Sunday Morning

Ahhh. The boys spent last week skiing at the barn with their dad for winter break. I missed Winter Carnival again but did fulfill some wanderlust, used my free miles and scooted out of town for the weekend to Bermuda (!) with @Pk. Bermuda would require its own post but summarized by "hmmmm". The British colonial thing was freaky. But it IS beautiful and 1.5 hr flight from NYC. Not on my "must return" list. I then worked and worked and worked until the boys arrived home.

But this weekend. This weekend! Boys are home, windows open, pancakes, cooking, board games, chatting for hours with the boys. Just heaven.

Oscar and i are at the kitchen table now. He's catching up on his various communication devices and we are listening to Langhorne Slim. Great Sunday music.

Trying to make soundcloud work with streampad on blogger to share some music, but not not working...

It's not like I don't know

I have wanderlust. Yes, I am enjoying being back in the routine. I'm really enjoying my great, yet intense new job, and I'm enjoying just being with the boys. But, late at night, in the dim of my computer light in my room, I start fantasizing and perusing... Homeforexchange.com and while not accepting an offer yet, I am astounded at the volume and quality of people who want to come to Brooklyn for a week, a month, a summer, a year! Even if I can't pull it off, it's fun to look. Maybe this summer....Paris....? And it's FREE! One thing I know is there had better be a bit more skiing before spring. I will save my pennies to get a few more trips in.

In the meantime, here are a few recipes I've been experimenting with:

• Shredded red cabbage and celery root with lime/shallot/cilantro vinaigrette, queso fresca, roasted pumpkin seeds, roasted corn. Really really good.
  
• Roasted pineapple with maple syrup and cayenne over pancetta. I don't have this one quite right yet but there is something really yummy here.
• Puerto Rican Beans: @Pk's boss is Puerto Rican and his wife let me watch her make these incredible beans (while she made me do tequila shots - I'm not kidding.) The beans were incredible...if I remember correctly. Anyway:

First, make the Sofrito: Recau (or cilantro), onions, garlic, ajillo peppers, red bell peppers. Food processor until well blended thick, granular sauce. I didn't use any measurements, just to taste. I made a big batch and froze the rest in ice cube trays
Saute onions, add sofrito, add pink beans which have been soaking overnight, cover with water, bring to a boil, add tomato paste, and salt and simmer for 3-4 hours, until beans are tender. Add water as needed to keep saucy consistency. Add potatoes in last 15 minutes and top with cilantro before serving.