The Boring Blues

As I looked in the mirror this morning I started asking myself {again} why I couldn’t look more like “Timmy’s” mom. Her hair was always styled just right, her skin always glowing, and her body perfectly sculpted. Why couldn’t I just look like her?! 

Then, on the way home from school drop off, it took a conversation between my two toddlers to shake me out of my boring blues...

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A Sweet {Mexican} Treat: Embracing Tradition

As a kid, my family and I would travel every year to San Antonio, Texas to celebrate La Navidad {Christmas}. Sleeping on the floor of my Nana's one bedroom apartment, eating pan dulce for breakfast {Mexican sweet bread}, drinking cans of Big Red, and the aroma of homemade empanadas in the oven bring back sweet memories of family traditions. This holiday season my goal is to embrace our family traditions, both new and old. The first step, the kids and I baking my Nana's delicious empanadas!

Nana’s Empanadas {turnovers}

Ingredients
For the dough:
4 1/2 -5 1/2 cups unsifted flour
1 tsp sugar (if you prefer sweet empanadas, use 1/4 cup sugar & 1 tsp. cinnamon)
1 tsp salt
1 pkg yeast {rapid rise}
1/2 cup soft margarine
3 eggs, room temp
1 cup hot water & 2 Tbsp warm water

For the filling:
1- 16 oz can sweet potato (drained) or canned pumpkin- Or steam 5 fresh sweet potatoes and reserve the softened inside
1 large piloncillo {Mexican brown sugar} or 1/2 cup brown sugar & 3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 beaten egg
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. cloves
1/8 tsp. ginger {optional}

Makes approximately 3 dozen

Directions:
1. In a large bowl mix 4 1/2 cups flour, sugar, salt & yeast.
2. Heat margarine with 1 cup water until hot to the touch, then Stir hot liquid mixture into dry ingredients. 

3. Mix 2 eggs plus 1 egg white {save unused egg yoke}. Add egg mixture to reserved flour to make a soft dough consistency. Using your hands knead for 8-10 minutes. Use additional flour if needed until dough is no longer sticky.

4 Place the dough in a large greased bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour. 
5. While the dough rises begin to make the filling.
6. In a saucepan mix all filling ingredients well. Cook over low to medium heat. Continue to stir until the mixture thickens. Set aside.
7. After dough has risen, punch it down and divide it into egg sized balls, then roll them out.
8. Place 1 Tbsp of filling in center of dough. Pinch the seams together & place them on greased baking sheet. 

9. Cover them & let them rise until dough doubles in size {approximately 30 minutes}
10. Now combine reserved egg yolk and 2 Tbsp water. Brush each turnover with egg white mixture. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes. Remove from the baking sheet & cool on a wire rack.
11. ‘!Buen Provecho!’ {Enjoy!}

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25 activities for Christmas

Here are some great ways our family likes to add some holiday cheer during this time of year. Maybe you'll find one to add to your list of traditions. 

Alright, so they may not be "Griswold" style, but they're still fun nonetheless. Enjoy! {Be sure to click on the links to find the recipes or directions!}
 
1. Go see Christmas lights
2. Make a cinnamon hand print ornament
3. Visit a live nativity
4. Make hot cocoa with marshmallows
5. Watch favorite holiday movies
6. Bake Christmas cookies and then share them with our neighbors
7. Make snow slime
8. Create a gingerbread house
9. Help the kids make a Christmas list: something you want, need, read, give, & wear  
10. Build a snowman- over and over again!
11. Make scented pine cones  
12. Make outdoor ornaments
13. Make our own wrapping paper
14. Make reindeer food
15. Drink apple cider smoothies
16. Create a birthday cake for Jesus
17. Adopt a child or family in need
18. Create a candy nativity scene
19. Read our favorite Christmas stories
20. Pick out the perfect Christmas tree
21. Blast Christmas carols in the house
22. Put up Christmas decor all around the house
23. Play with snow clay
24. Sit by the camp fire and make s'mores
25. Sleep by the Christmas tree

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