MKMW: Ireland

I think I did more to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day this year than all the other years of my life combined. My sister and her family were here for the week, so we spent some time visiting, cooking, doing activites with the kids and visiting D.C. As luck would have it, we accidentally came upon D.C.'s St. Patricks Day parade, which thrilled the kids to pieces.

On St. Patrick's Day itself, the kids all wore green, pulled out the leprachaun hats and painted pictures of rainbows and pots of gold.

To honor my My Kitchen My World obligations, I made a yummy Irish Soda Bread for breakfast. My sister got the recipe from her copy of The Book of Days. Check it out.

Leslie and I also pulled together a Shepherd's pie from one of Rachel Ray's "30 minute" meals. I don't care what she says, I have NEVER made one of those recipes in 30 minutes! I suppose I could if I had staff, maybe!

After tweaking a few of the ingredients, adding some Italian seasoning and some Chinese soy sauce, we came up with an Irish meal that the kids thought tasted like Swedish meatballs.

Go figure!?

Regardless... the kids liked it so much that they were all disappointed that there weren't any leftovers the next day and have already asked when we can make it again!

For dessert, we made a Chocolate Guiness Cake.

I got the recipe from Mary's Blog, Chasing Some Blue Sky

Mary got the recipe from Nigella Lawson. Thank you Mary!!

You foodie people would love Mary's blog, she's amazing!

Sorry about the really lousy food pics. It's either me or the camera or both, but I'm just going to blame the camera!

MKMW: Azerbaijan

In my search for an Azeri recipe to make for this week's My Kitchen My World, I learned that the people of Azerbaijan are big tea drinkers. So instead of making a full on Azeri meal, I decided to have an Azeri tea party. I found this wonderful website full of recipes and cultural information. Farida's Azerbaijani Cookbook

I made two desserts, one from Farida's blog, the Cheese and Yogurt Cake with Lemon Zest or Piroq, and Baklava. I had never made baklava before, never even considered it, but it was fairly easy and tasted amazing.

My Kitchen My World: Cuba!

Finally! I made my Cuban meal and it was very yummy.

A couple of weeks ago, I joined a blog group called, My Kitchen My World. About twice a month they come up with a country to "visit" and our job is to make food from that country and share the results via our blogs. I joined this group in the hopes that it would inspire me and, in a way, force me and my family to try new things. Cuba was my first one and I was excited, we used to eat Cuban food all the time in Florida! I had so many ideas, so many foods that we loved to eat.

But what should I choose?

I totally over-thought this assignment. For weeks, I stressed and planned and changed my plans. Finally, I decided on roast pork with mojo sauce, black beans and rice, and some mangoes and papaya topped with toasted coconut. Yum!

The black beans were sooo good. I soaked them overnight and, after reading about a million different recipes for them, came up with my own version, omitting the ham hock and adding sofrito. (I think any Cuban mother would understand my making do with what I had.)

Even better than the beans was the simple fruit salad, a perfect sweet foil to the salty and savory pork and black beans.

Having said all that, I think the very best part of the meal was the simple fact that all the kids liked it! They've even requested that I make the beans more often, so I definitely will.

In the meantime... I have to come up with a plan for next weeks assignment, Azerbaijan!

oh, dear...