Winter has hit the Midwest with a vengeance. There is nothing like going into the kitchen to get a morning cup of coffee and seeing ice on the windows, inside the house. When I turn the heat up condensation covers the windows so you can’t see out of them. They make for good canvases to draw smiley faces on however.

On Thursday’s the hubster has to work until 7pm thanks to his new position at work. I don’t particularly care for his new Thursday hours, but it does afford me a little extra time in the kitchen to create masterpieces. Yesterday, being Thursday, I decided to play the role of a 1950’s housewife, and make meatloaf and macaroni and cheese. I put my own twist on it though and used Ina Garten’s (Barefoot Contessa) gourmet Macaroni and Cheese. It is made with cavatappi, sharp white cheddar and a divine gruyere cheese. Top the casserole with vine ripened tomatoes, then toss Japanese breadcrumbs (Panko) with melted butter and sprinkle over the tomatoes. It was sheer heaven. If you don’t want to search on the Food Network for her recipe, let me know and I’ll email it to you. The meatloaf was no simple concoction either. Made with an assortment of ground meats, I added chopped shallots, garlic, onion, peppers and spices, not to mention more of those divine Japanese breadcrumbs which I soaked in heavy cream. The results were amazing. I detest meatloaf, but this one I actually liked. The problem with all of this? I am on a diet. Did I eat any of the foods I slaved away all evening to make? Hell yes! I feel so ashamed.