Great Meatloaf Off of 2009: And the Winner is....

We held the first ever Great Meatloaf Off. The day begin with a trip to Central Market South for a bunch of supplies. Everyone was home cooking up their meatloaves!

And everyone arrived; we had nine hungry judges. We had four wonderful meatloaf submissions.



We put out all the meatloaves with little flags in them (ISSB is a very good flag maker).
The meatloaves were all different. They all had different combinations of meats, different seasonings, veggies, toppings, etc. I made two very different loves, one was ISSB's family recipe and I also made my mother's recipe, the one I grew up eating.

Everyone got their “test tasters” plates and their score cards and sat down around the house to make their decisions.
So after everyone was done judging, we tallied up all the scores:

And the winner was............
ISSB's mom's four meat meatloaf!

Here is the recipe:

1 lb. meatloaf mix (ground beef, veal & pork)
1 lb. ground turkey
1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs (less if using dried, but they're fine)
1-2 eggs
1 chopped onion, sauteed if you have time
1 grated carrot
The rest of this I eyeball, and since you're a good judge I'd leave it to your discretion:
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
garlic powder (this is the only thing I ever use it in, but I think it works better than fresh)
dijon mustard
ketchup
oregano
S&P

Panko mixed with EVOO & S&P for topping

Mix gently with your hands and put in oiled loaf pan, top w/panko.
Best to let sit and flavors mingle for at least a couple of hours to a day before baking at 375 about an hour.

Barbara was awarded this cookbook that was recently located at the used book store:
And the runner up was my mom!

Here is the recipe:

2 lb. ground beef
1 cups fresh breadcrumbs
2 eggs
1 chopped onion, sauteed if you have time
A lot of chopped garlic
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper
Mix with your hands and form in to a round loaf and place in a Clay Coyote pie plate or in a castiron pan. Cook at 350F for 45 minutes.

At 45 minutes, pour over a mixture of:
¼ cup ketchup
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

And let it cook for another 5 minutes.

Overall the Meatloaf Off was a success!!! Hope that you try these out, happy meatloaffing!!!

Hamilton Pool

Last Friday when Robin and Lindsay were in town, ISSB, Robin and I went out to Hamilton Pool Nature Preserve. We have been wanting to go out and see this beauty since moving here. And we finally made it....and it was totally awesome.

If only the bacteria levels were lower so we could put our tootsies in!

After the day at the pool we went out to the Saltlick and had a wonderful TX BBQ experience!

Nice walking path all the way around.

Gorgeous tree growths as we walked down to the pool.

2009: 2 minutes faster

I finished the Cap 10K for the second year in a row!

18,000 people and me...

Carne Guisada Slowcooker

Last weekend with a little searching around the internet and $10 put together this recipe. Carne Guisada in my slowcooker.

Thankfully when I was tossing it all together I remembered to write it down. Lookin' good, tasted AMAZING!!

Mix together a marinade of:
3 cloves garlic
table spoon salt
¼ c olive oil
¼ cup vinegar
splash kitchen bouquet
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp chili
1 tsp paprika
1 jalapeno diced
Add cubed beef shoulder and let rest for about an hour in the fridge.

Put everything in to the slow cooker on low and come back four hours later.

Serve with chopped cilantro, onion and fresh lime. We put it in to tortillas and had Mexican rice and black beans on the side.
Let me know if you give it a try!

ISSB & Me: Maiden Voyage

And then there were two...ISSB got his bike this weekend and today we went on our first ride together. They are ready to go:
We went down to Town Lake Park to ride the path. It was very busy on this beautiful day!


Last week I tested out my new commuter bike coffee mug. It was a failure. So back it went to Mellow Johnny's. I guess I will have to keep looking. Currently I have my eye on one like this, but with fun colors.
Overall, we made is 6 miles in 42 minutes through the hills of downtown Austin.

Biking!

For Christmas, ISSB gave the two of us bikes. When I opened up a bike bell on Christmas morning I squealed with joy! A bike! I haven't ridden in forever! But, you know what they say...

Over the weekend we visited numerous bike shops, we spent hours looking at them and searching the internet. Our friend Evan, an avid biker, recommended a new bike shop that has recently opened in Austin, Mellow Johnny's. MJ's (located right downtown and only a few blocks from my office) is owned by Lance Armstrong and they put an emphasis on commuting, they even have showers and coffee available to commuters and you can leave your bike there all day, they'll even tune it up for free while they watch it.

Yesterday I successfully commuted to and from work on it and today I made it in in 26 minutes. Not bad. Tonight I am even going to stop at Whole Foods to pick up dinner on the way home.

Now, if only it wasn't up hill both ways!

Austin Empty Bowl, and how to get some bowls for Christamas!

The weekend before Thanksgiving, I participated in the Austin Empty Bowl Project put on by the Austin Food Bank. It was an amazing project and it let me do some of my favorite things:

1. I got to volunteer to help fight hunger in America.
2. I got to eat great soup and bread from good restaurants around Austin.
   
3. I got to meet new, cool people.
4. And here is the BIG one, I got to shop for pottery.

Not only did I get two little bowls that were made by Art Students at the Austin Museum of Art, I also was the winning silent bid on a great set of bowls by a local Austin potter.

The line around the building snaked. Some people waited in line for more than two hours.
But, the "Bowl" doesn't happen for another year. So if you want to shop for great pottery this year. I have some recommendations.

1. As always, I am shamelessly promoting Mom and Tom's pottery, the Clay Coyote. See a great post on their blog about what they have available for the holidays.
   
2. But, let me let you in on a couple of other amazing potters that you can order in the Gallery:
   
1. Crystal Pottery: I would go for this bowl. It is perfect for stews and soups this holiday season and it will be great for mixing things (like cookie/bread dough) later in the year. I could have really used a bowl this big last week at Thanksgiving when I was mixing up the stuffing.
   
2. Hank Goodman: I consider myself a "Hank girl." I love this guy, I love his pots and I really love his blue and brown glazes. Just take a look at all the serving pieces he has. I am telling you, bake some cookies, put them on a Hank tray and wrap it up for your favorite person...you will be loved!
   
3. Last bit of fun, this year you have another fun reason to come out to the Clay Coyote and shop! I will be there working in the Gallery for three weeks. Starting December 17th, going until the 4th of January you can come visit with me. I will have cookies, wine, witty conversation and ISSB and Sarge the Wonder Dog will be there too! (Heck if you are lucky you can see my brother, my nephew, and my sister-in-law.)
   

So really, after this post, how can you not want to come out to the Gallery to see me later this month? And, if you can come - visit them online (one last shameless plug!).

Turkey Trot 2008

I participated in the 2008 Austin Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day (that is until I twisted my knee - which is healing up quickly). The night before Ian and started a Turkey Trot Tradition by writing all the things we are thankful for on the shirt. Take a look:

IKE!

While the Texans run out to buy TP and milk ISSB and I stocked up on wine and beer. We are planning to spend the weekend inside, dry, and playing Gin.
ISSB also believes that since we got the yard SO prepared for the high winds - we will be spared entirely. Fingers crossed.

Help! Save the Dillo'

The Austin Capitol Metro is bumming me out. Today they cut four of the six free bus lines in Austin. The line that used to go from my house to my work wasn't cut entirely, no, they just made it completely inept by making it only go from the Capitol to the river and back. What really gets me is the line is so short you should be able to walk the 10 blocks that it covers! The old line at least ran about two miles making it useful!

Well I have never been known to give up easily, and in times of rising gas prices and unbelievable congestion I am not going to let this one just slip by. I started a petition on Care2 and you can sign it too.

It doesn’t cost anything and it would make my day if you would help me fight for more public transportation not less!

Austin's forcast for Monday

"Near record" - really!?!? What does it take to hit records around here? Yuck!!!

Sorry, I haven't posted recently. Been recovering, relaxing and trying not to overdo it. HA! Yeah right, I have been trying to recover, pretending to relax and getting scolded for overdoing it.

Next week I am headed back to my normal schedule of travel-travel-travel. This time off to San Francisco for a week. One wedding, one baby shower and one week of working out of the West Coast office - should be a nice trip!

Eyebrow Clause

So today is Day 7 following my jaw surgery.

Before my surgery, thankfully I had a chance to live it up on vacation. But, as soon as I got home, I knew what lied in store. I had already done the meeting where they go over all the bad things that could possibility happen to you. I honestly believe that this spheel is not for me, the patient. It is the CYA spheel, they are just saying everything under the sun so you can’t sue them later. The worst thing they made me sign was the clause stating that I understood that the surgery was taking place next to the important thingy (nerve, muscle, etc) that allows me to move my eyebrows. I can't believe that I had to sign away my eyebrows before this procedure. Amazing.

Well, the good news is I can move my eyebrows and everything seems to be pretty much in working order. Sorta. I did get both sides placated (sewn in to place – ewwwwe gross) so that means I am on a liquid diet for the next three months (one down, 11 weeks to go).

I think that might be the hardest part of this whole experience. It is truly a forced diet. I am struggling everyday to get the right amount of nutrients, the pounds are flying off me and I am weak and cranky all the time. Not because I am hungry, that would be impossible as I eat, scratch that, drink every hour. But, because it seems like no matter how much I consume I just can’t reach the magic 2300 calorie marker. So this is the lingering effect, that and my head feels like the size of Texas.

On a more positive note. I am back to talking, back to work and back to being a pain in ISSB’s rear.

So that is the latest. More on the milkshake diet later!

In Like a Lion

REO Speedwagon said it best! 100 mile an hours winds by my office, nickel-sized hail at the house. Here are some shots from the aftermath:

The tree from next door:

This was a regular sight in the city:
Look at the parking garage:

Aron was here: He left a wake of BBQ destruction

On Saturday, as promised we drove down to Lockhart fro Smitty’s BBQ masterpiece. Aron, our new friend Lucas, ISSB and me. Oh, were the boys excited. And, because we went on Saturday we were lucky enough to get there before they ran out of prime rib. I swear on my mother that this is the greatest single bit of meat that I will ever eat.

Lucas is literally drooling!

Then we went back to the house, sat on the patio and drank cool, crisp white wine in 85 degree weather. Later in the evening, Paula and Iain came over to join us. And together we walked over three blocks to South Congress to see what the local commotion was all about. It was the Lonestar Rod & Kustom Roundup weekend. And, it all takes place in our neighborhood. It was just as billed, “A Texas-Sized Weekend of Loud Pipes, Lead Sleds, Live Music and more…” The Continental Club is the big sponsor.

We decided since the party was in the street that the San Jose Bar (the best bar in town – my opinion) would be a little more calm. It was. It always is. They say it is where Texas meets Japan. I just love the smell of wisteria and the sound of rustling bamboo leaves. It is hard to beat.

All in all, I think that Aron will be back (soon) with Liz in toe. There is a boot store with her name on it and a bottle of wine in a bamboo garden calling her name. Next time, though I think it might be an all Mexican food weekend.

PS: We are eating nothing but salad for the next 2 weeks.

He is here!!!!

This is Aron. This is Aron's happy dance (almost four years to the date - we were all in DC for Easter dinner on his and Liz's patio).

Aron is here (finally) for a conference, about who knows what, and he is gettting to hang out with us. Lucky us!

Also, he is on a quest, the BB-Quest. First night, Artz. Last night, Saltlick (a few happy dances there). Today, Smittys.
I bet we see another happy dance today!

I made it!

Somewhere in all those people (14,000 of them) is me, my iPod and a goal. A goal not to woos out and make it all 6.2 miles. Welcome to the Austin American Capitol 10K. One of the most popular races in town. This is my first 10K, I have done a few 5Ks. But, this was by far the most grueling and wet. Yes, it rained 4 of the 6.2 miles.
But, rain, thousands of other people, puddles and a bloody ankle --be damed, I made it.

Clean house: art shots and working kitchen!

Both my mom and dad, for entirely different reasons, have been bugging me to see photos of the house.

Mom, because she hasn’t see it with all the art up, and Dad because he hasn’t see photos after we settled in to the new kitchen.

So here are some clean house photos from right before my b-day party.

This is the "shelf" I am pondering, what to put here, maybe nothing.

Me, reaching for the stars.