ecuador!

if you follow along on my instagram or facebook, you'll know what an amazing time i had in ecuador.

my husband got to go last year while i was 8 months pregnant, with a 20 month old toddler, so this year, it was my turn!

i tried to take more than just foodie pictures, and if you disagree, i understand :)

enjoy!

our first breakfast. fresh bread, fresh jam, fresh juice, fresh fruit, fresh coffee. what could be better?

our first place.

rock slide!

the mist coming in the valley

the entrance to a little coffee plantation we toured.

stunning view! 

and baby coffee seedlings!

a coffee cherry!  delicious!

a little mountain stream and ancient bridge across it.

hiking to see the tilapia farm

beautiful doors of cotacachi!

lunch break in the middle of the ecuadorian jungle

a self-imposed travel delay this time...a farmer drying his fresh cacao beans...right on the road!

ecuadorian lunches are the biggest meal of the day.  

and always include the most delicious soups you've ever tasted!

fresh strawberry juice

all the wood is local and gorgeous.

we stopped in the open air market in bahia for a snack before heading out for the day.

1. fresh peanut butter

2. beautiful colors

3. fresh fish

4. a sweet vendor

5. spices

6. and, always, saint mary. even in the market.

driving up the beach in bahia, on a misty, foggy day

still absolutely breathtaking.

another fresh breakfast!

this one included fresh yucca bread...which i will be trying to replicate immediately.

sorry.

lunch that day.

fried plantain chips with cool cucumber salsa and a warm, queso of some sort.

boiling-in-the-little-cauldron-peanut soup.  

hands down, the best dish i had in ecuador.

spicy shrimp with tostones and fried eggs

we toured a cattle ranch, owned by one of our friends down there

...and an amazing, 100 year old, colonial style house on the bay.

gorgeous.

makes you dream of running a b&b out of it.

view from our b&b.

ramon, here, taught me how to make his fresh ceviche, from the back of his beach truck.

our friend, xavier, took us to his chef friend's house, one night.

gourmet appetizers and massive peruvian entrees, plus wine, for ten bucks a head. 

can't beat it.

the ecuadorians know. their. bread. 

rivals the french.

flora.

treasures.

the beautiful cathedral in cotacachi

the equator!

*sorry that looks odd, one of those pictures is iphone, one is real camera.*

since everyone juices everything down there, they like to invent new ones.

xavier's mother kindly invited us for the afternoon at her casa and served this amazing mix.

lemongrass, ginger, carrot, lime.  

ah-ma-zing.

the best road snack ever.

mote.

another score!

sumac is run by a solo chef that specializes in $8, 4 course, gourmet dinners.

win.

the indigenous market in otavalo.

volcanoes everywhere!

sampling some of that fresh bread.

just beautiful.

san francisco church in quito

the convent

the president's palace!

the basilica

where else can you climb up in the rafters of an ancient church?!

see that vaulted ceiling? yep, that's what i was just walking on top of.

the virgin, who watches over quito from her mountain

ecuador, you have my heart...

but next time, this cutie that surprised me at the airport, is coming with me :)

ratatouille tarte

this sounds so ho-hum.

but have you ever had ratatouille?

a really decent one?

it's to die for.

my favorite is this one from the smitten.

to. die. for.

anyway, so i found this recipe from ellie krieger and i thought it looked rather ho-hum, myself.

but i convinced myself to try it.

and with some major adaptions, it turned out really nicely!

i actually kinda love it.

it's low fat and would be perfect for the holiday season as a vegetarian appetizer.

we had it as a light main course with a nice glass of white wine.

delicious.

Ratatouille Tarte
Serves 8.
Adapted (significantly) from Ellie Krieger
2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
Cooking spray
2 zucchinis, sliced into 1/8-inch rounds
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup fresh basil pesto
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan

Preheat the oven to 350*.

Combine cornmeal, pastry flour, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to mix. Add butter and oil and pulse about 20 times, until mixture resembles small pebbles. Add water and pulse until mixture forms a loose dough. Remove dough from processor and press into bottom and about 1/8-inch up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a detachable rim. Press aluminum foil into the bottom and sides of the pan on top of the dough and weigh down with uncooked rice or pie weights. Place tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and remove rice and foil. Return to oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until no longer shiny and wet. Remove from oven and let cool.

Increase the oven to 400*. Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat and saute onions until soft, about 5 to 6 minutes. Spray a baking tray with cooking spray. Arrange the zucchini and tomatoes on the trays in a single layer and brush/drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and roast the vegetables until soft but not browned, about 15 minutes. Remove the vegetables from oven and cool.

Lower the oven temperature to 350*. Lay the zucchini slices in a layer on the bottom of tart; cover with 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese and a bit of the basil pesto. Add the onions, top with another 1/3 of the mozzarella and pesto, then the tomatoes. Top with rest of the mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and vegetables have further wilted. Remove from oven, let cool for 5 minutes, and cut into 8 slices. Serve warm and enjoy!

enjoying life

while out of the country, i had time to reflect-as we drove from volcanoes, through jungle, to the beaches...more on that later-on what we enjoy most in life.

and lately, we've been enjoying...

family time at our church's fall fest

pink sunrises

adorable faces

(this is his passport picture ^^)

homemade pear and vanilla jam on Sunday afternoons

not-so-baby steps

our big boy

pumpkin mini muffins to serve at church

reasons to dress up

this fun season

morning sun through fresh sunflowers

clean teeth! and a boy who loves the dentist 

chilly weather for pot pies

and stuffed pepper jack-a-lanterns!

my antique birthday armoire!

quiet time on the porch on warm(er!) afternoons

little boys waiting on daddy

and beautiful sunsets through the back door

what have you been enjoying lately?

(and ecuador post coming soon!)

out of the country!

i'm enjoying a lovely holiday in ecuador with my family!

stay tuned for adventures and too many pictures of food ;)

have a great week!

roast beef sandwiches with ginger carrot slaw and peanut satay

soooo.
we had these delicious sandwiches on our Vermont trip.
they were knock-your-socks-off good.
loads of roast beef with a peanut satay sauce and some kind of carrot ginger slaw.
naturally, once we got home, i tried to recreate it.
this one was near-spot-on.
i've never had a recreation come so close.
so. good.
try it!

Roast Beef Sandwiches with Ginger Carrot Slaw and Peanut Satay
Makes about a cup and a half of slaw and a cup of sauce.
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons peeled and grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon grated garlic
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 tsp grated lime zest
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon red chili paste, more or less to taste

1 1/2 cups grated carrots

1 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons red chili paste
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 limes, juiced
1/2 cup hot water

Good bakery bread, how ever many slices you need

Deli roast beef, sliced thinly
Lettuce, arugula, baby spinach, etc

In a small bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, sugar, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, canola oil, lime zest, lime juice, and chili paste. Add carrots and toss. Let stand for 10 minutes, tossing occasionally.
Meanwhile, combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, chili paste, brown sugar, and lime juice in a food processor or blender. Puree to combine. While the motor is running, drizzle in the hot water to thin out the sauce but you may not need all of it. Pour into a small bowl and set aside.

When ready to assemble, spread satay sauce on the bread, top with roast beef, lettuce, and a pile of carrot slaw and enjoy!