Archive for August, 2009

I would love to blame my six week blog hiatus on a super busy summer, but I can’t.  Chalk it up to a combination of nothing really interesting to talk about and lots of reading.  And tv watching.  And summer napping.  But, I’m back and I’m ready to pick up where I left off.  I do have one more San Francisco post to write, which I hope will be published in the next few days.

I’ve been doing a lot of cooking.  About a month ago, I started attacking the weekly menu and putting a big kabosh on eating out.  We’re down to cooking at home 5 nights a week and eating out two times.  On a regular basis.  We’ve kept this schedule for an entire month, which is amazing.  Some benefits: I’m getting on a reliable, regular cooking schedule and we’re saving money.   We’re still eating out for breakfast on the weekends, but I’m trying to curb that too.  It’s just so much effort to make breakfast at home and it’s so cheap at the local diner.  Cutting down to once a weekend is the next step.

Once I figure out the best way to post my menu here, I’ll do that.  I’ve been making a few new recipes including an awesome meatloaf that came from Jose’s friend Judy.  A few months ago I blogged about my meatloaf woes and this recipe is a big winner.  I’ve added her site to my links, so check it out.  I’m making it again this week and I’ll take some pictures of the process. It’s different because it’s made completely on the stove top.  Very simple and it’s the best meatloaf I’ve ever had.  It doesn’t use ketchup or mustard or anything that doesn’t really belong in meatloaf.  I’ve always preferred a gravy based meatloaf to a tomato/ketchup based one and Jose is the opposite. This one has a tomato based mushroom, beef gravy so we’re both happy.

I also had an amazing coffee this morning.  It’s Cafe de Olla, a Mexican coffee with brown sugar, cinnamon and a hint of orange rind.  It was so delicious. I’m going to attempt it next weekend.  I only drink decaf coffee on school days/nights (and I only have regular at home) plus I don’t really know how to make coffee.  I know that sound ridiculous, but I don’t.  If someone wants coffee at my house, they have to make it.  We have a really good (strong) Puerto Rican coffee that everyone raves about, but I tried to make it once and I butchered it. So I’m looking for the best cafe de olla recipe and I’ll post the trials.

I saw Julie and Julia today and really enjoyed it.  I’m ready to tackle some of those French recipes.  I need to order a copy of that book.  Val, do you have a copy of  Mastering the Art of French Cooking?  Anyone out there have a favorite recipe of Julia’s?  Oooh, I did make the potato leek soup of hers and it was easy, delicious and simple!