Chow Bella
Chow Bella: Heart-Shaped Meatloaf
Feb 12th
A number of people* have brought it to my attention that despite my claim, when I launched my blog back in . . . when was that? Summer sometime? Well, anyway — despite THE VOW** I made to blog four times a week, in the last couple of months I haven’t blogged four times a week. Or at all.
Here’s the thing. In addition to my awesome career as a blogger (does it count as a career if you don’t get paid?) I actually write, you know. Books. I have a manuscript due March 1, and if I had any idea what today’s date is, I’d tell you how many days that gives me to finish it. I know it’s not a lot.
However. Valentine’s Day is coming up. Woo hoo! So before I get back to working on my manuscript*** I wanted to share my recipe for Heart-Shaped Meatloaf. In truth, this is not really “my” recipe; I got if from Cooking Light. However, the heart-shaped bit is my own special twist. (My friends tell me I’m very creative.)
*My sister
**That’s me trying to get web hits off of people wanting to see that movie about the girl with amnesia.
***Or watching “The Millionaire Matchmaker” with my daughter. (Judge not: it provides countless “learning opportunities”)
Heart-Shaped Meatloaf
- 3/4 cup ketchup, divided
- 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
- 1/4 cup minced fresh onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
- 1 1/2 pounds ground round
- Cooking spray
Combine 1/2 cup ketchup, oats, onion, parsley, brown sugar, salt, pepper and egg whites in a large bowl. Add meat; stir just until blended. Shape meat mixture into a heart on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Brush 1/4 cup ketchup over meat loaf. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Oct 14th
WHAT CAME FIRST IS IN STORES NOW!
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Enter my Baby Name Contest.
A few years ago, I was watching my daughter’s soccer game with my friend Tammi, and she offered me some roasted pumpkin seeds. I took a couple, expecting a little crunch, a little salt — and was floored. Who knew seeds could be so tasty? I asked Tammi where she bought them, to which she gave the dreaded reply: “I made them.”
So much for that.
But then a week or so later, I was carving a pumpkin (yeah, I have my crafty moments), when I decided to give it a try. I couldn’t remember exactly what Tammi had told me, so I tossed the seeds with a little oil, put them on a cookie sheet, baked until they were golden — and voila! They tasted like crap!
(Side note: for anyone who follows this blog but doesn’t actually know me — do such creatures exist? — blog regular Tammi is not my only friend, but she’s one of those people who always knows how to do stuff and where to buy stuff. I told her she should have her own blog but she said no because “I hear they take a ton of time.” Well, yeah, there’s that.)
Here, then, is Tammi’s recipe, brought to you by the folks who invented the cut-and-paste feature.
ROASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS
Ingredients: Pumpkin seeds, oil (olive or other), seasoning. You can use other squash seeds with similar results.
Remove seeds from pumpkin. A large metal spoon or your hands work equally well.
Remove all pulp from seeds. Use a strainer and pick all of the pulp out leaving only the seeds.
Using cold water rinse seeds thoroughly.
Dry seeds on paper towels or in a shallow bowl. Overnight is usually enough time but longer is fine as long as the seeds are dry enough to hold the oil.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Coat seeds lightly with oil. (This is optional if you are going for a healthier version but helps the salt or seasoning stick).
Line baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
Spread the seeds in a single layer on the baking sheet.
Sprinkle with salt and/or seasoning. Seasoning ideas : garlic powder, Cajun seasoning, popcorn seasoning, chile powder, or for a sweet version cinnamon and sugar.
Watch seeds carefully and stir every 5-10 minutes. Depending on the size and quantity of the seeds they should be done in 15-30 minutes. Look for a nice golden brown color.
Cool seeds and store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Share with your friends who can’t be bothered to do stuff like roast pumpkins seeds.
Chow Bella: Food Truck Edition
Sep 23rd
Years ago, when I was a student at Brown University, there were two late-night dining alternatives: Taco Maker and The Silver Truck. Taco Maker’s food — I use the term loosely — was way better than the truck’s, but it was a ten minute walk away, while The Silver Truck parked mere steps from my dorm. As such, on nights when I was up late and ravenous — from like, studying — I’d hand my dollar bills up to the guy in the truck in exchange for their greasy fries and oily grilled cheese sandwiches.
My husband — we went to college together but didn’t meet till later — remembers it differently. “Their fried egg sandwiches were delicious!” He doesn’t even like fried eggs. But I guess if you’re studying really hard and really late, anything takes good.
Anyway. Here we are in 2011, and food trucks are all the rage, the perfect recession cuisine. Several local restaurants have closed up shop and moved their operations to the road. There’s even a food network show called The Great Food Truck Race. (I almost snarked about wishing I had the kind of time to watch a show about food trucks — but then conceded that I’d open up some hours if I cleared “Millionaire Matchmaker” from my list of must-watch programs.)
This Tuesday I decided to find out what all the fuss is about when I attended Fullerton’s weekly Epic Dinner (which sounds way better than “a bunch of food trucks in a parking lot”). First stop: The Lime Truck, which has to be good because it is on The Great Food Truck Race, and nothing says “guaranteed quality” like reality TV. (Can somebody PLEASE explain to me why Kim Kardashian is famous?)
Snarkiness aside, the Lime Truck has a lamb sandwich (which goes by a more creative name) that is nothing short of EPIC. (Note: I have never used the word “epic” before, and as it felt forced, I will not use it again.) The meat was incredibly tender, the pita was fluffy, and the sauce was tasty.
We also tried the taco trio (chicken, steak, pork) from a Filipino fusion stop called The Pogi Boy Truck. All were good, but the crispy pork was the only one that I’d classify as epic. (Yes, I’ve slipped already. But saying epic just makes me feel . . . young.) At the Pogi Boy Truck, my daughter ordered a cheeseburger on French toast. You heard me. She thought it was a bit much, but I suspect “a bit much” is the whole point.
My son, who’s not a real adventurous eater, went to one of the few non-specialty trucks and got a regular cheeseburger. It tasted like a cheeseburger.
All in all, I’d give the dinner high points for food and low points for ambiance: we sat on folding chairs next to our car and ate off our laps. But the food ranged from good to outstanding, it was cheap (or cheap-ish), and I didn’t have to cook. So I think we’ll be back.
Food Trucks in Fullerton:
Tuesdays: Epic Dinner, 2949 Brea Blvd.
Thursdays: FCLO, 218 West Commonwealth
Fridays: Best Buy parking lot (corner Harbor & Imperial)
My Favorite Downtown Fullerton Restaurants
Sep 20th
Downtown Fullerton is about three miles south of my house — and five miles north of Disneyland and the Anaheim Convention Center. I don’t want to say that the restaurants around Disneyland are all horrible, but if they’re not horrible, they’re horribly crowded. Plus, a lot of them have stupid names. So if you’re visiting Mickey, Goofy and the gang, let me just say: better you than me. And: if you want really good food, get on Harbor Boulevard and head north.
Some of my local favorites:
The Burger Parlor: Okay, quick: what is the best burger you’ve ever eaten? These are way better. The buns are homemade and the beef is flown in from Wyoming. As a bonus, you can bring in your own wine. What are you waiting for? Go! (Note: The Burger Parlor, formerly a pop-up restaurant, is closed until spring 2012, when it will re-open in a permanent spot on Harbor Blvd.)
The Pint House: This place was recommended by a family with four young kids. How can you not a love a child-friendly place with a beer reference in its name? Anyway, it’s got pub food that’s far better than most and a great big patio that is probably raucous after ten p.m. but that is low-key, quiet and comfortable at dinner. Man, I’m getting old.
Kentro Greek Kitchen: Do not confuse this place with Daphne’s. Ever. True, you order at the counter and they deliver your food, but it’s a “real” restaurant, with excellent service, an airy, urban atmosphere, and interesting, tasty Greek food. Lamb flatbread: Mmm. Next time I want to try the moussaka.
Sushi Momo: Pretty good sushi. Really good rolls. Somehow the service improved when their Sunnycrest building got knocked down and they moved downtown.
Matador Cantina: There’s a lot of good Mexican food around. There’s also a lot of mediocre Mexican food around. The Matador has delicious burritos, tacos, salad and more that is (slightly) lighter and (a lot) more interesting than the usual. Friends rave about their margaritas, and I like the comfy booths.
Other Fullerton restaurants I like:
Les Amis: Tasty Lebanese food in a cafe setting (no liquor license, though)
Cafe Hidalgo: Spanish and Latin American food in a historic Spanish building
Beyond downtown:
El Camino Real: Rumor has it that Kobe Bryant’s (soon to be ex-) wife makes (made) him drive all the way from L.A. to pick up authentic Mexican food from this strip mall spot. There are so many things I could say about that … but I won’t.
Jinga: Korean barbecue near Cal State Fullerton
The Greenhouse Cafe: Fresh salads and interesting sandwiches in a cozy setting make this a perfect lunch spot.
Phans55 Vietnamese Bistro and Bar: Delicious, interesting, guilt-free food in a sleek yet comfortable setting. Try the ahi spring rolls — mmm.
Recipes from my Mother: Shrimp Cocktail
Sep 16th
Every once in awhile, I’ll come across a cookbook called some variation of Recipes from my Mother, and it always makes me giggle. I’m not saying my mother is bad in the kitchen or anything, but here’s a cocktail napkin she handed out at a recent family gathering:
My mother is not bad in the kitchen. In fact, she cleans up as efficiently as anyone I’ve ever seen. But food preparation . . . well, it’s not really her thing. Once she came across a pile of cooking magazines in my house, and she was horrified. “That’s what you read in your free time?” You’d think she’d found a stash of porn.
So it’s kind of surprising — but also kind of not — that my mother has a few really great recipes. She knows how to make them. They are easy. They turn out right every time. People like them. (And if they don’t? She doesn’t want to hear about it.)
I’ve made my mom’s shrimp cocktail recipe a bunch of times, and people are always impressed that I didn’t buy the shrimp pre-cooked. You know how you cook shrimp? You boil it. And then there’s the sauce: four ingredients. And way, way, better than any premade stuff.
MY MOTHER’S SHRIMP COCKTAIL
1 bag medium frozen, peeled and deveined shrimp
Boil water.
Defrost shrimp under running cold water.
Add shrimp to pot.
Watch pot. It will boil. When it does, reduce heat and cook for one minute. Do not boil too long or the shrimp will be rubbery and people will think you bought them pre-cooked.
Strain & cool (tossing with ice cubes works).
MY MOTHER’S COCKTAIL SAUCE
3/4 cup chili sauce (Heinz is best)
2 Tbsp. prepared horseradish
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3 drops Tabasco
Mix together. (You probably figured that out.)
Serve with funny napkins.
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