Heidibella in the Tropics

Five Cheese Mac

This past weekend was all about rediscovering passions that I have had to move to the side for one reason or another. Coming out of a three-week stint of unending work that included being away from home for two of those weeks gave me some time on a Saturday afternoon to enjoy by myself in my almost-finished new kitchen. I can't accurately express how it felt for me to go to the grocery store and buy actual ingredients for a meal I would be cooking. I had just gotten off the plane and was already planning what I would make. Nevermind that I hadn't slept, nevermind that I felt like I had been run over by a train, exhausted...nothing was going to keep me out of that kitchen.

The first meal that I made in my new kitchen was a recipe that I saw on Food Network while in my hotel room a couple of weeks ago. It was recipe showdown, and while I cannot stand Guy Fieri (sorry to you G.F. fans out there), the contestant that won the showdown, Rick Massa, made a Five-Cheese Mac and Cheese that looked out of this world. I knew that I wanted my kitchen premiere to be something baked (of course!) and something comforting, and what is more comforting than mac & cheese?

And so I began, grating five different cheeses in my new food processor (thank you Michelle!), chopping onions, pre-heating the oven, making the white sauce, preparing the baking dish...the water boiled so fast on that new burner that I had to turn it off because I wasn't ready for it! I was in heaven. The smell of the perfect blend of melted cheese filled the kitchen, and I set the table and took a moment to take it all in with a cold beer.

It's been more than a year since that tired, trusty old oven broke down. It's been several months since my old kitchen was torn up to create a canvas for something new. But this...was worth waiting for!

 

 

The Spirit of Christmas

During this time of year, when many of us are running around trying to get things done, rushing from one obligation to another, wrapping, unwrapping, baking, calling, driving, mailing, the list is endless...it's easy to forget what Christmas is really all about. 

Yesterday, I had a reminder of true holiday spirit.

In the complex where live, we have five neighboring families. Each year, at Christmas, it's a tradition that each family gives a small token to all the neighbors, usually an edible treat. Given my current kitchenless state, I was unsure as to how I would keep up with the tradition without having to give a storebought gift. My Dad offered his kitchen, which I did try to use but all my supplies were boxed up and his oven temperature turned out to be difficult to regulate so my efforts failed. 

I shared my dilemma with my sister, Michelle, and confessed I'd probably have to either buy something or skip the tradition altogether. She then offered to bake some treats for me to give, if she had time on Christmas day. I thanked her and was grateful for the gesture, but knowing how much we still had to do I doubted she would have the time or the energy.

On Christmas morning, I came downstairs to make coffee and serve some gingerbread for breakfast, another tradition that Michelle and I keep up every year. The phone rang, and it was Michelle calling not only to say Merry Christmas, but also to let me know that my neighbors' treats were in the oven and that she would bring them to me when we would meet up at my inlaws' place later in the day.

Michelle woke up early on Christmas morning after having hosted all of us until the wee hours at her apartment for Christmas Eve (we trashed the place!), to bake treats for my neighbors so I wouldn't have to worry about breaking the tradition. When she gave me the cakes, they were beautifully packaged with ribbon and cards already written out.

It was a truly selfless act that reminded me that, as the famous Christmas carol says about the spirit of Christmas, "It's not the things you do at Christmas time, but the Christmas things you do all year through." Thank you Michi, not just for coming to my rescue, but for being such a terrific sister and wonderful friend year-round!  Merry Christmas!

Giving Thanks

Michelle and Austin hosted Thanksgiving dinner at their place last night...and what a dinner it was!  Two kinds of turkey (oven roasted and rotisserie), salad, mashed potatoes, brussel sprouts, stuffed potatoes, madelines, cranberry sauce, coconut rice, and pumpkin pie...WOW. Not only was the food AMAZING, but we got the opportunity to come together once again to share in this truly special tradition with family and long-time friends. As we were sitting around Michelle's gorgeous and very festive table, listening to Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald, Michael Buble, and Chris Botti (to name a few), I was observing everyone chatting and sharing and laughing until tears came out of their eyes, and I was overwhelmed with the feeling that the things that really and truly matter in this world are so simple, so basic, and at their very core are the only things you need to be really happy. 

By the way...Tia Cuchi...we tried to call you several times and didn't reach you, so we assumed you were out on the town in Guadalajara celebrating your birthday. Hope you had a good one!

I want to say thanks to our hosts, Michelle and Austin, for making it such a special Thanksgiving. Mom would have been SO proud of you guys!  Pictures here. 

Chez Michelle

On Thursday I went to Michelle and Austin's after work to cook dinner. Michi took pity on me and lent me her kitchen to cook something from my Everyday Food magazine: Braised Chicken with Dried Plums.  It felt like the old days when I would drop my latest magazine into my bag before going to work, and just before leaving I scan it to see what I want to make for dinner that night.  Michelle and I emailed a bit back and forth about what we would make, and she let me choose since she knew I was really yearning for some time in the kitchen.

So I went to the supermarket to pick up the ingredients that Michi didn't already have, and I went over to her place.  We had such a great time cooking and relaxing and chatting.  I took care of the chicken (except Michelle removed the skins, THANK YOU) and Michi made the mashed potatoes which were AMAZING.  I am officially making Michelle the queen of mashed potatoes!

This recipe is so easy and can be customized in many ways.  I'd definitely serve it with something that can soak up the white wine gravy which is delicious.  We did mashed potatoes but you could do rice or cous cous or polenta.  The chicken comes out tender and juicy (don't overcook it!) and the plums give it a tangy bite.

Thanks Michi...for letting me be in a real kitchen for the first time in what feels like forever!  And thanks for the second picture of the plating...because we used paper plates when I got home with half the food we made (no sink and all that. :)

 

And on the 92nd day he said, "Let them have tile."

Here's a quick update on the kitchen makeover.  Progress!

 

 

Sweet Blue Monday

It may be blue Monday but not because the weekend is over. Today is a holiday in Panama so no work for me...but thanks to Michelle I had a delicious jumbo blueberry muffin for breakfast. It was so moist and yummy...a great way to start the day.

Gracias hermana!

Halloween is for pumpkins

We had a fun night on All Hallow's Eve. Michi and Austin hosted an intimate pumpkin-themed Halloween supper for us. Baked pasta with pumpkin and sage, garlic bread, pumpkin cupcakes, and all the candy you could eat. Ghooolishly delicious!

You can't have Halloween without a scary movie, so the choice for the evening was The Strangers with Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman. 

Thanks for a fun Halloween guys!

Spooky pics here.

A Makeshift Kitchen

Nah, I didn't make this yummilicious rice. Last night when I got home, Gabs had prepared his version of 'arroz con pollo' in a funny kitchen setup that he put together in the terrace at the back of the house. It was so good...it had chunks of onion and green and yellow pepper, and had a slightly asian twist to it. Rotisserie chicken from the supermarket has become our best friend since being kitchenless, and it's a great bargain if you think about it...about $4.85 for a whole, juicy chicken. 

I am grateful at this point that Gabs is comfortable cooking in this insanity...because I could never. I need order in my life, I need order when I cook. And, as much as I love food, if given a choice between total order or a delicious meal, I would go for total order. No, I'd go for food. No...order. No...food. Order? Food? Ok, ok so they're pretty much both up there, but there's nothing like cooking a great meal in a kitchen that's perfectly organized, neat, and clean. I can just imagine all the ingredients set out ready to go, pre-measured preferably.  All the utensils clean and shiny, maybe even some music playing in the background...a cold beer or glass of wine on the side for those quick 2 second breaks in between whisks. It's coming back to me soon....I hope.

Click here for new pictures of the kitchen fiasco.

If I could cook today...

I got the November issue of Everyday Food in the mail. Normally I would take the magazine to work so I could have it handy at the grocery store when deciding what to make for dinner. Then I would post the results here if the recipe turned out to be good. But...since my kitchen is still under construction, we're doing chinese take-out and pressed sandwiches on the panini press. Still, that shouldn't keep me from posting about what I would have selected for tonight's recipe, right? I can't test it for you, but here is what I would have chosen. Let me know if it's any good!

Pasta with mixed mushrooms and thyme

Click on recipe to enlarge.

My current wallpaper

What a game!

What a game! There is nothing like watching the Red Sox come back from a 3-1 deficit in the ALCS. As a Red Sox fan, I should be used to it by now...but when you haven't scored anything in the 7th inning and Tampa Bay is using the Sox bullpen for batting practice, it's hard to be positive. I poured myself this goodbye beer to say, "See ya next year" to my beloved Sox. But it quickly turned into a celebratory brew when the Big Papi we all know showed up, and sent one into the stands. I finished my beer, I'm going to bed...happy that Red Sox baseball continues. See ya in game 6!

Meals on Wheels!

How did I happen to have this delicious roast with potatoes, carrots, and mushrooms while my kitchen is in limbo you ask? I have my very own sisterly Meals on Wheels service!  Thanks for making dinner and dropping it off, Michelle!  YOU ARE AWESOME! It was delicious!!!!

Michelle's Island Birthday Bash

This past weekend we all went to Isla Grande to celebrate Michi's birthday. We had a blast! I hadn't been to Isla Grande in so long. I remember when Dad used to take Michelle and me when we were in our early teens. We used to go every other weekend pretty much. One of the things I remember most about those weekends is Piringo, who used to drive us around on a boat. He must have been around 15 at the time. He now owns his own boats, several of them, and his own restaurant and hotel. Piringo picked us up at the dock to take us to the hotel. He has changed so much! I remember him as a skinny little boy, and now he's a grown-up entrepreneur. We stayed at the Bananas Hotel. We went island hopping, had delicious seafood all weekend long, played ping pong, went swimming, and had a grand time. I hope you had a great birthday Michi...we had an awesome time celebrating it with you! Check out the pictures here.

Sista of mine

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHI!!!!!  Have a wonderful day...sorry I can't see you until tonight.  I LOVE YOUUUUU!!!!!!!!!! 

The War Zone

The kitchen is a war zone! But I don't care...I'm a happy soldier...it's finally underway. Believe it or not, I'm enjoying the openness, the light coming in, the new space, despite all the dust, holes, and concrete. I thought we were going to get sick of soup and sandwiches since we removed the old stove, but we've been doing pretty well at thinking up different things to make. So what do you do when you can't whip out a few pots and pans to make a meal? My new best friends are the microwave, toaster oven, grill, and panini press. Gab even made pasta last week! He brought out the wok and cooked some beef and veggies and then boiled some pasta in a fondue pot. It was so yummy! I thought it was such a great idea that for the last meal I made, I carmelized some onions, mushrooms, and red peppers in the wok and put the veggies in some tortilla wraps. I added some chicken I pulled off a rostisserie chicken from the grocery store, and then sprinkled some crumbled white cheese on top. I rolled them up and put them on the panini press to heat the tortillas and melt the cheese. Quite yummy! So being without a kitchen is not as bad as I thought it was going to be. If you want to see the war zone, check it out here!

Baker for a day

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you probably know that I currently have no oven. The old one in my kitchen (key word there is OLD) died in December of last year and Gab and I decided to wait until we remodelled the kitchen to buy a new one because we were switching from an oven-only appliance to an oven/range. Naturally, for someone who loves to cook, not having an oven is a huge bummer. So I've been having to get creative. All of the dishes you've seen popping up on here lately have been things you can make on a stove top or a grill, or without any cooking at all.

This past weekend though, I was at my sister Chris's up in Florida and I made biscuits for the first time in forever!  How exciting!  The recipe I like to use is Biscuits Supreme from Better Homes and Gardens. It was awesome to cut the butter in the dry ingredients and work the dough just enough so that it comes together but not too much so that you lose the little chunks of butter that make the biscuits fluffy. The best feeling though, and what I miss the most about baking regularly, is the feeling that people are waiting for your goodies to come out of the oven, and of course the heavenly smell that fills the house, telling you it's time to dig in.

On the homefront, we've started taking the kitchen apart, and hopefully I'll be baking again soon. Until then, I need to get even more creative because now I don't even have a stove! Let's see what I can come up with.

Happy Birthday, Mom

The first thing I did this morning when I opened my eyes was think of Mom. Today would have been her 70th birthday. When I checked my email, Michelle had already sent a message that said, "Happy Birthday, Mom!" in the traditional green letters and italics that Mom always used. To commemorate this special day, Michelle, Chris, and I make shrimp cocktails...one of Mom's absolute favorite foods in the world...Michi and me in Panama, Chris in Florida. We got together at Michelle and Austin's place. The menu was shrimp cocktail, cocktail sauce made with real horseradish please...none of that stuff mixed with sour cream and God knows what else. Michelle reminded us that Mom always left the shrimp unpeeled because it would take you longer to eat them, therefore allowing you to enjoy them more. We also had chicken pot pie, one of Mom's classics. And to finish off the meal, rum cake...a dessert she loved to make for her guests. Michelle even broke out some Ivan Rebroff music...boy did Mom love that guy. She would play his music so loud, and would make us all stop what we were doing to listen to the amazing vocal acrobatics he could do. Thanks to Michi, Austin, Gab, and Lala for coming together to remember her today. To Dad for a beautifully written note that I read this evening, and to Chris and Jack for joining us in this celebration from far away. Happy Birthday, Mom! I miss you...

Pics here.

Garlic Stracciatella

Tonight's dinner called for something hot and steamy. After two beautiful, sunny days (yes!), tonight brought back the rain. Stracciatella is an Italian egg-drop soup, and the Williams-Sonoma version calls for 30 cloves of garlic which really punch up the flavor. Not to worry though, the garlic is simmered in broth for several minutes, leaving a sweet deliciousness. Williams-Sonoma's recipe is as follows.

Ingredients:

6 cups chicken broth

30 cloves garlic, peeled and with root ends cut off

2 sprigs fresh thyme

3/4 lbs spinach, thick stems removed and cut into thin strips

1 small carrot, peeled and julienned

3 Tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped

2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Combine broth, garlic, and thyme and bring to boil in a saucepan. Once boiling, turn heat down to simmer and cover for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, take out the thyme, and puree the soup either by using a food processor, blender, or immersion blender. Put puree back into pan and onto medium high heat. Add spinach, carrot, parsley, and cheese. Cook until spinach wilts, about 2 minutes (I found it took more like 5 minutes). While stirring soup with fork or whisk, pour beaten eggs into the soup to form ribbons. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately. I served with multi-grain bread on the side.

YUMMY!

Farewell to a Friend

Claudia (1993 - 2008)

We will all miss you Clauders. Thank you for being such a faithful friend.

How much longer????

I don't think I remember a dingier or muggier July in all my years of living in the tropics. Or maybe it's that every year I put it out of my mind and I really DON'T remember it, even though it happens. Or maybe when summertime comes around it's so wonderful that I completely block out all memory of the dark, horrid months of rain and excessive humidity. When I woke up this morning I could have sworn that it was still 5:00 am...when I looked at the clock I couldn't believe it. 8:30!!!!! What is going on? I hope I don't get Seasonal Affected Disorder or something. Will the sun please stand up?