Something old, something new

On Sunday after church Tom and I found a little Indian place tucked back among the stalls across from the bus station.  The smells and tastes of the food brought back memories from our time in India.  Each Sunday after church we would walk a few blocks to George's and enjoy their awesome food.  

We weren't quite sure what to order. And I cannot even tell you the names of everything we ate. There was a young man sitting at a table enjoying his lunch so we asked him what he was eating and then ordered what he had!! I love it when people are excited to share their culture with others. He directed us to a table and ordered the food for us. Everything he ordered was tasty and I'm sure we'll eat there again.  

This little place has been there for years.  We just hadn't ever walked back there before.  So we got to experience a new place that wasn't exactly new!

White Chocolate Peppermint Bark

 

A friend of mine posted a photo on Facebook of this holiday treat.  It's a simple recipe in theory.  All you do is melt the chocolate and sprinkle crushed peppermints on top. I know, I didn't pulverize all the candy.  I left some of it in chunks...I liked it that way!!  

I had some white chocolate here at home I decided to give it go.  But, then I read about how difficult it is to melt white chocolate.  Since we don't own a microwave my first attempt at melting white chocolate had to be done using the double boiler method.  It seized up on me because some water got into the chocolate. Thankfully, Google helped me figure out what to do... so I followed the advice to add small amounts of butter until it was back to the right consistency.

I only made a small batch for my test run but it was too rich for Tom and I to finish it off in one sitting.  So it had to be stored in the fridge because the chocolate gets very soft if left at room temperature here in Belize. I will be trying this again.. it was very tasty!!

breakfast for dinner...

 

 

 

Tom was craving pancakes so we walked down to a place called Peter's Pan.  He got his pancakes and I was able to enjoy a cheese omelet with hash browns.  We will have to go again...the food was tasty and filling.  The night that we were there every table but one was full.  The little girl in the photo seemed to be having fun taking pictures of the kitchen and watching them flip pancakes!

Yummo!

Mango flavored breakfast cereal? Yes, please!!

What's for dinner?

Baked Spicy Mango Chicken Wings...yum!

Mangoes and bluggos and plums...oh my!

Mangoes

Bluggos (tastes like a cross between a banana and a plantain)

Plums

All the fruit bearing trees in the yard have green fruit right now...

and we are not so patiently waiting!

Fast food in Belize City...

We've been to Belize City several times. but never stopped at this restaurant before.  Typical fast food here is buying a plate of rice & beans with stewed chicken, or maybe some Mexican tacos, or some fried chicken with french fries.  All of which we have enjoyed plenty of times when we are hungry and in a hurry.

Yesterday after getting our errands done we took the time before the one hour drive back to Belmopan to stop in and see what Jamboree's had to offer.  The selection ranged from burgers, to fried chicken, to fish & chips, or even salads.  Pretty much the standard fast food fare you would expect if this place were located in the US.  It was clean and the staff was kind.  We got there in the late afternoon.  Way after the lunch rush but too soon for dinner.  There was only one other family there with us.  All in all, it was a pleasant stop with filling and yummy food!

Smoothies...yum!

Trying to eat and drink a little healthier so I whipped up a few treats to soothe my sweet tooth!

Tom called this one soylent green.
It was actually broccoli, apple, ginger and banana, with the juice of one lime.

 And this one is mango, papaya, banana, and coconut water.

Whether it's a fruit or a vegetable blend it's all tasty!  And I am looking forward to seeing what other combinations will come together based on what is available at the market.  I would love to give making juice a try but the cost of juicers here is unreal.  So I'll stick with my blender and use my money to buy more produce and make more smoothies!  

Pineapple Salsa

Making this salsa was very simple.

I used half of a fresh pineapple, diced (about 2 cups)
1 medium size red onion, diced
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
Plus the juice of 1 lime.
Mix until combined.

I let it sit overnight in the fridge.   It can be eaten with tortilla chips or you can serve it with chicken or fish.  But, no matter how you eat it...it's yummy!

Sweet surprises...

This weekend we had visitors from Michigan.  They left behind a few bags filled with vitamins, aspirin, tylenol, peanut butter, nutella,and so on.  We gave the majority of it away to others at church and a bag went to the men at Freedom House.

But this one treat stayed at our home...and I'm so grateful.  A container this size would cost close to $50USD.  A luxury item that I've looked at but never purchased.  

To celebrate I made up two batches of pancake batter, regular for Tom, and gluten-free for me.  Thanks Tim and Mike for this yummy blessing!

What's for dinner?

Potatoes, onions, smoked turkey sausage, fresh dill, and snow peas equals yummy!

Tasty Tuesday...Arepas

 

 

 

 

 

Last night we had breakfast for dinner!  We do this from time to time just because it's easy and with just the two of us easy is best.  This recipe comes from The Gluten-Free Bible.  The cost of the flour here in Belize was only about $3.37USD.  I was thrilled to find it in our local store.  I thought I was just buying white cornmeal so you can imagine my surprise when I read through the recipe and then looked at the flours in my pantry and discovered that I had actually purchased this specialty flour.

I will definitely be making these again...Tom and I both thought they were very tasty!

Arepas

1 1.2 cups instant corn flour for arepas (also known as masarepa, masa al instante, or harina precodica)

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 to 2 cups of hot water

1/3 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend (I used half cheddar and half Monterrey jack)

1 Tbsp butter, melted

Fillings: scrambled or fried eggs, cheese and salsa

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Mix flour and salt in medium bowl.  Stir in 1 1/2 cups water.  Dough should be smooth and moist but not sticky.  Add more water by tablespoons if needed.  Add cheese and butter.  Knead until dough is consistency of smooth mashed potatoes.

2. Preheat heavy skillet or griddle over medium heat.  Grease lightly with butter or oil.  Break off a piece of dough about the size of an egg, roll the dough into a ball.  (If dough cracks or seems too dry, return to bowl and add additional water by tablespoonfuls.)  Flatten and pat into 3-4 inch round disc about a 1/2 inch thick.  Immediately place in hot skillet.

3. Cook arepas 3 to 5 minutes per side until browned in spots.  Transfer to baking sheet.  Bake 15 minutes or until arepas sound hollow when tapped.

4.  To make breakfast sandwiches, split arepas b piercing edges with fork as you would English muffins.  Fill with, eggs, cheese, and salsa as desired.  Makes 6-8 arepas.

Note:  Arepas are best served warm; day-old arepas are best toasted.  Arepas may also be frozen for future use. 

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Alida's notes:  It took 1 1/2 cups of hot water plus 2 Tbsp for me to get the right consistency.  It is hard to regulate the temp on our oven so mine actually baked at 400F for 15 minutes until  they were golden and sounded hollow when I took them out of the oven.  I had a little trouble with sticking when they were in the cast iron skillet before going into the oven.  I may try my non-stick skillet next time.  I am looking forward to making these on a regular basis.  They could be used to make egg McMuffin type sandwiches with sausage or ham.  Such a great gluten-free alternative to English Muffins.

Food, Fun, and Family

We found a restaurant called 100% Natural just down the block from the hotel we are in.  Everything we ordered tasted awesome and was not too expensive.  We spent $67 for the five of us to have this early dinner on Monday.  We even decided to be adventurous and each of us tried the cactus in the bottom center photo!

Today was our last full day together...we take Nathan to the airport tomorrow and then start driving back to Belize. The time has gone by way too quickly.  And I can hardly wait until we are all together again!

Yummo!

Cassava Fries with salsa...

I ordered these fries for the first time on our anniversary back in December when we had lunch at the Orange Gallery.  I love cassava chips and thought the fries would be fun to try.  They are light and crunchy and I love the flavor.  We visited the restaurant again after our time at the Butterfly Ranch so of course I had to have them again.  

Move over french fries...cassava fries are my new favorite!

Terribly Terrific Toffee...

I have seen this holiday treat before under the name 'Christmas Crack'.  I love recipes with just a few ingredients.  If only saltines were gluten free I would make this...it sure looks tasty!

For those of you who want to give it a try the recipe is here:  Terribly Terrific Toffee

Tasty Tuesday...Skillet Taco Pie

Saw this on Pinterest...I think it's time to give it a try!!

Click Here for the recipe.

Are you trying anything new this week?

tasty tuesday

Avocados and peppers

Yesterday I went over to meet with a friend and when I got there her husband told me that I could not leave without taking home some food.  They called the avocados "pears" and showed me their huge "pear" tree in the yard.  Then I was told not to use the pepper seeds but to take them outside and just sprinkle them around my yard and make sure that I water them.  

When I got home I made guacamole with one of the avocados that was ripe.  I can hardly wait until the rest of them are ready.  I have six huge ones.  I will also need to make a pepper sauce or use the peppers in salsa or something so that nothing they passed on to me goes to waste.  

Each time I try to bless this family they turn it around and bless me.  And I am awed by their generosity.

Tasty Tuesday...

One dish that I have been missing since I first went gluten-free is lasagna.  But, thanks to Pinterest I learned that I can just use my lasagna recipe and replace the noodles with thinly sliced zucchini.  What a great idea!

We will definitely have this again...it was very tasty!!

Tasty Tuesday or the Tale of the Fried Chicken

I zoomed out of the parking at lunch time yesterday to find a quick meal for us during the Anti-Trafficking seminar.  I went to the first Chinese restaurant I saw and asked if they had fried chicken.  Fried chicken is a very popular dish here in Belize and most Chinese places sell it and usually costs about $5BZD (2.50USD)

guy behind the counter: yes, we have fry chicken.  What you want...4$, 5$ or 6$?
me: what's the difference in size?
guy behind the counter: oh well, the 4$ has some chicken, the 5$ has more chicken and the 6$ has even more chicken!!
me: O...kay...

I just love this country! 

Tasty Tuesday...we heart guacamole!

I put Max and Patty's gift of avocados to good use...we totally ♥ guacamole!

What do you like to do with avocados?