Make myself like a potato, winnow myself down.

"Maybe I needed to make like a potato, winnow myself down, be part of something that was not easy, just simple." -Julie Powell (From the movie Julie and Julia)

As I am staying here in Madrid my aim is to live as the Spaniard lives... well at least try. How many times in my life will I have the opportunity to live in another culture and embrace a different flow of life?! There are a few aspects of the Spanish life I have already become accustom to. Whereas others I have had to learn about the hard way. ;) Many a nights I will sit down to eat around 9 or 10 pm. I've learned how to navigate the public transportation systems (a definite trial/error process, I have shown up 20 minuets late to class, a few times, trying to take a new route). Also, I've learned where it is and isn't 'acceptable' to go for a run. Smiling to strangers is solely an American practice. Always have a book on me.Skinny jeans are the only type of jeans here. Taking a siesta or break in the middle of the day. (genius). Taking time to enjoy food, eating on the go is an inconceivable practice here.(Well a practice that will generate many intense stares).

If you've known me for any amount of time, you know that I love to cook, be in the kitchen and enjoy food. In any combination. Naturally in Spain this had been a big part of my experience. A woman from my program gave me a number of Spanish recipes. Being that I am not living with a family from Spain, it is up to me to experience homemade Spanish food. Hence the Julie and Julia reference. In my attempts to tackle some of these, I am going to share them with you amongst my travels. So sit back, grab a glass of Rioja wine (a special region in Spain known for good wine), cook with me and enjoy. :)

First, is Alubias Blancas Con Chorizo. It seemed like a simple, quick recipie perfect for a novice Spanish cook. Beans, veggies, and sausage...delicious. As with every recipe I started off with onions and garlic. My two favorite items to cook with. I end up leaving the kitchen smelling like a combination of onion and garlic bread, but it is worth it! This was a dish that was different that anything I have tasted before, but it was delicious! I substituted the pepper for zucchini and added a LOT of garlic.

 Here is the recipe... ENJOY!

Alubias blancas con chorizo (white beans with chorizo)

White Beans with Chorizo is a quick and easy dish for those nights when you don't have a lot of time or energy. Since the recipe uses canned white kidney beans, most of the work is done for you. So, it's a perfect dish for beginner cooks as well. White beans combine well with the Spanish chorizo, onions, garlic and pepper to make a tasty and satisfying main course, ready in about 20 minutes.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 yellow onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1 Spanish chorizo sausage (about 1/2 lb.)
• 4-5 Tbsp extra virgin Spanish olive oil
• 2 15 oz can white beans, drained
• salt to taste

Preparation:

This white beans with chorizo recipe makes 3-4 servings as a main course

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Important Note re Spanish Chorizo: This sausage is very different than Mexican or Caribbean chorizo. Spanish chorizo is a firm, dry sausage where most Mexican chorizo is fresh and soft, not cured sausage. It also has different spices than Spanish Chorizo, so it is not a good substitute for this recipe. If you need a substitute, use Portuguese Linguica sausage, which is very similar to Spanish Chorizo and should be easy to find in your local supermarket.

Chop the onion and the bell pepper. Peel and chop the garlic, not too finely. Cut the chorizo into slices about 1/4-inch thick.

Pour the olive oil into a large frying pan and heat over medium flame. When hot, sauté onion and bell pepper, stirring often. Take care not to burn the vegetables. If necessary, lower the heat. When the onion becomes translucent, add the garlic and chorizo slices. Continue to cook until chorizo slices are browned. Add more olive oil if mixture begins to stick. Reduce heat to low.

Quickly rinse the beans under cold water and drain. Add to the frying pan and stir, heating the mixture on low heat. Add salt to taste. Once the beans are hot, serve in bowls with slices of fresh baguette.