Ceviche de Camaron

I found a blog, and I have to share it. Laylita's Recipes is a great collection of Ecuadorian recipes. I found her while idly looking for a recipe for Empanadas de Verde, which I remembered from my childhood in Ecuador, and was blown away by her website. The recipes are clear and interesting, and the pictures will make you drool. Blogs like hers remind me why I will never be a pro food blogger, she's just so good.
The only thing I've made from her website so far is Ceviche de Camaron, or Shrimp Ceviche.

It turned out fantastic. Of course I didn't completely follow any one recipe, but I combined a few of her Ceviche recipes and it turned out great. Pictured is the Ceviche surrounded by chifles. It was a good dinner.
In conclusion, I would highly recommend Laylita's Recipes if you want to cook some good Ecuadorian food.
-Zay

Marinated Beets and Romaine salad

Today's recipe is a from-scratch salad of Marinated Beets and Romaine lettuce, The beets are marinated in a home made honey-apple cider vinaigrette. Now, I don't normally eat lettuce, as it has almost no nutritional value and I can easily buy tastier greens... but today I got my first basket from Bountiful Baskets, and you don't get to choose what you get in them. You pay your $15 and get a basket each of fruit and veggies. I got two heads of romaine lettuce. I figured I should use the lettuce as soon as possible before it goes bad.

Ingredients
2 medium sized beets
1 head romaine lettuce
2 Tbsp honey
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp sweet onion sliced paper thin (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Wash the beets, cut the ends off, cut in half lengthwise, and boil in a small pot of water until tender all the way through.
While the beets are boiling, in a large bowl, mix the honey, vinegar, salt and pepper, and onion. Set aside.
When the beets are tender, remove immediately from the water and slice into cubes as soon as you can handle them, the hotter the better. Dump into the marinade and toss gently to coat. Set aside to cool, stirring once or twice to coat all beet pieces in marinade.
When the beet mixture is completely cool, dice the romaine lettuce and toss it with the beets in the bowl.
Serve immediately.

Ok, Sure, it's not the prettiest salad, but imagine the fun you can have traumatizing young children by convincing them that the lettuce is bleeding! ... yes, I am that aunt.
-Zay