a while back, we had two of our best friends and their beautiful mothers over for a little happy hour.  i like to take advantage of every opportunity to cook yummy food, so i pulled out my tapas book from an incredible restaurant in santa fe, new mexico, titled “EL FAROL”.  http://www.amazon.com/El-Farol-James-Campbell-Caruso/dp/1586851012

this is my most beloved, cherished cookbook.  it is one of my only prized possessions from my first marriage ~ other than a chaise lounge, and my infinite wisdom.  ha ha ha.

this cookbook is magic. it never lets me down, and everything is so easy.  you will never guess just how delicious this food is when you read the recipes ~ they just seem so simple, so no-big-deal.  but they are out of this world!

here are some beautiful pictures from our kc tapas night.  (well i think they’re beautiful because i was there and i know how GREAT the food, wine, and laughter was!)

never underestimate the beauty of a simple platter of fruit.  i couldn’t believe there was good watermelon at the grocery store in the middle of the winter!  there was a recipe in the EL FAROL cookbook to add feta cheese, chopped mint and olive oil and drizzle it over the top of this watermelon, but i just chose to serve it naked ~ it tasted so refreshing in the middle of this really annoying, boring winter.

this is my absolute FAVORITE dish from our tapas night ~ mozzarella and grape salad.  if you make any of these recipes, start with this one and you’ll find out how brilliant this cookbook really is.

find the recipe here: http://pixyskansascity.com/2015/02/26/spanish-tapas-101-mozzarella-grape-salad/

that’s asparagus with goat cheese dressing.  yummmm.

the recipe: http://pixyskansascity.com/2015/02/26/spanish-tapas-101-roasted-asparagus-wgoat-cheese-dressing/

purple peruvian potato salad ~ served cold.  tangy, satisfying.  maybe not the most beautiful dish to see up close, but i have such a passionate love for potatoes.  i like to see them up close!

the recipe: http://pixyskansascity.com/2015/02/26/spanish-tapas-101-purple-peruvian-potatoes/

and these little meaty bites:

i think these were the hub’s absolute fave ~ blue cheese-stuffed figs with caramel sauce.  that’s pastrami atop the middle ones.  you should use jamon (spanish ham) or prosciutto.  but the pastrami was really great, and i think you could use any meat ~ bacon, canadian bacon even.

that caramel sauce is to DIE FOR.

and here’s that recipe! http://pixyskansascity.com/2015/02/26/spanish-tapas-101-blue-cheese-stuffed-figs-wcaramel-sauce/

you’ll find all these recipes in separate posts on my blog.

i’m so excited for the next installment of spanish tapas night in kc!