a tasty tastee

There is a diner in Lincoln called the Tastee In and Out.  It opened in 1948 and has been many people's go-to eatery in town.  A local institution, it's famous for its loose meat sandwiches, onion chips, dip and shakes.  The place's charm includes a tube that sends orders to the kitchen, a drive-through window on the wrong side, and a charming old sign out front.  I'm told that the greasy aroma inside evokes generations of memories.

I'll be honest with you, I have actually never eaten at the Tastee In and Out.  When I hear the term "loose meat sandwich" or "onion chips", unpleasant thoughts drift into my mind.  Do you remember the scene from Billy Madison in the school cafeteria?  You know, the one where the creepy lunch lady says, "Have some more Sloppy Joe's.  I made 'em extra sloppy for ya!"  Well, that's what I think of when I think about Tastee's.  I also think of how tragic it would be to spend an afternoon at work (a middle school) in the bathroom.  Pubescent kids don't let you live something like that down.

Nevertheless, though I have never been to the actual establishment, I have had a Tastee.  That's right, I have actually eaten one of those loose meat concoctions that I fear so much.  I can attribute this experience to the fact that many women in Lincoln have Tastee recipes and it is often go-to fare at social events.  Last year, one of my coworkers invited me and others we over to her house for lunch.  This person, though as kind as she could be, is a horrible cook.  When I found out that she was serving Tastee's, a knot developed in my stomach.  In fear of hurting her feelings, I "took one for the team" and ate her Tastee and found it to be...  HORRIBLE!  It tasted like old meat ground up in a garage disposal,  left there for a week, and shoved into a bun.  My gag reflex is flaring by just talking about it.   So you get my drift...

This summer, I had the awkward experience of insulting my mother-in-law, Cathie, when she offered to make Tastee's for my 4th of July party.  I described my traumatic experience of eating one over lunch to her.  Cathie, who knows the coworker very well, agreed with me in pegging this woman a horrible cook.  Cathie assured me that her Tastee's were much better.  I placed my faith in her and let her serve them at the party.   I worked up the courage to try one again, this time I found it to be... DELIGHTFUL.  God Bless Cathie!  She managed to breakdown my fear over this sandwich.  So as my ode to the Tastee and honoring Cathie (a wonderful cook), I have included her Tastee recipe for your enjoyment...

Tastee Recipe

(from the kitchen of Cathie Petsch)

Take an 8 oz. jar and fill it with the ingredients listed below:

4 oz. of ketchup

3 heaping tsp. of prepared mustard

3 heaping tsp. of Silver Springs Cream Style horseradish

5 heaping tsp. of iodized salt

1/4 tsp. of black pepper

This should fill the jar, if not add more ketchup and stir thoroughly

Place 5 lbs of 85% ground beef in a flat bottom kettle

Pour mixture over the beef in the kettle

Fill the same 8 oz. jar with warm water and pour over the meat

Fill the same 8 oz. jar with ground yellow onions and pour into kettle

Add a heaping tsp. of Accent Flavor Enhancer on top of meat

Take a wooden spoon to stir and mix ingredients

Over a low flame stir meat and mixture constantly with wooden spoon for about 15 min or until meat is    broken apart finely

Then, increase heat about 1/4 until it boils, let boil about 25 minutes stirring every few minutes so it doesn't stick