Mom's Meatloaf

Everyone has a favorite meatloaf recipe, and I've never had one quite like my mom's. She served it with mashed potatoes mixed with sauteed onions. Like all comfort foods, it brings back sweet memories of childhood. Today I spent the day with family, celebrating my Great Uncle's 101st. birthday. It made me once again, realize how unbelievably lucky I am, to have the amazing family and friends who fill my life, and to have had the greatest parents and grandparents who fill my memories. So, sentiment aside, I share this meatloaf recipe with you because it really is great. Enjoy!!

Harriet's Famous Meatloaf

Ingredients
2 lbs. ground beef
1 egg(beaten)
1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1 can Campbell's vegetarian vegetable soup
1/2 tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbs. ketchup
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
5-6 slices bacon
1 15 oz. can Hunt's tomato sauce

1. Spread a little tomato sauce in bottom of pan to prevent sticking.
2. Combine 1st 8 ingredients in a bowl and mix with hands.
   
3. Form loaf in a pan measuring at least a 15" by 9".
   
4. Lay bacon slices crosswise on loaf(each bacon slice can be a guide for slicing meatloaf later).
5. Pour tomato sauce over meatloaf.
6. Cover loosely with foil
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 min, remove foil and bake 15 more min.

This recipe serves 6. As in all my recipes, this is a guide; feel free to add or remove ingredients to make it your own. Experiment, Indulge, Enjoy!

For info on Gel Nails, Acrylic Nails, Manicures, Pedicures, or to contact me, please visit www.tampanailchick.com .

Movie Critics' Reviews- HA !

It amazes me that movie critics actually get paid for their opinions. I read their reviews more for the synopsis than anything else. Usually, after seeing a movie, I completely disagree with what I read. This was definitely the case with "The Switch". Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman portrayed best friends who are complete opposites. She hits 40 and hears her biological clock ticking away. Artificial insemination is her response, but she wants to know the donor(she is not considering her best friend). Bateman's character is a true pessimist who lets her know he's against the idea. At her insemination party, he gets very drunk and accidentally spills the "contribution" and replaces it with is own. The next day, he remembers nothing! To say any more would give away too much. I thought it was a really cute, funny movie. So the lesson of the day is: Read for summary, but write your own review.

For info on nailcare, gels, acrylics, manicures or pedicures, or to contact me please visit www.tampanailchick.com .

The Getting To Know You Game

Hi! Welcome to my blog. For those of you tuning in for the first time, Id like to introduce myself. My name is Jody Katz and I'm a Nail Tech in the Carrollwood area of Tampa, Florida. I spend my days doing something I love: Pampering People. I specialize in Gel Nails, Acrylic Nails( Both Regular with Polish and Pink and White), Manicures, Pedicures, and Listening.(A very important part of the job). Please visit my website www.tampanailchick.com for more details. I work at the Nail Shop of Carrollwood with an amazing group of women. It's very rare in the beauty industry, to find a workplace that is drama-free, clean, and filled with welcoming people. We have accomplished that and I invite you to come and check it out for yourselves. We offer not only nail services, but we have a wonderfully talented hairdresser and 2 ethsteticians. In addition, we also offer eyelash extensions and permanent make-up. How's that for full service.

I have several other passions that I share with my readers: TV, Movies, and Cooking. My tastes in entertainment range from romantic comedies to weird sci-fi and lots of territory in between. The last movie I saw was "Eat Pray Love" starring Julia Roberts. It was longer than I expected(133 min.),and a little more serious than I thought it would be, but I really liked it. The scenery was exquisite, and the story was one of self exploration. It accomplished what it set out to do; draw women to the theatre, who then recommend it to other women. My description:A good, thought provoking chick-flick.

So thank you for sharing a bit of my world with me. I welcome your comments and look forward to keeping you tuned in.

For more info on Gels, Acrylics, Manicures, Pedicures, and Nail Care visit www.tampanailchick.com .

Update on Beauty Parlor to Salon

In a piece I wrote, not that long ago, we took a little journey from the sixties to the present into the look of the Beauty Salon. Now we are seeing the emergence of a new concept in Spa design and operation. In this new set up, the space is divided into rooms and rented out as such. Generally these rooms are about 100 sq. ft. of space to decorate , equip and secure(lock up when not in use) by the nail tech, hair stylist, massage therapist, or esthetician. All are independent contractors, keeping their own schedules and hours; in essence each is a salon owner. In most cases, the only common areas are the restrooms and the lobby(or waiting area), and some offer laundry facilities. Another commonality is the upscale style of the salon. I have visited 3 of these new style salons and I've been impressed by the concept and classiness of each one. Having just said that, keep in mind that each room is the decorative canvas of it's occupant and there's no accounting for taste. This concept seems to be catching on, as I see many of my colleagues making the change and moving into the new era in our industry.
As for myself, I always look forward to the next great adventure. So thank you for reading my blog, and for info on gels, acrylics, manicures or pedicures visit me at www.tampanailchick.com .

New and/or weird TV

Summer usually brings us new TV series, some last, and some don't. I've gotten hooked on a few that I would miss if they flopped. The 3 that stand out most for me are The Glades, The Gates, and Haven. The Glades is a crime drama that takes place in south Florida and taped partially in the Tampa Bay area.(The big pink hotel is The Don Cesar) Our hero, Jim, is a former Chicago police detective who was falsely accused of having an affair with his bosses wife; his boss shot him, and with the large settlement he got, he moved to a small town in south Florida. He joined the Sheriff's Department, thinking it would be a slow, quiet job, but that didn't last long. Jim is a bit cocky, defies authority, has a soft spot for kids, and gets the job done. His flip side is the coroner, who is "by the book", navigates the politics of the system well, and never made waves before, but gets talked into bending the rules for Jim. And , of course, there's a potential love interest with an obstacle(Her imprisoned loser husband).
The Gates is one of the weird ones, but I like weird. The Gates is a planned community that houses vampires, werewolves and other assorted interesting folks. The new police chief knew nothing of the local residents when he moved his family into this beautifully manicured hamlet, but is quickly learning the secrets of "The Gates."
Haven may just be my favorite. It is based on a Steven King book,(so you know it's a little out there), called "The Colorado Kid". Haven, Maine is a small town who's residents possess special abilities; some might call them curses. These "curses" help some people, while hurting or even killing others. Our heroine, Audry, is on temporary assignment from the FBI to help solve a murder. She is surprised to find a newspaper clipping of an unsolved murder case showing a picture of a woman who looks remarkably like herself(the woman is not the murder victim). Having been adopted, she concludes this woman is most likely her mother. After solving her assigned murder case, which of course was a "curse-case", she decides to stay in Haven to assist the sheriff's deputy solve more strange cases, while searching for her mothers identity. She admits, finally, that the weirdness of this little town does fascinate her and that draws me in. I like weird.
So, in conclusion, summer has always been a time for new adventures(summer camp, summer flings etc.)and this summer's TV line- up is no exception. Enjoy with me, I welcome your comments and input.

For info on nail care, acrylics, gels, manicures and pedicures, visit www.tampanailchick.com.