Xabia Vaughn....

[Xabia Jim]

I cannot take all the credit for the meals and recipes.....I'll take credit for posting them. I'm the fire tender, photographer, writer and WFO cook. My better half Vaughn get's equal or more credit for all the great food and recipes. I skip deserts 'cause I've got her!!

We both love to cook and have always made our own food at home. We eat out rarely preferring to cook and enjoy our own foods. (And in recent years Vaughn is having cholitis problems with antiobiotics in commercial meats and also the MSG additive. I'm dealing with elevated blood sugar so eating more complex/whole grain/high fiber foods is important.) We like to eat and enjoy the company of family, friends and neighbors we've come to know.

Vaughn collects cookbooks so we have a few shelves of reference material. One of our first cookbooks was a "Bread and Soup" cookbook that was well used during the long Keeweenaw winters on Lake Superior. She will tend to read through the recipes looking for something interesting, bounce a few ideas off me and check the pantry for ingredients before heading to the store.

We collaborate on the WFO meal plans and preparation. For one of the bakes we plan it the previous day, pull out and pick up ingredients....and usually try a new recipe. (I like to modify any recipes but I'm never allowed to do this on the first try though!) We usually cook a lot when we do it (like 10 or 20 quarts of soup/spaghetti/chili/beans and freeze them in ziplocs for easy freezing and future meals. With the WFO, we will enjoy the food over the next few days.

Vaughn is a great cook all by herself. She's also takes good care of the kitchen. I like the dishwasher! She's cleaning and I'm maintenance. We work hard and play hard!

I've adopted my fathers toast:

Salut, (Health, always keep working on it)

Amor (Love, that's her, keep working on that too!)

Pesetas, (Money of Spain before the Euro)

Y Tiempo Para Guzar (and Time to Enjoy IT)

He lived until he was 87 so I do believe he had lots of time to enjoy life.
Richer or poorer, there is a lot of life we can all enjoy and food is one of them!
Life is short, take the time to enjoy it!

[james]

Keep it going Jim. I definitely think we should collaborate on the Spanish recipe section of the FB.com cooking pages. Recipes, photos, and dare I say it -- video!
James

[james]

And please send our regards (and thanks) to Vaughn. Piacere di conoscevi.
James

[Richard]

I second the request, if possible, for a recipe collection from Spain.

Thanks for all the wonderful pictures, ideas and suggestions. They brighten my morning and also make me jealous

[carioca]

For the less ambitious, this is the toast I remember:

Salud, y fuerza del canut!

Hasta ya,

Carioca

[CanuckJim]

You definitely have my vote, too. Your recipes are clear, concise, well written and have a very marked Spanish flavor to them. Videos would be a fine addition, though the learning curve, for me at least, was a bit steep at first.

Keep it coming. James, how about "World Cuisine from Forno Bravo"?

Jim