Last night… I cooked! (Yay). I mean, it’s not that exciting I guess, I cook almost every night. In fact, I just had a delicious salad and a grilled cheese sandwich. But normally, it’s just that: salad, sandwich, something weird that I put together (usually including couscous, chickpeas, maybe some broccoli) or if I’m feeling really fancy, a bowl of cereal. Not having roommates/friends/boyfriends/family around makes cooking a little less exciting but last night, as I occasionally do, I really got the itch to cook something delicious, something that required a little thought, and a little time.
So I cooked this: Arroz con Chorizo y Pimientos (Rice with Chorizo and Roasted Red Peppers)
It was riquÃsimo (delicious). I used the recommended arborio rice which turned creamy and tender during cooking, and the smoky chorizo added just enough spice and amazing richness, which was offset by the sweetness of the peppers sprinkled throughout. Wonderful. Although, if I was a smarter version of me I might have added some fresh herbs on top to give it a little spark. (I hadn’t thought about that detail at the market though, so I did without).
And while that cooked (and while I contentedly stuffed my face with it when it was finished) these little gems were popping away in the oven: Roasted Chickpeas (I made them with some cumin, paprika and sea salt). Again, delicious, but apparently my “airtight” tupperware containers aren’t so airtight so these guys went a little stale after a day. Nevertheless, right out of the oven (or with proper storage options) these are an amazing snack: salty, crunchy but not too crunchy, with the added bonus of being full of protein. (I don’t think I’ve mentioned my obsession with chickpeas yet, have I? I would do a bang-up job as Global Chickpea Advocate. Consider it mentioned.)
My photos of these two dishes didn’t quite meet my standards (and I have low standards) so I’ll let the photos on their original sites do the job, but just to make up for it a little, and because I haven’t gotten the chance to show these off yet, here are some of my favorite photos of creations I have cooked up in the past (no recipe accompaniments because I made them up and don’t remember how I did them…)
asparagus and pea soup
asparagus, potato and goat cheese quiche
and finally,
chocolate cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting and lemon cupcakes with lemon buttercream frosting
Pretty, right? Good thing I just ate, or else these would make me very hungry 
