Category Archives: friends and fun

Life Changes

Pretty much every single day I look around and think to myself

You have an amazing life.  Look at all that you have accomplished!  You achieved one of your biggest goals by moving to Europe.  This is so freaking cool!

Literally that has gone through my head at some point every single day for the past year.  And it usually happens during something completely mundane and normal – like going to the grocery store or on a run, for example.  Those small, unimportant moments remind me that I am doing those small, unimportant moments where people can only dream of living!  It is a humbling moment that reminds me how cool my life is.

gorgeous spain

But I would be lying if I told you I was able to move to Spain on my own hard work and dedication.  Yeah, there was hard work and dedication involved, but that alone would have never found itself in Spain.  It might have made it as far as the Spanish Consulate.  What really pushed me and helped me to achieve this goal were my friends and family back home.  And trust me, there is no fun in achieving your goals when you don’t have people to share it with!

As amazing as my friends back in Atlanta were to me, and despite how cool my life is, I also often catch myself feeling really guilty and selfish for taking on this challenge.  In the year that I have lived abroad, I have missed some really important moments in the lives of my friends – weddings, babies, promotions, …. more weddings (I’m almost 25 and from the South, don’t forget!).

Every time another major event takes place in the lives of those that helped me to get where I am today, I feel so bad for not being a part of their experience like they were for mine.  Granted, I might have the best excuse in the book, it doesn’t make it any less crappy.

Let’s be honest, I’m just mad I missed out on some killer cakes…

So I wanted to make a special thank you and apology to all of those that supported me in my journey.  Your friendship and motivation allowed me to achieve a goal I never would have been able to do on my own.  Furthermore, I want to sincerely apologize for missing your special day…or days, if that’s the case!  I wish I could have been there to celebrate with you and be the support you were for me.  While I can’t change this as it is now in the past, I want you to know that I solemnly promise to be a part of all of the big moments of your future.

‘How can you do that from Spain?’ you might be asking yourself.  Well I can’t.

But I promise to be a part of all your special days in the future because I won’t be living in Spain anymore.

That’s right friends, Life With a Fork, or Sarah as most of you know me, will be moving back to the good ol’ U S of A at the end of July and I couldn’t be more excited!  I love Spain and it will always have a special place in my heart, but it is time to come back to the people who allowed me to achieve my dream.  It’s my turn to help them achieve theirs!

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Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to all my friends and family for all of your help, encouragement, well wishes, love, and support.  I would have never been able to achieve this without you!

– This is just a small glimpse of the things I’ve missed while I have been away. –

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Pride and Pig

So this has been quite the eventful weekend here in Madrid.  Some big things took place during the past few days:

1.  Spain won the European Cup title

2.  Madrid hosted one of the largest gay pride festivals in the world

3.  And I experienced a whole new way of enjoying pork

There is not much to be said about the Euro Cup Championship other than Spain proved, once again, to be the best football team in the world, and in my opinion, also the best looking.

hello boys

The big win was only the conclusion to a wild and crazy weekend in Madrid.  Every year the city is flooded with men and women from around the world to participate in the Orgullo celebration (orgullo means “pride” in Spanish).  While the celebration lasts about 3 days, the main attraction is the parade on Saturday which hosts ….. pretty much all walks of life.  One thing I loved about this celebration was that even though it is advertised as a gay pride celebration, the entire city got involved to show their support.  It was a really fun event and definitely brought an exciting energy to the city!

Orgullo 2012 – gay pride weekend in Madrid

Lastly, the weekend was made complete by a visit from a few American friends.  As they were ending their European tour, I was excited to show them around the city during the last few days of their month-long excursion.  While completely unnecessary, the boys were kind enough to invite me to dinner with them to Sobrino de Botín as a thank you for the unofficial tour.  In case you didn’t know, Sobrino de Botín is also known as the oldest restaurant in the WORLD.  The specialty at this restaurant is cochinillo,or suckling pig.  And even though it is a six person requirement, the four of us ordered not just a portion, but the entire pig.  I will say that it was a bit odd to have my dinner looking at me while I ate, but the taste of the pork was unlike any I have ever had before.  The skin was super crispy and the meat was tender and juicy and the entire restaurant smelled like bacon sizzling on the stove.  I also took a taste of a couple more unusual parts of the animal that were considered delicacies, specifically the brains and the tongue.  I don’t necessarily recommend getting as adventurous as I did, but I definitely recommend visiting this restaurant if you ever find yourself in Madrid.  Reservations are easily made (we made our Friday reservations for the same night) and the price point is extremely reasonable considering the restaurant’s fame.

cochinillo at Sobrino de Botín

It was a great weekend in Madrid and I hope you enjoyed a little peek at it!!

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Recipe: Meatloaf

I never thought I would write this post.

I never even thought I would like meatloaf.  It just sounds disgusting, doesn’t it?

But after years of cooking for myself, meatloaf has become a bit of a staple in my house mainly due to its convenience, ease of preparation, and price point.  And the fact that it makes great leftovers.

When I decided to host a potluck dinner at my house, my strategy for providing the main dishes for nearly 20 people was this: make it delicious….but more importantly make it cheap.  Have ya’ll heard about the euro lately?  My point exactly.

Enter meatloaf and broccoli casserole.

Little did I know what a huge hit this would be.  So much of a surprise that the only pictures that were taken weren’t even of my poor little loaf.  He was just a mere extra to the main attractions.

….in the photographs that is.  This recipe will definitely be well-loved by your family and friends as it was mine.  I hope you will try it out and let me know how you like it.

Meatloaf

The moisture in this dish comes from the use of mushrooms.  There is no need to add any breadcrumbs to this meal making my version grain-free and gluten-free.

2 pounds of Ground Beef
1 cup fresh mushrooms, diced
1/2 large onion, diced
4-5 cloved of garlic, minced
1/2 cup frozen spinach, chopped
1/2 cup canned pureed tomatoes
2 whole eggs
1 Tbsp Salt
1 Tbsp Pepper
1 Tbsp Oregano

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.  In a bowl, combine all ingredients, reserving 1/4 cup of the pureed tomatoes for later.  Make sure to thaw your spinach and squeeeeeeeze out all the water before chopping and adding to the bowl.  It is best to combine these ingredients by hand as to avoid over-mixing (tough meat. sick.).  Once thoroughly combined, add mixture to a metal loaf pan.  Make sure to leave about 1 inch of space from the top of the pan since the meat will extract a lot of liquid.  Bake uncovered for about 45 minutes to 1 hour (or until the edges are beginning to look crispy.  At that point, pour the remaining 1/4 cup pureed tomatoes on top and broil for about 10 minutes.  Once finished, the edges should be nice and crispy, the tomato puree should be slightly reduced, and the loaf should feel firm.

I hope you all enjoy this recipe and please let me know how it turns out for you!!

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*Disclaimer: I never measure ingredients when I am cooking.  I know that this annoys people so I did my best at estimating the amounts.  I encourage you to tweak the recipe as you see fit!

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It’s all in the Name

In case you missed the massive lettering at the top of the page, the name of my blog is Life with a Fork.  I chose this name for a number of reasons.  First, I knew I wanted my blog to be somewhat food related (hence, “Fork“).  Secondly, I knew my blog would be more than just food.  I am no chef and I honestly don’t like to compile recipes so there was no way I would have enough material to have a food blog.  Enter “Life“.  I mean, I did move across the world as you know so surely you’d like to hear a bit about that, right?  Last, and most certainly not least, by including the word “Life” it allowed me the perfect excuse for those times when I would go days…err weeks….without posting.  Because you know what?  I was out living my life.

Bad excuse, I know.  Honestly, it was a bit about living my life, but more lack of creativity, inspiration, motivation, and wit.  So sorry friends.

Anyways, as I mentioned before, I am no chef in the kitchen so I don’t have any excited food-related updates for you.  Still eating the same ol’ meat, veggies, and my weight in avocados.

I will, however, update you on my life by broadcasting a series of pictures from the past few weeks!  These pictures will include multiple evenings out in the city which inherently also include alcohol.  Here is my rule, people:  any clear liquor of your choice, on the rocks, add a lime.  I promise you that you can not suck it down fast enough to get drunk. Why?  Because it tastes like shit, that’s why.  No one actually likes the taste of straight vodka.  This has saved me from fitting the “American girls come to Madrid to get drunk every night” stereotype on numerous occasions. You will also avoid the “ohmygodddddddd why aren’t you drinkingggggggg” questions from your not-so-receptive friends that seem to become increasingly less comprehensible as the night conspires.  I hope you enjoy.

I also hope I will gain a little more creativity in the coming weeks.

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5:45am is never a good look for me

That is until I checked the stats on website and saw how many visitors I had on this little blog yesterday.

< cue jaw to floor >

WOW! 

I am so glad you took time to visit my little piece of cyber space and read some of my ramblings.

Please allow me to formally introduce myself!  My name is Sarah and I am currently living in Madrid, Spain as an English teacher.  I am originally from the dirty South (aka Atlanta, Georgia) where the fare may be fine, but it doesn’t do fine things for my waist.  Some might call me young (even though I prefer to think turning 25 this year is a sin punishable by death), but it has taken me years to really understand my body and be in control of my health.  I currently eat what is commonly referred to as a “Paleo” diet, which basically means I avoid all grains and legumes.  I do indulge in the occasional dairy product from time to time so this is by no means a strict following.  The reason for this sort of lifestyle for me is simple:  I feel great when I don’t eat those things and I feel like shit when I do.  Not to mention, my ass looks better in a size 4 pair of jeans instead of a size 10.  But as I am sure you will find out, I don’t know everything. I just know what works for me and I want to share it with you in hopes that it can work for you too.

Well that’s basically it!  It’s a pleasure to meet you and I hope to see you again soon!

welcome! .............wait, where are you going?? Don't go yet! Those aren't my real glasses, I promise!!

For more information on me or any of this mumbo jumbo, click some of the links at the top of the page!  Also, if you are curious as to why I decided to start this little blog, check out this post.

I am really thankful to have you here and if there is anything I can do to help, just let me know!

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The Feast

So I realize this post is quite late considering we have already crossed into December, but I couldn’t let another day pass by before I wrote about The Feast.

The Thanksgiving Feast of 2011.

The first Thanksgiving Feast for most of the people I cooked for and a small piece of home to a special visitor I hosted during the holiday week.

The Menu:

Meat and Cheese Plate

Dates stuffed with goat cheese and topped with Pistachios

Roasted Pork (a whole turkey here in Spain will run you about 40 euro.  No thank you.)

Beef Roast

Mashed Cauliflower

Broccoli Casserole

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Coconut Rice (provided by one of the feast attendees)

Herb Gravy

Grain-free Chocolate Fudge Cake with Cheesecake Swirl

In my opinion (and based off the 15 minutes of silence immediately after dinner was served), the food was absolutely delicious!  I have never cooked for that many people or in such quantities so I was quite impressed with myself when everything turned out so well.  Just goes to show that you can enjoy a hearty yet healthy holiday season with your loved ones!  I will begin to post the recipes for the various dishes, but for now you can drool over the photos.

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Thanksvember 2011: face time

I have to make a quick post on how thankful I am to have these things so I can keep in touch with my family and friends back home.

Thanksvember 2011: New Friends

At the beginning of Thanksvember, you heard about my not-so-old old friends.  You have also heard about my ‘work friends’ aka ‘my real friends I met at work’.  I love them all dearly, as you know.

But this blog started as a result of me making a massive change in my life.  And with change comes new people.

And new friends.

Going through my TEFL course and opening myself to new experiences has brought so many great people into my life in such a short amount of time.  It really feels as though I have a home here in Spain and it couldn’t be more comforting. (Speaking of home, there will be more to come on my roommates.  They deserve their own post.)

I would love to go through everyone I’ve met and write a short anecdote about each one of them because believe me, they would be hilarious.  But I don’t have the patience for that and frankly it would be quite boring to anyone else reading this.  Instead, I will group them as a whole and say THANK YOU for coming into my life and making this new change completely worth while.  They are all amazing and talented and I look forward to many more memories to come.

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Some of these lovely people also have great blogs you should check out!

Gina R. Cooper

Have Love, Will Travel

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Thanksvember 2011: Work Friends

I think the reason why people distinguish between their ‘work friends’ and their ‘real friends’ is because their ‘work friends’ are the people they would never be ‘real friends’ with if they didn’t have to spend 40+ hours a week together.

Well in my case, I refer to my ‘work friends’ as my ‘real friends that I happened to meet at work’.

But I still call them my ‘work friends’.  Go figure.

These Ladies and Gentlemen are some of the most funny, talented, and caring people I have ever met.  We have been through it all together.  From birthdays and holidays to engagements and weddings.  European vacations and girls nights out.  Family dinners and trips to the hospital.  And that doesn’t even include the shit we went through at work!

This Thanksvember, I want to make a special THANK YOU to my ‘real friends that I met at work’ for being such a great support system and making work much more bearable.  Aside from that, thank you for going beyond the office walls and becoming such an important part of my personal life.  You are all amazing and I can’t wait to come home and pick back up where we left off.

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Thanksvember 2011: Old Friends

No, my friends aren’t old and wrinkly.  They are actually very attractive.  And young.  And wonderful.  And they may or may not be single so all further inquiries can be directed to me.

Enter Supper Club.

Lexie and Caitlin are the friends you have that just know what’s going on in your life without even saying a word.  We all have those friends that know so much of your history that seemingly simple conversation to outsiders have so much depth and meaning to them.  What began as a casual weekly dinner between sorority sisters turned into the most supportive and unique friendship – a little thing we like to call Supper Club.  With Caitlin and Lexie, the simple notion of “Can you believe he said that?” will turn into a 3-hour dinner where we are so involved in our own company that we not only forget to look at the menu, but neglect to order and then pay as well.   And don’t even think about bringing up Chicago or the LSAT because we will close the restaurant down!  The three of us individually are very different, but I think that is what makes us work as friends.  There is always someone who agrees with you and someone who can play devil’s advocate.  Not to mention, they both have made me a part of their own families as well.  I have lovely memories of eating dinner at Caitlin’s house on her birthday and opening Christmas presents with Lexie and her family.  Through breakups, makeups, new jobs, quitting jobs, relocations, and even hair color, Supper Club has been together through it all.  These two women are absolutely incredible and I am very thankful to have them in my life whether near or far.

Supper Club throughout the years:

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