The journey to mend his heart led

Qua was born with tricuspid atresia that required a series of open heart surgeries as an infant. But as a teen, his health took a dramatic turn. Qua’s pediatrician and cardiologist recognized something wasn’t right with his heart and sent him to Children’s of Alabama. Our team was standing by when he arrived by helicopter, and within two weeks he received a new heart. He rebounded quickly and was back at home a few weeks later, thanks to the expert heart team here at Children’s of Alabama.

LOCALLY MADE | LOCALLY SOURCED cutting boards | Charcuterie trays bathtub caddies | bed swings stovetop covers | tables | planters shelves | bookcases custom orders accepted facebook: @deogloriawoodworks

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Deo Gloria Wood Works

Mini Meatloaves With Tangy Sauce

1 large egg

2 pounds ground chuck or a combination of ground beef and venison or ground sirloin

1/2 cup quick-cooking oats

3/4 teaspoon salt or garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

3/4 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar or rice vinegar

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce or liquid aminos (Liquid aminos are gluten-free)

Lightly beat the egg in a large bowl with a fork.

Preheat air fryer 3 minutes at 375 degrees.

Breakup the ground meat in the bowl. There’s no getting around using your hands here. I usually use a pair of nylon/rubber gloves simply for easily clean up..

Add quick-cooking oats, salt and pepper.

With your hands, gently mix in the egg, oats, salt and pepper with the ground meat. Overworking the meat will make it tough. Under mixing may leave patches of oats or egg not evenly incorporated.

Shape the mixture into 2 free-form loaves, roughly 3 x 5.5 inches. The size will depend on what will fit into your air fryer.

If your air fryer rack is not nonstick, then spray it with an oil spray, first. Carefully place the loaves side by side in the preheated air fryer basket or tray.

Air fry at 375 degrees for about 19 minutes or until meatloaves are done in the middle-firm when pressed in the middle or temperature on an instant read thermometer reads 155°.

It’s a good idea to check at 17 minutes to make sure they aren’t getting too brown. All air fryers are not alike.

Tangy Sauce

While the meatloaves are cooking, stir or whisk together ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce.

When meat loaves are 160° or no pink shows in the center, evenly spread the Tangy Sauce over both meat loaves. Cook an additional 1 minute on Air Fry to set the sauce.

Remove the meatloaves onto a cutting board. Let the meat loaf stand on a cutting board or plate 5 minutes before slicing.

Conventional Oven Method: Shape meatloaf into one larger free-form loaf and place on a wire cooling rack on top of a baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 40 minutes. Spread Tangy Sauce over meatloaf and bake 5 additional minutes or until center is 160°.

Kathleen is a food blogger, food stylist, cookbook author, and former Oxmoor House test kitchen director (Southern Living cookbooks). On her food blog, GritsAndGouda.com, she creates Southern shortcut recipes. Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest.

GFBC Lifegroup Visits Baron’s

The Gardendale First Baptist Church Lifegroup had a night out for Baron’s Baseball. For more information on the groups at the church, visit the church’s website.

TheraPlay Pediatric Sensory Gym Ribbon Cutting

TheraPlay Pediatric Sensory Gym and the Gardendale Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting in July.

Miracle League Fields Get New Turf

The field that hosts the Gardendale Miracle League got new turf to allow those players to have the best possible experience when the new season opens.

Santos Coffee Opens its Doors

Santos Coffee opened its doors in Gardendale in the old Wendy’s building on Highway 31 at the end of July. The coffee and sandwich shop hopes to be a local gathering place for residents.

6U World Series Champions

Gardendale’s USSSA 6U are World Series Champions. The kids played hard and brought home the title.

GIVE BACK TO YOUR LOCAL CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL: 1.

DONATE $5 TOWARD CMN BUCKET

2. RECEIVE 20% OFF ALMOST ANYTHING THAT CAN FIT IN THE BUCKET

4' AND 6' RESIN STORAGE SHELVES STORAGE BINS

METHOD CLEANING PRODUCTS

2 FOR $20 ACE WILD BIRD SEED 20LBS

AUGUST MILWAUKEE SAVINGS

FREE MILWAUKEE BATTERY VALUED UP TO $159.00 WITH PURCHASE OF SELECT MILWAUKEE TOOLS

Story Time at the Library

The library will host story time every Wednesday 10:30-11. Any age can come, but will be catered for the 5-8 year olds range books. Singing and dancing in-between each book.

Toddler Time at the Library

The library will host toddler time every Friday 10:3011. Toddler time will be catered for younger kids, infants - 4 year olds. Singing and dancing will be done in between each book.

Saturday Youth Programs

• August 5, 10 - 11 a.m. will be Cartoons and Cereal

• August 19 and September 16, 10-11 a.m. will be Intro to Painting (ages 5-16)

Evening Youth Programs

No registration required. We are doing different activities for each celebrating National and International days we have found that fall on these dates or soon after. These will be Thursdays from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

• International Cat Day - Aug 8

• National Waffle Day - Aug 24

• Card Making (for Grandparents Day) - Sept 5

• Mini Golf Day - Sept 21

Crafting with the Chamber

Crafting with the Chamber will be held on August 1 at 10 a.m. at Celebrations Park.

Book Club

The Gardendale Public Library will host a book club on August 8 at 10 a.m. The book for August will be “The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post.” This is in addition to the Monday night book club that meets August 14 at 6 p.m. They are reading Mitch Albom’s “For One More Day.”

Food Truck Night

The monthly Food Truck night will be August 10, 5-8 p.m. at the Civic Center. A variety of food trucks and entertainment are featured each month.

Ireland Interest Meeting

The Gardendale Chamber of Commerce will host a meeting for those interested in going to Ireland November 1-8, 2024. The meeting will be August 22, at 6 p.m. at the Gardendale Civic Center.

Adult Pickleball Sign Up

Sign up is currently open for adult pickleball. The league dates will be Saturdays 8-11 a.m. from September 2 through October 28. The deadline to sign up is August 27. To sign up, visit billnoblepark. recdesk.com.

Farmers Market Opening Day

The Gardendale Farmers Market will be open each Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Gardendale Civic Center (857 Main Street).

Historical Museum Hours

The Kermit E. Dooley Gardendale Historical Museum (170 Bell Street) will be open to the public every Thursday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Community Kickball Game

A community kickball game is starting every Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. at the Gardendale soccer fields (2191 Fieldstown Road). Anyone who is interested is welcome.

To have an item added to our calendar, please send information to rachel@jbmcmedia.com.