Delicious, Engineered

Contramar
Mexico City, MX

Pescado a la Talla
whole grilled fish, red adobo and parsley rubs

Al Pastor Fish Tacos

Pulpo a la Gallega

Scallop Tostada

The desserts!

🇲🇽

Cooked up a storm with Bean Puttanesca from Bold Beans by !

Made a few tweaks: subbed sardines for anchovies, used large white lima beans, added kale, and cooked beans with carrots, celery, and onion.

Roast Lamb with White Beans
From Barefoot in Paris

I used cassoulet beans!

Happy 2026, everyone ✨

I’ve been a little quiet around here lately. Life with a baby (now 9 months 🥹) has shifted my time, energy, and how often I cook the way I used to. But every distraction has been worth it.

Looking ahead to 2026, I’m excited to reconnect with my love for cooking—this time not just for myself and my husband, but for our little one who’s starting solids. Recipes may be simpler and more practical than before, but they’ll still be fun, flavorful, and made with intention. I’m really looking forward to sharing this next chapter with you.

To kick things off: a Southern New Year’s tradition. Black eyed peas for luck, prosperity, and resilience—something we could all use a little more of. I was a few days late, but better late than never.

🍀 Black Eyed Pea Lucky Soup
Brown sliced andouille sausage in a little oil (I used chicken andouille).
Sauté carrots, onions, celery, and bell peppers until soft.
Add minced garlic and cook briefly.
Season with Creole seasoning ( + Black Magic).
Add rinsed dried black eyed peas ( ).
Cover with chicken stock, bring to a boil, then simmer until beans are tender. Add more stock as needed.
Finish with chopped spinach, cooked just until wilted.

Serve with cornbread, rice, or enjoy as is.
Here’s to good food and a great year ahead 🤍

A big big thank you to and for the amazing cake and delicious treats at our baby shower this past weekend. You nailed it!

Everyone loved everything, not a bit left to spare. 🥰

New Year’s Day Black-Eyed Peas & Collard Greens: A Southern Tradition with a Twist

In the South, eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day is a symbol of good luck—and who doesn’t need a little extra fortune to kick off the year? This year, I used some of my favorite beans to make a hearty, flavorful dish that’s perfect for a cozy January day.

Here’s how I made it (no recipe, recipe-style):
1️⃣ Cooked the beans using Rancho Gordo’s standard bean recipe—simple and foolproof.
2️⃣ Fried up smoked turkey kielbasa and sautéed a diced onion until golden.
3️⃣ Added smoked paprika, garlic, and savory spice, letting the flavors bloom.
4️⃣ Tossed in a large can of whole tomatoes, breaking them up in the pot.
5️⃣ Returned the beans to the pot, poured in chicken stock to just cover, and seasoned with salt and pepper.
6️⃣ Stirred in chopped collard greens and simmered until tender. Adjust seasoning again as needed.

✨ Served it with rice, but it’s just as delicious with cornbread or enjoyed as a hearty stew.

Start the year off right—with comfort food that warms the soul and brings a little luck. 🍀

Kolaches

I’ve never made kolaches, and I’ve never had one before either. I saw this recipe in one of cookbooks and decided to try it.

The basis of this recipe is a slightly sweet sour cream dough. It was easy enough to put together, but it demanded extensive proofing time. 2 hours on the counter once mixed, then overnight in the fridge, and another hour and a half before baking.

I was a little short on cream cheese in the fridge, so they could’ve used a bit more filling. Nevertheless, they were quite good. I think I nailed the texture.

I used a mix of various flavors I had in mini jars from my advent calendar!

Lightly and fluffy, sweet but not too sweet.

I’ll definitely make these again, next time with more filling.

Christmas Eve Dinner

Dry-brined whole chicken, seasoned with fennel, rosemary, thyme, and citrus zest. Topped with a sherry citrus sauce. Air fried to perfection. Soooo good!


Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

Air Fried Green Beans

🎄

2024 Cookie Box

Lots of goodies this year!

Molasses Thumbprints - I make these every year and they’re one of my favorites. The recipe calls for cajeta made from scratch, I use dulce de leche from a can… way easier.

Peppermint Bark

Puppy Chow

Coconut Macaroons

Snickerdoodles

Bourbon Sablés with Chocolate

Sweet Potato Casserole w Pecan Crumble Topping

This is my favorite Thanksgiving side, always has been! Usually I do just pecans and brown sugar as a topping, but this year I decided to make more of a crumble topping. I’ll definitely be doing that again next year!

🦃

Creamed Corn

In my opinion, creamed corn is one of those highly underrated side dishes. I’ve made several iterations throughout the years, all delicious.

This year I used a sweet corn and a heavy cream base. Shallots, some spices, topped with parmesan.

🦃