Sunday, July 27, 2014

Rooted Treasures

Today was a day in which I had to have some deep rooted treasures..............homemade tortillas and chile (salsa).



I grew up by some rather primitive means so making tortillas by the time I was 10 was family custom and in our family, it was defining. Anything less was not acceptable so my mom made sure I knew how to make tortillas.


 
I remember mom telling me, "you're going to get a hole in your stomach for being chiflada malagradecida (spoiled unappreciative)" because I would eat chile on my tortillas rather than beans or anything besides just chile. She would say it hoping to put some fear in me but mainly to remind me that it was more important to teach me to make the most of what I had and not be ungrateful.
 

 
Thank goodness I did not throw out my molcajete, just like mom had. We did not mess with blenders when I was growing up-those were for making drink shakes or the chili pod sauces for Menudo and Caldos (soups) or the thicker sauces that required heavy duty pulsing.  


 
I am grateful to God that I am still enjoying delicious treasures from my early years. My childhood lessons live on. 
 
Back then, it was hard to see that those little things would be my deep rooted treasures. Today, I will have it no other way!






Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Quick Breakfast & Lunch

Oatmeal with raspberries, walnuts, a little milk, some hot water, a couple of dashes of cinnamon, and 1 table spoon of Agave nectar. It was quick.


 
 
Spinach, steam cooked Salmon, and walnuts for lunch. Quick and so easy.
 

 
For flavor, Raspberry Vinaigrette dressing.....Yum!

Monday, October 28, 2013

Ceviche at Lunch.




I just put 2 Tilapia fillets in 3/4 cup of lemon juice, 1/4 cup of water, in sauce pan over low heat until the fish was cooked; then I added the cooked fish to a bowl with chopped cilantro, onion, tomato, and 1 tbsp. of lime juice. At lunch time, I just added chopped avocado and mixed all together and put over tostada. Yum! Oh and Cholula of course. I could not wait to snap the shot so that is why the photo depicts a bite, yes I bit it off and it was so delish.
 
Though comfort food is usually for this season, this was quick and easy. Yay!

Saturday, September 14, 2013

Not Every Day!

 

Cardinal Rodriguez INVITED us to briefly sit down with him-thank you Jesus. (Yes when I went up to the cardinal, I kissed his hand-not his ring. For those that aren’t fluent with Catholicism, let’s just say one shouldn’t be in those moments and miss an etiquette protocol of that magnitude.)

We chatted, in EspaƱol, about Abel’s name (not Cain), the boy in Lubbock, the local parishes, some of his history, this being his third trip to the diocese here, and the Pope. He even showed us a photo on his cell phone that he took of the Pope holding up a Chivas jersey-definitely not anything our previous generations could imagine seeing. (It was like a pleasant dream that you wake up and just think cool.)

Before mass, he spoke words that just resonate “…be brilliant in love…is in the heart of evangelization…”  I was in awe (his eminence) and just grateful for the favor of having met him and that we had a photo with him.

Mass procession was led by a few priests wearing surplices as they would serve at the altar (no altar boys or girls today), then deacons, priests, monsignors, and the bishop all wearing color coordinated chasubles….vestment. Then, the Cardinal followed holding his Crosier (so pretty), his scarlet color chasuble, the mitre on his head, as he walked by and the choir sang softly with the harp sound just adding that deep feeling to all our silent excitement as we stood and watched. He made it to the altar and took off his mitre and ensured his scarlet zucchetto remained on his head.

NO PHOTOS during mass were allowed but during the homily, his eminence said things like Es de bien nacido ser bien agradecido/ to be grateful is to be well-born when he spoke of his elementary years in school. The Eucharist was given by all priests, a sight I had never seen before.  

WOW, it’s not every day a cardinal gives a mass here……….and I was there. I serve the One but it sure is pretty cool to see the familial rituals.



Sunday, August 18, 2013

Zucchini Medallions

Thank goodness for great giving neighbors, such a favor.




My Zucchini Medallions

Prep skillet first so it can heat up while you prep the rest of ingredients

Take a big spoon (the kind your grandmothers, mothers, and or aunts used) and get a big spoonful of shortening, Lard and put in skillet-about 1/2" deep when melted. This does not need to be perfect scientific measures. Or, 1 cup of oil, if it's a 12" diameter skillet. Turn on to a medium heat and let it begin heating.

Get 1 1/2 cups of low-fat milk (2%), pour into a medium to large bowl and set aside.
2 lg zucchini, cut into 1/4" width slices-pat dry and set slices aside

Breading ingredients:
2 cups of flour, all-purpose
2 tblsp of garlic powder
1 tblsp of cayenne pepper
1 tblsp of cumin powder
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of pepper

Mix above breading ingredients all together in any cake pan. You may moderate breading ingredients to your liking.

Immerse zucchini slices in milk

Put slices from milk into breading ingredients, flour both sides.

Wet finger tip and put over hot oil, if you hear it pop then the oil is hot enough to begin the deep fry.

Put enough sliced floured zucchinis in the hot oil in skillet but not where they are over other slices. Leave about 1/2" between slices when frying. Wait 5 minutes or so to flip and if it's a light golden brown then flip to other side. Wait until they fry to a nice golden brown though and test one first before flipping the others. Once you get your pretty brown then begin flipping to other side.

Take out of oil and put on a paper towel on a brown paper bag, shown below. Wait about 7 minutes while they cool and drain then serve with your favorite summer meals. (Yes, I took a bite out of one, shown below.)


Dip medallions in your favorite sauces. We enjoy best with ranch dressing, some with ketchup.

Enjoy.





Monday, May 20, 2013

Cheese and Beef Enchiladas

 
All ingredients in photo above were used.
 
Put pinto beans and rice in water and set aside, about an hour (beans can be left in water over night). Beans cook quicker and so does rice.

 
Begin your prep work. Chop chiles and onion for the beef. Set aside 1/4 cup of diced onions to top enchiladas.
 
 
Begin browning ground beef and add chopped chile and onion. I used Serrano.

 
Once your ground beef appears cooked, then add 1/4 cup of tomato sauce and 1 1/2 tblsp of Caldo con Sabor de Res, Beef flavor Bouillon. Add water-enough that your meat is under water then cook down to just ground beef. Set aside to cool.

 
Once my beef is cooked then I begin my beans. I put water to boil and once it begins bubbling/boiling, I add my uncooked pinto beans then 1 tblsp of oil and 1 tsp of salt. Let cook until beans are soft and ready to eat.
 
 
Brown rice, until golden brown then add onion. Before you add 1/2 cup of tomato sauce, add 1 tsp of minced garlic and a pinch of cumin seeds then add water-about 1 1/2 cups of water for 1/2 cup uncooked rice and let cook.

 
Begin the magical red enchilada sauce, 2 tblsp of oil.

 
2 tblsp of flour.

 
Whisk oil and flour together, like a roux sauce.

 
Add water once you have a thick smooth substance, I added 1 1/2 cups of water. If you like it thicker then add flour to a mixing cup and add water and whisk together-aside from main mixture then add from mixing cup to this main mixture until you get your desired thickness.

 
Add the chili powder. I love the red stuff so I used 4 1/2 tblsp of chili powder, your favorite brand works fine. 
 
Keep whisking together. Add minced garlic and a pinch of cumin seed, ha that's my secret and it's the same taste at little amounts so they all add up at the end.....yum....and it's delish. My other sauce secret, 1 tsp of Caldo de Tomate, Tomato Bouillon-yum.  You cannot mess this up, just keep adding any of these combinations until it taste like enchilada sauce that you like.

 
Once you get your taste right where you like it, remove from heat. Spoon some in the pan you will cook your enchiladas in to begin your assembly line work.
 
 
You can spoon some sauce in the oil you cook your tortillas in, I just use oil because the sauce seems to soften the tortilla almost to a torn tortilla. Just 1 tblsp of oil will work just fine and if you begin running low on oil, just add some more oil.

 
Begin the rolling-I started with cheese.
 
 
Then I rolled the beef ones.


 
I put diced onions on top, added the cheese and sauce. Cooked in oven for about 20 minutes, on 300 degrees. I have been known to lower the degrees and leave in oven for no more than 45 minutes until the beans and rice to serve all warm and freshly made at the same time. Yum and delish.
 
 
Dinner served! This is not a calorie cutting diet suggestion so eat less if you can and if not, you will find great savor in this heavenly combination of ingredients. 
 
 
Enjoy!!!!






Tuesday, May 7, 2013

He Did Not Wait!

A chocolate cake is always a good idea.
 
 
 
Step 1: I just followed the instructions on the box.
 
 
Step 2: I had to get it just perfect after allowing it to cool for about 45 minutes.

 
Step 3: It looked so picture perfect.

 
 
Step 4: Walked away to wait until the morning for some milk with fresh chocolate cake for breakfast.
 
 
About five minutes later, I walked back through the kitchen and found this. He asked why I would wait a whole night before cutting into it and told me not to cover it back up because he was not finished. He said it was delicious and that he would save me some.

 
Life is awesome and I live with a funny guy.