Food Coma Inspiration...Party Food on a Budget

  This is a little backdated post from the spread we prepared for a work, Superbowl themed fiesta. I share picture ideas in case you want to try something a little off the beaten path, but super easy at your next get together. This menu cost around $75 & fed 12-16 people. I made my dad's fresh salsa which is really the topping for everything you see and the star of the show based on people's reactions! The last time I made it, I had a certain mischevious friend in the kitchen with me, and made the griveous mistake of grazing my face after handling the salsa's habaneros. My nostrils burned and melted and I'm pretty sure I never looked as unattractive, with desperate wide open nose orifices that cried for help. To speed up this story she googles my dilemma and expels large quantities of cure after homemade cures. I ended up rubbing butter not just on but IN said body part according to friend's specifications & the finale was dunking my nose in a vat of milk. There are unfortunate pictures...lol This time I handled the peppers with dignity and they left me alone. Feel free to post a comment below and I'll share the recipe for which ever dish(es) you like. I'm afraid I can't spill the beans of the salsa deets or I'll have a messed up Papi on my hands but happy to share everything else.  All plates passed this foodie family's taste test, with Alex and Sofia posing for pictures in between chopping and eating...sorry "tasting" they called it;)

Wishing you a wonderful rest of the day, & His Peace which surpasses all understanding & sometimes comes in the form of cold milk.

Menu:
(Top Row L to R) - Chimichurri Chicken Empanadas
Lemon and Herb Chicken Drumsticks

(Middle) - Saffron Venezuelan Arepas (Baked Corn Biscuits)
Papi's Secret Recipe Salsa
Roasted Pork & Caramelized Onion Potato Salad

(Last) Guacamole & Salsa
Homemade Black Beans w/ Cilantro
Rum & Tomato Carne Asada
Chimichurri Shredded Chicken 

The world is on it's head but I will NOT give up or cave in

February 2013

Since the Sandy Hook shooting tragedies, I've picked up these bits and pieces of news that read like a global horror novel. India and Saudi Arabia, savage rapes, beating and deaths of women, teens and babies. China had their own version of Sandy Hook but instead of guns the madman used knives to stab the children. Today in the US, finally after a 7 day siege a "survivalist" in an Alabama bunker was killed and his 5 year old hostage released. The media showed a grainy picture of the boy and my heart shrunk inside my chest thinking of the fear this little boy has been through.

There are days where I think, how will we ever be able to adequately protect our children? Plain live...survive? Our world is dark and crazy. Those days when fear overwhelms me, I reach for one of two choices:
A) Be intentional about hearing from God through scripture in search of His comfort and wisdom or
B) Run to my nearest 7 eleven and stock up on ice cream and chocolate to see me through a day holed up at home.

Today, I chose option A and found that there is nothing, no matter how shocking, which we are dealing with in our day and age that hasn't been seen before. What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Ecclesiastes 1:9

I also read an encouraging word by C.H. Spurgeon that asked me to recall the work that has been done by the Spirit of God already. When our world was rocked during a horrific accident my husband suffered while living in Puerto Rico, God rescued him and stayed with us through each one of this 15 subsequent surgeries. While my husband was trying to gain health and recover some semblance of his life, we had our second daughter. On my own this would have been a joyless experience but He provided enough strength for daddy to see the birth of his daughter, for mom to balance new baby, big sister and sick husband. All the while God sent us precious angels, people who gave of their time to call, hug or write a note...Others would pray with me and help take care of us.

This sort of light is in stark contrast with the darkness surrounding us and reported daily in the media. Just as God didn't leave me hanging during our most heart-breaking trial, (or any other one) he won't leave any of us ill equipped to deal with life's dirty and ugly. For an increasingly troubled world, an increasing out pouring of His Holy Spirit. I was reminded of that today.

The best thing about this news, apart that I need not hide out at my local convenience store when I get scared senseless, is that for those that trust Jesus with their lives, His spirit dwells within them. It is His strength that will enable us to stand up and be light and salt to our hurting world. It is His power that will persevere in us, so we don't cave in, look the other way or give up hope.

When striving to live by the strength of His Holy Spirit then on more days than not, I find success in choosing to put His will first in my life. For me, it's real struggle to avoid  living according to my emotions, acting out my will as I see fit. However, the hard truth is, when we put us ahead of God and act according to what we feel, we may not perform the horrible deeds of some, but for many it leads us astray from our Creator and towards harming ourselves and others. Claudia, you are being so melodramatic! You are as sweet as pie and you wouldn't hurt a fly. All I can say friends is that I have, I do and all but for the grace of God, go I.

Wishing you time to reflect upon Him and since it's Monday, a wonderful week where we strive to act according to His plans, making every day count.  "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

My cooking inspiration...My dad "Papi Super Leo"

Claudia & Papi

He is not everybody's cup of tea or like the saying in Spanish goes, "No es monedita de oro para que le guste a todo el mundo"... He is not a gold coin that will appeal to everybody, but in my world after God and my husband, my dad is my everything. His instruction methods were not my favorite growing up as he asked me to follow him around the kitchen making dishes "disappear". This is papi's code for "wash and watch" while I cook and teach;) Cooking is a past time I enjoy almost as much as I enjoy eating chocolate, rarely do I find it a chore & I owe that all to him as today I understand the cooking for your friends and family can really be a form of ministry. Fellowship, health, conversation, sharing, laughter, relationship naturally develop during the times when one breaks bread.

I eyeball most everything when cooking and my family will say they've never had the same dish twice, since I tweak food unintentionally depending on what is in my pantry and fridge that day. These things I picked up from my dad, who also comes from a long line of foodies whose delicious creativity in the kitchen is unmatched. Below, is our cooking/eating love story in pictures. I hope it inspires you to bravely whip up something you've never tried before. Afterwards, may you get to relish & savor it slowly, blessed with the company of the ones you love! In His Peace & Grace. xoxo Claudia~

We start our foodies young! (Alex, BBQ in Panama)

They gain experience in the family business while young!
Turning in an order @ Papi's restaurant

Sofi learns the art of preparing "Chocoberry's



Preparing Papi's "Secret" Recipe Salsa

Wearing spicy pepper-repellant goggles;)

 

Papi supervises his tribe while making Christmas dinner (Hallacas)