Dinner with Matt, preparation and dinner with Brandon

There was a dinner with Matt last week. It was one of those "can I invite Matt over for dinner tonight." And of

course the answer was yes. I think it was Sunday and Nastia was sleeping over JJ's house so she missed it. It was a simple sliced steak, pierogies and a vegetable. Elena livened up dinner when she showed up in blue face. While she ate it proceeded to peal off her face and it got a little disgusting before she decided to peal most of it off her face. Sitting at the table that night I quitely thought that Nastia hadn't bought Branden around lately. At thst moment I decided that I'd done all I could and the two of them had to start making the effort without being prompted. Sometimes be carefully what you wish for. Yeah, I didn't wish for anything, but I did think it. On Monday, Labor Day, Nastia says she wants to invite Branden over for dinner on Tuesday. She also wants to have Cajun meatloaf.

The story behind this meat loaf is funny and I'm feeling a little wistful about things these days, so I'm going to tell the story. Ruth knows this story, so if I stray from the facts, it's the distance of time or I'm just making it more exciting Ruth. Back when we used to cook with fire in open pits and there were no cell phones...(yes Nastia I got my first cell phone at 42) I don't remember if Ruth had the book Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen or she had just make some photo cpoies (photo copies are an ancient form of transfering information) Her and I are talking one day and she says she tried the meatloaf recipe in his book and it was really good. I had the book, but I hadn't tried anything out of it, so when I get home I get together all the ingredients needed to prepare the dish. Now old Paul here does not believe in the simple. If you can use two or three spices, he'll use six. I go to work making the meatloaf. I don't remember how good it was, but when I told Ruth I made it she says that wasn't the one she was talking about. I think she tried it, I'm not sure, but I love the reciepe so much that at Teri and my rehearsel dinner or maybe it was our engagement dinner I made cajun meatloaf, but did it as meatballs. My friend Mike who is a strict meat and potaoes guy said they were great. Later I tell Ruth about making it and she says, "That's not the one I made." Flash forward to a time post October 2009, after we adopted the girls. I serve it to the girls and they love it. From that long ago forgotten night until now it is their favoriite meatloaf to eat. Everytime Teri or I say meatloaf for dinner they say, "cajun?: or more likly, "the one I like?"

It takes about two hours to make this meatloaf. It also takes about an hour to cook. So it is not something you whip up after coming home from work. So I tell Nastia she has to help me make it. After a little back and forth with Teri about when we should have this dinner, it is decided that the meatoaf will be made on Monday and dinner will be Tuesday. Nastia arrives home from work, she is tired and a little late. She wants to go out with Branden after making the meatloaf. I told her it will take two hours. I've gotten everything out to start, you know the old chef's saying, mess in place. I tell her to measure the spices. She does her best. Some she is a little shy on the amounts. I show her how to divid up the meat using a scale. We're making two meatloafs because it is a long process and making two only adds a few minutes. We cut up peppers, onions, celery, green onions and garlic. About forty-five minutes have passed and just now after all that prep work are we going to start to cook. We melt 4ozs of butter in a large frying pan. Add all of the vegetables, the spice mix, worcestershire sauce and some Frank's red hot sauce (recipe calls for Tabasco, but it's alot more expensive then Franks) This all gets cooked down until it begins to stick. Then ketchup and condensed milk are added. When that starts to dry out the mixture is set asside to cool. While it cools we start the second mixture. I use a huge mixing bowl to let the mixture cool. Teri thinks it's over kill and it is, but the mixture cools quickly in it. When cool we mixed the two meats, pork and beef with two eggs and bread crumbs. When it all comes together I show Nastia how I want teh loafs formed. Yes it's unnecessary, but in my make believe restaurant that is how we do it. The other mixture cools and we do the same to it. Both go into the oven to cook. A little over two hours has passed. I've learned to clean as I go somewhat, so there is little mess. Nastia and I clean up and she goes to shower. She still wants to hang out with Branden over me, go figure. I watch the meat loafs cook and around forty minutes later I take them out so they can be reheated the next day. The Next Day It's back to work after a long weekend and as you'd guess it's not fun, but hey we're having Branden over for dinner, how bad could that be? I think I get into a intense discussion with Teri over the phone when I get home. I don't remember what it was about, but it was most likely about Nastia sleeping over Brenden's house on Friday after his party and how I yelled at her about it the other day. I really don't want to talk about it. The gist of the conversation with Nastia was; she said she was sleeping over Brenden's house after his party on Friday. I say, hell, no! it's the one thing I've said in the past I don't want you to do. I yell alot and Teri calls her upstairs ending it. I tell her the next morning I'm sorry for yelling and in doing that I expected something from her side. She makes like she is asleep and I leave. So after the fight, I break out the raspberry vodka and lemonade, pour a strong one and start to prepare for dinner, something Nastia should be doing. To my surprise, Elena is staying for dinner. Something Nastia didn't do when Matt came over the last time. I set the table, put the meat loaf in the oven I just remembered what set me off when I got home. I'm driving on Lake Road when I pass Nastia and Brenden walking down to Dunkin Donuts to get drinks and I'm home getting things ready for her dinner party.

Teri calls again and I make nice and tell her I'm better. I set aside my anger about Nastia not taking responsibility for her dinner party and just do it. Two large vodka and lemonades help alot too. Alcohol doesn't effect my like it used to. These two drinks just make me a little light headed and I get a headache later. There is no more goffyness like in the past. I miss that. Nastia and Brebden show up and she asks why I set the table when it was her sister's night. I think the answer I want to say, is it needs to be done and it is your dinner party, but say it needed to be done. I've taken over the preparations. The pots of water Nastia put on before she left I've turned on and the water in one boils. Into it goes Cavatoppi (that curly macaroni). The pierogies will go in later. I always make two meatloafs I've said. And the recipe calls for evaporated milk. One of the reasons I make two is I waste less evaporated milk. This time after all these years it hits me, put the last of the evaporated milk in the mac and cheese. So I do and it is a major improvement on it. It's after 7:30 and time to eat. Everyone has wandered away so Teri goes to call them back to eat.I hand out big plates to everybody. Teri these days uses a small plate and I didn't take one out. When she looks for her plate a look of hurt and I've been forgotten again crosses her face. When I see this I jump to get her plate. I didn't forgot her, I was going to get it after I handed out the big plates, I sware. Branden stands like he is a guest and I tell him to just dig in don't be a guest. He chuckles a little and with Nastia and Elena starts to serve himself from the pots and pans on the stove.

Branden is a meat and potatoes guy. I have a friend like him and if I'd taken the time to think about it I might have told Nastia to serve steak and fish for dinner. Steak for him, fish for her, but she thought he'd like this. He takes half of a slice of meat loaf, some mac and cheese and goes to sit down. Later Teri will say maybe he is dieting, Nastia did say he wanted to lose some weight. We all sit down to eat. Branden talks about how everfything he likes to eat she doesn't. He likes steak and cheese, dislikes fish and vegetables. Nastia likes loves fish, only eats meat in certain forms like meatballs or cajun meatloaf. I think Branden didn't like the meatloaf. A piece sits on his plate after he is finished. Conversation is a little on the blue side (raunchy,risque') after that. I think I might have starded it unintentionally by telling Elena I looked up fletching on line and it was disgusting (and it is don't look it up. it has nothing to do with the feathers on an arrow) She then asks if I looked up Alabama hot pocket (also disgusting, don't look up) I tell her no. and off the rails goes the conversation. If Branden doesn't come over again I understand. usually conversations don't happen like this on regular nights.And I guess we have tried to raise the girls to be open and voice as many thought as they feel free to do. Sometimes it does go above and beyond where it should. Clean up is quick, it's late and Teri and I are tired. Branden sits and talks for a little while. The night ends and it seems to be a success /