Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all, I love this song...even though its not your traditional Christmas hymn. :)I present...The Lords Prayer.

Sharing Time- Someone Else's Fairytale

Someone Else's Fairytale by Emily Mah Tippetts

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I hadn't plan on reading anything but a diabetes book for work this weekend. Which I still haven't opened, LOL. But I went on Goodreads and got an invite from Emily to read her new ebook. I absolutely loved this one! So much, that I actually read in a few hours. Needless to say, my eyes hurt afterwards. Its a cute romance about a college girl at University of New Mexico who decided for fun with her friends to work in a movie as an extra for a movie starring the dreamy local heartthrob Jason Vanderholt. He then pursues her through the course of the book. Great read. Its a free read, so you can download to your pc, kindle whatever until Jan. 8. Really good!

Sharing Time- Grandma Josie's Empanadas

My recipe is coming from pure memory. It is holiday time, and for some reason, I am remembering making these with my grandma. When I type Empanadas on Google image, these pop up. Grandma never had a written down recipe. I think few elderly people actually use a written recipe, but I do..and I need to. So...my grandma has been gone for 16 yrs, gosh it doesn't seem possible. For me, certain things I make reminds of a memory. Every Christmas or Thanksgiving my grandma always made these and her Italian Sausage bread. I have tried empanadas since my grandma has been gone, they're good but they aren't the same. And you see this is the challenge I have. I'm writing this down to test my version of this recipe. I'll follow up and let you know what I think. But what I know is her empanada is not  pie like, its not really flaky, but like a sopapilla, or for those that don't know what that is, like a scone..or Indian fry bread, with the ingredients on the inside. Ready or not, here I go.

Grandma Jose's Empanadas

1/2  a lb of Hamburger, I don't know the fat content..whatever.
1/2 a pkg  (same )  Ground Pork
1/2 a pkg   Ground Veal...look near the pork or chicken
1 or 2 tbsp Cinnamon
1 or 2 tbsp Sugar or maybe more to taste. I'm going to try the Splenda sugar blend.
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg (As I said, not sure on these spices, I do remember the Cinnamon, I think the nutmeg and cloves would compliment it.)
1/2 c golden raisins
1/2 c shelled pinion nuts
Dough
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt
4 to 6 tablespoons lard or vegetable shortening
1 1/4 cups warm milk (approximate)
Vegetable Oil (for frying)

The recipe comes from a sopapilla recipe. I'm adapting this for the empanadas. Brown the hamburger, pork and veal with a little olive oil. When finsihed drain well on paper towels. Next, process meat mixture in  food processor till nice and ground. Add back to pan and add seasonings, raisins and pinion nuts.  Prepare dough.

The following is a general dough recipe I got off the internet. But if you have your own homeade tortilla recipe. Go ahead and use that!

In a large bowl, blend together the flour baking powder, and salt.

With a pastry cutter (unless you are one of those, like my teachers, who always used their hands) cut in the lard or shortening.

Add the milk all at once, and mix the dough quickly with a fork or by hand until the dough forms a mass.

Roll the dough half you have chosen on a floured board with gentle strokes. Roll the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. The more you work the dough, the tougher your sopapilla will turn out. However, to keep a sopapilla well puffed after cooking, you may want to work the dough a minute or so longer.

Cut the dough into rectangles that are about 10-inch by 5-inch. Divide the triangle into a 5-inch squares, and then cut this into a triangle. NOTE: If you find the dough beginning to dry as you work with the remainder, cover this loosely with a some plastic wrap.

Do not attempt to reform and roll the leftover dough scraps. They do not roll out well on the second try. You can cook these dough scraps along with the others, and they taste just as good.

From here, grandma would take little pieces of the dough, and work it into a small ball. Then we would roll the little ball with a floured rolling pin, until a small circle would form. I'm guessing, 3" ? I don't know. Place 1-2 tbsp of filling in middle. Fold in half and pinch sides with wet fingers. Then fry the empanada in oil for 1-2 minutes until golden.

Now that this is written down, i'm excited to try. I hope I can make it after all these years. Last time I made these I think I was 10.

 So, this blog entry was written down in Dec 2011. I WILL be making these on Friday. And I will include my pictures. Let me know if you have success and Feliz Navidad! :)

Reasons that I Know.

I hope that this post doesn't seem to preachy. This is for me. What I've observed this week. I KNOW that my Heavenly Father loves me. I have been very sick...and I have made it, or in the process of. I had to work sick, but even then, I was given circustances to shine when I wanted to dim. Except for decorating my house, I have bought no gifts yet..or got to particpate in any activities that go along with Christmas this week. Church parties, live nativities...none of that. And last night I was so uncomfortable I stayed up all night until 10 this morning. I slept my whole day away. Needless to say, I was climbing the walls to get out of the house and do something productive. I had a friend stop by before I started my trek, and she gave me a little "mom care".  I'm going to smell like oregano tonight ;).  But isn't it though when you feel sick, we all want our parents to take care of us? I've felt at times this week that no one cared if i'm sick or not. So, tonight was another reassurance, yes, you are cared for.  So I went to my favorite walmart for a little late night grocery shop. And as I stroll through the aisles, this christmas carol comes along, I'm not sure of the name..but it sounded like Cannon in D. As i'm walking..I start to remember shopping trips with my mom here, and I just felt alone. As I finished getting my items, I proceeded to check out. When in line, the person ahead of me starts talking to me...I don't know how to explain this, without sounding depressed..which I guess I kind of was. But talking with the customer in line, then the check out clerk, and even  the cart guy, I realised, that my Heavenly Father put people in place to talk to me. I hope that you realise the blessings in your life. It may be small stuff. But it touched my heart.

What I've been up to....

This poem is from Slams of Life by J.P McEvoy illustrated by Frank White; P. F. Volland Company, Chicago, USA; 1919; p. 67.

                   THE FLU
                                                                     
                 by J.P McEvoy

When your back is broke and your eyes are blurred.
And your shin-bones knock and your tongue is furred,
And your tonsils squeak and your hair gets dry,
And you’re doggone sure that you’re going to die,
But you’re skeered you won’t and afraid you will,
Just drag to bed and have your chill;
And pray the Lord to see you through
For you’ve got the Flu, boy,

You’ve got the Flu.

When your toes curl up and your belt goes flat,
And you’re twice as mean as a Thomas cat,
And life is a long and dismal curse,
And your food all tastes like a hard-boiled hearse,
When your lattice aches and your head’s abuzz
And nothing is as it ever was,
Here are my sad regrets to you,
You’ve got the Flu, boy,

You’ve got the Flu.

What is it like, this Spanish Flu?
Ask me, brother, for I’ve been through,
It is by Misery out of Despair,
It pulls your teeth and curls your hair,
It thins your blood and brays your bones
And fills your craw with moans and groans,
And sometimes, maybe, you get well —
Some call it Flu — I call it hell!

Yup I had the flu. Not fun! I've slept for pretty much all weekend.  And..I truly slept a whole day away. GAH! And watching a marathon of Hallmark Christmas Movies with trash can at side. Got my OnGuard on board as well as the Wheat Thins, cause its the only thing I could digest. I'm on the mend now..Now, to attack this week!