View from Elbow Beach Hotel

Szechenyi Chain Bridge

Another View from the Buda Hills2

Another View from the Buda Hills

Budapest from the Funicular

Grocery Stores

One of the easiest and most cost effective ways of eating while traveling is to hit the local grocery store. If you've decided to rent an apartment, you can cook your own meals with relative ease. If you at least have a fridge in your hotel room, you can store your snacks for when you need them. You get the added bonus of eating like a local.

Jenni and I had a great time in Bermuda, but the food was pretty pricey, and for us a little difficult to find. While we were walking around downtown Hamilton we found a great grocery store right next to where the cruise ships dock. It was a really hopping place, and the selection was great and the staff super helpful. We ended up with 5 bags of groceries for about the price of dinner in our hotel.

The Best Macaroni and Cheese You'll Ever Eat

If you do this one right, you'll want it every week. I took some liberties with Jamie Oliver's recipe, but the original is probably still on his website.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a baking pan with olive oil.

16 oz elbow macaroni
Breadcrumbs (Make your own out of stale bread, it's easy and better tasting.)
12 Sweet Grape Tomatoes
1 clove of garlic
1/4 cup of fresh basil
Sea salt and black pepper
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup of heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
Chunks of fresh mozzarella, (low moisture part-skim works, but a ball of whole milk mozzarella is better)
1 tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves
Extra virgin olive oil

Cook your macaroni in a pot of boiling salted water. Break up the bread and zip it in your food processor to turn it into breadcrumbs. Set aside.

Place your tomatoes and garlic in the food processor, add a couple pinches of salt and a quick grind of pepper. Puree. Add 1/4 cup of Parmesan, cream, vinegar and nutmeg. Puree until it looks like a smooth sauce.

Once the macaroni is cooked, drain it in your colander and then add it to your baking dish. Pour the sauce over the macaroni and mix together. Throw your chunks of mozzarella on top, sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and thyme, and then add the breadcrumbs over that. Drizzle olive oil over the top of everything. It'll give you a nice crunchy cheese crust.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until the top is golden.

Killer Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is our standard chocolate chip cookie recipe. Like most things I tend to throw in little extras depending on what's in the cupboard. Sometimes I'll add a 1/4 of a teaspoon of ground cloves or maybe a little ground ginger. Chopped dates would work well with this too. They're chocolate chip cookies. It's pretty tough to mess them up.

1/2 cup of quick oats
2 1/4 cups of flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 sticks of butter
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulate sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 eggs
3 cups chocolate chips
1 /1/2 cups of chopped walnuts (if desired)

Set the oven at 350 degrees. Cover baking sheets with parchment paper.

Combine dry ingredients in one bowl: oats, flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

In a second bowl, cream butter, sugar, vanilla and lemon juice. Add eggs and beat until well mixed.

Stir the dry ingredients into the eggs mixture and blend well. Add the chocolate chips and nuts. Use a small ice cream scoop or spoon to place the cookie onto the baking sheets.

Bake until the cookies are lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Let them cool on a wire rack, and you're off to the races.

Good stuff.

Sunday Scones

This is an easy scone recipe that I've used for years. It can be modified to suit your tastes. I tend to do cranberry/orange because it makes the scones seem a little healthier. Blueberries or chocolate chips would work too.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Cover your baking sheet with parchment paper.

3 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons coriander
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter cut into chunks
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1/2 cup of dried cranberries
1/4 cup of chopped walnuts (optional)
1 cup of buttermilk

Whisk the dry ingredients together: flour, sugar, coriander, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Then work the butter in with your fingers until the dough looks like breadcrumbs. Add orange zest and cranberries.

Pour in buttermilk and mix with a wooden spoon or fork until combined. Gather the dough and knead on a floured work surface. Form the dough into a circle but keep it a couple inches thick. Cut your scones out using a lightly floured cup or glass, or form them into balls with your hands.

Arrange on your baking sheet and dust with sugar or cinnamon. Bake 15 -20 minutes or until they're golden on the top.

Cool on a wire rack

I make icing using a cup of powdered sugar and few tablespoons of orange juice.