Meatloaf & Mash

I've neglected this blog. Somehow, I just wasn't inspired to cook or post. Plus lots of travel got in the way. Hope this is the beginning of resurrecting this site. And here goes...



I was watching FoodTV two days ago. In it, Ina Garten was feeding some guys fixing a windmill. The food was good and easy. To date, I've only made meatloaf, if I remember correctly, once. This is my second try and I love her recipe. Granted, it's more laborious than the usual meatloaf but it's so worth the trouble.

The original recipe for meatloaf is here and the one for the buttermilk mash is here.

I did a little tweaking on the meatloaf --

1. I used lean ground sirloin instead of turkey (I've had turkey meatloaf before and I still like the texture of the beef version).
2. I added lots of sliced white mushrooms to the sauteed onions
3. I used homemade bread crumbs (only because I have 2-day old baguettes so I just cubed them then threw them into the food processor)
4. I added a bit more Worcestershire sauce (it tasted a lot better - with a kick!)
5. I placed them in loaf pans (and only because I hate the mess afterwards -- this recipe yields 2 loaf pans; I also tried to get fancy and half of the mixture was put in individual tiny loaf pans for better presentation.)
6. I put a pan of water in the oven so the tops of the loaves will stay moist and not cracked.
   

I didn't mess with the buttermilk mashed potatoes recipe much except to use a fork for mashing (easier and less to wash) and I had to add a bit more salt and pepper. It was so good and creamy. By the way Ina said never to use a food processor for mashing as it will make it chewy. Whatever that means.

Chinese New Year Chicken Soup

We got invited to Chinese New Year dinner a couple of weeks ago by our Chinese good friends. Their son happens to be in the same 1st Grade class as ours. Funny thing, both boys look so much alike -- Asian boys wearing eyeglasses, both reading at 4th Grade level, they get mistaken for each other a lot. Anyway, it was one of the most sumptuous dinners we've ever had. Maybe because we've never been to a Chinese New Year dinner before, let alone an authentic one.

The dishes served were all so elaborate except for the first course: Chicken Soup. Pictures to follow later. Here's the recipe first:

Chinese New Year Chicken Soup

The Ingredients:
1 whole young chicken (or Cornish hen), skin and fat removed then washed
6-8 cups water
3 cloves garlic
1 medium yellow onion, diced
a few whole peppercorns
2-3 tsp salt to taste
cabbage
napa cabbage
yellow potatoes (optional)
scallions (optional)

The Method:

1. Place whole chicken in a stock pot
2. Add water
3. Place garlic, onion, and peppercorns in a piece of cheesecloth and tie tightly to keep ingredients from escaping (putting these in a cheesecloth ensures your broth is clear)
4. Add salt
5. Turn heat on to high and allow to boil. Once boiling, turn down heat to low, skim off stuff that floats, and simmer covered for 2 hours.
6. Turn heat back on to high and add sliced cabbage and nappa cabbage (I always remove the white parts and only use the leafy parts). Allow to boil then turn off heat and serve.

You can add cubed potatoes and scallions if you want. Tips on cooking: do not use fish sauce (patis) or it will alter the broth's taste and color. A mere 2-3 teaspoons of salt is enough to make it tasty. Adjust seasoning as necessary. Tip on serving: the meat will be fork tender so just use a fork to get pieces of the chicken as you serve into individual bowls.

Believe me, this is the best chicken soup ever!

Pakistani Food

We recently got invited to dinner by one of hubby's squash buddies. The hosts, a Pakistani couple (real-estate-wife and doctor-husband tandem) went all out and prepared a lavish buffet for us and a few other friends from their squash circuit. Their food culture is so similar to ours -- lots of food (there were at least 8 entrees plus the salads and desserts), all prepared from scratch, and everyone is welcome to bring home left-overs.

the food set-up


the lentils tasted like our sauteed monggo, the stewed okra was delicious and spicy, the chicken with sauce was so yummy it reminds me of our chicken asado but more spicy and less tomato sauce




It was a lovely evening with lots of conversation, lots of play time for both adults and kids (there was a ping-pong table, air hockey, xBox, Wii, and many more toys down in the basement), and a great dinner.

hot summer

whew, we have been having a very hot summer. we've had temperatures soaring to the 3 digits for 2 straight weeks now. see my car's dashboard -- yep, you read it right, it was 109-degrees-Fahrenheit! let me cool off a little. be right back.

a brief hiatus...

the gigantic cookie cake i brought to 5-year old's class during the last day of school...

I will be going on vacation for the next couple of weeks. I'll try to post as much as I can but you know how it is...

Weekend in Nashville

We stayed in Nashville's grandiose, five-star The Hermitage Hotel over the holiday weekend. The trip was actually to help out some very close friends who were producing a benefit concert. Incidentally, the performer also happens to be old friends of ours.



The hotel was grand in every sense. The Frette linens were luxurious, the pillow top bed was so comfortable, the Turkish bath towels and robes were plushy, the Molton Brown toiletries were amazing, the free bottles of water were refreshing... It was a busy weekend but relaxing in a way. Being with good friends made it more special.

Score! this summer...

Summer break starts today and for my 5-year old, this means summer camps and fun activities. He'll be continuing with his swimming lessons, ice hockey lessons, and just being outdoors. For the intellectual side, just so he won't forget everything he's learned the past school year, I went to a Score! learning center to ask what they can offer.

Score! is an innovative tutor and an education program for kids from Pre-Kindergarten through 10th grade. The learning method is via the use of computers and curriculum is based on the child's ability and pace. The major subject matters are: Reading, Spelling, and Math. Every time a child finishes a program, a report is generated to allow the parents to determine how the child is doing.

We came in for a screening and after a brief introduction and interview, my son was allowed to go through a Reading, Math, and Spelling program. He thoroughly enjoyed everything because to him, it was child's play! Little did he know that it was a way for him to increase his knowledge. I was quite impressed with the Score! program. After the screening, they even game me a written report indicating my son's score for the programs he finished and also included comments from the learning coach. In addition to that, I was given a course report that identified my son's learning level: as a 5-year old, his Reading, Spelling, and Mathematical abilities are for a 2nd-Grader!

Because my son is advanced for his age, Score! will customize a curriculum in order for him to take advantage of his abilities. It's a win-win situation. For this summer, they are running several savings programs. Come in for a free screening and see for yourself how they can help your child this summer!

[**This is a sponsored post.**]