Canonization of Junípero Serra - Tortilla Making

With the canonization today of St. Junípero Serra, we had a little community celebration at our house. Lots of kids learning about California mission life and how they lived and what they ate.  The culmination of the event was making our own corn tortillas which were eaten with toppings of frijoles, peppers, and cheese. We are doing another similar event tomorrow.

We started out by learning about how to grind corn on a makeshift metate. (Just for fun - we didn't use this flour in the actual preparation or cooking.)

Then everyone rolled out their own tortillas, placed between sheets of wax paper.

They were then fried on the griddle. The kids patiently waited and kept an eye on their special creations.

And finally everyone enjoyed their finished tortillas, topped with frijoles, peppers, and queso fresco. 

If you are learning about St. Junípero Serra and celebrating his canonization this week, give fresh tortilla making a try!

Making Corn Tortillas From Scratch

Ingredients

2 cups masa harina
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups hot water

Instructions

Mix the masa harina and the salt together in a mixing bowl. Pour in the water and stir to combine.  Using your hands, knead the dough for a minute or two in the bowl. The dough is ready when it's smooth, but no longer sticky, and easy forms a ball.

Rest the dough for 15-30 minutes to fully absorb the water and texture of the tortillas. When ready, pinch off a few tablespoons of dough and roll it between your hands to form a ball.  Adjust the amount of dough to make larger or smaller tortillas.

Without a tortilla press: Place the ball of dough on a piece of wax or parchment paper. Place another piece on top of dough ball. Use a rolling pin to flatten the tortillas. Start in the middle and roll out to the edges until thin and about 6 inches in diameter. Peel away the top paper, flip the tortilla over onto your palm, and peel off the back paper.

Warm a large, flat cast iron griddle or skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook for 2 minutes, until the edges are starting to curl up and the bottoms look dry and pebbly. Flip and cook another 1 to 2 minutes on the other side.  Serve with selected toppings. Makes about 20 6-inch tortillas.

St. Junípero Serra, Pray for us!

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Pentecost Brunch

The following Pentecost Brunch menu and recipes were submitted by Kathryn Zamudio, and the photos were taken by her husband Miguel.

Pentecost is the end of the Easter season. It is also the birthday of the church. This is a good opportunity to share the Easter season with our friends who could not make it to Easter due to family obligations.

This time of the year, wild fires in New Mexico bring heat and wind, reminding us of the symbols of Pentecost. This brunch menu is hot, fiery and windswept, just like Pentecost and New Mexico.

Gazpacho

Pentecost Pork Stew

Fresh Tomato Salsa

Stuffed Sweet Peppers

Cream Cheese & Radish Sandwiches

Smoked Tongue Sandwiches

Coleslaw

Red Chili Tamales

Verde Tamales

Chili Colorado

Tomato & Watercress Salad

Cactus, Zucchini and Red Pepper Salad

Virgin Mary Cocktails

Coffee

Gazpacho

• 1 hothouse cucumber, halved and seeded, but not peeled
• 2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded
• 4 plum tomatoes
• 1 red onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups tomato juice
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Roughly chop the cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, and red onions into 1-inch cubes. Put each vegetable separately into a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until it is coarsely chopped. Do not overprocess!

After each vegetable is processed, combine them in a large bowl and add the garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well and chill before serving. The longer gazpacho sits, the more the flavors develop.

Pentecost Pork Stew

• 1 small red bell pepper
• 1 small yellow bell pepper
• 1 lb pork loin, fat removed, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1/2lb bulk chorizo sausage
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 tbsp dried basil leaves
• 1 tbsp dried cilantro leaves
• 2 tsp ground red chiles
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1 small butterntu squash, pared and cut into ½ inch cubes
• 1 can (2 ¼ oz) sliced ripe olives, drained
• Corn Bread Topping
• 1½ cups yellow cornmeal
• ½ cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup dairy sour cream
• 2/3 cup milk
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg

Cut 6 thin slices from each bell pepper; reserve slices. Chop remaining bell peppers. Cook pork, sausage, onion and garlic in 4 quart Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until pork is no longer pink. Stir in chopped bell peppers broth, basil, cilantro and ground red chiles. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir tomato, squash and olives into meat mixture; cook 15 minutes longer.

Heat oven to 425º. Prepare Corn Bread Topping by mixing all ingredients; beat vigorously. Pour meat mixture into ungreased rectangular baking dish, 13 x 9 x 2 inches. Pour Corn Bread topping over meat mixture; carefully spread to cover, sealing to edge of dish. Arrange reserved bell pepper slices on top to resemble tongues of fire. Bake until topping is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

Chorizo Sausage

If you cannot find bulk chorizo sausage in your local grocery store, you can make your own. Substituting ground turkey will give you a chorizo with less saturated fat.

• 2 lbs. ground pork or turkey
• 3 tbsp Kosher salt
• 2 tbsp ancho chili powder
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp chipotle powder
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriander
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar

Combine all ingredients except vinegar in a large bowl and chill for about 1 hour.

Add vinegar to the meat and mix thoroughtly until it has a uniform appearance and stickiness.

Test for seasoning by sautéing a small sausage patty until cooked through. Taste and adjust flavorings as necessary.

Fresh Tomato Salsa

• 3 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 2 to 3 tbsp lime juice
• 2 tbsp snipped fresh cilantro
• 1 tbsp finely chopped jalapeno chile
• 1 tsp finely chopped garlic
• 1/4 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients.

Stuffed Sweet Peppers

• 8 Small sweet peppers, yellow, orange and red
• 4 strips turkey bacon
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 12 tsp cumin
• 8 oz Cotija cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Put chiles directly on stove burner and cook until charred, turning as necessary. Let cool, then slit open.

Microwave bacon until crispy. Chop bacon and set aside.

Add olive oil to pan and heat over medium heat. Add garlic, cook 1 minute. Add onion and cook until sot ( about 5 minutes). Add oregano and cumin and cook 1 minute more. Let cool. Add cheese, pecans and chopped bacon to mixture and mix well. Fill prepared chiles.

Place stuffed chiles on oven proof dish and bake for 10 minutes.

Cream Cheese & Radish Sandwiches

• 6 slices white bread
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 12 radishes
• Parsley sprigs for garnish
• Salt

Chop half the radishes finely. Mix with cream cheese and salt. Spread on 6 slices of bread. Cut remaining radishes in half and put half a radish on each sandwich with the red skin on top. Garnish with a twig of parsley.

Yield: Makes 6 sandwiches

Smoked Tongue Sandwiches

• 6 slices bread
• butter
• 1/2 lb smoked tongue, boiled
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp. horseradish
• 1 tsp. sugar
• salt

Butter slices of bread, garnish with thin slices of smoked tongue. Mix mayonnaise, horseradish, sugar and salt. Spread on slices of tongue.

Yield: Serves 6

Czech Coleslaw

• 1 med. head cabbage, cored and sliced into thin strips approx. 1-2" long
• 2-4 cups very hot water
• Dressing:
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• pepper, freshly ground
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 yellow pepper, diced
• 1 can (8 oz.) sliced mushrooms, drained

Core and roughly slice cabbage into thin strips an inch or two long. Place strips in colander nested in larger bowl and pour enough very hot water over to cover. Soak 7 minutes.

Using more vinegar than water, mix the two to taste creating a total of 1 cup liquid. Dissolve in sugar and salt (again, to taste whether you like it sweeter or more sour) Add a grinding of pepper, then whisk in the oil.

Remove colander from bowl; allow cabbage to drain well and cool.

While cooling, dice onion, green and yellow peppers. Toss together peppers, cabbage, and drained mushrooms in a nonmetallic salad bowl.

Pour salad dressing over slaw and marinate in fridge, covered, overnight or for at least four hours.

Yield: Serves 6

Red-Chile Tamales


Since we live in the Southwest, we just buy our tamales. Making them is too much effort, and we can get many different varieties. If you live in a tamale deprived part of the country, here are the recipes.

Masa


• 2 cups masa harina

• 1½ cups chicken stock, hot

• 1½ teaspoons salt

• 1 cup lard or vegetable shortening

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

Place masa harina in a large bowl. Pour in hot chicken stock and combine well with a rubber spatula. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, mix until thoroughly combined and adjust consistency with warm water.

Filling
1/4 cup peanut or vegetable oil
2½ pounds pork roast, cut in ¾ inch cubes
1 large onion, diced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
4 cups chicken broth or water
2 teaspoons ground coriander seed
2 teaspoons ground cumin seed
2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
1 cup red-chile powder
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoon sherry vinegar 
salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 350°F..

Heat the oil in a large skillet and brown pork in batches. Set the pork aside. Add the onion to the skillet and sauté until golden. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Deglaze the skillet with one cup of the chicken broth, loosening the browned bits with a spoon.
 Add the coriander, cumin, oregano, red-chile powder, honey, vinegar, and salt to the pan. Add the cooked onions, garlic, and broth.
 Place the browned pork, chile marinade in an ovenproof pot or dish, stir to combine and bake for 1 hour or until pork is tender.
 Shred pork with two forks until desired consistency is achieved.

Pre-soak your corn husks in water until pliable. Layer a tablespoon of masa and filling inside. Fold each side of the husk over the filling so the filling is covered. Fold bottom ends of the husk over

Tamales Verdes


• Masa
 - 2½ cups high-quality masa harina 

• 1½ to 2 cups water, then additional as needed

• 1 cup fresh spinach

• 1 bunch green onions, green part only, chopped

• 1 teaspoon epazote (a Mexican spice)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 8 ounces lard, vegetable shortening, or butter
 (all at room temperature)



Place masa harina in a large bowl. Combine water, spinach, onions, and espazote in a blender; purée for 1 minute. Add this blend, baking powder, and salt to masa harina. Combine well. Add fat and combine well. Add warm water until light, sticky dough is achieved. Cover and reserve.
Spinach and Goat-Cheese Filling
1 pound chèvre cheese 
(such as South Mountain brand)
1 cup spinach, chopped
½ teaspoon salt

Place ingredients in a large bowl and mix until combined. Place mixture in a pastry bag with a large, round tip. Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap or parchment paper. Pipe cheese mixture onto the lined baking sheet and freeze mixture for 1 to 2 hours. Remove cheese from freezer and cut into 1½-inch pieces. Place pieces in a plastic bag and store in freezer until needed.

Pre-soak your corn husks in water until pliable. Layer a tablespoon of masa and filling inside. Fold each side of the hust over the filling so the filling is covered. Fold both ends of the husk over. Fold them in the same direction so all the flaps face down.

Using narrow strings pulled form a husk, tie a bow around the package to keep it closed.

Chili Colorado

Again, we can buy this premade in any of our local Latin stores.

• 2 ounces whole dried New Mexico chiles (6)
• 1 ounce whole dried guajillo chiles (6)
• 4 cups boiling-hot water
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped white onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt, or to taste
• 2 teaspoons Sherry vinegar, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon sugar, or to taste

Rinse chiles and split open, discarding stems, seeds, and ribs.

Heat a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over moderate heat, then toast chiles, skin sides up, in batches, about 30 seconds (be careful not to burn them, or sauce will be bitter). Transfer chiles as toasted to a heatproof bowl and pour boiling water over them. Cover bowl and soak chiles, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 15 minutes.

Purée chiles with three fourths of soaking liquid, reserving remainder, in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Pour purée through a coarse sieve into a bowl, pressing on solids, and discard solids. Whisk reserved soaking liquid into chile mixture.

Cook onion, garlic, cumin, and oregano in oil in a large heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, 2 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Whisk in chile mixture and simmer, partially covered, whisking occasionally, until reduced to about 2 1/2 cups, about 30 minutes. Season with salt, vinegar, and sugar.

Cactus, Zucchini and Red Pepper Salad

• 1 jar nopalitas (prickly pear cactus pads)
• 2 small zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into ¼ inch strips
• Cilantro vinaigrette
• 1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp snipped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• generous dash of freshly groud pepper

Mix nopalitos, zucchini and bell pepper. Set aside.

Mix ingredients for cilantro vinaigrette. shake all ingredients in tightly covered container. Pour vinegarette over salad and serve.

Tomato and Watercress Salad

• 1 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes, washed and halved
• 1 pint yellow teardrop tomatoes, washed and halved
• 4 small bunches fresh watercress, cleaned
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

In a large bowl, combine the red and yellow tomatoes, watercress, and 3 tablespoons of the chives. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the olive oil over the salad and toss to coat well.

Virgin Mary Cocktail

• 3 oz tomato juice
• 1/2 oz lemon juice
• 1 dash of Worcestershire sauce
• celery salt
• ground pepper
• hot pepper or Tabasco sauce

Build the liquid ingredients into a highball glass. Mix well. Add the seasonings to taste.

Additional recipes for Pentecost can be found in the archives.

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Blessed Miguel Pro "Cocol" Sweetbread

November 23 - Optional Memorial of Blessed Miguel Augustin Pro

Miguel Pro was a Jesuit priest and martyr during the severe persecution of the Catholic Church in Mexico in the early 20th century. He is known for his piety, charity, service and joyful spirit. He often donned disguises to hide his identity from Mexican authorities as he conducted his underground ministry as a priest. He was martyred by firing squad on November 23, 1927 proclaiming "Viva Cristo Rey!" (Long live Christ the King!) 

As a child he had a precociousness that sometimes went too far, resulting in near-death accidents and illnesses. On regaining consciousness after one of these episodes, and seeing the worried faces of his parents, he immediately asked for some of his favorite Mexican sweet bread, referred to as cocol. From this he acquired his childhood nickname "Cocol." Later while exercising his secret ministry as a priest, Father Pro signed many of his letters "Cocol." It reminded people not only of the treat, but also of the living bread of the Eucharist.

Cocol is an authentic Mexican bread that dates back to the arrival of the Spanish in the New World. The indigenous people were unfamiliar with the types of breads that were important parts of European diets at the time. The native Mexican staple breads were maize-based flat breads. The Spanish introduced the methods of grinding wheat, mixing, and baking bread dough and later on the Mexican people added their own ingredients commonly used at the time. Cocol bread has the distinction of being the oldest bread recipe in Mexico due to this meeting of the Aztec and Spanish cultures.

Cocol Recipe  (From Blessed Miguel Pro, SJ site )

• 4 c. flour
• l pkg. active dry yeast
• l c. anise tea
• 1/4 c. plus 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 c. butter, margarine, or shortening
• l tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• poppy seeds (optional)

Prepare the anise tea by boiling 1 c. water and 3 tsp. anise seeds. Boil for a few minutes and strain out the seeds. (You can leave the seeds in if you like.) Add the sugar, butter and salt to the tea. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups of the flour and the yeast. When tea mixture is lukewarm, add to the flour/yeast. Add eggs. Beat well. Stir in remaining flour and knead to make a stiff dough. Turn out on a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about ten minutes. Shape dough into a ball. Place in greased bowl, turning once to grease the surface of dough. Cover and let rise for one hour. Punch down. Divide dough into 10 or 15 pieces and shape each into a small ball. On lightly floured surface, roll or pat each piece into a circle about three inches in diameter. Place 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet. If you wish, brush the tops with a small amount of butter and sprinkle poppy seed on top of each cocol. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 18 minutes.

Bake some cocol to celebrate the feast of Bl. Miguel Pro and also the Feast of Christ the King which is the same week. 

VIVA CRISTO REY!

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Tres Leche Cake for Trinity Sunday

Earlier this month we made an easy and delicious Tres Leche cake as part of our Cinco de Mayo dinner.   It would be a great option this coming weekend in honor of "Trinity Sunday!"

I based it off of this recipe but made some alterations (mostly to make less sugary and cut out some unnecessary fat) so my version is below:

Tres Leche Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup white sugar

5 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups skim milk

1/2 of a 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk

1 and 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1-2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

sprinkling of cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. Sift flour and baking powder together and set aside.
3. Cream butter or margarine and the 1 cup sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs and the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; beat well.
4. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture 2 tablespoons at a time; mix until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes. Pierce cake several times with a fork.Cool cake.
6. Combine the skim milk, condensed milk, and evaporated milk together. Pour over the top of the cooled cake.
7. Whip whipping cream, 1-2 tablespoons of sugar, and the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla together until thick. Spread over the top of cake. Sprinkle top of cake with cinnamon. Be sure and keep cake refrigerated, enjoy!

This cake would also be good for celebrating the feast of our Lady of Guadalupe and Saint Juan Diego.

Our Lady of Guadalupe & Saint Juan Diego, 

patron saints of Mexico, 

Pray for us!

*Additional recipes for Trinity Sunday can be found in the archives. Pin It

Mexican Crispas

To celebrate the feast of St. Juan Diego today we made Mexican Crispas.

I referred to them here in this post, but for you visual readers (like myself) here are better directions.
All you need is:
Granulated sugar
Cinnamon
Oil (I use Canola)
Flour tortillas (I use store bought, I'm kind of the Semi-Semi Homemade cook)

Cut tortillas into triangles and fry in oil, browning both sides.

Then, place onto paper towels to drain a little of the oil, but not too long, just long enough to put more into the pan, then put the hot ones into a mixture of Cinnamon and Sugar in a bag, and shake to coat.

That's it.

Then eat warm or cold.

But, they are really good warm!

Enjoy!

I've been making these since I was a teen, and that was over 20 years ago!

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"Saintly" Hot Cocoa to Warm Your December Celebrations

Yesterday we had our first signficant snowfall, and the children's thoughts immediately went to sledding ... and hot cocoa! It got me thinking -- with three of our favorite saint feast days coming up this month, why not celebrate with a little twist on hot cocoa?

First, here's a basic hot cocoa recipe, if you don't already have one. I have this long-since memorized, but it's my variation of the one I'm pretty sure you'll find on any can of Hershey's cocoa.

Basic Hot Cocoa Recipe

Pour 4 c milk into a 1-qt measuring cup. Add 1 capful (about 1/2 t) vanilla, and set aside.

Place in a medium saucepan:

1/4 c cocoa powder
1/2 c sugar
pinch of salt

(Save yourself some trouble, as well as the juggling of multiple small measuring cups, by making several individual batches of these dry ingredients and storing each in a small zip style plastic bag. You'll be amazed at what a time saver this can be!)

Whisk in 1/3 c hot tap water, and place over medium heat. Watch carefully and stir frequently until the mixture comes to a full boil; then continue to boil, stirring constantly, for two minutes.

Remove from heat and whisk in the reserved vanilla milk. Return to the stove at a low to medium setting, until heated through.

Serve as is, or topped with marshmallows or whippped cream. Guaranteed to "warm the toe bones," as we say at our house! :) Makes four (8 oz.) servings of hot cocoa.


Now then, for the "Saintly" variations:

German Chocolate Hot Cocoa for St. Nicholas (Dec. 6)

Substitute 1/2 c. brown sugar for the granulated white sugar.

Substitute 2 c. of coconut milk for half (2 c.) of the milk in the recipe.


You can use a 15.5 oz can of coconut milk, or use this recipe for Coconut-Infused Milk:

Place 2 cups of shredded coconut in a heat-safe bowl.

Bring 2 cups of milk to a boil in a small saucepan. It will foam, then boil over very quickly, so watch carefully!

Pour over the reserved coconut, and let stand for about one hour.

Place the coconut and milk mixture into a blender, and process for about 30 seconds.

Strain into a 1-qt measuring cup, pressing the coconut to extract as much milk as possible. Discard the coconut.

Fill the measuring cup to the 4 cup mark with additional milk, then continue the basic recipe as written.

Tastes great with gingerbread cookies!



Mexican Hot Cocoa for St. Juan Diego (Dec 9) and Our Lady of Guadalupe (Dec. 12)

Prepare basic recipe as written; whisk in 2 t cinnamon and 1/2 t chili powder with the milk.

If desired, top with sweetened whipped cream and a few shavings of dark, sweet chocolate.

Serve with Mexican Wedding Cakes for a special treat!


Scandinavian Orange Chocolate Hot Cocoa for St. Lucy (Dec. 13)

Prepare hot cocoa as directed in the basic recipe above.

Whip 1 cup heavy cream until soft peaks form.

Gently fold 2 T orange marmalade into the whipped cream.

Place a large dollop of the orange whipped cream on each serving of the hot cocoa; top with freshly-grated orange zest, if desired.

Goes exceptionally well with your favorite St. Lucy's Bread recipe! Pin It

Traditional Sugar Skulls (& a variation)

A major part of the Dia de los Muertos tradition, All Soul's Day in Mexico, is to make and decorate sugar skulls, Calaveras de Azucar. These sugar skulls are placed on the home altars, or ofrendas, along with candles, marigolds, and favorite foods of the deceased whose pictures are placed there, too. Families also take the flowers and sugar skulls to the cemetery to decorate the tombs of loved ones who have died.
We have been making these for All Souls Day for several years now. The sugar skull molds are from Mexican Sugar Skulls website. You can also find skull shape candy molds in cake/candy section of many craft stores in season. There are several different sizes and styles available.

The sugar mixture is very easy to make - the proportions are 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon meringue powder, 1 teaspoon water. Mix together with fingers until sugar feels like moist sand.

Press firmly into molds. Level excess sugar with knife and invert onto waxed paper.

Let dry completely. They dry pretty quickly here but in more humid climates it will take longer and drying can be aided by being near a heat source or in a warm oven.

Once they are dry they can be decorated with frosting. The mini tubes you can buy make a easy way to decorate with a group. Or in the case of the ones we have done with our local support group last year - glitter, sequins, feathers, and marker can be used. If you use all edible decorations, then the sugar skulls are edible, too.

Sugar Skull Variation:
Using the same molds, you can make a very simple "sugar skull" variation. Using white candy melts (ex: Wilton Candy Melts) or white chocolate chips. Melt chips and pour into molds. Level excess off backs. Place in freezer until firm. Remove from molds. There you have a nice substitute for the traditonal sugar skulls. They can be decorated with frosting or eaten as is.

Edited and reprinted from a previous post on my blog, Our Domestic Church.

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Strawberry-Coconut Tres Leches Trifle

I've had a number of requests for the recipe for the Strawberry Trifle we made for the feast of St. Joseph.  There really wasn't any particular significance to why we included it on our St. Joseph Altar, other than the fact that my girls were finishing up "S" week and it was a great way to use some Sliced Strawberries!

It would be a great addition to upcoming Easter celebrations, and since it is based on the flavors in a popular Mexican cake, it would be great dessert to make in honor of any of the Mexican Saints. 

Strawberry-Coconut Tres Leches Trifle

Adapted from Pampered Chef's 2010 Season's Best Cookbook

1 lb fresh strawberries, divided
One 16-oz frozen pound cake*, thawed
(*The recipe called for 3 packages of Ladyfingers.)
1 can sweetened condensed milk, divided
1 can (14 oz) unsweetened coconut milk, divided
1 container (8 oz) sour cream
1 container (12 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
1 pkg (3.3 oz) coconut cream* instant pudding and pie filling 
(*The recipe called for vanilla.)
1 tsp Cinnamon

1. Set aside one strawberry for garnish. Hull remaining strawberries and slice. Set aside.

2. Trim Pound cake and dice into 1-in. cubes. Set aside. Whisk together 1/2 cup of the condensed milk, 2/3 cup of the coconut milk and sour cream. Add cake and toss gently.

3. Attach open star tip to Pampered Chef's Easy Accent® Decorator. Fill with 1 cup of the whipped topping. Combine pudding mix and remaining coconut milk; whisk until thickened. Add remaining condensed milk and cinnamon; whisk until incorporated. Fold in remaining whipped topping.

4. To assemble, place half of the pound cake mixture into Trifle Bowl; top with half of the strawberries. Spread half of the pudding mixture over strawberries. Repeat layers one time. Pipe whipped topping over top; garnish with strawberry fan.

5.  Enjoy!  Oh, and be sure to share! ;)

Update:  I just read on Colleen's blog, Footprints on the Fridge, that she is planning to serve this dessert on Sunday night, Palm Sunday.  She says that they will have "passionfruit juice (since this Sunday is also known as Passion Sunday)..." and this trifle "... which we will use to symbolize that even though we are saddened that Christ had to shed His blood for us (the red), we are filled with gratitude that by His sacrifice, we are washed clean (the white)."  Isn't that perfect?!  Thank you for sharing your creativity with all of us Colleen! Pin It

El Paso Pilaf ~ A Meatless Meal for Days of Abstinence

When I was a child, my siblings and I were members of 4-H.  Each year we took part in an event called "Food Fiesta" where we each had to prepare a dish and present it to the judges.  One year my little brother won a medal for his entry: "El Paso Pilaf".  I couldn't agree more with the judges... I *loved* it!!!

Ever since, I have been making and modifying the recipe.  Since that was about 20 years ago, I have no idea exactly what the recipe called for, so I am going to share my version with you all.  It is a staple in our home since it is easy, healthy, filling, and affordable.

I usually serve it in fried taco shells, though I have also served it in flour tortillas as burritos, and as a side dish for other Mexican dishes. 

El Paso Pilaf

"stolen" from my brother and modified over the years ;) 

Ingredients: 

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1/2 cup basmati rice (though I do use short grain brown rice on occasion)
• 1/2 cup lentils
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 can (16 oz) kidney beans, drained
  
• 1 can (16 oz) chicken broth (I substitute vegetable broth on days of abstinence)
• 1 can (16 oz) tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup water (I usually rinse out the tomato sauce cans into the pan with the water)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons chili powder
• toppings of your choice:  lettuce, tomato, cheese, sour cream, olives, avocado, salsa, etc...
  

Directions:

Saute onion and garlic in pan.  Add all other ingredients and mix together.  Cover pot and simmer on low for 45 to 60 minutes.  Serve on tortillas topped with lettuce, cheese, or any other toppings of your choice.

Enjoy!

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Nacho Stuffed Shells

This coming Sunday is the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Since the christian symbol for Baptism is the shell, we can easily tie this into our dinner plans by making a meal with pasta shells. One of my favorite recipes, using jumbo shells, is Nacho Stuffed Shells.

I also plan to pull out some sea shells and our children's Baptismal candles, like Mary suggested last year, and light them during dinner. What a perfect time this will be to tell the children about the Baptism of Our Lord and their own special Baptismal days as well!

Nacho Stuffed Shells

Picture & Recipe Source: National Pasta Association

32 to 36 Jumbo Shells (12-oz. package), uncooked
3/4 pound extra-lean ground beef
1.25-oz. package low-sodium taco seasoning mix
1 cup water
16-oz. can refried beans with chilies
1 cup low-fat cheddar cheese, shredded
3/4 cup mild, medium or hot picante sauce
8-oz. can low-sodium tomato sauce
2-oz. can sliced ripe olives, drained
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

Optional Garnishes:
Low-fat sour cream
Low-fat grated Cheddar cheese
Chopped jalapeños
Chopped cilantro
Salsa
Guacamole

Prepare pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, saute beef in a large skillet until browned; drain well. Add taco seasoning mix and water; simmer 5 minutes or until thickened. Stir in beans and cheese. Cook until smooth and well mixed. When pasta is done, drain well. Fill shells with beef mixture (1-2 tbsp. per shell).

Combine picante sauce and tomato sauce in a saucepan. Cook until heated, stirring occasionally.

Preheat oven to 350° F. Spread 1/2 cup sauce over the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking pan that has been coated with cooking spray. Place filled shells side by side on top of sauce; pour remaining sauce evenly over shells. Sprinkle with olives. Cover with aluminum foil; bake 35 to 40 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with green onions. Cover and let stand 5 minutes before serving. Serve immediately.

Garnish as desired. Serves 8.


(This recipe could also be made in honor of St. James the Greater, who is also symbolized with a scallop shell.) Pin It

Mexican Chocolate Cake

Karen Miller shared this contribution for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Thanks, Karen!

I made this cake for Thanksgiving after my husband requested it after hearing Mario on "The Catholics Next Door" on the new XMradio's Catholic Channel 117 (apparently it's been on Sirius for awhile) (Their site is http://gregandjennifer.com/, this episode All The Food That's Fit to Eat).

Well, the cake is very similar to a "Texas Hot Cocoa" cake I've made in the past, but doesn't include cinnamon. The cake is always a hit and it makes a big cake. My advice is to not overbake it, take it out before you think it is completely done, so it will be very moist. Good for today's feast!

This is from In the Kitchen with Mario Bosquez

Mario Bosquez's Mexican Chocolate Cake

Mario Bosquez, host of Living Today on Martha Stewart Living Radio (Sirius 112) shares his recipe for Mexican chocolate cake.

Ingredients

1 stick butter
1/2 cup oil
4 tablespoons cocoa
1 cup water
2 cups unsifted flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup sour milk (buttermilk)
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mario Bosquez's Mexican Chocolate Icing (see below)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine butter, oil, cocoa and water in sauce pan. Heat until cocoa is melted.

Combine flour, baking soda, sugar, milk, eggs, cinnamon and vanilla in a large bowl. Combine with first mixture.

Pour batter into a greased 12-by-18-inch cake pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes. Five minutes before the cake is done, prepare the icing. Let cake cool before you add the icing.

*Karen's notes: I used a 12x19ish baking pan/cookie sheet with sides. This worked perfectly, just don't overbake. I pour on frosting while cake is still warm.

Additional notes from Mario: Baking in a ceramic baker is best; serve from the bake pan and after you ice your cake encircle the edge of the cake with pecan halves. Also, in my experience, making this cake with butter instead of margarine (frosting included) makes for a more delicious version.

Mario Bosquez's Mexican Chocolate Icing

1 stick margarine
4 tablespoons cocoa
6 tablespoons milk
1 pound (1 package) confectioners' powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Combine margarine, cocoa, and milk in saucepan. Heat until bubbles form around edge. Remove from heat.

Add vanilla, and nuts. Also add a sprinkling of sugar. Beat. Ice cake while frosting is warm, not stiff.

Mario Chocolate Cake, First published January Pin It

Our Lady of Guadalupe ~ Mexican Wedding Cookies

This post was written by Lori at Busy with Blessings, and submitted to Catholic Cuisine for publication! Thank you Lori for sharing this yummy sounding recipe and the many wonderful activities to go along with it!

Tomorrow is one of our favorite Marian feast days of the year. During his 1999 visit to Mexico, Pope John Paul II declared Our Lady to be the Patroness of the Americas.

Older children can look up Our Lady of Guadalupe, and then share what they learned to their siblings.

Our Lady of Guadalupe by Francisco Serrano is a great book to read on this feast. The CCC video on Juan Diego is also a wonderful visual of this.

Go here for a free activity on how to draw Our Lady of Guadalupe.

In Our Lady's honor, bake:

Mexican Wedding Cookies

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 8 Tablespoons of powdered sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon milk
• Bag of powdered sugar (to roll cookies in after baked)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray sheets with non-stick spray. Mix all the ingredients together with a mixer. Roll the dough into walnut-sized balls and place on cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 min, Cool then shake in a plastic bag of powdered sugar.

We will also make a batch without nuts.

We may try our hand at a couple of activities. Go here and here for a couple of great ideas. We'll definitely be coloring this awesome sheet from Waltzing Matilda. Thanks so much for sharing these with us all!

If Honeybee's feeling better, we'll go out and buy a poinsettia.

Happy Feast Day, everyone. God bless you and your families! Pin It

Cheese Enchiladas

This recipe was submitted for publication by Lori at Busy with Blessings. Thank you Lori!

The following recipe is one of our family favorites for Our Lady of Guadalupe's feast day.

Cheese Enchiladas

• Pack of corn tortillas
• can of enchilada sauce
• can of tomato sauce
• shredded Mexican cheese

Heat non-stick skillet to medium and lightly brown your corn tortillas. This will only take about 30 sec. a side. Once these are ready. Mix enchilada sauce and tomato sauce in a bowl. Dip your tortilla into the sauce and place in casserole dish. Fill the center of the tortilla with about 1/4 cup of the shredded cheese and roll the tortilla into a tube shape. Continue this process, place your enchiladas closely together until your dish is full . Cover the top with cheese and bake at 350 15-20 min until bubbly.

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Fish Tacos for Friday

Since the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe falls on a Friday this year, we will be making Fish Tacos for dinner. The following Mexican recipe is both delicious and easy, making it perfect for this busy Advent season.

BAJA FISH TACOS

Recipe from Ortega

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 package (1 1/4-oz)ORTEGA Taco Seasoning Mix - divided
• 1 pound (4 total) cod or white fish fillets, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tbls. vegetable oil
• 2 tbls. lemon juice
• 1 package ORTEGA Taco Shells (12 ct), warmed (I will probably fry my own corn tortillas)
  

DIRECTIONS:

COMBINE sour cream, mayonnaise, cilantro and 2 tablespoons seasoning mix in small bowl.

COMBINE cod, vegetable oil, lemon juice and remaining seasoning mix in medium bowl; pour into large skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until cod flakes easily when tested with a fork.

FILL taco shells with fish mixture. Optional: Top with cabbage, tomato, sour cream mixture, lime juice and taco sauce.

ENJOY!!

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Mexican Sopapias For St Juan Diego or Our Lady of Guadalupe

I actually first made this recipe a very, very, long time ago. I was in 9th grade and had to bring a dish from another country for some class and I picked Mexico. Little did I know I'd be using it to teach my children some day so many years later!

My recipe spells the word this way: Sopapias, but I've seen it spelled as Sopaipillas, I think they are the same, Mexican fry bread.

Sopapias

4 cups flour

1 1/4 tsp salt

3 tsp baking powder

4-5 Tablespoons sugar

2 Tablespoons shortening

1 1/4 cups milk (or more if needed, I needed)

Oil (for frying)

Powdered sugar (for coating)

In large bowl, mix dry ingredients. Cut shortening into dry mixture with fork. Add milk, mix well. Here you will need to add more milk if you can't get the dough to form a ball. Next form the ball and cover bowl and let stand 30-60 minutes.

On a well floured surface, roll dough to thickness of 1/4 inch and cut into squares or whatever shape you'd like I guess, but I always do little squares.

Heat oil in pan and place dough shapes in the oil. Cook until brown on both sides, constantly flipping and checking. (I heat it to a med/high temp) The shapes will puff a little.

Drain on papertowel or paper bag and coat with powdered sugar. (I put powdered sugar in a baggie and shake the bread to coat) The kids really loved this recipe and it was really fun to make it again for my own children. We had the leftovers today for breakfast and for snack!!

Since we made these Sopapias for the feast of St Juan Diego, on Friday we will make Mexican Crispas, which are just flour tortillas cut with a pizza cutter into triangles and fried the same way as these Sopapias then covered in cinnamon and sugar alongside of cheese tortillas!

Happy Feast days!

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Una Fiesta Mexicana

For the Feasts of St. Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe, my children and I are pulling out a few of our favorite Mexican and Mexican-inspired recipes to share with you today. One of the most delightful things about this particular selection of Mexican fare is this: Not only are these recipes supremely easy and delicious, they are nearly all exceptionally kid-friendly to prepare!

First, a simple tortilla recipe:

Flour Tortillas

• 3 c unbleached flour (or whole wheat, or regular all-purpose, if that’s what you’ve got)
• 2 t baking powder
• 1 t salt
• ¼ c (plus a little (1-2 T) extra – no need to measure exactly) vegetable shortening
• 1 to 1 ¼ c warm water

Sift the dry ingredients together into a large bowl. Add the shortening, and let the children squeeze and mix them together with their (sterilized, I’m sure) fingers, as if lightly playing in the sand, until the shortening is evenly incorporated.

Next, add the warm water a little at a time, tossing together (still with your hands, if you like!), until the mixture forms a soft dough that is not sticky. Go ahead and knead it a few times, adding a sprinkling of flour if needed, to make it smooth.

Now divide the dough into 12 evenly-sized balls, and let rest for 10-15 minutes, while you straighten up and set up your work area for rolling out!

Here’s how we do it: Each “roller” gets a piece of parchment or “press-and-seal” (sticky side down) sprinkled with a little flour. One dough ball is lightly flattened in the center of the paper, then sprinkled with a little more flour. On top of this, a piece of plastic wrap is carefully laid across. Then the child rolls out a circle – starting each roll in the center. It helps if the first few rolls are done somewhat lightly, until a reasonably circular shape is achieved – though, of course, perfection is unnecessary. Roll them fairly thin, or to about 8-10” in diameter. (Also, it is easier for kids to roll these out if they pick up the whole paper/tortilla package and quarter-turn it, rather than trying to readjust the rolling angle each time.)

We then flip the two layers of paper with the tortilla in between upside down, and carefully peel off the parchment for re-use; the unbaked tortilla is then placed, plastic-wrap side down, in a pile with each of the other tortillas as they are rolled. If desired, a moist paper towel can be placed lightly on top of the pile to keep the top tortilla from drying out. (If you find that the tortillas are sticking to either paper, just use a little more flour when rolling out.)

Once the rolling is well-underway, heat a 12-15” dry frying pan over medium to medium-high heat. It should be well-heated and ready by the time the last tortilla is rolled.

The next part is best handled by an adult: Each tortilla is then peeled off the plastic wrap, and placed in the hot, ungreased pan to be cooked on each side. The tortilla may bubble slightly and appear slightly dry as it bakes, and will have brown speckles on the underside when it is ready to flip/remove. It will take less than a minute on each side, so watch them carefully!

Place the tortillas atop each other inside a warm, clean kitchen towel until all are baked. They are best served immediately, but can be stored in the refrigerator in a ziplock bag (and can be reheated in the microwave before filling).


Homemade Tortilla Chips

Warning: These are so tasty, you may never want to go back to those pre-packaged imposters again!

For every 16 chip-serving, you’ll need one (preferably homemade, but prefab work well, too) 8-10” flour tortilla.

Using a pizza cutter, slice each tortilla into 16 (8, for larger chips) wedges. Fill a large frying pan with about ½” of vegetable oil, and heat to medium-high (lower heat immediately if it begins to smoke!) Place a small scrap of tortilla in the oil as a “test;” when bubbles begin to sizzle around it, the oil is ready.

Again, this part is best done by an adult: Place 6-8 wedges into the oil (don’t let them touch) using a pair of tongs, and watch them carefully; they cook very quickly! The chips will form bubbles and appear slightly dry around the edges when they are ready to turn. If they begin to brown, they are overdone! Flip them, and remove as soon as they appear firm.

Drain on a paper towel-lined tray, and sprinkle with salt. Allow to cool somewhat before eating. Continue to cook in small batches until all the chips are done. Enjoy with your favorite jarred or homemade salsa – or with this next yummy dip!

Tortilla Chip Dip

• 1 (8 oz) container of Bison-brand French Onion Dip (you can try a different brand if you can’t get Bison in your area; but since it’s the best French Onion Dip ever made, bar none, you may want to consider moving.) :)
• 1 (8 oz) bar of cream cheese
• 1 package of Taco Seasoning Mix (or one recipe of seasoning mix, to follow)
• Shredded lettuce, cheddar cheese, chopped tomatoes (optional)

Soften the cream cheese in a medium-sized mixing bowl with beaters or a fork, until light and fluffy; mix in remaining ingredients until thoroughly combined. Serve as is, or topped with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and/or shredded cheddar. Serve tastefully surrounded with freshly-made tortilla chips.

Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix

This is easy and delicious, and a great help if you are all ready to make tacos and suddenly realize you have no mix on hand! Since it’s made from common kitchen spices, you may never need to make an emergency taco-spice run to the convenience store again! You can vary any of the spices to taste, to make your own custom blend. One recipe equals one package of mix (suitable for seasoning 1 lb of meat for tacos).

• 1 T flour
• 1 t chili powder
• 1 t paprik
• ¾ t salt
• ½ t onion powder
• ½ t cumin
• ¼ t cayenne pepper
• ¼ t garlic powder
• 1/8 t oregano, crushed
• ¼ t sugar (optional)

Mix all together in a small bowl, and use in any recipe calling for one package of taco seasoning. If not used immediately, store alongside other spices, in a small sealed container.

(To make taco filling, brown 1 lb of ground beef in a large skillet; drain fat. Add seasoning mix, and 2/3 c water; mix thoroughly. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Makes enough for about 12 tacos.)

Finally, no Christmas Season in our home would be complete without one of our all-time favorite cookies:

Mexican Wedding Cakes

• ½ c confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter (not! Margarine), softened
  
• 1 t vanilla
  
• 2 ¼ c all-purpose flour
  
• ¼ t salt
• ¾ c very finely-chopped pecans
  
• More confectioners’ sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Mix thoroughly sifted sugar, butter and vanilla. Sift in flour and salt; work into creamed mixture with nuts until dough holds together.

Shape into 1” (about thumb’s width) balls. Place on ungreased or parchment-lined baking sheet; bake 10-12 minutes or until set, but not brown.

While still warm, roll in confectioners’ sugar. Cool completely, then roll in sugar again. (Don't skip either rolling -- this is what makes these cookies melt in your mouth!)

Makes about 4 dozen.

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