I don’t think I really grasped the full idea of Dia De Muertos until my grandfather passed away. It wasn’t until then that I saw the beauty in remembering and honoring his spirit. I feel like I do it every day by wondering what he would think of a situation or when I find myself acting just as he would. It’s as if his memory has taken on an entirely new life form and actually it has. 

Remembering him especially during the days leading up to Day of the Dead when I see the Pan de Muerto displayed at Northgate and re-living how much he loved it in my mind. Every year I make sure to buy a couple of different loaves in various sizes and flavors. Northgate will have a Pan de Muerto Relleno de Chocolate Abuelita y Dulce de Leche this year along with 1lb Pan de Muerto. Some sugared and some plain, but equally delicious.

To accompany the pan de muerto and really pay homage to him I will make his favorite Atole De Coco (recipe below) and sip and savor all the memories that come along with it. Just thinking about this brings me to happy tears as I am forever grateful for the love my grandfather showered me with and am proud to show gratitude in his name. How will you honor your dearly departed?

I can’t tell you how long I’ve been dreaming of this recipe, Arroz Con Leche Brûlée. Several months ago I created it in my head, and even wrote it in my notes of things to do. I started making my vamped up extravagant version of arroz con leche and found it to be so creamy and decadent in the same vein as crème brûlée… Thats when I imagined my arroz con leche topped with a layer of hardened caramelized sugar and adorned with fresh fruit.

This shop has been compensated by Inmar Intelligence and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #GrillingWithMazola

We are gradually starting to have very intimate outdoor gatherings and firing up our grill is definitely part of the family plan for Spring/Summer 2021. I choose to use heart healthy Mazola® Corn Oil as a marinade for grilling and as a base for my salsas and ceviche because a clinical study shows it reduces cholesterol 2x more than extra virgin olive oil. If this claim peaks your interest and you want to learn more, visit MAZOLA.com.

Calling all dessert lovers! Could we really celebrate Easter without a gorgeous dessert? I’m taking the fuss out of our Easter meal this year with a simple and easy Carlota! I decided to add cherries to my Carlota and change it’s traditional color of white to a festive pinkish-purple pastel. It’s the prettiest color but aside from that, the fresh cherry flavor only adds to this already delicious dessert…. pushing it all the way up in dessert ranks. Lucky for me, I was able to find all my ingredients at Northgate Market and pick up a few extra goodies while I was there. I hope you’ll try this Easter Cherry Carlota and make it whenever you have a bag of cherries hanging around.

I usually repurpose one of my senior pie photos on #PiDay because I make pie all year round. I felt this year deserved a brand new photo and something a little fantasy and hopeful. Mini apple pies seem to be a good portrayal of how I’ve been feeling. It’s almost as if I could touch the beginning of Spring and am anticipating some happy changes in the next couple of months. Fingers crossed. To be completely honest, I’ve hit the pandemic fatigue wall and know we are in the final stretch… just gotta hold on tight a little longer.

I’ve been making Fried Bean And Cheese Empanadas for a while now. When I first started sharing my food creations back in 2011 I made a potato corn and cheese version of these empanadas… at the time I was calling them ‘Presley’s Pantry Veggie Gourmet Empanada/Pockets!’ – I know that’s a mouth full. I had decided to share them back then after hosting my extended family over for dinner one night. It was something to document since they had been a huge hit.

I remember it like it was yesterday.  I had just crossed the border into Tijuana, Mexico with my Dad (which was a rare occasion, since I hardly ever spent time with him).  He was determined to take me on an adventure and show me all the customs of TJ. From the stories that my Dad shared, TJ was a place with no rules, a grown-up fun house where you could take your shoes off and run through the streets and no one would say anything or look twice.  He also had a big love for the food and was hard set on taking me to his favorite torta shop.  My Dad has always loved a good torta de milanesa and this is one thing I know for sure about him, so I wasn’t surprised when this was the first thing he had on our agenda.