What a feeling, bein's believin'....

Sundays are special days. My belief is that Sundays should be spent with people you love and care about. Friends, family or lovers. It's a lazy day but filled with quality time. I spent yesterday...which was Sunday, started out w/ lunch date: Ginny and Howie and then dinner at Jenne's. Usually when I go to Jenne's and eat she has me stirring something. By this point I consider myself a MASTER stirrer. Inside the tiniest kitchen in the world you see the genius of Jenne. "What are you making Jenne?", I question. "Eh, something. It's gonna be delicious!" she hooted. Watching her sous chefs rhythmically dancing in a candence of chops and stirs, one could compare this to an intense episode of IRON CHEF. Erasure blaring in the background I have discovered is the best music to cook to. Awesome.

I commence the stirring:Shallots, and garlic w/ oil..I think? Then we added the cubed eggplant Howie chopped, stirred some more, then cubed zucchini, stirred some more, then we added a bunch of tomatoes. Stirred, then put the lid on the pot and let it have fun inside. I believe we were making a sort of Ratatouille. In the oven was baby carrots, potatoes, onions, and cumin...maybe other things were added but I can't remember. Steven was there and provided the music and did other things. So everything is baking, and cooking, and salt, and pepper are added, and other things....finito! It is time to eat. Everything was pretty simply prepared but it was very delicious. I was refreshed! I could use some more of the dinner we made yesterday. Perhaps with some pasta...it would be even MORE epic...which is hard to imagine!

Not chocolate but CHOCLO!

I hate to say that summer seems to be winding down. It's strange to me being born and raised in S. California that summer seems to end. People think it's summer all the time here...but it's not. There's a whole attitude and lifestyle behind it...it's not all about the weather. San Diego I would describe the summers here as "The town were there's never an excuse to be inside". Unless, you are sick and even then it's not by choice that you are miserable...in the spiritless world of the indoors. Lame.

Grilling is typically a summer thing all over the US. Here in SD it happens pretty frequent...possibly once a week...if not more:) My best friend that I've known since 2nd grade...is leaving for a year a broad. Destination:Italy...hehe that bitch! So in the spirit of coming together and wishing her fun adventures and safe travels our families reunited for an awesome going away party.

The menu:

Choclo

Thin steak or carne asada(marinated)

Marinated chicken legs

fruit salad

bezcocho

tamale asado

Beans

rice

Salad

tortilla...make your own tacos:)

So let's start with the Choclo. It is a type of large corn that is found in South America. The dish is cooked in many South American countries mainly Ecuador, Chile and Peru. The best way I can describe it...cornbread for the cholitos(indigenous people of the Andea's). The way it was presented at the party was in a form of a pie...pie tin. It has egg, corn meal/flour(?) choclo, herbs, spices...lot's of good stuff. We had "hot", "not too hot" and "not hot at all", versions of the Choclo. On to the grill. My bestie Ginny and her mom made the marinade for the carne asada and chicken legs. Lots of vinegar, salt/pepper, cilantro, onions, garlic, lemons, oil and the rest I have no idea but it was damn good! Ginny's mom also makes this amazing fruit salad...which is my favorite. She puts watermelon, mangos, strawberries, grapes, and I think that's it...can't think of the other things she puts in, but it is just the perfect thing to eat at the end of your meals. My mom made her bezcocho which is masa mixed with cheeses and taste like a really thick cheesy small tortilla. She also made a tamal asado which is prepared the same way bezcocho is except it's sweet not salty. The ingredient that makes it sweet is coconut milk and sugar. Yummy. Typically the bezcocho and tamal asado are had during the 9 days of prayer when some passes away...but my mom makes whenever because it is a rare treat and probably/maybe the only Tica(Female Costa Rican) that knows how to make it the US. I made myself a carne asada taco and grabed a chicken leg and filled my plate with salad, Choclo, rice and beans. Those were the highlights of the potluck. All the other snackies were also good. Everyone had a great time and were stuffed to the max! I'm gonna miss you Ginny but hopefully I will make it to Spain and you can go visit me there:) Ciao!

Roast beef a go-go!

I love to go shopping at Pancho Villa. It's this market on El Cajon Blvd that's pretty cheap and the produce is great quality. So today, was hot...but despite it being hot I braved the pave and went to Pancho Villa. They have the best refried beans and fresh out of the oven, 2 seconds ago, bread. Every time we go...we always buy a large refried beans(Last us for a week and cost about $5 or $6) and 4 bread buns for $1(Really good if you have a BBQ coming up and you want to eat the sausage in something. Also makes great sandwiches) ....so good. Anyway, my mom wanted to make a stew tonight but since they did not have stew meat I bought a roast instead. Best decision that I made all day.

So mom put the roast in the pressure cooker with her spices and baby carrots, potatoes and celery. To me this is comfort food. The juice from the meat is so damn good I would eat it with rice...hell, I would drink it in a cup. The meat was a little crispy on the outside since she seared it first then so nice and juice on the inside. Excellent cut of meat. My mom makes a KILLER roast. So good. It not only is a cheap meal but it's pretty damn easy to make. Don't over think it. The veggie were cheap. The roast cost about $5 or $6...not bad. I don't understand why people don't eat at home more often. I finished the evening with a nice walk to the dog park with Lola. Can't wait for leftovers:)

Shrimp Bonanza!

Finally I am back! There has been too much going on. With my birthday, pride weekend, and my phone taking a dip in the pool....it's made things difficult for blogging(since I had lots of pics on my other phone....boo). Rest assured please sit back and enjoy the food. Maybe make a cocktail. Have someone rub your feet.

My birthday menu:

16 pounds of shrimp, corn and red potatoes(cajun spices/boiled)

Jumbalaya(Minus shrimp since we had a lot already)

Cupcakes(Pubcakes)

Mom's ceviche(Tilapia)

Salt Pepper Chicken Wings(You haven't lived...must try)

AND LOTS OF MUNCHIES

I've always wanted to have a seafood bake or boil as it turned out to be....still delicious. We bought SO much shrimp since about 33 people RSVP. I wanted there to be plenty food and boy was there. I had leftovers for about a week. The shrimp we boiled(Cajun spices) was great! Spicy and satisfying. I had at least 2 dozen...yummy. Jambalaya made by Jenne was fantastic. Perfect heat and really good...ate that for 3 days straight. Cupcakes/Pubcakes made by the fabulous Misty. They had some sorta beer and chocolate taste. I'm no expert but I do call myself an expert eater and these cupcakes were really good. SPANK ME good. People were eating them and moaning...I mean that says it all...don't you think? Mom's ceviche...always great. Salt and Pepper chicken wings...these are my favorite and thank you Liz and Eric for bringing them. You really haven't lived until you bite into these amazing salt and pepper chicken wings with red pepper flakes and green onion garnish...I think about these at least once a day. I'm just sad I don't have pictures of all the food.

Howie, made a shrimp bisque with some of the leftover shrimp. I am sad to say...I didn't get to try any! Damn my sister and my mom. At least they said it was DELICIOUS. So yay...great birthday meal. EPIC. Thank you every one for everything. It was a special day with great food and amazingly epic people. Love ya! Muah!

Brunch and such

So I took a little break from blogging since we had a holiday last week. Today I've posted 2 delicious entries!

Today, I had a brunch thingy at Jenne's along with my buddy Howie. Jenne made some yummy boiled then sauteed potatoes with onions/scallions(?), garlic and other yummy things. I brought chicken apple sausages and Jenne cooked them while I poked holes so they wouldn't explode everywhere. Howie brought Heath bar scones....epic: ) Howie made these scones, and let me tell you...so GOOoooooood. We sat around and ate and talked while Nino Bravo played in the background(Think Spain's answer to Tom Jones). Such a beautiful way to start the day. After eating we saw a movie. 'MOON' was entertaining. It starred Sam Rockwell, one of my favorite actors. He was great in the film. Howie decided to get a GI-normous popcorn which we only ate half and brought the rest home for my mom and sister. That was my day...now off to have more fun! ::::ZOOOOOOOOOOM:::::

Peruvian Ceviche

There's nothing I love more than lemons. I love to drink them in the form of lemonade. I love them in food. I love the way it smells. I love their color. I heart lemons...and anything that is citrus really. One of my favorite dishes that has lemons in it is CEVICHE! Lemons and summer go hand and hand. Ceviche and summer go hand in mouth.

Now it has been argued by many as to whom invented ceviche. Everyone knows the Peruvians invented ceviche...so all those who claim they invented it...ha ha dream on! Ceviche is basically fish cooked in lemon juice....or marinated. It's delicious and probably one of my favorite dishes I remember my father making, and making it very well. My mom has learned how to make it and she does it pretty well.

This time around she used Tilapia, cut in small cubed pieces, culantro, garlic, salt, pepper, 5 lemons, aji amarillo(a yellow pepper that is a tiny bit hot and gives magnificant color to food) and onions. She puts the cubed pieces in the mixture and leaves it marinating for a couple of hours. Typically Peruvians eat it with white rice. My mom cooked a seasoned rice with the ceviche. Delicious....SO FREAKIN' GOOD!

This ones Peruvian

Hey-OH!

This weekend was great. Had Tracie's chicken Biryani which was delicious. After that amazing culinary experience all I remember was laughing and giggling. Let's just say I accidentally ate something that could potentially get you under the influence. ACCIDENTALLY. Anyway *giggle* we had the chicken biryani with some rice...I believe jasmine rice, and a lovely salad that I think Jenne made which complimented everything nicely. My favorite thing to eat is salad and rice...I know it's a little weird. It's what my grandmother cooks for me on my birthday...along with her delicious steak picado...one of my all time favorite dishes. I'm getting hungry again!

Today my mom cooked lomito saltado. A dish which is a staple Peruvian food. You can find it in any Peruvian restaurant anywhere. Basically, what it consist of is some sort of meat...either chicken or more commonly used steak, onions, bell pepper, tomatoes, and potatoes. Potatoes are usually cut french fries style and the base of the sauce consist of olive oil, tomato paste, garlic and other spices...depending on the cook. My mom uses her typical spices: Cumin, salsa Alfado(a.k.a salsa Lizano) and curry. When she made it today she used chicken breast a more healthier meat. The potatoes were boiled and sauteed with a little olive oil just to get them a nice crust on the outside cut width-wise down the potato(I don't know what they call that style)....not the french fries cut. Side dishes: Large steamed zucchini and a tomato/cucumber salad. Salad had a little salt olive oil and lemon....I love lemon:) Very nice meal not at all heavy like the typical Lomito Saltado with steak that's served with rice. Fully satisfied and a beautiful meal for the end of today.