MamiJ from Central Mexico

Hello :) I'm MamiJ and I live in Central Mexico, in the state of Jalisco. I lived in the US for many years, but now my family and I live in my husband's hometown--a little town in the country where people know each other for generations. I'm originally from Mexico City, and I'm still a big city girl...

Hello :) I'm MamiJ and I live in Central Mexico, in the state of Jalisco. I lived in the US for many years, but now my family and I live in my husband's hometown--a little town in the country where people know each other for generations. I'm originally from Mexico City, and I'm still a big city girl at heart, but my body and soul demand the peacefulness that the wonderful Mexican countryside offers. One of the best things about living here is how close people live to the land, produce is cheap and there is an abundance of fruits all year long. Dairy is another thing that is abundant in this state, which makes me very happy: I love cheese!!! :D Cooking has always been a favorite of mine, I love creating new dishes and I'm always looking for new recipes. I have three children so I'm always in search of healthy recipes that balance nutrition and taste, as well as still hold an appeal to adults. For that reason, I have slowly trained my kids to have an adventurous palate, and to develop a taste for spicy foods--we're Mexican, and there is hardly any savory meal that can't be eaten with a nice salsa or a fresh green chili on the side. Needles to say, Mexican cuisine is my specialty and I have gone through stages where I will look for authentic recipes of different regions of my country and I'll recreate them in my kitchen. In my house, you will always find the staples of Mexican cooking: tomatoes, onions, chilies, beans, fresh farmer's cheese and tortillas, corn and flour. If you ever have a question about a Mexican dish, I'll be happy to help :) On the other hand, I'm from Lebanese descent, and Middle eastern cooking is another favorite of mine. I don't cook as much of it as I would like, there are so many ingredients that are not available where I live. Whenever I go on a trip to Mexico City, where there is a large Lebanese community, I buy kilos and kilos of cracked wheat and filo pastry that I keep in my freezer. On special occasions, I have feasts of tabbouleh, hummus, stuffed grape leaves, kalamata olives and kibbeh, ending with homemade baklava and sesame seed biscuits. Lebanese cooking is a labor of love to me, and it always reminds me of my family and happy childhood memories. I found Kittencal's Kitchen a little over a year ago thanks to a dear friend. In a matter of weeks I felt right at home :) I am now very proud to be part of Recipezazz and its wonderful community. I look forward to see this site flourish and grow.