Meatloaf and Onion Rings

Sites I got the topping recipes:
Yellow mustard and ketchup #1: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/recipe?id=6875165
Ketsup #2: http://www.recipetips.com/recipe-cards/u--4203/meat-loaf-with-brown-sugar-topping.asp

My very own topping recipe!  Ketchup, red wine vinegar, and brown sugar.  Adjust for your own taste.

Dressing a salad and how horrible cucumber/watermelon salsa is

 Today was interesting.  As are all my days.  Always an adventure.  One of these times I need to stop saying about "today" and jump right into the story.  I am just so tired now.

   I made the salad dressing today because it was easy (Leaf Salad with Classic Vinaigrette pp. 202).  It tasted great on my salad,  and I think I will keep making this from now on.  It's just a basic dressing,  1 T. of red vine vinegar and 1 T olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.  Mr. Bishop stated that I could use some garlic,  but I just wanted the pure notes of the other flavors. 

   To make the other recipe (I will not be writing a post on Friday, but will have an automatic linky love for all y'all!),  I needed to purchase watermelon.  Now,  Chef Turbo is the only person in the whole house who eats watermelon.  For that reason I buy the personal sized ones.  Well... watermelon season is almost over,  and all they have for sale at the veggie store is these humongous watermelons.  I bought one,  and the lady asked me if I needed assistance taking it out to my car.  I declined, being as I would have to take it into my house on my own anyways (That is how heavy this thing was!)

    No one liked the Cucumber-Melon Salsa (pp.128).  Chef Turbo said it was too spicy (it had pepper flakes) and I just do not like the flavors or any of these items: watermelon, cucumber, or onion.  BLECH. 

  The salad dressing was most defiantly best part of the night.  Super good.  Super suggested.

Oh, I did some research on what to do with the rest of the watermelon:
http://www.watermelon.org/
http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf74467860.tip.html

Spaghetti Squash with Parmesan and Sage pp. 356

Surprises
     I was supposed to make an endive dish tonight,  but I was met with a great surprise.  In Mr. Bishops book, Vegetables Every Day, the endives are not the green leafy kind,  but rather the Belgian endive kind.  Is there a difference?  Yes.  They are both related to the chicory (so is escarole),  but the Belgian endive is grown in the dark, and can be grated like cabbage to make a fun slaw like salad.  I guess I will have to go to WalMart next week to get some,  because I have not seen any at the farmers market.  So, tonight I made what I had left from my farmers market adventure,  Spaghetti Squash!

Misconceptions
     For some reason, for the longest time,  I thought that butternut squash was spaghetti squash.  When the gal at the farmers market told me she had spaghetti squash and then showed me it,  I wanted to protest and tell her she was dumb for calling it a spaghetti squash.  I am so glad I kept my mouth shut  (you know the Bible says that 'In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise. Prov 10:19).  I looked up spaghetti squash in my produce book and she was the right.  I have been misinformed all this time. 

Result
     It was great.  I love the taste of sage, and the unsalted butter combined with the soothing notes of sage were wonderful. 

 Special Extra
      I've been reading this great cookbook (yes I read cookbooks), called "Herbs for the Kitchen" by Irma Mazza.  It's a book that was written back in 1939.  I have the 1947 edition that includes a whole chapter on why Americans should use garlic!!  Apparently back in the mid 1900's people did not use very many spices,  I wonder if the great depression had anything to do with that,  or if people were really not taught the wonders of the herb world?  Anyways,  tonight I planned on making one of the dishes she had listed in her book : Beef Roast with Herbs pp. 107-108  A few notes,  I did not have any fresh herbs she asked for,  so I used dried.  Also,  I did not have any dried savory (leave a comment if you keep some), so I used oregano instead.  Oregano pairs very well with meat and thyme.  This dish was great and we will make it again!!

1930's Beef Roast with Herbs
by Irma Mazza,
1 Roast
1 C. Beef Broth
1/2 c. Red Wine Vinegar
1t. Fresh Thyme (1/2 t. dried)
1 t. Savory (1/2 t. dried)
black pepper.

Directions 
by me, Kris
You need to rub butter all over the roast and then make a coating of flour, salt, and pepper.  I do this by placing the buttered roast in a bag with the seasoned flour and then shaking it to my hearts content.  You could put on some jazzy music and dance with your roast if you wanted.  Place your coated roast into a 500 degree oven.  Close the oven door and then drop the temperature down to 325 degrees.  This is where the fun begins.

Take the next 5 ingredients and put them in a pot to warm it up.  After the roast has browned a bit,  take a baster, fill it with the liquid and baste the roast.  Do this every 15 min till the roast is done.  If you run out of the liquid,  use the liquid in the pan.  My roast was a 2.75lb roast,  so it took about 2.5 hours for it to cook.