{life} home sweet home

Guess what? After more than a month of counting down, I'm finally back in America! I am so excited to be back in my hometown with my parents and childhood friends. The coolest part about coming back to the States after being away is the new found love you discover that you have for your country, state, and hometown.

My goal while I'm home is to revisit my favorite restaurants, bars, and places, but to explore new things my city has to offer as well! I plan on staying extra busy during the next six weeks... and probably gaining 10 lbs as well. #eatallthefood

Here's an InstaRecap of my trip home so far --

Thursday:

I teared up quite a bit as we were flying into Tampa. I could see downtown Tampa, Raymond James Stadium, and all of the little houses on the water. Home sweet home indeed.

Friday:

A few things I severely miss while living in Spain: indoor shopping malls, American candy, and gooood Mexican food & margaritas.

check, check, aaaaaaand check! top left: international plaza (tampa); bottom: the green lemon (south tampa)

More things I severely miss while living in Spain: happy hour, live music, and craft beer.

check, check, aaaaaaaand check once again! top photos: WOB SoHo; bottom: MacDinton's SoHo

Saturday:

My students often ask me what I consider to be "American food." I tell them that there is no right answer - unless we are counting BBQ of course! ;) I talk about how different "American food" is state-to-state, and how different cities within a state can be influenced by different cultures as well. I always give the example of my hometown, Tampa, FL. We have tons of Cuban immigrants in Tampa, so Cuban restaurants and Cuban cigars are everywhere.

I knew I had to get a Cuban sandwich while I was home. Luckily for me, the new Cigar City Brewpub opened up while I was away. A Cuban sandwich + a delicious Tampa-made beer made for the perfect classic Tampa outing with my parents. PS. if you have never heard of Cigar City beer before, you should check it out! It is gaining popularity like crazy in the States!

Sunday:

Today is my momma's birthday so I made breakfast for my parents this morning.

sweet potato hash with an egg sunny side up, breakfast sausage, and sliced peaches - recipe coming tomorrow! :)

We wanted to go to the beach today, but it decided to be all overcast and sad, so we headed off to the famous Dali Museum in Saint Petersburg instead! They had a temporary exhibit with paintings borrowed from the Reina Sofia museum in Madrid. It was pretty cool to sit there and think, "Hey I've been there in person!" 

The garden outside of the museum has a unique tree called "the wishing tree." People tie their wristbands onto ribbons hanging from the trees with their dreams and wishes written in. 

Happy birthday to my wonderful momma!

After the Dali Museum, my mom wanted to go to a restaurant that she and my dad hadn't been to in 30 years. Enter Ted Peter's Famous Smoked Fish.

It has been open for 56 years, and was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives last year. My parents said that nothing had changed in the restaurant since they went 30 years ago. My dad ordered the smoked fish spread sandwich while my mom and I shared the smoked mullet dinner platter. It came with tomato, onion, pickle, coleslaw, German potato salad, and two horseradish sauces. Yummmmmy. Florida simplicity at its finest. :)

I've had such a great time at home so far. I can't wait to see what else I'll be able to do in the next 6 weeks.

To see these kinds of pictures in real-time, follow my Instagram. :)

PS. I've created a Facebook page for this blog. I'd love you if you would like it. :)

xx, Jen

{recipe} marinated cucumber salad

Soo..... my roommate and I ate this salad so quickly that I don't even have any evidence of it existing. You get a picture of a fruit and veggie stand I took in Pike Place Market in  Seattle instead. :)

I absolutely adore the prices of fruits and vegetables in Spain. You can get $20 worth of produce for about 8 euros. I swear! It is insane. I have always bought the majority of my groceries from the produce section of the store, but I do even more so now because of how cheap it is in Madrid. I had a few cucumbers, some chopped onion, and peppers left over in the fridge from when my roommate and I made pasta salad earlier in the week, so I decided to make a marinated cucumber salad. This recipe is perfect for the summer because it is super light and refreshing. You could definitely add fresh herbs and more veggies to this salad for a more hearty version.

Marinated Cucumber Salad:

Adapted from Not Without My Mom

2 cups cucumber, chopped

2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced

1/2 small onion (red or white), chopped

1/2 medium-sized red pepper, chopped

1 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. white vinegar (I used white wine vinegar)

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 tsp sugar

Optional: Sriracha

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Let veggies soak up the liquid in the fridge for about 20-30 minutes (longer if you have time!) Serve with a squeeze of sriracha for a hint of spice.

Enjoy!

PS. I've created a Facebook page for this blog. I'd love you if you would like it. :)

xx, Jen

{life} the red, white, and blue

One of the highlights of my job working as an assistant English teacher in Spanish secondary schools is being able to share the American culture with my students. Although the Spanish know a TON about America, they are still always intrigued to learn more than what they can gather from the news,  and popular movies, songs, and television shows that spread across Europe.

I've taught my students about the education system in the United States (sooooo different from the Spanish system!!), about American Football (and all of its differences from soccer), about a few of my favorite National Parks, and many more aspects of my culture.

My favorite lesson I did with my students was about summer in America. Our holidays. Our activities. Our customs. Our obsession with red, white, and blue. During my slides on Memorial Day and the 4th of July, I highlighted the love for the colors of our flag. My students were all laughing when I told them that we even like to theme our cook-out food to match the flag.

The funny thing about Spain is that they LOVE to wear the American flag & the British flag, but you will rarely see them wearing their own. One of my host teachers told me, that in her opinion, it is because red, white, & blue is just a pretty combination, and red & yellow is not. Fair enough Verónica, fair enough!

Sadly, I'll be working at a sleep away summer camp in Alicante during the 4th of July this year. I can't wait to recreate the holiday with my family when I get home. Here's to dreaming of my favorite patriotic holiday!

The perfect recipe for a great 4th of July:

A festive 4th of July wreath to hang on your front door!

The perfect 4th of July dress.

A good playlist.

Gorgeous patriotic punch!

An easy and healthy flag dish!

The perfect 4th of July menu: BBQ meat, corn on the cob, baked beans, & potato salad. Yum!

This American flag pie is sure to impress your guests.

Oh, and lots and lots of American beer. Duh.

PS. I've created a Facebook page for this blog. I'd love you if you would like it. :)

xx, Jen

{life} good ol american food

Guess what?? I'm going home for a little over a month on July 25th. I am SOOOO EXCITED. I am already starting to plan what I want to do while I'm home. A trip to my college town, Tallahassee, is already in the works. As is a dinner with my wonderful extended family. I also happen to have a 3 1/2 hour layover in Charlotte, where my best friend lives, so she is going to come scoop me from the airport and take me to her apartment to meet her new kitten! All of these plans have me counting down the days until I step on the plane back to the States. Family, friends, college town... all ingredients for a perfect trip home.

Do you know what I'm like......... REALLY excited for though?

Stepping inside this beautiful company for the first time since December. I'm pretty sure that I will be crying happy tears when it happens. All my southern friends know just how great this grocery store is. I seriously miss it every single time I buy food in Madrid. 

While Spain definitely has better prices on fresh fruits and veggies, none of the grocery stores here have anything on Publix. Here are a few things that I've been missing since moving to Spain.

Greek yogurt: The greek yogurt in Spain is basically just plain yogurt.... full-fat, watery plain yogurt at that. I'm not sure how the yogurt manages to have 16 grams of fat per serving and can be watery at the same time. I can't wait for my creamy, low-fat Chobani!

The cracker aisle: I actually might fall down in front of these crackers and just admire them for a little while. Okay... that might be a little extreme, but I seriously miss proper crackers so much! The Spanish don't really have anything equivalent to Triscuits or Wheat Thins. I don't like to eat chips all of the time because they typically make my stomach hurt, and can only eat so many dried bread crisps. I can't wait for the perfect partner to sliced cheese and dipper for hummus to get back in my life!

Health food: If you take a look at my recipes round-up page, you will know that I like to cook with pretty healthy ingredients. I love to try new things with quinoa, chia seeds, flax seed, whole wheat, etc. It isn't impossible to find these ingredients in Madrid, but you certainly pay a premium! A tiny bag of quinoa can cost around 5-6 euros. It just isn't very practical to buy these kinds of ingredients on an English teacher's budget.

Claussen pickle spears: My refrigerator in college used to be stocked with these pickles. My roommates and I always went through intense cravings for them. They are so crunchy and garlicky and delicious. The only pickles I have found in Madrid so far are the tiny ones that come in olive jars. :(

Jalapenos (and spicy food in general): I would actually do anything to spice up my life here. My roommate and I go through copious amounts of hot sauce and sriracha, but it isn't quite the same as cooking a fresh pepper with your food. I can't wait for some spicy Mexican food when I get home!

Aidells Chicken Sausage: I don't eat very much meat in Spain (yes - I live in the jamon capital of the world and don't eat very much meat), but I still get cravings for these chicken sausages. They have a bunch of different flavors and are super easy to prepare for a quick meal. They are delicious grilled, but also really good mixed in with grits for breakfast.

Oats: There is nothing easier than making a bowl of oatmeal in the morning. While there is oatmeal in Madrid (avena), when cooked it pretty much just turns to goop. I miss the chewy yummy goodness that is rolled oats. Yum. 

Other food I am also excited for: blueberries, avocados, Chick-fil-a, American barbecue, a full spice rack, normal sized granola bars, cheap cereal, chili, cheesecake, grits, Mexican food, Cuban food, SUSHI, fresh grouper sandwiches, pretzels, Sabra hummus, smoked fish dip, and many, many more. 

32 days my friends, 32. 

PS. I've created a Facebook page for this blog. I'd love you if you would like it. :)

xx, Jen