Our first date? The La Sierra University Candlelight Christmas Concert.
Fourth date – I made Krista dinner for the first time. I was on Christmas break during the middle of my third year at Loma Linda University School of Medicine, allowing me plenty of time to work on it. I made my Mom’s Sweet and Sour Vegeburger Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans with slivered almonds and I baked a pecan pie from scratch.
I loaded it into my little Mitsubishi pick-up truck and drove it all out from Loma Linda to her apartment in Westwood where she was living while in graduate school at UCLA. Through planning and perseverance, I had linked together dates two and three, but that night was my moment to, as termed by author Scott Galloway, “Demonstrate Excellence.”
It was not a sophisticated menu, but it was nourishing, well-prepared comfort food, with the crusty bits around the edges of the meatloaf that you could dip into the creamy mashed potatoes. And the pie was really good. No false modesty here, I can bake a pie.
And that night, the crust was flaky, the pecans toasted, the decadent filling set just right. I was demonstrating a clear example of domestic coherence, that I had the ability and willingness to plan, shop, prepare and execute multi-step recipes that resulted in an appealing, nutritionally-balanced meal. I was demonstrating the capacity to provide. I was demonstrating that she was worthy of my time, resources and my best effort. I was demonstrating excellence.
Well, that is the retrospective view and Galloway’s interpretation anyway. Let’s be honest. I was thinking that I needed to pull out all the stops because I wanted to impress her. I wanted her to like the meal, a lot. Because I so, so badly wanted her to like me enough to go on date number five, then number six, and then just not stop. Spoiler alert: we went to the Candlelight Christmas Concert a week ago, the 28th anniversary of our first date.
Although this story centers on me and my romantic endeavors, I think there may be a common theme in the story of the Advent. Isn’t Christmas the story of God demonstrating excellence with the gift of His Son to this world? A gift that demonstrated a clear example of moral coherence in a chaotic world, with the example of how to grow, teach, admonish, persevere, and love. A life demonstrating the boundless provisions that trust in the Father can provide. An eternal demonstration that all of us, while yet sinners, were worth His time, effort and His sacrifice. The Christ Child, Immanuel, the ultimate demonstration of excellence.
So I offer the recipe for Sweet and Sour Vege-Burger Meatloaf and a suggestion. Make a meal for someone you love (or maybe someone you hope to love) and as you chop, sauté and mix, meditate on the Divine Excellence demonstrated to you at Christmas.
Sweet and Sour Vegeburger Meatloaf
A disclaimer – the original recipe called for a 20 oz can of Vege-Burger. They dropped to 15 oz cans several years ago, so I most often use 3 cans and make a double recipe. You could also use 1 can and augment with a few Griller Crumbles Gardein Ground Be’f crumbles. Original recipe also used garlic powder, but I use fresh garlic.
Ingredients:
- 1 large onion chopped fine
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
- 6 slices of wheat bread, cubed
- 20 oz can of Vege-Burger or equivalent
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups grated cheese (I use sharp cheddar)
- ¾ tsp sage
- ½ cup each of brown sugar, ketchup and water for the glaze
Instructions:
Step 1: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt butter in frying pan, add onions and sauté until onions turn translucent, 7-8 minutes. Add minced garlic and sauté an additional 1 minute. Add cubed bread, mashing down with spatula or wooden spoon so the bread soaks up the melted butter. Let sit without stirring 2-3 minutes until the onions and bread are a bit crispy on the bottom, then turn with spatula, mash down and fry until crispy on the bottom again, then turn off heat.
Step 2: In large bowl, combine well the burger, eggs, cheese and sage. Add the bread cube/onion mix to the bowl and stir again until well combined. Transfer and press into 9 x 9 inch baking dish.
Step 3: Add the brown sugar, ketchup and water together in the mixing bowl and whisk together. Pour the glaze over the top of the meatloaf mix evenly.
Step 4: Bake uncovered for ~50 minutes, until it bubbles in the middle and you note a little browning around the edges.
Jeffrey Brand and Krista Motschiedler have been members at La Sierra since 2003. He makes a living as a cardiologist, but lives for long hikes with his wife, daughters, and, for the last 9 years, with the Pathfinder Club.