Quaker Oats Meatloaf and Irish Colcannon

This is the first recipe write-up where I present more than one recipe. Chicken adobo and Pork adobo were essentially the same recipe, but with different proteins. First is the Quaker Oats meatloaf. I rarely use recipes from various food products any more. This recipe has a long and storied history with me. This is the recipe my mom used. It uses rolled oats as its filler. Some meatloaves use crackers, bread, croutons, or bread crumbs. I like the oat or oatmeal version. Plus with the family wheat issues, it is just a better choice for us.

I started making this in Junior High, which is when most of my longest running recipes started for me. It is a fairly simple recipe. When I was with m ex, Barbara, we made meatloaf in her family’s recipe which used crackers, preferably saltines. So when I decided to make meatloaf again I wanted my old recipe. I made it on July 21, 2015. I glazed it with some catsup and voila my old version was back again.

Meatloaf & Colcannon

When I was trying to find a side dish to got with the meatloaf I wanted a potato dish. I also wanted more vegetables than just potatoes. In my Frugal Gourmet on Our Immigrant Ancestors cookbook I found Irish colcannon. It combines potatoes with leeks and kale. I had not made this before, and with how popular kale has become as of late, I thought I should give it a try.

I made it with the Quaker Oats meatloaf. I was missing mace, the spice, I found out use 4 times the amount in nutmeg to equal mace. That is also a cheaper way of doing things. All and all this combination was seriously tasty and successful.

Quaker Oats Prize-Winning Meatloaf

Tortilla Española

Tortilla Española, AKA Spanish Tortilla is different from what most people in the western part of the U.S.A. think of when they hear tortilla. It is not the corn or flour flatbread. It is a variety of pan fried omelet. It usually consists of eggs, red potatoes, onions and garlic. It can be served cold or hot. I have had it both ways.

Attempt 1

I was first introduced to this dish while I was going to the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon. I found this wonderful place that did Latin cuisines called Hilda’s Latin American Restaurant. This began my interest in Latin cuisines other than Mexican. I had Guatemalan, Peruvian, and Spanish dishes there. The first dish I tried was the Spanish tortilla. It was a wonderfully flavorful egg dish.

In spring of 2012, I went to La Rambla, a Spanish tapas inspired restaurant in McMinnville, Oregon. It was my first introduction to Spanish chorizo, manchego cheese, piquillo peppers, and papas bravas. I once again had the Tortilla Española. Again the experience was wonderful. There is a version of this recipe in the Frugal Gourmet on Our Immigrant Ancestors cookbook.

Attempt 2

On July 18, 2015, I tried to make my own, using the recipe from the Frugal Gourmet on Our Immigrant Ancestors cookbook. At the time I only had two frying pans, one small and one large. I tried to make it with the large one. That was a logistical nightmare. It tasted right, but did not hold together. On February 1, 2016, I made this again. I halved the recipe and used my smaller frying pan. Eureka, it worked wonderfully. The tortilla held its shape.

Tamale Pie

This is a dish I learned from my ex, Barbara. It was her maternal grandmother’s dish. It was a Depression era meatless dish. I tried to play with it and elevate it, but other than add a few more vegetables and added two to three garnishes I could not really change it too much.

Barbara had found her grandmother’s cookbook. Of all the recipes this is the one she wanted to make. I am not sure if we ever made it as written. I would like to believe we did it at least once. Me, being me, I think I did add the garnishes even then.

Tamale Pie

I tried using masa flour, used to make corn tortillas and tamales; it was too dense and dry. I tried adding meat to it, picadillo (Mexican shredded beef). I also added mild canned diced green chiles. I garnish it with enchilada sauce, cheese, and sometimes sour cream or guacamole. With all my experimenting I may add a teaspoon to tablespoon of chipotle powder for added flavor and kick.

July 10, 2015 I made it for the first time since ending that relationship. Funny enough, except for the green chiles and garnishes, I went back to a more original version of the dish. It was a hearty dish, it is basically a cornbread styled dish. I felt trepidations in making it again and presenting it here. I have changed enough of the recipe to have made it my own.

Tamale Pie

¾ cup olive oil

¾ cup milk

1 ¾ cup corn meal

4 eggs

1 can or package of corn

1 can of diced tomatoes

½ teaspoon of salt

1 can of diced mild green chilies

1 small onion diced

1 clove of garlic

I 3-4 oz can of sliced olives

Garnish

Sour cream

¼ lbs of cheese

1 small can of enchilada sauce

Mix eggs, milk oil salt, and corn meal. Then add tomatoes, chilies, garlic, onion, and olives. Pre-heat the oven to 350. Bake for on hour.  Let cool, then plate and top off with enchilada sauce, cheese, and sour cream.

Filipino Chicken Adobo and Pork Adobo

Instead of having two separate entries for the chicken and pork versions of this dish, I decided to put them together. The recipe is identical just different proteins. I mentioned the three women in my life that influenced my cooking, my mother, my Grandma Mac, and my Aunt Gloria. My Aunt Gloria is Filipina. She taught my mother a few dishes from her culture. The two big ones were pancit and adobo. These two dishes were huge during my childhood. We would have one of them at least once a month.

The reason I call it Filipino adobo, in Spanish adobo means marinade usually with vinegar. It is found is various Latin and Hispanic dishes. The Mexican version of adobo is chiles that have been preserved in a sauce. The Filipino version includes vinegar, soy sauce, bay leaf, onion, garlic and sugar (I used honey instead). The kind of vinegar can be rice wine vinegar, white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. I have never seen white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar used.  

Chicken Adobo

My mom used honey due to my issues with cane sugar. Growing up in a U.S. Navy Seabee family in the Pacific fleet, it was common to see Filipino adobo at potlucks. Not just adobo, but lumpia (Filipino taquito sized egg rolls) as well. The Filipina ladies would freak out about how my mom’s tasted like their mother’s or grandmother’s. They were surprised a Caucasian lady made it. They would ask my mom where she learned it, she told them from her sister-n-law. Then they would ask what she put in it. The honey was the key. It seems that their mothers and grandmothers used honey they gathered instead of sugar.

The Frugal Gourmet on Our Immigrant Ancestors cookbook has a chapter on Filipino cooking. There is an adobo recipe. The recipe has pork and chicken adobo together as one dish. This is not very traditional. People I know of Filipino descent agree it is either or, never both together.

Pork Adobo

I believe this is my first signature dish. I used to use powders instead of fresh garlic, onions, or whole bay leaves. I have been making this since at least Junior High. I have baked this in the oven. I have used a slow cooker with this dish, but my preferred method is braising the meat.

My version is a little different. Traditionally the pieces of pork or chicken are kept intact. I cut mine in bite size pieces. I also add a thickener, usually corn starch. The last time I made this dish before 2015, I had trouble. I used old vinegar, which is a bit stronger. I had to offset the flavor with more soy sauce, than originally called for. Since then I started using rice wine vinegar due to its lighter flavor. I have talked to friends who also make this dish. They informed me vinegar does get stronger the longer it sits.

July 5, 2015, I finally made it again. I used chicken breast and thickened it. As always I cut it to bite sized chunks. I like my sauce similar to thin gravy. My fear was for naught. It was excellent. September 13, 2015, I made it using country style pork ribs. Since coming back to cooking, I use roasted garlic for just about everything, including my adobos. I made it at the end of November of 2015. I used intact chicken thigh. To cut through the deeper flavors, I need less corn starch or a stronger vinegar like white or apple cider vinegar. I did shred the thighs to make them bite sized.  I always serve adobo over jasmine rice.

Filipino Adobo

1-2 lbs of Chicken or Pork (breast and country style ribs are the usual choices)

3 tablespoons of vinegar (rice wine preferably, but white and apple cider work too)

2 tablespoons of soy sauce

1or 2 teapoons of honey

1 medium onion diced

1 clove of garlic minced

1 bay leaf

1 cup of water

¼ of corn starch

Cut up the meat in bite sized chunks. Mix soy sauce, vinegar, honey, and water (I have been known to double the amounts of the soy sauce, vinegar and honey). Brown the meat. Once browned add onions and garlic. Cook till onions are soft. Add sauce and bay leaf. Bring to boil the turn down to low. Simmer for 30-45 minutes. Mix cornstarch with 1/3 cup of water. Add to meat and sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes. Serve over rice.