So, I'm back... again.

There's no excuse this time... it has just been more of a "tomorrow I'll blog" and then there's not blogging.
Life is good and that helps a lot with everything.

I can't say that life have been hectic or anything. Of course we've had a lot of adjustments, changes in our days, our routines and habits. There had been great days and some that are not so great.
We are almost settled in, and the house looks like a real house now.
We hadn't brought any furniture from the States, so we had to start all over buying things, borrowing, arranging, cleaning and all those things that have to be done after a moving...

I only have a few more minutes to write before lunch is ready... but I'll try to write as much as I can.
Part of my new routine is having lunch with the family almost every day... I say almost because it really is a daily thing except when them or me have something else on the way.
Maybe you remember that the house we chose to live in was in the same street as some of MG's family?? Well, they have been a real blessing... they are amazing to us and have taken us in totally as family. I didn't know them very well but it has been amazing.

Every day, they come to ring the bell, or call or text on my cell, to let me know they're home and we are ready for lunch. So I just cross the street and enjoy a home made meal and great company and daily conversation. It has been wonderful for me. And I don't get to have lunch alone like before.... not that I matter that a lot, but still, it is nice to have lunch with family.

We eat around 2.30pm which is late for an US lunch but pretty normal for Mexico.
And then we get on with the afternoon, either together or each one to it's own, and then most likely we have dinner together again but this time with MG whom have come from work.

And Friday it is my turn to cook for the family. So today I'm making Beef Bourguignon.... and, as Julie Powell once said (at least in the movie Julie & Julia), not any Beef Bourguignon, but Julia's Beef Bourguignon...

I got a copy (YAY!!!) of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, by Julia Child, just after getting back to Mexico as someone has given away a lot of books to my Uncle and it was seating there in his living room... I asked for it and now I'm in happy possession of a copy.

I'll tell you later how it was. I've cook for 3 straight hours today already!!! Wish me luck!!!

See you soon,
S.

Vanilla Eclairs...

Yesterday, I went to the eye doctor in the morning... we had a beautiful sunrise...

I hadn't been to that doctor before, so we had to get there a little early to fill the regular paperwork and stuff... we saw 3 different people before seeing the actual doctor, however everything was flowing and they didn't have us waiting for long periods of time. The doctor finally saw me, talked a little bit with me and checked me.
He said that even without hearing my story he could see in my eyes that it was a clear case of allergies: moderate to severe!!! and that I also have a somehow severe dryness... so there you go.
I came home with 4 different drops. Some medicine to treat the problem, some steroids to kick off and accelerate the cure and 2 different kinds of tears. The doctor said that he hopes that by treating the allergies, the red and dry eye will go with it. I have another appointment to get checked in 2 weeks. We came home to have breakfast and I had my first dose of drops.

I went to the lab with MG, to see his boss and hand him the Baptism invitations (see my previous post) but he wasn't there. So I left them in the office and left.
I had a nice quiet walk from campus to downtown. It looked like all the kids and people that are usually out during the week, had left home for the holiday (this week is Thanks Giving here in the States).
I went to the library to return a book and then to the shop... I don't know what it was but suddenly it was like all the allergies had hit me. I was congested and didn't feel good, my body ached and my head was starting to hurt... plus my eyes soreness... so I decided to come home.
I was here at 1.30pm and for the rest of the day. I took a nap, which I usually never do, and woke up feeling better. I had a good lunch and some computer time and then I decided to bake.

I could feel my eyes better, not better-better, but not worse, and that was something.

I had been wanting to make this Eclairs for MG... He loves filled pastry and this recipe looked pretty easy. So I gave it a try.

The process was as I thought super easy to make... and I was playing that I was a host of a cooking channel program and said out loud the instructions and stuff... it was fun!
Later I put the dough in the oven, and I had made a mistake and lined my trays with waxed paper instead of parchment paper... OH NO!!!! the wax started to melt and burn!!! luckily I was still in the kitchen, cleaning up ad doing the dishes, so I was able to take it out immediately and fix it... but I got scared!!! I get very scared with ovens...
Long story short, I put them back in the oven (half baked so they deflated a bit) and finished the baking.

When MG came home he was soooo happy with them, I asked him to take a photo of the Eclairs, he was taking a longer time than I had expected and this is what he delivered...

They are not very pretty and I skipped the chocolate icing... I would have been very good, but I was tired and didn't want to do it any more. I don't think it mattered... He was very happy with them!!! yay!!! and he took them today to the lab to share.

See you soon!
S.

Lazy Sunday...

Hello guys!!
Thank you so much for commenting and sending good thoughts on my last post about my eyes hurting. I'm very happy that we're going to the doctor tomorrow to have them check and hopefully they'll give me something that will fix the problem.

Today, 6 years ago, I met MG at his cousin's wedding :o)... we didn't planned anything special for today, nor did we exchange presents. I'm very happy that it was Sunday so we got to spend the whole day together and it has been a perfect day.
We've been having cold days with the occasional frosting... (this is MG's pick-up truck box frosted)

But today was a gorgeous day, sunny and almost warm... lately we are full of birds and crows!

We had breakfast while talking on the phone with his parents (my mom sent us a phone with speaker for my B-day back in October, and boy! am I enjoying it!!!)... later we went to the movies (Breaking Dawn, the last of the Twilight Saga movie - that I liked and enjoyed; for him was ok). Went to exchange a frame to Michales and then to check some things to Best Buy and Staples and look around in Barns and Noble.
You see, I have this idea that I'd like to have an iPad, so I thought on Black Friday coming this week, might be a good idea to get it then. But the guy at Best Buy told me that iPads don't go on sale on black friday... so there is no rush and I can get it closer to Christmas. Hopefully it'll be my parents Christmas present for us.

I got a cute address book in B&N...

I've been wanting one to have all my friends addresses in one place when we leave. This one is pretty and has the address book, a section for your internet passwords by website (so useful), a section with stickers that you can fill with your information and stick it where needed and a section with card tags that you can fill and hand someone with your phone or email or whatever you need.

Later we came home... I made a late lunch and we had chicken (that we had bought prepared, rolled and filled with cheese and spinach or cheese and asparagus), and pears with blue cheese and pine nuts.

It was very good, MG had some wine with it and was very happy (I don't drink, don't like alcohol).
Then I worked on making Fig bread as yesterday when we went to the groceries, MG saw figs and asked "can you make me a fig bread?"... He doesn't usually asks for specific bakings, I just bake what I feel like and he eats it very happy; so it was nice that he asked and I was happy to say yes.
The baking has finished now and the house smells lovely, sweet and cinamon... I'm not sure about the Fig part thou.

I guess now we'll watch a movie and go to bed early I hope...
Here's MG very focused on his reading :o) in a cluttered table!

I hope you had a wonderful Sunday, I'd love to hear about it.

See you soon,
S.

Christmas eve...

How's everyone's Christmas going on???
I hope you are having a wonderful day.... we are used to have the "big" celebration on Christmas eve, more than on Christmas day.
So yesterday night we had a big dinner and a few friends over...
MG finished his work early on Friday so we started our cooking... we like the idea of a big dinner, and by big I mean with multiple dishes so even when it had been just the 2 of us, we've had the big dinner... so I was glad to have friends over to help with the food. :o)

Yesterday morning we went to see Annie to the downtown theatre with the local theatre company... it was incredible and magical play that I enjoy tons... MG had never see it before and had a great time too.
Then a little stop at the Yarn shop to say hello, Merry Christmas catch up about the last day things and off back home to finish with the cooking and cleaning...

We did a very good job with the cooking-preparing whatever and cleaning/washing immediatly afterwards, so by the time we finished the cooking the kitchen was actually all tidy and neat just waiting for the final heating of the food and the arrival of our guests.

You see, I was very excited about having this little party because it was not only our first Christmas together and with more people, but really it was the first time we had people over for dinner, our first "entreteinment party" since we got married and live together.
I've had friends over before, but more in the middle of the day, maybe an ocassional lunch, but not really a dinner. And I was SO excited!!!!

We had 3 people over. 2 of my yarn friends and the husband of one of them.
The food was amazing...
For apetizers we had some cheeses and cold meats with fresh bread...

 

And then the dinner... buffet kind so every one could get whatever they wanted as many times as they wanted.

Stuffed mushrooms with cheese and the same insides of the mushrooms...

breaded and cheesed shrimps...

4 cheese ravioli with marinara cream sause...

and turkey!!!

We did the turkey injecting both white and red wine in it the day before... then covering it inside and out with a lemon-honey-onion-garlic mixture... and stuffed with minced meat with apple, bacon and raisins.

 

Here's already carved and with the stuffing next to it.

We did the turkey injecting both white and red wine in it the day before... then covering it inside and out with a lemon-honey-onion-garlic mixture... and stuffed with minced meat with apple, bacon and raisins.

Everything was delicious! our guests enjoyed it and served several times :o)

And for dessert we had baklava and salted caramel toffee bars that one of my friends brought...
And kamelado, which I made. I don't have a picture of it, but I'll post a recipe soon... it's delicious!!!

Then we had presents... that's for another post...
How was your Christmas????
Did you get any presents???

See you soon!
S.

U is for......... Ultimate news and stuff.

Hello guys!!!
I've been neglecting blogland! and then, on the day I was inspired to write a post, the blogger down occured and I just couldn't sign in or leave messages on your blogs... shame!

But I'm back with several things to share with you...

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies and Milk! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They were delicious!!! Some friends said that they were "to die for" :o)

Mini veggie frittatas for evening snack!! yum!

Farpoint topper finished!!!

Close up of the texture and design.

This top it's made with Incredible yarn, by LionBrand, designed by Doris Chan in the book Amazing Crochet Lace. Ravelry project page here.

Me, happy, wearing the Farpoint topper.

I have a new knitting bag!!! for all my crochet! LOL

I finished my Rosa's Sleeveles Tunic!!

Took forever after I had to take it all off and start again... but it's finished and I love it!

At the lake!

MG took me a pic while I slept on the couch!

We'll be taking a trip to Rochester this week... I'm excited to see old friends and spend a good time there, and MG not working in the lab!!!
So I'll see you when we're back...
S.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 V is for.......... Vibrant Colors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't you looooove it!????????

I mean, seriously!
I just have to look at it to smile!!!!

It is my Vintage Stripe Blanket in progress... I'm making it with my Sinfonía yarn that I brought back from Mexico. Do you remember it?
I haven't worked a lot on it... first I wanted to finish my tunic and then I got into the lace-y top.
But I'm really happy with it... I found out today that I made a mistake color wise, when following the color pattern I made with the random stripe generator... I have used some colors instead of others but still looks good.

So far, it measures 51x16 in! not bad huh?

And my last thing to share!
I just got a new camera!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My last camera stoped working and maybe you remember that I didn't have a very good start of the year with it, loosing the memory card inside the computer and all that... so I haven't been taking as much pics as I would liked. And I've been kind of sharing MG's camera, but it's not the best.
So about 2 weeks ago, I was talking in the phone with my Mother in law and she told me that her camera had died too and she wanted me to buy a new one for her here, because is cheaper than in Mexico, and another one for me!!!! we chose different cameras... she got a Nikon Coolpix P7000 and I got a Canon S95 that just arrived today!!!!

So I hope that with it, I'll be able to take more pics of nice things and be back to blog duty!
Have a wonderful week!!!!!!!!!!
See you soon... well, more like in a week or so, when we get back from our trip!
S.

Quiche recipe...

I've been asked to share the recipe I use to make a quiche, and here it is...
Sorry, no step-a-step pictures in this one... What I love more about this is that truly you can make the quiche with whatever you have in your fridge... Here it is.

VEGGIE QUICHE RECIPE

4-5 servings

Ingredients:::
5 eggs
3/4 - 1 cup of half and half cream (to make it fluffy)
1/2 - 1 cup of shredded cheese (as much as you like cheese)
a bit more of shredded cheese to sprinkle the bottom of your casserole dish, mold you are using
flour (enough to sprinkle over the cheese, depends on the size of your casserole dish)
Veggies: I used onions, carrots, broccoli, green beans, tomato.
1 tsp butter

How to:::
Preheat oven at 350°F.
In a pan, cook the veggies on the butter until they are soft and crisp.
In a bowl mix eggs and half and half cream and whisk them together, add salt and pepper and any other seasonings you like to use, add the shredded cheese and mix.
I don't use a dough crust for my quiches, it saves me time and calories :o), so I make a cheese crust on the bottom...
On your casserole dish, sprinkle shredded cheese all over the bottom until covered. Then sprinkle flour on top of the cheese. there's no need to be all white and cover completly the cheese.
Add your veggies to your egg mixture, mix a bit and then add all of it to the casserole dish over the cheese and flour. Decorate with sliced tomato.

Put it in the oven for 45-50 minutes or until a knife comes out clean when inserted in the center.

Enjoy it with a salad!!! you can use my Parsley dressing for it!


The great part of it is that once you have the eggs, half and half mixture, you can add whatever you want to the inside.
Here are some combos I've made:
** onion, bacon
** ham, cheese
** shrimp, asparagus
** tuna, shrimp
** ground meat and tomato
** sausage, bacon, onion

Remember to cook the inside first, maybe not all the way done, before adding it to the eggs mix!

Enjoy!
See you soon!
S.

A lot of things!!!

Hello!!!!!
I bought a new yarn last Monday, I think...

You can't really tell the colors from this picture, I thought it was a good idea to take the picture in the sun that came through the window this afternoon in my living room, but they seem fade... it has blues and purples...
I started a cowl!! I'm following this pattern, it's free, it's not for beginners, but it's simple to follow and once you get the rythm of it it's very simple...

This is how much I've done until now...

I went to my LYS yesterday to knit and chat, and a woman arrived that wanted help with a snowflake pattern... I'm pretty sure that it was Lucy's pattern (at Attic24) but the pattern sheet she had didn't show the source... anyway, the owner of the store wasn't there, and the vendor at that time just knits so she couldn't help her, but told the woman that I could help her and that I was an expert crocheter!!!!! how's that!!!!!
So I sat up straight and put a smile on my face and proceed to help her with her snowflake pattern... she had a bit of trouble counting and knowing which stitch was what, but she managed to make 2 on her own... and I made 2 while helping her, before returning to my cowl... I used the scraps of my cabled hat for the snowflakes and I LOVED how they turned out!.

I don't know if I want to block and starch them... I like them so much like this!
I was also playing with Puff stitch flowers, you can find the how to here and here. This is what I made... one with the same yarn as the snowflakes and the hat, the other one with cotton scraps from my girl dresses...

So after a while, the store owner arrived as well as more women, and they were intrested in the flowers and the cowl... and guess what!!???

I've been ofered a space there to give a class and/or sell my things next semester when (and if) I get my work authorization for this place!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WOOOOHOOOOO!!!!!!

I'm really really happy!!! it astonish me that the owner of a yarn store says that I'm a great crocheter!!! it makes me happy, smile and warms my soul...
And another woman started asking me what type of classes could I give and if it would be possible to make them on Saturdays...

Crazy!! fun!!! exciting!!!!!!!!! yyyyyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!!!!!

 Ahem, ahem....

Two last things.... I made a veggies quiche for dinner on Wednesday....  was delicious...

and I bought a small porcelain Nativity set at a Christmas sale...

Uff!!! that was long and with all kind of themes... LOL...
Hope you have a great weekend!!!

See you soon!
S.

Dinner°!

I just made the most delicious italian meatballs and bolognese sauce for dinner tonight!!!!!!
I'll still have to wait for a while, while MG comes from work, but that's ok so my meatball sauce can simmer for one more hour or so...

I'm so excited!!

Here's a picture...

mmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yuuuummyyyy!!!! I can't hardly wait!!!

See you soon!
S.

Salad dressing and Muffins....

But not together!!!!

Yesterday, I was about to tell you about a new salad dressing that I learned to make while in Mexico, and then something happened that I didn't post about it... and then I made muffins, so today I'll have to write about both things... :o)

First... The Salad Dressing ::: a Parsley Dressing...

I had it a my friends house and I fell inlove with it immediatly, I asked for the recipe and try it out yesterday here... it is de-li-ci-ous!!!! MG loved it too! when he got home at night we had mustard chicken and salad for dinner, the salad had the parsley dressing and Oh! yes, we enjoyed it SOOOOO much!!!! MG said that it was a explotion to his senses, which made me really happy...
So here's how to do it.... I took pictures and I'll post them, but you'll have to be forgiven as they are all blurry, I can't figure out why yet, as in the camera screen they look good and then when I transfer them to my laptop, you can see they are not ok, but then the moment has passed....

Anyways, that won´t stop us for a recipe...

You'll need
+ a bunch of fresh parsley (I used half of it) just the leaves

 + 1/4 cup of oil (NOT olive oil)

 + the juice of 5 limes

 + about 2 teaspoons of chicken flavour boullion (powder)

 Put it all in the blender and blend together...

Adjust lime, bullion or oil, to your taste...  And you got it!!! it doesn't invite me a lot by its looks, but really: I LOVE it, it has the sourness of the lime, the parsley flavour, the richness of the oil.... yummy!!!

Let me know if you decide to try it!!!

And now, muffins.... it's nothing new or super... it's just that yesterday night I made my first batch of muffins of my life! it was box made, the ones you just add an egg and milk, but anyways they were delicious, moist, fluffy, golden brown, they way it's supposed to be!! and I'm excited about it, that's all... I wanted to share...

MG said that yesterday was his best dinner in two months!!! (maybe because I'm here already???) he's sweet!!!

Next day, I'll try to bake muffins from scratch!!

See you soon!
S.

Tiramisú!

Today I made delicious Tiramisú for 50 people with a friend!!
It's for an Italian Dinner that we are having tomorrow night!
It looked good, very good, I hope it will be deli, delicious, yummy and mmmmm!!!

I'll try to post a picture later...

See you soon!
S.

Tres Leches Cake

Today I want to share with you the recipe of the Tres Leches Cake (3 milk cake) that is a mexican dessert that I love.

What you will need for the cake is :::

* 6 separated eggs
* 1 cup of sugar
* 1 cup of flour
* Vanilla extract
* 1 teaspoon of baking powder
This is good for a round 9 in pan. But I think that works also for a square 9x9 in.

What you will need for the three milk is :::

* 1 can of condensed milk (the one that is like 14 oz)
* 1 can of evaporated milk (the one that is 12 fl. oz)
* 1 can of regular milk (you can measure this using a can of the other milks)
* a dash of vanilla exctract or brandy

To prepare the cake :::

- Preheat the oven at 400°F (230°C)

- Whip the egg whites until they are white and fluffy.

- Add the sugar in small amounts until you had add all of it and keep whipping.
- Add the egg yolks, one at a time, and continue mixing.
- Add the flour in the same way that you added the sugar.
- Add a dash of vanilla extract and the teaspoon of baking powder.

- Grease (with butter) and flour the pan and put the mixture in it.

- Put your cake in the oven for 30 min (it must be lightly brown). Turn off the oven but don't take the cake immediatly out so it won't deflate.

For the milks mixture :::

- In the blender mix the 3 milks with a dash of vanilla extract or brandy.

Once the cake is completely cold, take it out of the pan and make holes with a fork evenly separated over the surface of your cake so the milk can go in it more easily...

Take a spoon and pour the milks mixture all over your cake again and again until it's all soaked. The cake can take up to 4 cups of milk, maybe a bit more.

You will want to keep it in the fridge, but putting it in the fridge will dry it a little bit, so maybe you can have save some of the milk to put on the cake right before you eat it. Sprinkle powder sugar on top.

*** If you want, you can cut the cake in the horizontal middle before soaking it, and then add the milks to the bottom part, then add a layer of peaches or strawberries or whatever fancy you, and then put back the top part and pour the milks over it.
*** You can also cover it with whipped cream, and that will prevent the cake to lose the milks inside.
*** You can also use a regular "prepared box" to make the cake.

Enjoy this sweet and moist treat!!!
See you soon!
S.