Simple recipes from around the world

For a long time now I have been meaning to start a blog with all of the recipes I not only grew up with as well as all those I just come up with, whether inspired by something I read or going through my pantry, fridge, freezer and any leftovers I can find. Usually that is when I have fun.

Rare is the day I do not love preparing a full meal for dinner even after a full day of work. This is My time.. to relax, to enjoy what I do, to be creative, etc. Even though lately I have a little one crawling around me.

I am always saying that when I grow up I will be a chef. It may still happen one day, meanwhile though I enjoy cooking for others. I believe it has to do with the family I grew up in. Food and meals was always an important part of our lives.

Also due to my Father's career, we not only traveled a lot as we entertained a lot, so there again food was the main focus!

Even as a student living in a typical dorm at Pratt, I would cook. Some would call my room grand central station. Somehow everyday around the same time I would get a few visitors, who wondered by and checked what I was cooking. Quite a few would thank me by bring me groceries, which I turn I would make up some new cookings. Since, Kevin (my husband) calls the kitchen, my lab. And indeed it is. there is always something going on there, some experiment, some marinade, some weird mixture of smells!

Being from Portugal, most of my food always starts with good olive oil, garlic and cilantro. Just those ingredients alone fill a room, no - a house with that warmth home cooking smell. Some people prefer the sweet smell of cookies or a pie, I prefer the garlic and onion!

Now as I add recipes, you will notice there are not that many deserts. That is because I just do not have much of a hand for deserts. Maybe due to the fact I like to experiment and with baking it is most of the time a precise art! I do however follow some of the soup recipes I will be posting as those have family generations of perfection.

Hope you will all enjoy this venture I am embarking and hope for many comments and hopefully I will inspire some of you to spend a little more time in your kitchens!