On Thursday afternoon, I was sitting on a dining chair taking the photo below when Speedy walked into the front door with a bag of bread.
He set the bread on the kitchen island then sat down two chairs away from me. I asked him if he wanted a mid-afternoon snack.
“A sandwich?” I asked.
“What kind?” he said.
“Meat loaf. Here,” and I pushed towards him the plate that you see in the photo.
“Oh,” he exclaimed, “I thought that was a cake for tonight’s dessert.”
So, I explained that I cooked the meat loaf in a silicone bundt pan because I figured it would look more interesting, meat loaf being a rather plain dish. And the too-dark edges? Well, see, after putting the thing in the oven, I went back upstairs because I was monitoring the server to make sure it was stable. I didn’t want any more downtimes for the blogs. I checked the oven after 45 minutes and the meat loaf still wasn’t done. So, I told one of the house helpers to turn the oven off after 15 minutes, at “two quarter”. Well, she turned it off at 15 minutes before three or “quarter-to-three.” The thing with silicone pans is that food cooks faster in them. So, the extra 30 minutes in the oven resulted in a more than moderately browned meat loaf.
So, anyway, at about that moment, Alex came down from her bedroom and sat down on the chair between her dad and me. I turned to her and asked, “Want a sandwich?”
“No,” she said.
I then proceeded to slice the meat loaf to take a photo of the cross section.
Alex, who was watching, said, “Oh, I thought that was a cake!” So, I started to explain all over again.
A few minutes later, Speedy and I were on our way to the supermarket. We shopped for the coming week’s food and non-food supply and were on our way home when there was a text message from Sam.
She had been out with her classmates buying underwater plants for an aquarium project in school. They were done, were in McDonald’s and she needed a ride home. We turned around, drove to McDonald’s, called her on her cell twice before she came out and we were finally on our way home to dinner.
I had the table set for dinner. The meat loaf, its inside visible from where I cut a slice to take a photo of, was already on the table.
“What’s for dinner?” asked Sam.
“Meat loaf,” I said, pointing to the plate of meat loaf.
“Oh, I thought that was a cake!”
Duh, they’re not very discerning, are they?
But that’s not all.
Last night, I cooked nilagang baka, a total of 1.75 kilos, divided the cooked nilaga into three portions and reserved the third portion for today’s lunch. A little before noon, I told the house helper to reheat the reserved nilaga and asked if there were other leftovers in the fridge that could be reheated.
“Ay, ma’am, mayroon pa nung parang bibingka!”
GGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
P.S. For non-Filipinos: Ay, ma’am, mayroon pa nung parang bibingka! translates to Oh, ma’am there’s still that thing like a rice cake!
meatloaf! sarap nyan. Usually I see it cooked in a block. Mukha pa ring cake.
Ayaw mo ba nun, you have a meal and dessert in one.
Well based on the pictures, mukhang cake nga Ms. Sassy. Pero mas malupit ang katulong nyo, bibingka. Hahaha!
I also thought that’s a cake. =)
I laughed out loud at bibingka. But it does look like cake.
Hi Miss Connie!
Mukha naman po talaga siyang cake but I bet the meat loaf is delicious (I hope you would be able to post the recipe in Pinoy Cook).
If it makes you feel any better, my brother thought that my burnt Pininyahang Manok (I actually forgot that I was cooking something) looked AND tasted like Caldereta. He even asked if I put gata in it. 
Hay, naku, I’ll cook meat loaf again — soon — and I’ll time it and turn the oven off myself. I swear, next time, it won’t look like a cake.
Connie, your meatloaf looks so good–nice presentation!
I always believe in the saying,”don’t judge a book by it’s cover”, but it sure looks like a cake to me – like a carrot cake. Maybe I’m color blind.
Well, as long as everybody like it.
Cake or meatloaf it looks very appetizing. Just a suggestion though, if your oven did not come with a timer, maybe you can avail yourself with a portable one. Believe me this is the most important cooking tool especially if you are multitasking.
Ah I miss meatloaf. That is really my comfort food. Just can’t find it anywhere here.
Mukha naman kasi talagang cake, pero bibingka, hindi yata.
wow, cake
Ok lang yan…masarap pa din!
Mukha talagang cake?
Well, It’s the most appetizing meatloaf I’ve ever seen!
Thank you, Toni!
At least, ano?
At this day and age, your household help still call you Ma’am?
How do the helpers should address their employers “at this day and age” ba? For me, “Ate or Kuya” is too traditional; “Misis” is too formal. I’m just wondering.
In our case, they address us the way they address their former employers. They kinda carry over what they’ve been used to and we don’t really specify how we prefer to be addressed. Whichever is comfortable to them.
Yup, that’s the usual case in our household too. I just got curious with her comment somewhat implying that a “Ma’am” thingy from househelpers is a thing of the past. So, what’s the “in” thing then? Hehe.
Anyway, thanks Sassy.
Why not? All my legal secretaries called me Ma’am. People in Manila Standard (except editors) call me Ma’am.
hi connie….not only that you’re a good cook,photographer but an excellent story-teller w/ a good sense of humor…
i’ve been sleeping late,the past few days reading some of your stories and admiring the photos….
also made a total of 18 embutidos for x’mas gifts and for our x’mas pot luck at work…of course from your recipe….i have to omit the powdered cream of mushroom…can’t find it here at seafood city,la…but it’s still very delicious
thanks again
Hi Emy! Re sleeping late ahhh, I am almost there — the moment when I can claim a right to sleep late. Christmas break coming!! LOL
WHY DO PINOYS ALWAYS SAY “TWO QUARTER”?… THE RIGHT WAY TO SAY IT IS “QUARTER AFTER TWO”! QUARTER TO THREE IS OK TO SAY! ALSO, WHY DO PINOYS LIKE TO USE THE WORD “AVAIL” SO MUCH? JUST WONDERING… FUNNY STORY, THOUGH…
So, Inday of L.A., do all Indays have to use caps all the time to be noticed? Just wondering… It’s irritating though. The way you added “ng L.A.” to your name is funny though. Pathetic and funny.
Ms. Connie, huwag mo ng patulan! For sure she is still reading your website and waiting for your response.
I love your reading all your entries and sometimes I read it more than once.
Can I also add of FL, USA in my name LOL!
To INday Ng L.A.,I’m Pinoy and I don’t have any
answer to your question re.AVAIL but I’d like to help.I’m very sure that you are Pinoy also,your name was a dead giveaway.My not- so Pinoy friends
do not use NG in a sentence nor it’s in their vocabulary.I suppose that you’re from Los Angeles.
I suggest that you visit the Central Library in down
town L.A.to get answer to your questions.Inquire
for Mr. Brown who is knowledgeable and kind walking
encyclopedia.He is so accomodating that he will
entertain even the stupidest question by any dumb
person.Trust me…he will help YOU.Avail of this service that is available for you free.
You see,my “international” friends understand me
if I say “five quarter” and they don’t correct me
at all.Very decent and civilized people.
Oh,I got carried away…it’s “quarter to fifteen”
I got to go.
hehehe
connie, my last comment must have hit you right in the gutt… that’s why you did not post it… you should be glad you have many followers who support you and will defend you from people like me (because they too are just as ignorant and defensive as you).
emy M = you really think Mr. Brown or the encyclopedia will have an answer for me about why Pinoys use the word “avail” way too much? I’ll give him a call one day? Maybe Mr. Brown also knows why Pinoys say “two quarter” or in your case “quarter to fifteen”.
Do your “international” friends also understand you when you say “quarter to fifteen”? Whether your decent and civilized international friends don’t correct you… you should learn from me that saying “five quarter” is wrong and you should say “quarter after five” or “five fifteen” instead. But, who am I kidding, you don’t sound like you’re willing to learn anything new.
Also, I never said I wasn’t Filipino. How observant of you to figure out that I’m Filipino from the name “Inday” and from the word ‘ng’. I obviously wasn’t hiding the fact that I’m Pinoy. You suppose I’m from Los Angeles???… duh!??? You’re so clever and I am the dumb person!!!
claudine charie of FL, USA = Do you really have to ask connie’s permission to add “of FL, USA” to your name? You’re right I’m just waiting if connie has more sarcastic comeback to my original comment. She didn’t even post my second comment. She’s so “mataas ang ere” that she wants to have the “last word” (another typical Filipino trait).
I am Pinoy and proud of it… I just hate when Pinoys get too defensive about how they use the English language wrong and refuse to be taught the right way.
By the way, connie, I’ll understand if you don’t post this comment too. I think your feelings have been hurt enough… at least I know I got your attention AGAIN… I WILL LET YOU HAVE THE LAST WORD!!!
Excuse me? Your last comment? Wow, talk about someone with nothing to do.
Gutt? You mean “gut.” Tsk tsk. I never said you were dumb — you did.
Let’s just ignore the poor creature, people. She’s craving attention and we’ve given her more than she deserves. She doesn’t even have the decency to provide a valid e-mail.
She provided an invalid email? Such a typical pinoy-bashing coward.
Ah, there are so many like her.
Kind of late reaction but anyway, the ‘good old photo’ looks fine pero deceiving naman talaga e. What I wanna see is your house helper, she sounds like fun..! hehehe
Opps, who’s that Inday ng LA, is she talking about ‘bibingka’?
Loida, you should have seen how serious she looked when she said “bibingka.”
And oh, Inday is not my house helper. hehehe
yeah I know.
they are two different persons yet similar somehow..
hehehehe
The funniest entry I’ve read! Sorry, but it sure looked like a cake
LOL Only I think it looks like a meat loaf. hehehe
hi ms connie! don’t know if it’s me but i can’t seem to find the recipe for your meat loaf. was it ever posted at all? tasted one over at one fatima night in our village and i really liked it that’s why i wanna make one. have a nice day!!
Naku, I don’t think I’ve posted. LOL I will when I make meat loaf next time — one that doesn’t look like a cake.
This is the funniest post I’ve read here so far. And I can’t help to agree that it looks like a cake, especially the sliced one.
It really looks like a cake – at first sight ^_^ but your maid was really funny,lupet!bibingka!!hehehehe