#7, #30 and # 41

I am finally feeling one hundred percent myself and I have some free time to post on my neglected blog!

I am happy to report that the list is a never-ending source of smiles, and that, of course, makes me really happy! November has been so far a very productive month for the list as we celebrated Fernando's birthday on the 8th, and I got inspired by a couple items on it.

We planned and schemed, we wanted to surprise our dear Fernando with something pretty special. What to do? Where to take him? What to cook? Circumstances decided for us on several fronts, as he arrived at 8:00 AM local time, after a 24 hour LONG trip from the States. We were not going anywhere, we were going to take it easy and just enjoy each other's company. I decided to cook a Spanish inspired meal: a great Paella (overflowing with seafood) and Galician Octopus (#41), with some wine and a crème caramel for dessert. Not bad, I tell you, not bad. The Octopus is easy to cook, as long as you buy it fresh and clean from the seafood vendor you don't have to worry about a thing. Just boil, boil, boil (2 hours) and then, cut, cut, cut into little pieces. Cool, season, and let sit for a while... delicious!

When it came down to what to give him for his birthday, we wanted something original and unexpected. You know, something that he doesn't need, something that he has not even imagined... Well, the idea came to me on one of those beautiful clear days of fall while watching glider planes lazily travel the wide blue sky. A ride on a glider plane! The Alps and the lakes from a birds-eye point of view! We had our gift! He was surprised, yes he was! #7 accomplished!

#30 is half done... my half, that is. I love dancing; it is in my blood. My boys? Not so much. I guess I am the true Colombian of the three. On Fernando's birthday I managed to get them to join in the fun, if only for a while. I think this one is going on the list again, I am not giving up on them and the fun that is dancing together.

Una vecchia bici

Is there something more beautiful than an old bike? The roads and errands it must have been to, the rainy days, the laughs in tow.

Fernando is now the proud owner of a Bianchi bike from the 50's, if I didn't know better, I would be jealous.

La cucina di Nicola: Amazing brownies

"La cucina di Nicola" is open! We are making brownies today, chewy, spongy, chocolatey brownies.
When my husband was a child, he used to bake brownies at home (Did I say that Colombians don't bake? My mistake!) and bring them to school to sell to his classmates. He went to an all boys school in Bogota, I so admire his entrepenurial spirit! He tells of the many times when the teacher would call him up to the board to answer a question, and he could only watch in disbelief while his so-called friends raided the brownie bounty. He did not get discouraged though, he even made some money from his little business (it is the Paisa in him -inside Colombian joke, sorry!)
Today, in honor of his dad, Nicolas is making brownies -It is "la festa di San Giuseppe" or Saint Joseph day's today. In other words today is Italy's father's day celebration... you know with Joseph being the step-father to Jesus and all.
I do not want to brag, but these are great brownies!!! Really good!!!
So, without more interruptions, we give you:

DAD'S AMAZING BROWNIES



340 gr (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate
225 gr (1 cup) butter
5 eggs
500 gr (2.1/4 cups) sugar
15 ml (1 tbs) vanilla
140 gr (1.1/2 cups) flour
1.5 gr (1 ts) salt
170 gr (1 cup) chocolate chips, optional

Preheat oven to 190 C (375 F) and grease a 22x33 (9x13) baking pan

Melt butter and chocolate over very low heat, set aside. On a bowl mix eggs, sugar and vanilla, beat on high speed for about 8 to 10 minutes. Mix with the chocolate mixture until completely incorporated.
On a smaller bowl sift the flour and the salt together. Add the flour a little at a time to the chocolate-egg mixture, and incorporate.
Add the chocolate chips (or toasted walnuts, if preferred) and mix well.
Pour mixture into the greased pan.
Bake for about 35 minutes, no more! Do not overbake!
Cool and enjoy!

Sweet mornings

I am not a morning person. I love getting up at my own pace, which includes laying in my warm cocoon for some minutes while my lingering dreams pack up and leave. I love stretching little by little, aknowledging every single piece of this body of mine. I wait for just a little while before I get up and get my day underway.
When we were living in California I did not get to indulge in my morning ritual to often. Fernando used to leave before we woke up, and by the time we did, I had to race against the clock to get out of the house on time. Since moving to Italy, Fernando goes to the office after Nicolas takes the bus to school. My husband is a morning person, and he has no trouble getting off the bed at the same time that his alarm rings! If I were to attempt something of this nature, you would see me collapsing to the floor in an extreme case of dizziness...
The point is, that every morning my sweet husband wakes up first, then he wakes Nicolas up. While I take my time to get to the shower and start my routine, Fernando cooks breakfast. I just have to sit at the table and enjoy their company and my coffee. It is a fabulous gift that starts my days on a happy note every single day.
This week Fernando is on a business trip and my sweet, sweet Nicolas is waking up on his own, and while I am in the shower, he sets the table, and starts warming up the bread, the milk, he readies the coffee, the butter, the yogurt, the fruit. He would cook me eggs if he didn't dislike them so much.
Now, my morning routine includes a little thanks for such a beautiful boy. Just like his father this little one, just like his dad.

Auguri, tanti auguri.

Today is my husband's birthday. He is 41. We have been together for 18 years and I am still in love with him, let me tell you just 10 reasons why:
1) He is a good person. True good, "not talking bad about anyone" good, "looking for the best in people" good. That kind of good!
2) He is a great dad. He loves our Nicolas with all his heart.
3) He is very good at what he does. He works hard and likes his job, and the same can be said about his running, or biking, or cooking.
4) He is my harshest critic and my most fervent supporter.
5) He has a smart sense of humor. After all this time he still makes me laugh -often.
6) He eats everything I cook, from a simple soup to a fancy multiple course meal (and any disasters in between)
7) He has beautiful eyes: intense, bright, and full of life. Beautiful hands too.
8) He is grounded, while I am a dreamer. Good combo ah?
9) He whistles while he gets ready in the morning, and he smiles while he sleeps.
10) He doesn't stress out, for any reason. I don't know how he does it! I, on the other hand...