dad’s non-commissioned u.s. military meatloaf

The first time dad made meatloaf for us I remember thinking

this is real American food. My mom made only Korean food

and we would always beg for traditional American dinners.

My dad didn’t remember his recipe but I found two that I

liked from two of my favorite chefs and combined them.

One is from Tyler Florence and the other is from Bobby Flay.

I must have signed up for Food 911 dozen times in hopes of

meeting Tyler. No such luck. 

Tyler’s recipe is called Dad's Meatloaf with Tomato Relish.

It’s posted on www.foodnetwork.com.

Bobby’s recipe is called Bobby Flay's Roasted Vegetable

Meatloaf with Balsamic Glaze. It was his Throw Down recipe

and is posted on www.recipezaar.com.

This is my hybrid version.

Ingredients

1. •3 Tablespoons olive oil
   

2. •5 Cloves garlic, finely chopped
   

3. •1 Red bell pepper, finely diced
   

4. •1 Yellow onion, finely diced
   

5. •1 Bay leaf
   

6. •1 Large zucchini, finely diced
   

7. •3 Roma Tomatoes, diced
   

8. •1/4 Teaspoon red pepper flakes
   

9. •1 1/2 Pounds ground turkey
   

10. •2 Large eggs, lightly beaten
    

11. •1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
    

12. •1/4 Cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
    

13. •1 Cup Italian-styled bread crumbs
    

14. •1/2 Cup fresh Romano cheese, grated
    

15. •1/2 Cup ketchup
    

16. •1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
    

17. •2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
    

18. •Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    

19. •3 Slices of turkey bacon
    

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F

        

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add garlic, bell pepper, onions and the bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper and cook until vegetables are soft, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in zucchini and tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, 1/4 cup ketchup, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar and cook for 30 seconds. Set aside.

        

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, thyme, and parsley. Add the meat, 1/4 cup of the ketchup, 1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, and the vegetables mix. Sprinkle breadcrumbs and cheese evenly. Mix until combined.

Shape the meatloaf on a baking sheet or a rectangular-shaped baking dish. Layer the bacon on top of the meatloaf.

Whisk together the remaining ketchup and balsamic vinegar, season with salt and pepper. Dab the mixture over the bacon. Bake the meatloaf for approximately 1 to 1 - 1/2 hours.

Be sure to let the meatloaf cool before serving.

dad’s mammoth submarine sandwich

Ingredients

1. •1 Giant soft loaf of Italian bread
   

2. •3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
   

3. •3 Tablespoons mayonnaise
   

4. •1 Garlic clove, finely mince
   

5. •1 Teaspoon dried oregano
   

6. •1 Teaspoon dried basil
   

7. •1 Tablespoon chili relish
   

8. •3 Tablespoons Italian vinaigrette
   

9. •2 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
   

10. •1 Jar roasted red bell pepper, julienned (It usually contains on red bell pepper)
    

11. •1/2 Red onion, thinly sliced
    

12. •2 Cups Boston lettuce, shredded
    

13. •12 Slices dill pickles
    

14. •3-4 Tablespoons of jalapeno peppers
    

15. •6-8 Slices prosciutto, thinly sliced
    

16. •8-10 Slices Italian salami, thinly sliced
    

17. •10-12 Slices Honey cured ham, thinly sliced
    

18. •6-8 Slices Bologna, thinly sliced and fried
    

19. •10-12 Slices pastrami, thinly sliced
    

20. •6-8 Slices cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
    

21. •6-8 Slices muenster cheese, thinly sliced
    

22. •Salt and pepper to taste
    

Directions

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the mayo, garlic, oregano and basil. Set aside.

Cut the bread in half, vertically and horizontally so you end up with four pieces with two tops and two bottoms. The bread has to fit into a large skillet unless you have a large stovetop grill then you don’t have to cut the bread.

Heat a large skillet. Drizzle all pieces of the bread with the olive oil and place two at time in the skillet. Toast until golden brown.

Quickly layer two slices of cheddar and two slices of muenster on the toasted bread. Repeat with the remaining two pieces of the bread.

Place the two bottoms of the bread side to side lengthwise on wax paper large enough to wrap the sub.

First, layer it with tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, lettuce, pickles and jalapeno peppers. Follow up with the meats.

Spread the mayo mixture, drizzle vinaigrette on top and season with salt and pepper.

Place the tops and wrap the sub tightly with the wax paper. Gently press down on the sub and let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting.

dad’s on top of spaghetti covered with cheese spaghetti

My little sister used to sing this song in her ear-splitting, high-pitched voice. She was only 5 years old but her voice carried further than Tiger Wood’s first tee drive. Thousand spices were packed into the meatballs and they were crazy flavorful and juicy.

I changed it a bit by replacing ground beef with ground turkey and baking the meatballs before adding them to the sauce to let it simmer more. I also use wheat pasta.  It makes me feel better about going for seconds.

Meatballs Ingredients

1. •3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus
   

2. 1 tablespoon for greasing the baking dish
   

3. •5 Cloves garlic, finely chopped
   

4. •2 Large eggs
   

5. •1 Pound turkey
   

6. •1/4 Cup Italian parsley, finely chopped
   

7. •1 Teaspoon oregano
   

8. •1 Tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
   

9. •1/2 Cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
   

10. •1/2 Cup dried breadcrumbs
    

11. •Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease a 9 x 13 x 2-inch or similar size baking dish.

Heat a sauté pan and add olive oil and garlic. Cook on medium heat until garlic is soft.

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs. In a large bowl, add all of the ingredients including the garlic. Get your hands in there and really knead the mixture until it’s thoroughly combined.

Form into 1-inch balls and place in baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes.

Sauce Ingredients

1. •2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
   

2. •1 Medium onion, finely chopped
   

3. •4 Cloves garlic, minced
   

4. •1 Teaspoon red pepper flakes
   

5. •2 Tablespoons tomato paste
   

6. •2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
   

7. •1 Small Cubano pepper
   

8. •1 Red bell pepper
   

9. •1 Cup button mushrooms, diced
   

10. •1 Tablespoon oregano
    

11. •1 Bay leaf
    

12. •Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    

13. •2 Tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
    

14. •3 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
    

15. •Parmigiano Reggiano as desired
    

Directions

In a large pot, heat the oil on medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until the onion is soft. Stir in the pureed tomatoes, tomato paste, Cubano pepper, bell pepper, and mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Add the oregano and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil.

Turn down the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the meatballs and let it simmer covered for 40 minutes. Add the basil and parsley and let it simmer for another 10 minutes.

1 Pound spaghetti (Cook according to directions)

Putting It All Together

Pile on the pasta and sauce and top it off with Parmigiano Reggiano.

Servings depend on how much each person eats. This recipe normally serves six.

dad’s kahl guk su with homemade noodles (kalguksu or kal guk su)

Kahl Guk Su literally means knife noodles as the key ingredient is the homemade noodles. I have a faint memory of visiting a noodle shop in Bupyeong. I watched a noodle maker as he swirled and stretched the noodles until desired thickness and consistency. He then grabbed a shiny knife and with an effortless swoosh, cut the noodle in half, folded it, and halved it again. His smooth movements were like a dance.

This noodle dish has a soothing texture that is enhanced by the smoothness of the noodles. The broth flavored by garlic, onions and scallions is wonderfully calming. Kahl Guk Su was and still is one of my favorites.

Noodles Ingredients

1. •2 Cups all purpose flour
   

2. •1/2 Cup water
   

3. •1 Teaspoon salt
   

Soup Stock Ingredients

1. •6 Cups chicken stock
   

2. •1 Pound clams (See cleaning tips below)
   

3. •1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
   

4. •5 Cloves of garlic, minced
   

5. •1 Red onion, chopped
   

6. •1 Russet potato, cubed
   

7. •1 Zucchini, matchsticks
   

8. •3 Scallions, biased cut
   

9. •2 Tablespoons salt
   

10. •1 Tablespoon black pepper
    

11. •1 Egg, slightly beaten
    

12. •1/2 Cup Goes with Anything Soy Sauce Condiment
    

13. •1 Sheet nori, crushed
    

Noodles Directions

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ingredients. Fold the mixture until thoroughly combined. On a clean work space, sprinkle extra flour and knead the dough until smooth.

Pinch off enough dough to form a 2-inch ball. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a thin disc (about 1/2-inch or thinner). Sprinkle flour on the disc and fold it in half. Sprinkle more flour on the folded disc and fold it in half again. Slice the folded disc into 1/4-inch strips. The thinner the better.

Once the dough is cut into strips, using your fingers, shake the noodles loose and set aside. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Soup Directions

Place the cubed potatoes in a large bowl and fill it with cold water. Let it sit for about 5 minutes. Rinse and drain the potatoes at least 3 times. Set aside.

Place the clams in a large pot. Add enough cold water to submerge the clams and soak for 30 minutes.  See clam cleaning instructions below. Set aside.

In a large pot, heat vegetable oil. Add garlic and onions and saute until onion is soft, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook for another 5-7 minutes or until the potatoes are still firm but soft enough to poke. Add the clams and zucchini, season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Add the noodles and let it simmer for 3-5 minutes or until the noodles are done. It depends on the thickness of the noodles. Add the scallions and egg. Fold gently.

Serve in a large bowl. Top off with the crushed nori and Goes with Anything Soy Sauce Condiment.

Serve immediately.

How to Clean Clams:

1. •Discard clams with broken, chipped or open shells.
   

2. •In a large pot, add enough fresh water to submerge the clams and 3-4 tablespoons of cornmeal. Do not add salt as this will kill the clams. Soak for 30 minutes. Clams filter water through their systems and by soaking them in fresh water, the clams pump out the salt and sand on their own.
   

3. •Using a slotted spoon or tongs, take out the clams. Do not pour them out using a strainer. This will only add the salt and sand back into the clams.
   

4. •Scrub the clams to clean of other debris that may be on the shell. 
   

dad’s version of fried bologna and egg sandwich

Bologna was one of the first foods we discovered when we moved to the United States. It was cheap and filling, and my parents bought it in bulk. The taste of it makes me feel 10 again. I love it.

Ingredients

1. •1 Teaspoon vegetable
   

2. •2 Slices white or wheat bread (I love Nature’s Own . It’s sugar free and makes me feel better about eating this sandwich.)
   

3. •3 Pieces of bologna
   

4. •1 Egg
   

5. •1 Stalk scallions, chopped (only the green part)
   

6. •1/2 Teaspoon garlic powder
   

7. •2 Slices American cheese
   

8. •2 Teaspoons mayo
   

9. •2 Rings Vidalia onions, sliced thin
   

10. •Salt and pepper to taste
    

Directions

Whisk together the egg, scallions, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in a skillet. Pour egg mixture and fry both sides for 1 minute. Fold it to fit the bread and transfer to a plate.

In the same skillet, fry the three bologna on one side until they puff up. Sprinkle the cheese on one bologna and stack the other two on top. Flip the whole stack and fry the other side until lightly brown.

Stack the bologna on top of the egg. While the skillet is still hot, add the onions for 10 seconds, only to warm them. Stack on top of bologna. Spread a little mayo on top, put the sandwich together and enjoy. 

Serves 1, as it should

Summer Time Shrimp and

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