Let’s talk enlightenment. When it comes to packing up the family, driving deep into the woods, and taking a little time to “get away from it all,” there’s still good reason to set a Global Table. In fact, when there’s nothing but you, trees, and a few muffin tins worth of family members, it’s the perfect time to try out something new. That’s what we did this week, when we ate Paraguay … in Beaver’s Bend State Park (way, way Southeast Oklahoma).
There aren’t as many distractions when you’re stuck in the woods. There is definitely no safety net… your snacks and zappable meals will be nowhere in sight.
Call it a captive audience, if you will.
Perfect for picky eaters.
What sounds good to you? All recipes and the meal review will be posted throughout the week.
Barbecued Meat | Carne Asada [Recipe]
Finger-licking grilled meat, seasoned with bright lime juice, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. Delicioso.
Paraguayan Cheesy Cornbread | Sopa Paraguaya [Recipe]
This cornbread is so filled with goodies, it is practically a meal in itself. In each bite you’ll find peppers, onions, two kinds of cheese, and corn kernels. Hello.
Dulce de Leche Cookies | Alfajores [Recipe]
This delicate Alfajores is seasoned with a touch of lemon zest and layered with dulce de leche. The perfect accompaniment to cafe con leche.
THE GIVEAWAY:
In honor of our Paraguayan Cheesy Cornbread, I’m giving away a beautiful, hand made La Chamba ceramic baker from Williams Sonoma. While not exactly from Paraguay, it does remind me of some ceramics I saw while perusing Paraguayan goods (it’s actually from Colombia).
The cool thing about it is you can use it over open flames or in the oven… isn’t she a thing of beauty?
UPDATE: WEEKLY GIVEAWAY WINNER
*Winner from this week’s Paraguayan Menu Giveaway was selected at random by random.org. There were so many fantastic ideas for globally-inspired baking dishes. Congratulations to Tabitha Brennenstuhl, who said:
“That is a really neat piece! I’d like to make some tandoori chicken in the oven with that! I usually use cast iron, but would love to see how it taste in that!”
Yum. Please email me by 9/24/12 to claim your handmade baker, Tabitha!
To ENTER:
Tell me what you’d bake or simmer in this La Chamba. Would you try lasagna? Paraguayan cornbread? Boston baked beans?
Leave a comment and you’ll be entered to win. It’s really that simple.
Bonus entries will be provided for those that tweet this giveaway with hashtag #globalgiveaway and/or share it on Pinterest and Facebook.
P.S. If we get 100 entries I’ll giveaway two, so tell a friend.
Leave your answer in the comments below. One winner will be chosen at random and announced in the Monday Meal Review on September 17, 2012. Prize must be claimed by September 24, 2012. There are no sponsors for this giveaway. I just wanted to share some global foodie love from me, to you. Enjoy!
 "Pin It")
oh, my…. I loocooovve that baker! i woild make a Braziliam dish in it, frango ao catupiry, which is chicken in a Brazilian cheese sauce, Impossible to find outside my country, but I have a recipe to mimic that cheese, making it at home
gorgeous setting for a trip away from everything!
Yum! Looks like it would make a killer cornbread!
I’d try paella!
I definitely would want to try making that cornbread. …but baked beans sounds tempting too. Or maybe a boeuf bourgignon?
Tweeted! https://twitter.com/SamanthaAngela/status/245861467000291328
Oooh very fun! I’d probably bake whatever I could in it! That cornbread does sound pretty cool…
olivey chicken!
I think an authentic Lasagna Bolognese would look great in this La Chamba.
I would attempt to make an Indian curry. I’ve really gotten into Indian food recently and I want to see if I’m smart enough to make it happen or if I’ll have to visit India Palace every week instead.
Cassoulet!
Arroz con pollo!
Paraguay cornbread sounds delish. My boys like to eat it for breakfast with lots of butter and maple syrup! That pan of cornbread would be empty by the end of breakfast.
So many things to put in that gorgeous pan. But I’m thinking Portuguese Polvo Lagareiro (octopus with potatoes)! Sticky cinnamon rolls, too.
How to pick just one……but I think I would go with Ham and Gruyere Strata (first)….
That cornbread sounds delicious. I’ll make some of that.
Tweeted! https://twitter.com/Culinary_Cam/status/245886625857560576
Shared on facebook. My user name is Camilla M Mann.
I absolutely love your blog it’s my favorite thing to check up on all week! I would definitely make polenta lasagna in the cooker, although that corn bread looks delish! I also shared this on facebook. Thank you for this blog I really enjoy it!
Shared on FB
And Pinned!
I’d make Toad in the Hole. I live in NYC, so I go to Meyer’s of Keswick to get real English pork sausages. I top it with an onion gravy with a touch of balsamic vinegar.
I would make some enchiladas!
This is gorgeous! I would love to try the Paraguay cornbread recipe in it
.
Oh oh oh! I’d love to make a square Tarte Tatin in that pan. Good luck everyone!
Stuffed Artichokes with Italian Breadcrumbs, for sure! My fave and it would look smashing in this dish.
http://www.glorifiedgoodies.com/stuffed-artichokes-with-italian-breadcrumbs.html
It would hold a place of honor as a decorative/functional piece…the rarest place of honor for home decor.
When I wasn’t using it, it would sit proudly within view
I’d bake my end of summer (abundance of produce) zucchini casserole. Or, maybe, a lovely pot of early fall Mexican Beans.
Ooooh! Tha looks like the perfect dish to make my favorite spinach and tofu “pie” in. It would look so pretty, I might even share it with friends!
There are countless options, but I definitely like the Tarte Tatin idea!
Since the weather has cooled, I’m thinking gingerbread – La Chamba would be perfect for that.
I’d make Manchego Jalapeno Cornbread to go with chili! Or, for the end of summer, Zucchini Rice Gratin. yum.
The Paraguayan cheesy cornbread sounds good. Glad it’s lunchtime!
Hi Sasha,
What a beautiful piece of bakeware. I’d love to try out your Paraguayan cornbread recipe in it, or I could make my tomato & kale casserole!
-Rebecca
I try it over the open flames at camp (if tehy ever lift the current burn ban!). Probably something like chili or cola chicken!
I think I might try some cornbread!
That is a really neat piece! I’d like to make some tandoori chicken in the oven with that! I usually use cast iron, but would love to see how it taste in that!
I would live to win this giveaway, and I would definitely break it in by trying your cornbread recipe. Sounds delish!
The finish of it reminds me of the round rice-cooking pots I saw in the Amazonian villages in Peru, but I think my Thanksgiving dressing would be beautiful baked in that dish!
Lasagna sounds good. As does the cornbread. I would also have to try kugel – either noodle or potato seem like they would be happy baking away in there.
What a lovely ceramic baking pan. I would make a pot of savory beef stew slowly baked and then served up in the same pot. Fantastic with a round of Rosemary Olive Oil bread for soaking up the broth.
Chilaquiles
The cornbread looks amazing! But if I had a baker like that, the first thing I would make would be apple crisp to celebrate the autumn. Then cornbread.
It would be great for a frittata, also. Start on the stovetop, then finish in the oven.
My family would be very happy if I prepared cornbread for them:) I would try that or chicken with veggies.
chicken/egpplant parm…cyummy…i love those cookies…
Lasagne would be great but I’d go for our sauerkraut casserole. Yummy.
I’d start simmering a beef and barely soup, it’s cold here!
So hard to decide–corn bread, enchiladas or maybe my zucchini, corn and tomato casserole.
This is so beautiful. I would love to make eggplant and mushroom parmigiana. Thanks for the wonderful giveaway
Renee
fattybumpkins at yahoo dot com
Love the baking dish! So-o-o many possibilities, but the first one that came to mind was green chili lasagna.
Corn bread or cinnamon rolls or maybe the Christmas egg casserole would all look great in that.
Stuffed peppers!
That’s beautiful! I’d make the moussaka I’m currently craving.
I would make the chicken stew from your Belize menu. That was so yum!!
What a beautiful dish!!! I would almost hate to cook in it but use it for serving! If I ever were tempted to put it in the oven it would be a great baking dish!
A lucious, creamy, four cheese Mac & Cheese!
Pinned this!
enchilada cassarole with carne asada and chipolte
I would take advantage of the the bounty of veggies and make a stew of tomatoes from my garden, romano beans, zucchini, peppers, eggplant. Maybe stir in some pesto and sprinkle with cheese. Maybe just use my sister in law’s herb mix and simply roast the veggies.
I would make my mom’s chili cheese dip – perfect for those Sunday football games!
I would use it to bake my yummy dinner rolls.
Oooh, that’s pretty. I’ve been into a moroccan chicken with preserved lemon lately- I’d bake that in the dish!
Stacked blue corn, chicken, cheddar cheese, enchiladas.Smothered with homemade fresh roasted green chili sauce. Yum.
I DEFINITELY want to try that corn bread, it sounds amazing! But I’d also use it to make my butternut squash lasagna and my nacho bake.
What to make, what to make, what to make… the cornbread does sound delicious! I would also make this vegetarian lasagna recipe that my mom gave to me. Roasted red peppers, mushrooms, onions, and artichoke hearts so delicious!
That dish is so beautiful! I think I’d probably use it for everything, from baking a hearty casserole to serving fresh hot bread in it. (I’ll bet it stays nicely warm for a long time.)