Just Like Mama Used To. . .

Supper, Thursday July 13: meatloaf (ground beef, ground lamb, egg, cracker crumbs. pine-nuts, spinach, onion, black pepper, garlic powder); green beans (beans, olive oil, sliced almonds, garlic, soy sauce); garlic and parm mashed potatoes.

OK so maybe not just like mom's but the intent is the same. All the basic ingredients are there but this has the flavors turned up a bit. If you are like me your parents had relatively simple tastes. A dish was "spicy" if there was too much black pepper in it. Affluent tastes have filtered down the socioeconomic ladder. The mention of eating raw fish would make my mother shudder. I'm not exaggerating, a genuine physical reaction. Alexis and I have sushi for Christmas dinner. Really. Been doing it for years. 

So embrace your comfort food. Just update it a little (not too much) and make it your own.

Oh yeah, meatloaf. Say meatloaf today and most people think ground beef. There's a reason it's called meatloaf not beefloaf. Look for older or more traditional recipes, they often call for some combination of beef, veal, lamb, and pork. MEATloaf. Using just ground beef means missing out on the complexity and depth of flavors provided by the other cuts. Just sayin'.