Misc Rambling

Mexico Mexico Mexico

How can you not love it here

We have booked our next trip to Mexico and I can honestly say that I love everything about this place. The people, the food, the traditional crafts, and of course it is beautiful. I have often thought that we could live here full-time and cannot imagine why anyone would want to leave but then I remind myself that people struggle here and are paid nothing. I am fortunate to have opportunities others can only dream of but just maybe this is my chance to make a difference.

Now I just need to research how? When we go to Mexico how can I help the culture and the country? If you have ideas, send them my way.

Advertisement
Misc Rambling · Recipes

1st annual homemade Tamales

Prior to our move to another state, every year we would have our friends over to make homemade Tamales. We are now continuing the tradition in our new home state of Washington. Here are a few photos of the prep prior to everyone’s arrival. Pork for those who eat it and chicken for everyone else. The night before just get out the crock pots and season the meat and let it cook all night. The next day it is ready to go. Let’s talk Masa. I make my own and yes you need lard to make it taste good, everything in moderation as they say. recipe below: I also bought some pre-made from our local Taqueria. Let me just say make it yourself. flavor is so much better and so is the texture. Everyone went home with a bag of tamales and happy. Just another reason to get together with friends.

Masa:

6 cups masa harina

5 cups chicken broth (warm)

2 cups lard

2 tsp salt, 3 TBS onion powder and chili powder

2 TBS cumin

mix masa with spices first, then add chicken broth, and last the lard mix it well

Misc Rambling

Happy Happiest Fall

Anyone who knows me is aware, I live for eggnog and pumpkin season. Well guess what, I found my first batch of nog, yes. It’s a beautiful Fall day in the Pacific Northwest so I off course got up and put on the crockpot full of Mississippi chicken and yep Punkin Eggnog cake. You all need smell o vision because my house is where you wanna be today. Jason I’m thinking of you today 😃

Misc Rambling

Oh the adventures we will have

I have learned so much about an rv in the last month, I thought I would share the adventure Hooking up the truck to the camper is the hardest thing, first you have to back right up to the hitch connector and wait for the clamp to engage. Once this is done we have to pull it out of our steep ass driveway, hitch grinding the entire time into the street so we can get level enough to put on the stabilizer bars. These damn things scare the crap out of me so I simply stand back and watch. You have to put the trailer tongue down to take the weight off the truck then put on these steel bars in with a pry bar that makes a loud noise when on, good lord. Oh then there is two chain connectors that attach to the truck and the power supply for the lights to work. I’m tired just talking about it even though after the 3rd time we did the whole process in under 10 minutes.

On our first trip we learned that you need atleast a 4000 watt generator after we lost all power, oh n check your battery connectors to make sure they are all hooked up, another lesson as ours weren’t. Locate the gfi before you leave just in case it gets tripped you know where to find it, its in our bathroom, who knew.

The great part is we get to sleep in our own bed, no one bothers us, and we get to go to great places. The pictures below were taken at Mt Hood.

Misc Rambling

Paella adventures

You all know I love to cook, I picked up a new paelo cookbook last week and decided the paella recipe sounded great. So here it is, I used chicken sausage instead of pork and supplemented with a whole gang of Thai chilies to spice it up. I loved it and it was the first time I’ve used saffron.

Don’t tell my son who hates cauliflower but there’s a whole head in this dish, ha, he had no clue. I just pulsed it as the recipe called for. Flavor was unbelievable. I can post the recipe if anyone is interested. This over 50 eating plan may be fun after all since my metabolism has decided it doesn’t want to work anymore.

Food changes and the gym will make it all ok

Recipes

Mini banana cheesecakes

My youngest and his friend are visiting this weekend and his favorite thing in the world is banana cream pie. I decided to switch it up and make mini banana cheesecake and omg are they great. Plastic plate I know is super fancy, ha but these will be gone tonight. Glad I love to bake. Let me know if you want recipe.

Recipes

Mushroom meat balls yes

The meal tonight for our pescatarian expedition was mushroom meatballs. Let me just say yes, these are great. You would never know unless I told you that there is zero meat. Recipe below:

  1. 2 containers button mushrooms
  2. Diced onion 1
  3. Rosemary and basil (as much as you like)
  4. Diced pepper (any color)
  5. Garlic
  6. 1 cup quick oats
  7. 1 cup bread crumbs
  8. 2 eggs
  9. Parmesan cheese
  • I threw the first 4 ingredients in a food processor and pulsed it, threw it into a skillet with some olive oil and sautéed with garlic until the liquid evaporated. This is important.
  • Now simply mix with the last 5 ingredients roll into balls and bake at 400 until golden brown. Spray the baking dish so they don’t stick
  • Then I opened a jarred marinara and added some fresh tomatoes, cheese peppers n heated it up, add the cooked meatballs to the sauce and you have dinner
  • I love carrots so I poured some half and half in a pot with fresh rosemary and some butter reduced and they were delicious
  • I know my photos suck but man was it great
  • Frugal Ideas

    frugal food hack

    First let me say I shop the grocery outlet like it is my religion. If you don’t have one in your town I’m sorry. This is my go to spot for all things nuts, cheese, and dried fruit. Not to mention they have a great organic section. 

    1. Huge block of swiss tillamook cheese $4.99
    2. Dried cranberries .99
    3. Mixed nuts .99
    4. Dried fruit combo .99

    Total $8.00 

    The assembly line included my cute little ikea snack containers and in about 4 minutes I had a weeks worth done and ready for both my husband and myself. I also have enough cheese left for months and the nuts and dried fruit should get us thru the end of the month. I added some chopped apples to mine and it is fabulous and I am proud of my food hack



    Misc Rambling

    Funny

    I was watching some random show today and they were going over how to properly eat nachos, ha really. A food that is by design supposed to be messy and shared, why would there be rules. Use a fork and only take two chips, shut up. I truly believe that food is to be enjoyed and if everyone in the room wants to dig into anything I cook, go and have a great time, oh and in the process have a cocktail too. My husband and I LOVE to cook and this is something that is truly a fun thing that we enjoy, we invite everyone to participate and even if you know nothing about food come on over and get your hands dirty, please don’t take the joy out of something so fantastic.