Thanksgiving Day Yummys

Today was Thanksgiving and the hubby and I decided to step outside of the normal holiday tradition box and open a new tradition box. I woke up early with the kids and made a big breakfast. Breakfast was sausage and eggs, bacon, pancakes, and hash browns.

While the hubby was sleeping I boiled 4 chicken breast with a small piece of celery, small slices of onion, and two garlic cloves. Once they were done, which was about 45 minutes, I broke them into smaller pieces and put them in the Ninja bullet to shred them. I also boiled the tomatillos. I also soaked the corn husks in a sink of water for about 30 minutes.

 

 

After breakfast I put 1/2 stick of lard and 1 tablespoon of baking powder into the masa preparado. (This is the tamale mix already mixed for the most part) Then my son and I smooshed and churned and mooshed. Our hands were a sticky mess. You must stir the tamale mix for 30 minutes by hand. You can tell by the consistency change when it is ready. Once it is ready you are good to go.

 
Once the tomatillos are boiled you place them into the blender, we also added a small piece of jalapeno pepper and a clove of garlic. Once mixed to salsa consistency you put on the stove to boil. Add a little oil to the skillet before adding the salsa.

 Mix the chicken into the salsa and once cooled you can begin making your tamales. First put the tamale mix, then the salsa mix, and we added Mexican crumble cheese. These are properly called Verde tamales, or green.

 

 

We also made sweet tamales, better know as Dulce. You use part of the tamale mix and add 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract,and 1/2 tablespoon of ground cinnamon. I mixed, then added 2 cups of sugar and some raisons mixed and then placed onto the corn husk.

 

 

Once they are all wrapped and ready to go they go into the giant roaster pictured at the top. You fill the bottom under the tray with water, add some corn husk over the tray and cook on medium for about an hour.

 

Be Blessed in all that you do.

 

Micah 6:8) He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

 

 

It's all about Giving Thanks

Today is Thanksgiving. No big turkey day plans here. We are a dual cultural family, which sometimes makes the traditional American holidays a little different. The hubby isn't particularly fond of turkey, as it wasn't a food he grew up with. Because we don't normally have mashed potatoes and other traditional sides on a regular basis, the kids are not particularly fond of them. On a normal day we will eat a meal that falls somewhere between American, Italian, and Mexican, and most often are Mexican meals. Refried beans and rice have become a staple to our diet. Trying to adhere to a healthier diet, most of our meals are chicken or fish based. It may sound like we don't eat very well, but we do. Creativity is a huge part of meal preparation at our house. Hubby will watch a cooking show on TV and create a dish that is very similar but usually with a twist. When I make a new recipe I usually tweak it according to my family's taste. This usually means adding veggies to whatever it is. We like to add onions to most everything, along with garlic powder or fresh garlic, green peppers when we can, and tomatoes if it is feasible. This is how we get the kiddos to eat veggies. Keeping to this we decided to merge two holiday traditions from two cultures onto Thanksgiving Day.

Our main course will be Tamales. We are making Rojo (red), Verde (green), and Dulce (sweet). The drink of choice will be Atole, which is very similar to hot chocolate. There will also be a creamy corn served.  I will be making a pumpkin bread. Our big plans are to sit and relax together as a family. We aren't big football fans either, so we will probably just watch movies all day and play with the kiddos.

On this day I am extremely thankful that we are together as a family. I am thankful that the hubby is here and able to celebrate with us. One year ago we were readjusting to life together after a long deployment. My Mother-In-Law and Father-In-Law were here visiting from Mexico. It was the first time hubby had seen his mom in a year and the first time he had seen his dad in three years. Our daughter had recently turned one, so we had her birthday party during this time.

We did make a traditional Thanksgiving Day meal last year, because his parents wanted to celebrate the holiday. They loved it. We made the turkey, some creamy corn, green beans, and dinner rolls. It was so yummy and so much fun. It was probably only my second time to ever cook a successful turkey.

On this day in 2014, I am thankful that my family is alive and well. That the husband and I are at our 5 1/2 year mark of marriage. That we have a house, two cars, a fridge full of food, and clothes. We don't have all that we may want, but we have exactly what we need. The most important thing that we have is God in our lives and each other. Each day I pray that God will guide us as to how to pay our blessings forward.

I am thankful for being able to live on a military installation, to have this full-on military life experience. Up until just a few months ago we had never lived on post. We lived in an apartment, or in our house in our home state. Here we have a house where our kids can have their own room. The closets are big. I am often humbled when I step into the master closet because I think of how many families in America and around the world would relish having that much space to call a home. My daily goal is to thank God for this blessing. Even I know that not everyone has this opportunity. The home we own is a comfortable three bedroom, but it doesn't have near the space this house has.

It is important for each of us to be thankful for the good and bad in our lives, to ask God to show us how best to pay it forward. It is important for each of us to remain humble to not brag. The temptation is there when you buy a new car, or a house, or even clothes or shoes. But in reality we should not bring attention to these things so as not to appear to be bragging. That is one of the qualities that I love the most about my husband. He has actually been the one to teach me how to be much more humble. God gives and God takes away. We pass things along for others to use, we try to help those in need whenever they pass our way. Again, this is something that the hubby excels at. I often struggle with why I need to help someone asking for help around town, but hubby has a way of knowing who is legit.

 I remember one time when we were struggling early in our marriage. Our son had been born early with a lot of medical issues and we were drowning in medical bills. On top of that we were going through the legal process of getting hubby's expired visa issue corrected. Money was tight. We were coming back from Memphis, from a failed immigration meeting, we knew we were going to need to hire a lawyer again. We didn't even know at that point if hubby would be granted a Green Card even after hiring the lawyer again. We stop for gas at this little gas station that was right off I-40. We fed our son, we walked around the little grassy area trying to unwind from that very stressful meeting. We were trying to focus on the now. A man came up to us and said that he had run out of gas and did we have a few dollars. My internal reaction was "Um no, we barely have gas money for us, and we have two kids to feed and do you know what is going on in our lives?" But hubby just reached into his pocket and handed him two dollars without hesitation and no questions asked. I was floored and immediately humbled. So needless to say I pray daily that God will work on me with being selfish and helping me to be more giving.

I am thankful for so many things in my life. Even though it is hard for me to know my son is miles and miles away celebrating this holiday with his Dad, and that I won't see him, and will only talk to him on the phone, I am thankful. Thankful that he has a home and food and family that love him. I miss my parents, my sister, my nieces, I know hubby misses all of his family. But we are both thankful that their needs are met. That they are not lacking of any of the basic needs. God is great and his love abounds. It can be found all around us. Embrace your family today, you don't know when the last time to hug them, or eat a meal with them, or talk to them on the phone will be.

Our riches cannot be defined by the material things people will be fighting over later today in the stores, but rather in each other. I am rich because I have three beautiful children, a charming husband, and both of my parents are still alive. I know it was just leaving my son behind, but I can tell you that it was one of the hardest days in my life. It took months to walk completely out of that darkness and into the light. I had promised him for so long that we were a team, but I didn't have the upper hand, and God had a plan. One that we don't know just yet, but we know will be revealed to us. I could not imagine actually losing my child, because just that pain brought me to my knees. Hug your children be nice to your spouse and above all else give thanks and glory to God.

Isaiah 2:17) And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low; and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. 18) And the idols he shall utterly abolish. 19) And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. 20) In that day a man shall cast his idols they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; 21) To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.

A Sweet with a Kick







 

In my quest to try new things, I recently came across a recipe for Mexican Brownies. Once again located on the ever famous Pinterest site. It is from the afamilyfeast.com link. The Prep time is 10 minutes, cook time is 30 minutes, and it makes about 24 servings.

Ingredients:
4 ounces of Bakers' brand unsweetened chocolate
3/4 cup of butter
2 cups of sugar
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/4 ground cayenne pepper (used 1/8 tsp this time and it was just a hint of the cayenne)
1 cup all purpose flour

Instructions:
1.) preheat oven to 350 degrees
2.) Line a 13x9 inch baking pan with foil, making sure that the piece of foil is large enough to allow the ends of the foil to extend up and over the sides of the pan. (I use Reynolds baking tin foil so that my baked foods do not stick to the foil)
3.) In a large microwave safe bowl add the chocolate and the butter and microwave on high for 2 minutes. I melted them on the stove top and stirred until both were completely melted.
4.) Stir in the sugar
5.) Blend in the eggs and vanilla stirring to combine as much as possible
6.) Add the cinnamon, cayenne, and flour and mix thoroughly
7.) Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with fudgy crumbs
8.) Let cool completely. When cool use the foil to remove the brownies from the pan and onto a cutting board. Cut before serving.

Melting the chocolate and the butter

 

 

Melted Butter and Chocolate
 
 
Adding the Sugar

 

Blend in the eggs and vanilla

Add the cinnamon, cayenne

and flour and mix thoroughly

Ready for the oven

I Sincerely hope that if you try this recipe that you will enjoy it. They are very sweet, and my kids did like them, but they didn't eat as many as I did, that goes for the hubby also.

Proverbs 3: 5) Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6) In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

 

A Different Taste to Share

On Monday I sat on my kitchen floor trying to brainstorm what we should have for dinner. My husband was off to training and it was just my daughter and I at home. I felt sad at the thought of making the same ole same ole again that night. As my husband walked out the door he said "Just make that chicken thing you make" Blah. We pretty much stick to chicken or fish, so you have to get creative or it will all taste the same.

I pulled out my MOPS cookbook and started flipping through the pages. I came across two that I liked the sound of. Baked Chicken or Crockpot Chicken and Potatoes. Because of a busy Tuesday schedule I decided to save the crockpot recipe for then and quickly set about getting chicken thighs thawed out. I decided I wanted to make the potatoes I had tried at a friends house and got the recipe. So that night I got the thighs all prepared and placed into the oven and I set about making these potatoes. They were supposed to be garlic tasting and had garlic, onion, cilantro and green pepper. I had everything but cilantro but gave it a whirl anyway. By the time the potatoes were boiled and fried and the veggies were finely chopped and everything was mixed, I had light green potatoes. We ate them anyway and they were yummy, but definitely something I need to work on.

I could tell my husband was pleased with this new food. Even my daughter who rarely eats dinner ate a few bites of the chicken. Both kids liked the potatoes and my son smothered all of his food in ranch dressing.

Tuesday dawns and I am psyched. It's another chicken and potato kind of day, but this one won't require much effort from me. I get it all prepped into the crockpot then the kids and I head off to appointments. We come home to a yummy smelling house. I add rice as a side dish to the Crockpot chicken and potatoes and some garlic bread. Again the hubby was pleased and again the kids were more than a little willing to try this new food.

Score.

Wednesday dawns and I pull Pork Loins out of the freezer and the hubby begins to frown at them while we are cooking breakfast. I tell him that tonight I am going to bake them make some fried potatoes, since no one in my house likes mashed potatoes except for me, and add a veggie. I could see the disappointment in his eyes. I could tell that he was thinking about sitting in that training all day long and then coming home to a less than stellar supper. Now being the good wife that I like to think I am, I couldn't let that happen. That was a terrifying thought for me. As a stay home wife and mommy I feel it is my job to make things easier for him and to teach the kids how to be good little people. So I turned to Pinterest. I spent a good two hours searching pork loin recipes

I came up with Country-Style Pork Loin. The only thing that I didn't have the ingredients for was the gravy, and that was A-Okay for me because we don't like gravy and it is very unhealthy.  So I got them all prepared and ready for the crockpot. I was super excited because the hubby had no idea. I also decided to try my hand at seasoned potatoes once again and pulled a recipe for roasted potatoes with bacon, garlic, and onions. Just the pork loins in the crock pot began to make my mouth water. I decided I would serve biscuits with this meal. Hubby came home and you could see the relief in his face. He eagerly dug in and once again my kids were less hesitant to eat. There was even some left over for the hubby to take to work the next day.

As I was getting ready for bed, I am thinking of the chicken that is thawed. What can I do with it. So I am rolling ideas around in my head as I am going to bed, when I wake up the next day and while I am at the grocery store. It is there that it hits me, fried chicken, like chicken tenders. Then I start thinking about this pull apart garlic bread that I have been wanting to make. So I return home with a plan for a fun supper. This will once again be a surprise for the hubby. I prepared the garlic bread first and set it aside. Then I peeled the potatoes so we could have French fries. They are always a hit with the kiddos. Then the chicken. This would my first time to fry chicken. My hands were a sticky mess by the time the chicken was ready to fry. But I was ready. I turned on some music so I could jam out. The kids loved it. We were dancing around as the chicken fried and the fries were cooking, then I popped the bread into the oven and the house smelled scrumptious. I was on cloud 9. Hubby came in to a messy house, a daughter without a diaper, and his family laughing and dancing and singing and food freshly prepared. It was a magical feeling.

Needless to say dinner was a success and then afterwards we all walked to the mailbox. Through all of this I only slightly burned my right hand on the oven rack and a small slice to my left thumb. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to be at home with the liberty to meal plan. I am blessed to have access to technology and books. I am thankful for a husband who has taught me to appreciate trying new foods, and recipes. 

1 Corinthians 13-4) Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth no; charity vauntheth not itself, is not puffed up 5.) doth not behave itself unseemly seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6.) rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7.) beareth all thing, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 

An Ode to Husbands Everywhere

While you were sleeping the baby woke up five times to nurse, or crying, or because they couldn't sleep. Our son woke up once because he peed the bed and had a nightmare. All of the chaos happened around you and you never stopped snoring. I changed our son's sheets, I took care of the baby, there were even a few diaper changes in there.

While you were sleeping I woke up so many times with the kids, that by 3:30 a.m. I had completely given up on sleep. I got out of bed and grabbed my phone, my book, and my bottle of water and headed downstairs. As I am walking down the stairs I am considering all of my options: clean the downstairs bathroom, start the beans for refried beans, peal potatoes for the hash browns you love so much. But instead I sit on the couch in the dark with a cup of hot chocolate and watch my stock pile of recorded shows that I never seem to have time to watch during the day.

While you were sleeping I got our son ready for school and started cooking breakfast. All the while I am thinking of all the ways I would love to wake you up and I don't. I wonder what it would be like to have the ability to sleep through every little sound. To never hear the baby cry or our son come into our room. I wonder why I can't sleep through the garbage men picking up trash or the neighbors loud radio.

I have the Mom super power. This super power gives me the ability to have super hearing. Where I can hear every little noise that the tiniest little creature makes. It means that my children will never be successful in tearing up the entire house while I sleep on. It means that I have mastered the ability to do multiple things at once on very little sleep, and very often while you are sleeping.