Kono's Beefy Brown Gravy

This quick and easy recipe taste like slow roasted pan dripping gravy. 

Stuffed Cabbage with Tomato Gravy

My version of this tried and true comfort dish is laced, well, maybe more like swimming (you can never have enough sauce) in a perfectly balanced sweet and sour tomato gravy that comes together with a few pantry staples.

If you’re a regular visitor you already know that I’m a HUGE fan of meatloaf and in my book, stuffed cabbages are just another version of my beloved meatloaf. They take a little more time, but are worth the effort.

I was introduced to stuffed cabbages when I was a small child. My job was to help my grandmother roll the baby meatloaves into cabbage leaves and line them up in neat rows in the casserole dish. This memory comes back to me every time I make these and I still line them up all tidy.

I never questioned where this recipe came from, until now - Which begged me to ask... Who brought this recipe to Hawaii? I know it wasn't my ancestors because they're Chinese and this is clearly not a Chinese recipe.

If you have a memory of sweet sour stuffed cabbage this might be the recipe that you have been looking for.

Hamburger Chili

Susan's Hamburger Chili

Hamburger chili is what chili was before everyone fancied it up. Kind of a chunky gravy that begs to be scooped over a bowl of rice. That’s how the Hawaiians like to eat their chili. If you happen to have a pack of hot dogs - more power to you, it will increase this chili’s popularity several notches.

My hamburger chili will quickly become your go to one pot meal. It cooks up in about 30 minutes and whatever doesn't get eaten - I freeze into individual servings. Easy, easy, easy and oh so satisfying. If you have not experienced chili and rice, you are truly missing out.

Cottage Cheese Meatloaf

Cottage Cheese Meatloaf

I had gathered all the ingredients to make a meatloaf when I saw the container of cottage cheese in the fridge (that I had intended for something else) and skeptically did a google search to see if anyone else thought that meatloaf and cottage cheese might go together. I quickly discovered that I was not as crazy as I thought.

Boiled Meatballs ???

I have been on a mission to cook creatively without my oven.

I was baking cookies when I heard a zap-buzzzzzzt coming from my oven and when I looked over I saw a bright red flame. The bottoms of my cookies were charred black and my kitchen filled with smoke. I guess you could say that my oven was announcing its retirement in a very dramatic way. It wasn’t a complete surprise. I have been putting off replacing my oven for years but didn’t because, it’s complicated. Blah, blah, blah...

Enough of the rant. Time for the experiment!

Maangchi's Mandu (Korean Dumplings)

Mandu Soup

I have yet to meet a foodie - that would say no to a dumpling. 

I’m a big fan of dumplings and have been making won tons for most of my life.  Truth be told, I think I learned how to fold wontons before I could read or write.  However, I find myself at a turning point in my life and am in search of my inner Korean. I know my ancestors are shaking their heads at me.

Susan's Hawaiian Style Chili

I have loved to cook from when I was a small child, which resulted in numerous kitchen disasters, that thankfully didn't discourage me and became lessons instead.

One of the first things that I learned to cook was chili using a packet of chili seasoning.  It was easy and fool proof, all I had to do was brown the meat, add the chili packet, a can of tomato sauce, beans and water.  It really doesn't get easier than that! However, if I didn't have a package of chili seasoning in my pantry, I couldn't make chili. Until now!

Spicy Ketchup Meatloaf

My family loves meatloaf.  That could explain why this is my 6th Meatloaf recipe.  

Damn Good Meatballs

These are damn good meatballs!!!

Those are the words that came out of my mouth after biting into these meatballs and that's how they got their name.

In my opinion a meatball should be tender and juicy. They should hold their shape while being delicate at the same time, and of course, be packed with flavor. That's what you can expect with these Damn Good Meatballs.

Hamburger Jun - Korean Hamburger Patties

Hamburger Jun is the poor man’s version of MeatJun.  I think it was dreamt up in Hawaii because I haven't seen it anywhere else.  In my opinion, hamburger jun taste like a beef bulgogi burger with a meat jun finish.  Delish!

Joe's Special for 2

It was about 30 years ago when I tasted my first Joe’s Special and it happened to be at the Original Joe’s in San Francisco.  Where according to history, that’s where the Joe’s Special was created.   I sat at the counter facing the open kitchen and watched as the waiters and cooks bantered with boundless attitude, back and forth as if they were in a constant argument.  It was quite entertaining watching the seasoned waiters and cooks go at each other so aggressively.  I was in my early 20’s at the time and I have to admit, it was a bit intimidating.  I wasn't sure if it was all for show or if the cooks and waiters were just comfortably rude to each other all the time.  I guess I will never know.

Ken's Hot Dog Chili

Its game day and Kono requested that I make Ken's chili sauce.  So I quickly read over the recipe and started to prepare for the game day meal. 

The inspiration for this chili sauce came from our friend Ken who is originally from New York.  He cooked up a batch of his mother’s legendary hot dog chili for a bbq this summer.  It was not like any chili dog that I have had before.  After experiencing Ken’s chili sauce, I was sure that this is how a chili hot dog was intended to be eaten.  This style of dog is better known as a Coney Island Dog which has a natural casing hot dog topped with a spicy bean-less chili and a squirt or two of yellow mustard.

Toaster Oven Meatloaf (Old Fashioned Tomato Glazed Meatloaf)

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Really… toaster oven meatloaf? 

Yes, it appears that all my appliances are chatting it up and have decided to go on strike at the same time.

Grated Potato Meatloaf

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I’m calling this a grated meatloaf.

Why? Because I usually chop the onions and garlic and sauté them until they are soft, then add them to my meatloaf. Tonight I had a lone medium sized russet potato on my counter and decided to add it to my meatloaf instead of bread crumbs.

Bacon Lovers Meatloaf

My daughter and I were watching a movie and they were making sarcastic remarks about meatloaf.  She turned to me and said, “What’s wrong with meatloaf?  I love meatloaf! Ha, ha.  I don’t get it either.  Meatloaf is always a crowd pleaser at my house and never gets boring because it can be changed up in so many ways.

The Last Cheeseburger of the Season

The way that the Oregon weather has been changing from summer to winter and back to fall has been quite puzzling.  Today we had a spectacular summer day that peeked out after several rainy days.  So I decided to fire up the bbq for what might be the last time this season and grill up some burgers.

Hawaiian Chinese Spaghetti

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My husband named this Hawaiian Chinese Spaghetti because you won't get it anywhere else except from someone who is Chinese who grew up in Hawaii.  At least that is what he thinks.

Perfect Meatballs

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These meatballs are very simple to make and will get you rave reviews.  

They are firm enough to hold together yet moist and tender on the inside. The trick to making moist and tender meatballs... is the addition of the water to the mix.  I know it sounds ridiculous but it works.

I put a simple tomato sauce recipe below.  However you can always pick up a bottle of your favorite store bought sauce instead.  There are a lot of good ones available these days. 

Cook up a pound of spaghetti to serve with these perfect meatballs for a comforting Italian dinner at home.

No Boil Lasagna

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I have seen these no boil oven ready lasagna noodles at my grocer for years and have always passed them by thinking that they can’t possibly work.  Today I decided that I will give it a try and make up my own mind on whether they work or not.  I chose the Ronzoni brand because that is what my grocer had.  The box recipe instructed to use 12 pieces of pasta.  I only used 9 because I couldn’t imagine how another layer would fit in the pan.

Meatloaf with Tomato Gravy

As fall quickly sneaks up on us, warm hearty comfort foods come to mind.  What could be more comforting than a homemade hot from the oven juicy meatloaf smothered in tomato gravy?