect. And if you don’t like what the president is saying, at least give the office the respect it deserves. Don’t show the world what an ignoramus you are.
Our “leaders” in Congress have lost the civility and respect they used to have for one another. I can remember phrases like “my esteemed colleague, or my honorable opponent,” being said across the aisle in a vote on a bill, but that is no longer the case. They shout expletives at one another, falsely accuse their opponent of outrageous and made-up statements and behavior. They are mindful of high school kids on the playground. I see no maturity in their behavior and wonder how they ever got to their high place in office. If only we could pull the curtain back and expose their past, their secrets. Has lying become so acceptable to them that we consider it the new norm? Did they leave their conscience back home when they took office?
One last thing about the subject of respect because talking about politics is making me sick. In reference to Don’s recent column on church attire, I was reminded of getting ready for church on Sunday morning when I was a child. Before we walked out the door, Mama checked us out to make sure we were properly dressed, that our hair was neatly brushed and our dresses were wrinkle-free and starched to a fare-thee-well. But the memory I recall most vividly was my shoes. They were my Sunday shoes, worn only to Sunday school and church. They were black patent leather with a strap across the top, I think they were called Mary Janes.
To make sure they looked spit-and-polished, I would rub them with one of the biscuits left over from breakfast. It was probably the lard in the biscuit that made them shine until they sparkled. Mama didn’t want her offspring entering the house of the Lord without showing proper respect and wearing our best was important. To this day, I still feel this way.

This meatloaf is full of flavor, and a delicious twist on an old favorite. Bacon, onions, mushrooms, and Swiss cheese are added to ground beef and baked to perfection.

Bacon Mushroom Swiss Cheese Meatloaf

12 ounces chopped raw bacon
1 small white onion, chopped
5 button mushrooms, chopped
1 1/2 pounds extra-lean ground beef
1 egg
1/4 cup evaporated milk
6 ounces shredded Swiss cheese,
divided
1/2 cup corn flake crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Place bacon in a skillet and cook over medium heat until the pieces are browned. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of bacon grease. Stir in onions and mushrooms, and cook until soft. Remove from heat.
In a large bowl, stir together beef, egg, and milk. Stir in the onion and mushrooms. Mix in about 4 ounces of Swiss cheese, and all but 1 tablespoon of bacon. Stir in cornflake crumbs, and mix until well blended. Shape into a loaf, and place in a meatloaf pan.
Bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour. Drain fat, and sprinkle with remaining cheese and bacon. Return to oven, and bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.