Oh, sweet summertime is finally here! To usher in a new season of longer, more languid days with extra vacation and pool time sprinkled in, I dreamt up a dish inspired by some of my favorite summertime produce: okra, corn and peaches. …
Creamy Cole Slaw
The Fourth of July is a truly beautiful holiday to me. It’s one of patriotism, of unity, and of relishing in life’s simple pleasures (namely watermelon, potato salad, cole slaw, and apple pie) with fellow patriots.
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Cherry + Chorizo Stuffing
Happy (almost) thanksgiving everyone! What a joyful season we are settling into. While I tend to be one who is very susceptible to the busyness and to-dos that often coincide with the dawn of the holidays, I adore Thanksgiving as it initiates and infuses the season with a focus on profound gratitude….
Green Chile Mac ‘n Cheese
With the languid days of summer dwindling down to hours, I am set on savoring every last morsel of solitude. For me, this means a few more healthy doses of sun and sleep, losing myself in embarrassingly too many abandoned novels, and long afternoons spent flipping through cookbooks and creating in the kitchen. Did you know that creating, in whatever capacity, is the highest form of self-expression and intelligence? (Bloom’s taxonomy) We can only learn and retain so much information, repeat so many ideas. At some point, we have to make something that is truly ours (even if it is influenced by lots of somethings that aren’t “ours”). If you really think about it, one of the purest forms of satisfaction stems from creation. Think about the satisfaction the Creator of our universe felt upon completion! “God saw all that he made and it was very good.” Genesis 1:31…
Pimentón Potato Salad
Can you believe it’s July already?! With the holiday weekend right around the corner, I’ve been dreaming up some healthy twists on classic summer dishes that evoke all things America. This “Paprika Potato Salad” is a lightened up version that features Spanish-smoked paprika (aka pimentón) as the star ingredient. It’s the perfect complement to almost any grilled meat, bbq, sandwich, salad, ok- just about anything! However, being more of a potato salad purist, I tend to prefer it all by itself, right out of the container, and I’m not the only one……
Twice Baked Truffle Smashed Potatoes
The start of a new year is such a bittersweet time, isn’t it? Change has never come very naturally to me, so I always experience a bit of heartache and sorrow upon bidding farewell to a year. 2013 was an especially difficult one to leave behind. It was arguably one of the most pivotal, life-changing years of my life, from start to finish, interlaced with beautiful milestones and memories which will be indelibly pressed into my heart and soul….
Grilled Summer Succotash with Roasted Garlic Balsamic Butter
Is it really already August?! This is a special month, folks, as it marks Gouramanda’s 1-year anniversary! I can’t believe it’s already been a year. So much has happened! A year ago, Gouramanda was just a seed of an idea. I wasn’t quite sure what my end goal was (which is often still the case), but I realized if you do what you love and constantly seek growth with an open mind (watering and nourishing the seed) you will end up surprising yourself. As Julia Child put it, “You never know everything about anything, especially something you love.”…
Gallo Pinto with Salsa Lizano
As I perch myself on the veranda railing of our Costa Rican casita, the rumble of thunder, pitter patter of rain, and multifarious birdsongs harmoniously combine into a much-welcomed rainforest symphony. When mother nature dictates ones schedule (to surf or to siesta?), of one thing you can be sure: utter relaxation. From the very moment I landed in this little slice of paradise, an ineffable sense of peace and calm ensued and has yet to even slightly dissipate. Around here, the “Ticos” (Costa Rican people) have a name for this nirvana I speak of. They call it La Pura Vida. …
Roasted Cauliflower and Garbanzos with Sun Dried Tomatoes
I tend to be a stubborn type of person. Anyone resonate? Let’s take photography as an example. I used to foster a do-it-yourself, learn-as-you-go sort of mentality. I read some manuals. I watched some YouTube tutorials. But mostly I just practiced and my pictures would improve with time. However, there came a point in time where I felt the need to surrender to a higher power and acknowledge that I couldn’t learn it all on my own. Usually this is Jesus. In this case, the higher power is in the form of a middle-aged Chilango man who teaches me and 20 others about aperture, ISO, shutter speed, depth of field, etc. every Tuesday night for 3 hours, but I digress……
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese
Friends, foodies, and followers, I apologize for the blogging hiatus! Life has been chaotic to put it lightly. Of course there was Thanksgiving (and the food part of it was a little less emphatic this year due to a dear man in my life’s passing). Then, there was my graduation from UT, and now…my first “grown up” job teaching thirty 5th graders! Ahh! Hmm…grown up…This term, along with “the real world” definitely evokes varying emotions. Of course there are waves of excitement. Lingering sorrow. Fulfillment. And, well, I would be kidding myself if I didn’t mention anxiety. I think all of this is natural with a huge transition. I know it won’t always be easy, but such is life! Whatever happens is all part of the Lord’s plans for me. Ready or not, here I come……