Sandy Beaches...Minus the Water

Last weekend Chris, Katie, and myself took some of the kids up to the Arenal, which is a beautiful white sand "beach" with one catch, there is no water. We played volleyball and other games, and enjoyed being up away from the city. I did get a little sunburnt, but sun is better than no sun :)

Halloween Peruvian Style...No Wait, Centro Kutiri Style :)

This Saturday, October 29th, Centro Kutiri, our youth center had a Halloween Party for the kids! We had costumes, food, games, and dancing. It was a huge success with over 60 kids attending, here are some pictures from the night!!

Did I Mention....We Love Food???

 Chris's Pizza :) Tomatoes, Mantecoso cheese, Fresh Basil, Fresh Tomato Sauce...

ohhhhh and a Balsamic Reduction

 Katie and her dough :)

 My Oatmeal Rasin Bars :)

 Katie getting her pizza ready!!

 Garlic Cheese Bread :)

 Katie's Pizza...Smoked Aji Peppers, Leeks, and Mozzarella Cheese!

 Yummmmm!

 Flourless Chocolate Cake...boom.

Oatmeal Rasin Bars with a Cinnamon Glaze...ahhhhhh

EAT, PLAY, LOVE.

Something that I have always enjoyed in life=food. The simple comfort food can give you, amazes me. Which is why I find myself in the kitchen whenever I have the time. I love cooking for my family, showing them new dishes they would never have tried if they didn’t have the “gringa” living with them.  My host mom has also enjoyed teaching me Peruvian dishes. I liked to cook in the United States but in Peru I have taken it to a whole new level, experimenting with different recipes, and such. I am fortunate to have two site mates who love cooking just as much. Which is why our amazing cooking club has allowed us to find the comfort of home even though we are thousands of miles away. The first few pictures are of dishes I have made over the last few weeks…I normally forget to take pictures so these are only a few. The first is of my homemade spaghetti sauce, hours of labor boiling and peeling tomatoes J The second picture is when my host mom and I cooked a traditional Peruvian dish, Aji de Gallina, for Chris and Katie, yummmm…The last few pictures are from tonight, when our cooking club  (tres gringas…that’s right just made that name up on the fly) made blue cheese salad dressing and enjoyed huge salads with homemade Focaccia bread…best site ever.

 yummmmm spaghetti sauce :)

Aji de Gallina...what up.

 Chris's homemade Focaccia Bread...literally can't put into words how amazing life was after i took a bite of this ridiculously amazing bread.

 Chris and i getting our "Salad Dance" on...me with my favorite cheese of all time...Blue Cheese, and Chris....i don't even know.

 Blue Cheese Dressing on fresh lettuce with some tomatoes and fresh cucumber.

Finished Product :) ahhhhhhhhh

"It Looks Like We Are Going Off The Edge...Oh We Are..."

Peru is a country of many wonders...and horrors...a horror that i must face if i ever want to travel away my wonderful site of Cutervo, is the the actual travel...Amazing and terrifying all at the same time, the journey from Cutervo Cajamarca to Chota Cajamarca for our monthly regional meetings is a time of epic scenery yet at the same time, you don't want to look to close, on this one way road, with two way traffic...when ever i make the journey i remember The Smith's lyric..."And if double-decker bus, crashes into us, To die by your side, Is such a heavenly way to die, and if a ten-ton truck, kills the both of us, To die by your side, well the pleasure-the privilege is mine" Not just because Jose or Pedro sitting next to me is super hot, and  not just because all of those things could actually happen on this wonderful journey but because, Peru is beautiful and i am extremely lucky to experience the views and epicness it provides...

Mi Casa :)

The Front of my house from across the street. Pedro my model.

The view to the left of my house.

 The view to the right. The Yellow building is a Primaria school. The corner door is where i buy bread for my family. Moto Taxis driving by...typical!

 The open air part of our house.

The living room and behind my host mom's office.

Dining Room we barely use!

Hope you enjoyed, check out my facebook for a video of a walking tour of my house :)