Azoresgal~Life on an Island

Hiraeth: (n) Welsh - A deep, wistful, nostalgic sense of longing for a home; a home that is no longer or perhaps never was. A yearning and wistful grief for people and things long gone. Hiraeth ... this Welsh word, for some odd reason has stuck with me for quite some time. It has been saved on my phone, and on my laptop countless times.  I think it reminds me of the portuguese word Saudade . The first time I came across this word  and read it´s meaning, it stopped me in my tracks...I instantly thought of  my maternal grandparents house, here in the Azores.  It's the place I am most nostalgic about and find myself missing. From as early as the age of one, it´s where all of my childhood vacations took place, where I met my grandfather and grandmother, aunts, uncles, and cousins who instantly became childhood friends.  A magical little house by the sea, where I was fortunate enough to spend Christmas, Easter, and summers more than once. There were trips we sp...

 Tis' the season to invite family and friends over for a Christmas lunch or dinner to enjoy good food and wonderful company. This weekend Mr.G and I did exactly that, we hosted our Christmas lunch, and it was fantastic! Lots of story telling, lots of laughter, the kids giggling, the youngest baby peacefully sleeping, oh and lots of glorious food ! I tried to keep the menu simple, while having enough food for 25...yup you read that right, 25 and growing! The mains where turkey and ham, both roasted in our brick oven. I also made a potato and leek soup , and for side dishes, I made, portuguese stuffing, mac & cheese, brown sugar glazed carrots, roasted brussel sprouts , gravy, mashed potatoes, for dessert a Black Forest Pavlova .... and a partridge in a pear tree! Now I know you must be thinking... I thought you said simple...  and it was , the hardest thing, heating the brick oven early, to be able to roast the turkey and the ham, and have them done for our 1pm lunch...

 These Peanut Butter Bars couldn’t be easier, with only 5 ingredients and no-baking, the hardest part is waiting for them to chill in the fridge. Oh and lets not forget.... they are really delicious too. Is there anything better than peanut butter and chocolate together? My kiddos, Sara and Simon, actually made them, they are perfect for little hands to help with! Christmas is just around the corner, and these are perfect for your cookie plate, of for sharing as a gift. I hope you give them a try! 1 cup butter or margarine, melted 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (Marie biscuits or Digestive cookies) 2 cups confectioners' sugar 1 cup peanut butter 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (200gr, chocolate) 4 tablespoons peanut butter In a medium bowl, mix together the butter or margarine, graham cracker crumbs, confectioners' sugar, and 1 cup peanut butter until well blended. Press evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan, I like to line my pan with parchm...

I saved the sad looking, brown spotted bananas in my fruit bowl, and made a banana tarte tatin. Tarte tatin is one fancy shmancy looking dessert,   but it's one of the simplest things you can make. With very few ingredients you can  bake up a delicious and impressive looking dessert.  Bananas and caramel just go together really well, just think bananas foster .  I must warn you, once you bite into a piece, you will find yourself reaching for another. 3⁄4 cup granulated sugar 4 tbsp. butter 1 tbsp. orange zest 1⁄4 tsp. ground cinnamon 4-5 large firm-ripe bananas, halved lengthwise 1 package  puff pastry, thawed Vanilla ice cream, for serving 1. Preheat oven to 220// 425°. 2. Cook sugar and butter in a small sauté pan over medium heat, swirling skillet often, until mixture is deep golden brown, 8–10 minutes. (do not stir or sugar will crystalize) 3. Remove from heat and stir in orange zest and cinnamon; pour caramel mixture into a small glass or...

Friday nights at our house usually means we are eating fast food, well kinda sorta, we don´t go out for it, we make it at home. All three of our kiddos are big foodies, they love to cook, they love to try new things, and are quite happy to make suggestions for what to make for dinner during the week. For some reason, Friday has got to be some kind of junk food , someting you would find on a diner menu . So when Sara asked if we could have chicken and waffle sandwiches, I had to oblige and say yes! I used frozen chicken tenders, to save some time, but the waffles I made from scratch. These cornmeal waffles are seriously delicious, and are also perfect for Sunday brunch on there own. The sauce for this waffle sandwich, Maple Sriracha Mayo, the perfect sweet and spicy topping. Add some peppery arugula, and a fried egg and that my friends is a winning combination.  Savoury and sweet with every single bite. An easy way to have fast food at home, I hope you give it a try! ...

If you’re looking for a dessert that is quick and easy to make, you should give this a try. It's light, lemony, sweet and tart! It's a great dessert for lemon lovers!  Now it is no-bake, but you do need to make it ahead of time, so it will set up. The lemon juice is what thickens and sets the cheesecake. I topped mine with a lemon curd , but many other toppings would be great too, blueberry, strawberry, or just some whipped cream! My family loved it, I hope your family will too! Crust 1 1/2 cups cookie crumbs (I use digestive cookies) 1/4 cup sugar 6 tablespoons butter, melted Filling 2 packages of cream cheese, softened 1 can  sweetened condensed milk 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice/ about 4 lemons (or lime juice) 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel 1 In a medium bowl, mix crust ingredients. Press evenly into ungreased 9-inch pie plate or a        springform pan, and chill in the fridge. 2 In large bowl, beat filling ingre...

This is a wonderful comfort soup for autumn and winter. Perfect for those crisp, cooler evenings we are getting now in the Azores. It's super easy to make,  with some simple ingredients, but it is so very delicious. It´s texture is rich and creamy, with out even adding any cream. I am not saying don´t add cream, because cream makes everything better! Mr. G prefers sans cream, so I just serve as is right after I blend it. Although a little swirl on top can´t hurt! If you like you can add some carrots, also great, is sweet potato and shallots instead of the onion. For extra liquid if it is a bit thick, coconut milk would be amazing, and if you wanted a bit of spice, curry powder would work like a charm. How ever you decide to make it, I hope you like it! 4 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, peeled and diced 1 medium butternut squash peeled, deseeded and cut into wedges 2 small potato, peeled and quartered 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed 4 cups chicken stock (water, or vegetabl...