Thanksgiving 2012

 

This year for Thanksgiving I made Roasted Butternut Squash with Sage, Green Beans with Caramelized Shallots, and Veracruz Corn.  I was pretty proud of my cooking but too bad that usually the veggies are always the last to go during dinner. Lol, oh well!  I have tons of leftovers and I can't figure out what to do with them.  I have a feeling I will end up tossing them. :-/

 

We had so much food as usual that I really didn't get to enjoy dessert.  That was so disappointing but I honestly couldn't fit anything else inside of me without getting sick.  Dessert sure did look yummy though...

 

I had a great time with my nieces and nephews.  The two older ones got my phone and took silly pictures galore.  Love when they do that. :)  Anyhow, I got my Christmas card idea that evening. I will post it on here when its done.

 

I had a pretty good weekend with family and friends.  I can't complain and I am always appreciating the blessings God provides daily.  Love my life...

 

xoxo... 

Dating...

So I have started dating. Like official first dates at a restaurant. I even found my favorite "first date" restaurant. Its far enough away from home, has valet, and safe because I'm known by some employees there. Feels good to date. All my past relationships have been so unconventional. That tells me that I've been going about it all wrong since none of them have worked out.

This year I allowed physical relationships in my life but like the year, I'm quickly coming to the end of that. I want something serious. I want to be taken out. I want someone to tell me I'm beautiful. Not "can I see you tonight?" It's my fault for allowing it and therefore not allowing myself to be seen in another way. I kind of held hope that the physical relationship would grow into something more serious but I realized that its not going to happen.

So this is why I'm dating. I had a date last Friday. He treated me to a nice meal and told me i was beautiful. That's what I want.

Xoxo...

Chicken Soup

 

I'm so proud of my first attempt to make chicken soup.  I did not follow any recipe and just took some pointers from my friend and then followed my instinct. 

 

I cooked the chicken breast in chicken broth with chopped tomatos, onion, some lemon grass and a little garlic.  I added salt and lemon pepper to taste.  Once the chicken look cooked I added all my veggies.  Those veggies were:  celery, carrots, green beans, and potatoes.  I let it simmer for about 20 minutes or until veggies were cooked. 

 

I loved my soup so much I didn't even add Tapatio sauce or lemon!  

 

Can't wait to make it again!

 

xoxo... 

Sopa De Fideo

 

Sopa de Fideo is one my favorite childhood soups.  It was a repeat dish growing up and I didn't mind that at all.  I would mix in Tapatio sauce and lemon sometimes or other times mix in mayonaise.  Yup, sounds weird but I loved it.  My friend commented that the pasta I used was shells instead of the broken up spaghetti (aka fideo).  I told her that in my family we've always used all sorts of pasta for this sopa.  I remember shells, stars, alphabets, macaroni, and spaghetti.  It's delicious none the less and I'm so glad I know how to make it.  It's so easy you can try it too!

 

Ingredients:

 

7 oz bag of pasta (your choice!)

Knorr Chicken Flavor Bouillon (to taste)

Tomato sauce (about half of 8oz can)

1 tablespoon of cooking oil

3 - 4 cups of water

 

First you slightly brown the pasta in the oil for a few minutes stirring it regularly to make sure it cooks evenly.  Add enough tomato sauce to coat the pasta but be careful not to add too much.  Stir it in and then add the water and chicken bouillon.  Stir it, cover it, and let it simmer for about 15 minutes, or until pasta is cooked.

 

Enjoy!

 

xoxo.....

Pastel de Chocolate Méxicano

 

I found this recipe in an old Mexican Desserts recipe book my family has.  I've had the book for years but never used it.  Recently my sister asked for the book and I hated letting it go. Lol, before I gave it to her I found this recipe that seemed pretty easy to make and included Abuelita/Ibarra chocolate.  I had been "itching" to make something with the mexican chocolate I had and I finally found an easy recipe. 

 

Again, it was pretty easy to make.  The end result was pretty disappointing to me though.  It had a Jello consistancy that I didn't enjoy.  My mother and friends tasted the pie and they liked it.  My mother liked it the most and I felt slightly redeemed for that. :) 

 

What would I change?  Not so much Jello pudding mix and more cream cheese.  A Mexican Chocolate Cheesecake sounds awesome right?  Yummy!  One day I'll be adventurous enough to experiment and make it. 

 

xoxo.....

Mata Ortiz Pottery

 

Today I volunteered and helped friends sell their Mata Ortiz (small town in Mexico) pottery.  They also had a couple of the Mata Ortiz artists there for Q & A and to teach some of us how they paint their pottery.  This picture is my attempt at paiting the pottery.  I've never been good at staying within the lines... Lol :)

 

xoxo....

My Baby Daddy

 

Okay, so I joke around that my friend is my future baby daddy.  This stems from a serious conversation we had years ago where I was freaking out about being 30, single, and could swear I was hearing my biological clock ticking.  My lovely friend then offered to be my "baby daddy" should I ever start looking for a donor. :) 

 

Since that conversation I have thought about going down the sperm donor route but I always seem to think over and decide against it.  I'm still young enough to have children on my own and I want to believe that I will find my life partner. 

 

I may take him up on his offer after the big 4 - 0 but for now I'm holding out hope for romance. 

 

xoxo...