Beyond the Garden Gate

  If you follow me on Instagram (@americanflavorlatinspice you know from my stories how I have a strong love/ hate relationship with sourdough. I like simple recipes, ones that are delicious and take 0 to minimal prep, time, or mental space. I pride myself in being able to alter recipes to fit this criteria. And well sourdough is everything BUT that. My friend called it a delicious boring pet. Well I do agree it can be delicious but man does it require time and babying! You have to feed it, measure it by grams, count the days, watch the temperature, hop three times, wear blue on tuesdays, and clap twice before entering or leaving the house… all joking aside it does require A LOT of energy and mental space. For that reason I gave up making sourdough bread, heck it takes 2 if not 3 days (hello feeding) and timers to flip and stretch every 30 mins and 60 mins for multiple hours in one day… what? Heck no  But here comes the rub with sourdough, the love part. The waffles are undisc...

  The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul. — Alfred Austin It was a planting potatoes kind of day at  “The Country Cottage” so much knowledge from so many generations. What a gift to be able to witness that and get to live it by being one more link in the chain… Being a city girl myself now I understand why so many people I’ve talked to that came from cities once they have a taste of the slow country living they never want to go back. The fresh air, living by the seasons, the sun, hands in the dirt, seing the garden grow, picking the fruits of your labor, the excitement of the first blooms, tasting the mind-blowing flavors of the garden… I have never tasted a tomato as good as the one picked right off the vine warm from the sun. It all somehow brings your soul to life. Luz If you are interested in  gardening books  for kids head on over to my  Usborne book shop ...

  “I believe that a godly home is a foretaste of heaven. Our homes, imperfect as they are, must be a haven from the chaos outside. They should be a reflection of our eternal home, where troubled souls find peace, weary hearts find rest, hungry bodies find refreshment, lonely pilgrims find communion, and wounded spirits find compassion.” Jani Ortlund Sometimes I need a little reminder that I create a home with a mindset of paying attention to the little details like the flowers I choose to decorate with, the music that plays in the background, the candle burning in the mantle, the baked or packaged treats to have with tea or coffee, the home-cooked meals or take out shared around the table with a beautiful glass of wine and laughter echoing, the smile I have waiting as I greet the loved ones who come into my home. I want my home to be a happy place and a little piece of heaven for my family and friends to rest their wereary souls, a breath of fresh air from this crazy world. And I s...

  Yes, I know, I am opening the vault! I am in fact revealing one of my powerhouses… once I share this the secret I know it will be out, in the wide open air, for anyone and everyone to replicate but that is ok. What is this magnificent secret you say? My sweet Potato, lemon, and garlic chicken! There I said it, and yes this recipe has been kept a secret because IT IS THAT GOOD! But don’t fear you can now prepare it at home and wow everyone around you. One thing though the sweet potato was a happy accident, when I first went to prepare this dish I realized, ohhhh no, I’m out of potatoes how can you make a roasted chicken with no potatoes sacrilege! Slight exageration, but not really, when I was staring only at sweet potatoes in front of me. That is when figured oh well, let’s roll withis this and see… And with that was born the perfect combination of tart, sweet, mind blowing dish that more than once guests ended up eating 3rds and 4ths and even suking the bones dry. Ready?! I will...