Peanut Butter in Paradise...

I recently bought some beachfront property in - no, not Arizona - in Belize. Actually on a tiny island off the coast of Belize called Caye Caulker.  I had been a time or two previously and fell in love with it.  Over and over people ask me why I want to live there and how did I find such a tiny spot in the first place.  I really can't tell you how I found it, it's more like it found me.  I wanted to experience living in another culture and be free from the materialistic chains in America, so I did some homework and decided Costa Rica was my #1 choice.  When I shared this information with a close friend of mine he decided he wanted that too.  He's an avid diver and, with less-than-great diving in Costa Rica, he thought Belize would be better. I agreed to give it some thought and did a little homework on the country, looked at real estate ads, looked up some Facebook pages on Belize and kept running across Caye Caulker.  No matter where I looked for information, I kept seeing it and couldn't help being drawn to it.  Sandy streets without pavement, everyone barefoot, no cars.....so I booked a flight and hotel and went for a visit.  I met a man on the plane ride over and ended up spending the day with his wonderful family (that's a great story for another blog) and felt like I may have found my home.  Caye Caulker -pronounced Key) is a small island  3 miles long and 1/2 mile wide with maybe 1100 people and about 25 miles east of Belize City across the ocean, about a 45 minute water taxi ride (Caye Caulker Water Taxi).  It was dusk when I got off the jam packed boat and stepped  on the pier. I had made arrangements with a CC real estate agent (Sara Warner, Remax - Caye Caulker Properties) to take me on a property tour in 3 days but there she was, waiting for me on the dock with her husband and son (Tommy and Egan, respectively).  How nice was that? I took a taxi - a golf cart for $2.50 US to my hotel.  I was paying $40 a night for a beachfront hotel - crazy right??  It wasn't the Hilton (and I don't mean the crappy Rockwall, Tx Hilton either).  It was small, and dark with concrete floors and camp flashback beds (I'm going to tell you where in a sec).  I thought, what have I gotten myself into?  I settled in and went to sit on the front porch.  The local cat came and welcomed me by napping in my lap until I decided to go to bed.  I was hoping tomorrow would be a better surprise than the hotel had been.
When I woke up the next morning and went outside, I knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was home.  The hotel was perfect after all and I loved it (De Real Macaw - Rob and Jessie).  I walked to breakfast (Amore Y Cafe -Mika) and had the first of many breakfasts there of peanut butter and banana toast with fresh watermelon juice with a cup of the most divine black coffee I have ever had.  Every morning I sat with my chin on the palm of my hand and just melted into a pool of complete happiness and peace.   Some mornings I'd eat at the Espresso Cafe and have Chilaquiles - heavenly scrambled eggs, tomato sauce, onions and fried corn tortillas, and yes, of course, here's the recipe:
Chilaquiles

2 cups oil for frying

1/4 cup chopped onion

30 (6 inch) corn tortillas, torn into strips

6 eggs, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons salt

1 (7.75 ounce) can Mexican style hot tomato sauce

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

In a large, heavy skillet, heat the oil to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Carefully stir in the onion and tortilla strips. Fry until tortilla strips are crisp and golden brown. Remove from heat, and drain on paper towels. Drain the skillet, leaving only a thin residue of oil.

1. Over medium heat, return tortillas to the skillet, and stir in the eggs. Season with salt. Cook and stir until eggs are firm.
2. Mix Mexican style hot tomato sauce and water into the skillet. Reduce heat, and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Top with cheese. Continue cooking until cheese has melted.