Okazuya Meat Loaf

One of the local okazuya's (now closed) would have meat loaf on their line.  I don't remember meat loaf being on okazuya offerings as a kid.

Panko Meat Loaf

click on recipe title for printable recipe

 

     1 1/2 lbs ground beef

     1/2 c panko

     1 egg

     1/3 c onion, finely chopped

     1 tbsp brown sugar

     1 tsp salt

     black pepper

     1/4 c water

     1 can condensed tomato soup, divided

Grease a 9" loaf pan.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine all ingredients with 1/2 can of undiluted tomato soup.  Reserve remainder for later.  Place mixture into prepared loaf pan and bake 40 minutes.  Remove from oven and spread remaining soup evenly over top of loaf.  Bake additional 10 minutes.

Kim Chee Patties

Last week was a difficult week.  We had some restoring to do at the hale (house).  The Help put back the gazebo cover.  He replaced the tarp on the tempermanent carport.  He also replaced the loose clamps on the pool heater.

He did a lot, and I'm grateful for his help, but I know there are families out there who still have it bad.  Some of my friends in Kapoho just got electricity restored this weekend.  Many had already capitulated and purchased generators.  I offered to do laundry for some of my work friends, but nobody took  me up on my offer.  I hope it wasn't because of my only stipulation, "no undies". . .didn't want uncomfortable smiles (or new good friends) at work.

This past weekend was a long weekend (unlike the long weekend created by the arrival of Iselle, this weekend was planned). . .Admissions Day holiday on Friday.  Since D2's birthday fell on Thursday, I threw her a slumber party on Thursday evening.  She had a few friends over for pizza (yes, she finally eats pizza) and swimming.  Although I kept an eye on them, its nice to know kids are able to swim on their own.  I wonder when they became "old". . .

Not sure why, but I started feeling really lousy on Friday.  I woke up with a headache right behind the eyes.  I think the Aleve upset my stomach because I had to go back to bed and rest.  It made me think that in spite of being with students all last year, I didn't take any sick leave.  The only time I called a substitute was to attend a workshop.  Amazing!  The previous year, when I was only with adults, I developed bronchitis.  I think the adults gave me more sickness germs than the kids.

Feeling under the weather, I asked The Help to get me some kim chee to eat with the taegu (seasoned codfish) I had.  My reasoning was that the chili pepper heat would kill the bad germs.  It must've worked because I felt fine by the time cake and ice cream time rolled around, and I was even able to keep my claws appointment.  I tried out a new salon since TK was on vacation. 

The next day, I felt fine so I accompanied The Help to a yearbook photo shoot in the morning.  I also managed to squeeze in a test drive of a cute car I've been thinking about for D1.  I'm still thinking. . .

I spent the entire afternoon at preseason football games with The Help.  My job was to sherpa photo equipment.  I think I went above and beyond the call because I actually shot some frames myself!  I have students on both the junior varsity and varsity teams, and it is always nice to see them in a non-classroom environment.  The 3rd quarter of the varsity game seemed endless!  I spent over five hours at the stadium and had no energy to come home and cook dinner.  We ate Korean food at Restaurant Osaka (yes, Restaurant Osaka serves Korean food). . .guess I was still ono for heat.

By Sunday evening, with my Korean food craving practically satiated, I decided to give it the one final hurrah.  I didn't want the jar of kim chee to be forgotten in the fridge, so I made kim chee patties with the rest of the kim chee (I didn't eat much of it when I was feeling under the weather).   Kim chee patties are easy to make because the patties fry up quickly.  Because they are rather thin, they make a whole lot which means there will be leftovers for lunch the next day (and maybe even the day after too)!

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Kim Chee Patties

     1 jar (10-12 oz) kim chee
     1 lb ground beef
     2 tbsp sugar
     2 tbsp shoyu
     1 1/2 tsp salt
     5 eggs
     1/4 c flour
     3/4 c cornstarch

Drain kim chee, reserving 1/2 c liquid (if liquid is less than 1/2 c, use water to make up the difference).  Chop kim chee and combine with ground beef.  Combine remaining ingredients.  Add to kim chee/ground beef mixture.  Batter will be runny.  Heat oil in skillet.  Scoop 2 tbsp at a time and fry in skillet (flatten out a little) until brown on one side.  Turn over and fry other side.  Add oil as needed.  Skillet should not be dry.  Drain on paper towels.

Preseason football got underway this weekend.  Both the JV and varsity squads were victorious in their debut versus crosstown rival Waiakea.  Way to go VIKS!

making for the end zone

tough-as nails running back on the jv roster. . .she scored a rushing TD

senior running back weaving through Waiakea defenders

Bring back memories, eh, Matsu???

Beryl's Meatloaf

For most people here, this will be the first full week of work since returning from Spring Break.  The next break will be Good Friday, in 3 weeks.

I was looking forward to warmer weather, but Hilo has been a little nippy.  It's definitely not swimming weather yet, although the Ds went for a swim last week.  My thoughts of making salads (or even cold somen) for dinner have been put on hold...gonna wait a week or so and hope the weather warms up.

I went for my check-up last week, and the hammer dropped.  It was Dougie's turn to deliver the message...don't eat so much cholesterol.  When the weather is this cold, I can't help it!  Nobody in their right mind would pick a salad over something warm and hearty.  But Dougie is right, and I do need to eat fatty foods in moderation.  Leung's will likely suffer economic depression without my regular patronage.  Gosh, I could surely go for a kau yuk and egg foo young plate.  Maybe I could convince 3M to go pick up Chinese for lunch.  Why am I jonesing for a plate of cholesterol?!?

. . .especially since I had a mound of cholesterol last night.  I made meat loaf, buttery mashed potatoes, and cole slaw.  Sometime during the first decade of the 21st century, I learned that meatloaf and coleslaw go great together.  My former coworker Beryl told me so, and after trying it out, I had to agree.  I like the taste of the packaged broccoli slaw with Marie's poppyseed dressing. The markets here don't always carry that dressing, but I've come across a few copycat recipes that I'd like to try out.  Luckily, I had some Marie's dressing in my fridge for the cole slaw this time.

The meatloaf I made was a recipe shared by Beryl.  It is easy to throw together, and for someone like myself (non-pea eater), I can do things to easily get rid of the peas:  pick the peas out of the soup before adding the soup in with the rest of the ingredients.  Best of all, Beryl's meatloaf contains none of the Devil's condiment.  I actually spat out my lunch once...someone slathered the top of a meatloaf with mustard.  D-I-S-G-U-S-T-I-N-G!

 
click on recipe title for printable recipe

Beryl's Meatloaf

     1 lb ground beef
     1 pkg Lipton onion soup mix
     1 can Campbells condensed alphabet vegetable soup
     2 eggs
     1/2 c dry breadcrumbs, e.g. Progresso
     1/4 c ketchup
     additional ketchup for topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 1 3/4 quart baking dish.  Combine all ingredients.  Press mixture into prepared pan.  Dot top with ketchup and spread evenly over entire surface (thin layer).  Bake for 50 minutes.

My bestie LAMN came home to Hilo this weekend, and we were able to get together for lunch yesterday.  Alas, the circumstances of her visit home were not the best, but it was still nice to catch up with her.  In spite of not seeing her for years, we just picked up the talk from where we left off.  It shouldn't come as a surprise...we went to the same elementary school, intermediate school, high school and college (after she got her head screwed on correctly).  LAMN was with us in the car when UGeo burned out the clutch on the return from Expo86.  She will be home again next weekend, but I don't think we'll be able to get together, as she'll have her hands full with family obligations.

This pic was taken back in the summer of 1995.  The baby in the picture is me.  Ok, ok, just kidding.  The baby is now a sophomore at the University of Washington.  LAMN still looks the same.  I wish I could give some of my wrinkles and ass fat to her!