I seem to be obsessed with Olaf from Disney’s new animated feature Frozen. I got to see a  screening of the film last week and fell head over heels in love with the adorable snowman character. The film open Thanksgiving day nationwide, and shouldn’t be missed. Then a few days later I found myself hopping between  Disneyland and California Adventure, both parks were decorated in full Christmas cheer with lights and trees sparkling around every corner. The holidays bring a different type of magic to the Disney theme parks and what I was most thrilled to see was the premiere of  “World Of Color – Winter Dreams” water show at Disney California Adventure. I almost became giddy when I realized that Olaf (the cute snowman from Frozen) was the host of the new show. What perfect timing and another opportunity for me to swoon over my cartoon crush. The water spectacular is absolutely breathtaking, with fountains spanning the length of a football field and thousands of lights that brighten the night’s sky. This show in particular is something to see with floating snowflakes made of bubbles that blow out and float over the audience. There is a virtual choir that sings the opening segment of the show and their voices sound like angels. One of the coolest things that impressed me the most was the ears….. Disney has certainly outdone themselves with the ears. They have these new Mickey ear hats that light up and synchronize to the show, so as the colors change in the show, so do the ears. Everyone in the audience was wearing the ears and it was so amazing to see such a large group of people interacting with the show, it is definitely a cool extension of something already amazing. Here is a quick snippet of the show I caught with my phone.

Certainly a magical moment and I can’t wait to get back there over this holiday season to enjoy it again. In the meantime to hold me over from my new Olaf obsession, since I have a few more days till Frozen hits the theaters, and a few weeks till I am back at California Adventure…. I decided to make Olaf inspired cupcakes.

Get the step by step photos on how I made these cupcakes over at Babble.

The funny thing is I learned how to make a complete Thanksgiving meal from start to finish in my early twenties. It was something I wanted to know how to do. I felt by having the classic all American feast under my belt, it was like earning a well deserved medal. My Auntie Rosie showed me the basic ropes and since then I have made my way testing and switching up ingredients every year to get to my ultimate dinner on the table. I personally crave the combination of sweet with my savory. I like to have several options for candied dishes on my big plate of savory to mix and match between cranberry sauce and turkey or yams with stuffing. Some people think of the yams as a dessert when paired with marshmallows, but seriously they belong on the main plate. There is plenty of other desserts to choose from and yams and apples shouldn’t be one of them.

This simple dish can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and stored in the fridge. When ready for the big feast… pop it in the oven to bake. Check out this easy to make recipe and find all the ingredients at your local Walmart….. I did.

Ingredients for apple yam crumble:

• 1 – cinnamon stick
• 4 – medium sized yams (peeled and cut into 1″ cubes)
• 6 – small granny smith apples (peeled, cored, and sliced)
• 1/2 – cup brown sugar
• 4 – tablespoons of butter
• 1/4 – cup honey
• 1 – cup mini marshmallows

CRUMBLE:

• 1 – cup brown sugar
• 1 – cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 – cup flour
• 1/2 – teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 – teaspoon salt
• 1/2 – cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 – teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 – stick butter (melted)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
2. In a medium saucepan halfway filled with water over a medium flame add in cinnamon stick and bring to a boil.
3. Peel and cut yams and apples. 
4. Boil yams in water for 10 minutes. 
5. Drain yams and remove cinnamon stick.  Set yams to the side.
6. Butter a 11×8 casserole dish, and add apples and boiled yams in. Mix to combine.  Set to the side. 
7. In a small saucepan over a medium low flame melt sugar and butter together. Mix until combined. Add in honey and mix until fully incorporated.
8. Pour over the yam and apples. Mix to ensure all yams and apples are coated in sugar honey mixture. 
9. Top with marshmallows. Set to the side. 
10. Let’s make the crumble.
11. Add sugar, graham cracker, flour, cinnamon, and salt to a bowl. Mix to combine.
12. Add in pecans, vanilla, and melted butter. Mix with hands until fully combined.
13. Spread crumble over the entire top of yams and apples. 
14. Bake for 35 minutes.
15. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
16. Enjoy! 

Every year I have a Posada for Christmas and I invite all my friends and family to come and revel in homemade tamales and other Mexican delicacies.  It seems that every person that walks through my door brings some kind of drink/spirit with them. I end up with many types of liquor and am left unsure with what to do with them all. But this year will be different because of this awesome app on my Surface tablet called Cocktail Flow…. Read More Here

Yes, I have been known to tag along with my Mom every where she goes, and she loves to go to Walmart. Every Monday, like clockwork she makes her Walmart grocery run, and I come along and pick up the items I need too. This past Monday as we were driving, I was saying I wanted to do some kind of edible Thanksgiving craft with my son. The craft would serve as an introduction to the holiday and somewhat explain to him what the feast represents in the simplest form. My Mom asked what I was going to make, and I told her I would probably make some type of rice krispie treat since I know that is something he will definitely eat. Sometimes a food craft is the best way for me to teach my 4 year old the joys of the holidays. That’s the exact method my Mom and Aunts taught me with.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday and make this cute little craft with the kids before the feast. It also would be a fun activity for the kids to partake in after the holiday dinner. Keep them busy decorating their own dessert. 🙂

Ingredients for Thanksgiving rice krispie turkey treats:

• 3 – tablespoons butter (plus a little extra to rub on your hands)
• 1 – package (10 ounces) jet-puffed marshmallows
• 6 – cups rice krispies cereal
• frosting or royal icing
• pretzel sticks
• colorful licorice
• candy corn
• edible candy eyes

Directions:

1. In a large pot over a low flame add in butter and stir until melted.
2. Add in marshmallows.
3. Stir until completely melted. Remove from flame.
4. Stir in the rice krispie cereal in until completely coated. 
5. Butter your hands, and spray a 1/2 cup measuring cup with non stick spray.
6. Fill the measuring cup with the warm cereal mixture.
7. Shape with your hands to form a ball. Repeat till all cereal mixture is gone.
8. Place cereal balls on a baking mat or lined cookie sheet. 
9. Allow to cool for about 30 minutes.

Let’s Decorate:

First start by sliding pieces of licorice onto a pretzel stick. Leave about 1/4 of an inch at the bottom of the stick exposed. This will be the part that you stick into the rice krispie treat ball to form the feathers of the turkey.

Once all licorice feathers are in place in the back of the turkey body, it is time to work on the face. Using frosting or royal icing stick a candy corn into the front center of the ball. Then stick two candy eyes about the candy corn.

I also added two candy corn to the bottom as feet and two to the side as wings. There are no rules….. Have fun with your turkey!

Disclosure: This is part of a sponsored campaign with the California Milk Processor Board and Latina Mom Bloggers. However, all opinions expressed and recipe is are 100% my own.

I always scramble at Thanksgiving… with a mad dash to the market to try and get everything in one shopping trip. Of course I’m not completely delusional …  I realize some items need to be bought the day before or the day of the feast. What I do like to buy when I am in one of my Thanksgiving shopping frenzies are a couple gallons of milk. It helps make my mashed potatoes dreamy, my rice dish creamy, and my hot chocolate steamy. I keep my milk coupon in my purse and save a dollar on two gallons. It’s a good way to pocket a buck. 🙂 When I run dry on ideas I always turn to Toma Leche cookbook for more recipe ideas. Click here if you’re looking for some MILKY inspiration! I decided to make a video of one of my favorite rice dishes that I always serve at the holiday table…. plus it doubles down as a main dish for the vegetarians. Happy Thanksgiving!

Ingredients for creamy mushroom chile rice casserole:

• 1 – stick butter
• 1/2 – cup onion (chopped)
• 1/2 – tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 – cups long grain rice (uncooked)
• 8 – ounces mushrooms (sliced)
• 1/2 – teaspoon dried basil
• 1 – teaspoon Lawry’s seasoning salt
• 4 – cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 – cup roasted chiles (chopped) (I used anaheim)
• 1 – cup of whole milk
• 16 – ounces sour cream
• 2 – cups grated pepper jack cheese

Directions:

Watch the 2 minute and 27 second video above to see exactly how to make it! Serve this lovely rice dish this holiday season for a casserole of perfection…. Enjoy!

Let’s chat about the loveliness of the holiday season….. Usually it’s filled with family and friends and delicious baked goods. As a thank you for your loyal support throughout the year… I am hosting a KitchenAid® Artisan® Stand Mixer giveaway with a handful of my food blogger friends (listed above and below). Follow the easy instructions below to enter for a chance to win this beautiful mixer. Offer ends 11/30/2013.

When your done entering the giveaway….visit some of these wonderful food blogs:

La Cocina de Vero,
En mi Cocina Hoy
Sazón Boricua
HungryFoodLove
Mommyhood’s Diary
Nibbles and Feasts
Savvy Mujer
Aunt Clara’s Kitchen
La Cocina de Tía Clara
Sweet Life
My Colombian Recipes

To keep you in the spirit… here are a few of my holiday recipes:

 Winter Wonderland Cake!  Tamales!  Roasted Nuts!  Stained Glass Cookies! 

Good Luck!

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Have you ever tried corn tortillas made with mashed potato and cheese?  I never had and was thinking of how amazing these type of tortillas would be with a plate of beans or a bowl of rajas con queso or with a slab of butter.  Let me rewind and tell you where this insane train of thought is actually coming from.  I was thinking of the Mexican Revolution.  I know, where’s the bridge between the Mexican Revolution and corn tortillas? Let me explain how my wacky brain thinks sometimes.

The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime tyrant Porfirio Diaz, and lasted for the better part of a decade until around 1920.  Over time the Revolution changed from a revolt against the established order to a multi-sided civil war with frequently shifting power struggles.  This armed conflict is often categorized as the most important social-political event in Mexico and one of the greatest overthrows of the 20th century, which saw important experimentation and improvement in social organization. 

Experimentation is always something I’m willing to delve into, which brings me back to my corn tortillas.  I am in no way trying to diminish the importance of the Mexican Revolution by comparing it with my tortillas.  What I am saying (tongue in cheek, of course) is that something that has come to be the normal for many many years,  like the beautiful corn tortilla for instance, can be re-made.  I’ve taken the classic corn tortilla and have blended it with mashed potatoes and cheese.  I know there are a lot of purists out there that would consider this food-blasphamy but the results are beyond interesting and delicious.

Check out my teeny, tiny tortilla revolution recipe and keep an open mind. Enjoy!

Ingredients for potato cheese corn tortillas:

• 1 – cup of leftover mashed potatoes (can not be instant potatoes, has to be homemade)
• 1 1/8 – cup corn masa flour
• 1/4- teaspoon salt
• 2/3 – cup water
• 1/2 – cup grated cheese (I used queso quesadilla)

Directions:

1. In a mixer add in leftover mashed potatoes, corn flour, and salt. Mix on medium until combined and the mixture becomes grainy.
2. Add in water and mix to combine. The mixture will become a soft dough and should not be sticky. If sticky…. a tablespoon of corn flour one at a time.
3. Add in the cheese and mix to combine.
4. Divide the dough into 12 parts and roll into balls with the palm of your hands. 
5. Then using a tortilla press (or two books), line each side with a layer of plastic. Place a masa (potato corn tortilla mixture) ball in the center and press. This will flatten it and make it a perfect disk.  
6. Place on a hot comal and cook on each side for 2 minutes or until slightly crispy.  
7. Enjoy!