I have been blogging now for 4 years and I'm celebrating! (It seems I'm always celebrating something, but that's not important right now.)
I started this blog on October 1st, 2006. I never pictured I'd still be going four years later. Four years, people! I thought by now I would have run out of stuff to write about. But, obviously, I haven't.
This surprises me, too. I sit down most days at my keyboard and wonder what I'm going to write about and the keyboard stares back at me and says nothing. But then, I start looking at my photos. And I remember that behind every photo I take there's a story.
Every day, no matter how ordinary, has a story.
And that, my friends, is the secret to blogging. Just tell your stories.(<--This bit of advice right there is like gold. You're welcome.)
So won't you celebrate with me? Here's to:
My Happy New Year.
My Blog Birthday.
My New Beginning.
The First Day of the Rest of My Blogging Life.
I'm celebrating that I get to tell my stories everyday. I love that you seem to enjoy them. I love that they are saved for posterity. (Win-win.)
To celebrate I'm giving stuff away. (You love this part, don't you?)
Since there are so many of you who tell me that you start the day with your coffee and MBFCF (this pleases me, by the way) and that you like cooking with me, and it's my 4th Bloggiversary, I'm inspired to give away 4 fabulous items:
To enter the drawing for a chance to win the above mentioned uber-cool MBFCF stuff, please leave a comment on this post and I'll do a random drawing on Monday, October 4th at 11 AM Pacific Time.
A big thank you to all of you who keep reading about and relating to the misadventures of my big, fat, Cuban family.
I look forward to many, many more bloggy years.
Mil gracias. De todo corazón.
[Disclaimer: That's not a real magazine cover. But you knew that, right? =D]
Yep, I'm still writing about Betty Crocker. I warned you I had a lot to share!
Again, I want to reiterate that spending those few days with a group of proactive, excited bloggers in the Betty Crocker Kitchens will definitely be one of the highlights of my life. Seriously.
I think maybe because all of us got to just relax and play. You know how it is in Mom World. We watch, we correct, we applaud, but for many of us, we just forget to play.
So this post is dedicated to playing.
Okay, so our little mini-group made this cake. A Jack-O-Lantern Cake. Yep, it was as cool as it sounds. And easy, too. (Tasty is important, but easy is always a bigger selling point for me when it involves cooking or baking, but that's not important right now.)
The cake itself is made in a round oven-proof (Pyrex is my particular brand of choice) bowl.
Our particular group had the added bonus of including Michelle, the food editor for Gourmet Mom on-the-Go who, like a baking-prepared Mary Poppins, carried cake sprinkles and googly eyes in her purse. She pulled them out when it was time for us to decorate our pumpkin cake, much to the delight of myself and our other blog-partner-in-frosting, Julie, of Joy's Hope.
We got to play. In the Betty Crocker Kitchens. For me it was like one of those make-a-wish-type moments.
So we mixed food coloring and added fruit-by-the-foot leaves and an ice cream cone stem/hat. And, of course, the googly eyes. Googly eyes started to show up on everything.
And even if I do say so myself, ours was the best pumpkin. I liked the googly eyes and all, they absolutely gave it personality, but I confess, I liked the finished product better as just a pumpkin cake. (I know. Shut up.)
Here's the recipe:
Jack-O-Lantern Cake
2 boxes Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® devil's food or white cake mix
Water
vegetable oil and eggs or egg whites called for on cake mix box
Betty Crocker® Fruit Roll-Ups® chewy fruit snack rolls (any flavor)
1. Heat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour 2-quart round casserole or 2 1/2-quart ovenproof bowl. Make 1 box cake mix as directed on box, using water, oil and eggs or egg whites. Pour batter into casserole.
2. Bake devil's food cake 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes, white cake about 1 hour 10 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes. Remove cake from casserole; place rounded side up on cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour. (Got that? You're making two cakes, each in the casserole dish.)
3. Make and bake remaining cake mix using same casserole or bowl.
4. With sharp knife, carefully slice piece from top of each cake to make flat surface where cakes will be placed together to form pumpkin shape. (Cake scraps can be saved and added to another recipe such as pudding or trifle if desired.)
5. In medium bowl, place frosting; tint with 9 drops yellow and 6 drops red food color to make orange frosting. On plate, place 1 cake, rounded side down. Spread 2/3 cup of the orange frosting over cake almost to edge. Place second cake, rounded side up, on frosted cake to make round shape. Frost entire cake with remaining orange frosting.
6. Trim ice-cream cone to desired height for stem; place upside down on cake. Cut out eyes, nose, mouth, vines and leaves from fruit snack rolls. Place on frosted cake to form face. Store tightly covered at room temperature.
Or you can just watch us do this.... Enjoy.
We're having some fun now, right?
Which brings me to today's giveaway. (What? Another giveaway? That's madness, Marta!)
General Mills has a very cool company store and I shopped around for the items that I wanted to giveaway. (Thanks to GM for generously agreeing to make them available to MBFCF.) And because I'm a complete uber-nerd, this totally caught my eye:
It's a Yahtzee game! A General Mills Yahtzee Game, people!
(Okay, so I bought one for my daughter, Amy Kikita who is a rabid Yahtzee player and I asked General Mills if they could send me one to offer as a giveaway. (Being the generous folks they are, they agreed. I'm sure they scratched their heads a little on this one - "You want a WHAT??" - , but that's not important right now. =D)
So to enter the drawing for today's giveaway, let's talk games.
To be entered in the drawing for the General Mills Yahtzee Game (A Yahtzee game, people!) , just answer one or all of the following questions in the comment section of this post:
Does your family play games?
Do you have a family favorite?
I'll choose a winner on Wednesday, September 15th at 11:00 AM Pacific Time.
I'll be writing multiple posts (and sharing multiple recipes!) about the kitchens, the company culture and the fun we had, because there's just so much to share. (Plus, I'm waiting for a few Betty Crocker goodies to arrive so I can do a giveaway. Thanks, General Mills!)
[NOTE: In the interest of full disclosure: General Mills covered all the costs of my trip to Minnesota. Thanks again, General Mills!]
Today, I thought I'd whet your appetite (=D) by telling you about The Brownie Goody Bars. (Did you just hear the angels sing? Yes. Yes, you did.)
Of all the fabulousness that we mixed and stirred and cooked and baked, these beauties were my absolute favorites.
Here I am sticking my hand in the chocolate. I kept getting busted for tasting stuff out of turn, but that's not important right now. ;-)
Here's the recipe. Just trust me on the deliciousness of these Chocolaty Gifts from God Himself.
Heat oven to 350 degrees (325 for dark non-stick pan). Grease bottom of a 9-inch square pan with cooking spray or shortening (for easier cutting, line pan with foil, then grease foin on bottom only of pan.)
Make and bake brownies as directed on box. Cool completely.
Frost brownies with frosting. Sprinkle with peanuts; Refrigerate while making cereal mixture.
Measure cereal into medium bowl; set aside. In 1-quart saucepan, melt peanut butter and chocolate chips over low heat, stirring constantly. Pour over cereal in bowl, stirring until evenly coated. Spread over frosted brownies. Refrigerate 1 hour or until set before cutting. For bars, cut into 4 rows by 4 rows. Store tightly covered at room temperature or in refrigerator.
Busted again!
(Video by blog-buddy and phenomenal photographer, Nika of Nika's Culinaria. Thanks, Nika, my friend.)
So, a few weeks ago I'm cruising through my Facebook page and I left a comment on one of my daughter's (Amy Kikita) posts. I think she was complaining that she needed a late afternoon cafecito. (I think that's what it was, because she's always saying that in the late afternoon, but that's not important right now.)
My friend, Claudia (who happens to be an amazing photographer) then left a gorgeous photo on Amy's Kikita's Facebook wall. It was of an old school (read Cuban style) espresso maker and two tacitas (demi-tasse cups).
It was love at first sight.
I wrote to Claudia: "I need that cafecito print for my kitchen." (Notice the subtlety in my request. =D)
She wrote back: "I'll send one right out to you. What size would you like?"
Whoa! I felt like I had just performed a Jedi Mind Trick! I so badly wanted and Had. To. Have. That. Print. And poof! She just agreed to send it. You may call me Obi Wan KeDarby. ;-)
And then I had an idea. I asked her if I could maybe offer that print to my readers as a giveaway.
Claudia: "What a great idea." (Marta Skywalker here!)
How gorgeous is this?
It's 11 x 14 and it's as delicious in person as it looks in the photo.
So, let's do this!
For a chance to win this gorgeous Cafecito print, please leave a comment on this post and tell me:
How do you do coffee? First thing in the morning? Five times a day? Espresso? Grind your own beans? Dunkin' Donuts? Starbucks? Let's talk coffee.
I'll choose a winner via Random.org. on Monday, August 9th at 11 am. The winner may select a regular 11 x 14 print (like mine) that they can frame OR an 11 x 14 printed on single weight matboard. (A $30-$40 retail value. How cool are my Jedi Mind Powers? Seriously.)
But wait! Let me introduce you to my gorgeous and talented friend, Claudia Risi. (The amazing photographer whose mind I control. =D)
She has other gorgeous prints and greeting cards for sale here.
Anyone who places an order and mentions My Big, Fat, Cuban Family gets 20% off through August. Coupon code is E8FD4B6E (must be entered to get discount).
[EXTRA DISCOUNT CODE - JUST ADDED]: There is a separate code for the 20% discount for greeting and note cards. Use E942AF61
Am I just killing you here with my amazing Jedi Powers or what?
Let me tell you where else on the web you can find Claudia and her awesomeness (because I'm cool that way):
For a behind the scenes look at how Claudia works her magic, please visit her blog: Lehigh Valley Shutterbug.
As far back as I can remember I have kept a journal or a diary of some sort. In the years before blogging, I would faithfully recap the mundane events of my uneventful life, my hopes, my fears, and maybe a little wishful thinking.
Because my personal journals were never intended for public consumption, I felt free to write whatever I felt without censoring myself. Even though, in my case, there's really not much to censor. (I have never been comfortable with the use of profanity, even in the confines of my personal pages, but that's not important right now.)
But now, I blog. And I write about my extraordinarily ordinary life for all the world to see.
I'm so glad I started doing this. And I make no apologies for the stories I tell and the way I share things. I'm just happy that other people can relate to me and like reading my stuff.
I do have a confession to make, though. I don't tell you everything. I know. Shocking, isn't it?
Let me explain.
I feel like I've got a lot to share. I want to document my life and my stories, but I don't like to whine, or complain, or rant, because, well....I don't like to whine, or complain, or rant in my real life.
Of course, there's a time and place for rants and complaints. I just don't happen to believe it's on this most public of forums. That's what best friends are for. And although I genuinely love my blog, I can conclusively say it's not my BFF. ;-)
So, I've come up with a solution that has served me well these past years. Not just in writing blog posts, but in my real life.
I keep two journals.
First thing in the morning, as I have my first cafécito I pull out a spiral bound notebook and I write.
Unedited, free-form, with no punctuation or rules of grammar. I date it at the top and just write. This is where my rants and whining find a place of expression. I write three pages in longhand and don't stop writing until those three pages are done. I write without censorship or judgment. Like Nike encourages, I just do it.
The concept of these "morning pages" are from the book, The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. And it helps to get the mental clutter out first thing in the morning so I can get on with the rest of my day.
In the second, nicer edition of my journal duo, I write at the end of my day, and list all of the things that I'm grateful for. (There are definitely days I can only muster up gratitude for my coffee-maker and my pillow, but that's not important right now, either.)
The idea of the Gratitude Journal is from a book I read years ago called Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnac. (She gets a little too spacey and new-agey for my personal tastes, but the concept of the Gratitude Journal is genius.)
Writing my journals in this kind of tandem have helped, not just my writing, but my attitude. I tend to look for things to be grateful for as I go through my days. Writing the three morning pages helps me to de-clutter, not just my brain, but my emotions.
What I've found as I have maintained this writing discipline in my life is that I don't complain as much or as often. I've found I'm much more grateful for the simplest things. I've found that I tend to look for good and positives.
But most of all, I've found that the more I express gratitude, the more I seem to have to be grateful for. Hmm....I wonder which came first?
So, tell me, do you journal?
Happy talk, keep talking happy talk
Talk about things you like to do
You got to have a dream, if you don't have a dream
How you gonna have a dream come true? ~ from the musical, South Pacific
My daughter, Amy Kikita, spends a lot of time online.
Today is her birthday (27) and I wanted to do something special to celebrate. "No time," she said. "I have a ton of work to catch up on."
Fair enough. I guess it's good that she has a work ethic at all....
But I also know that in between uploading and downloading and keywords and doing the online internet marketing stuff she does, she also checks her Facebook Page.
*insert lightbulb over head here*
I got excited when her other Facebook friends agreed to play along.
So, this is an example of what she found when she logged on this morning.
I think we made history today. This is the Very First Virtual Birthday Party I've ever thrown.
Thanks everyone for participating (I will keep loading photos through the day if you want to send them to me or post on Facebook).
So, Happy Birthday, Amy Kikita! Enjoy your party!
For the record, I'd like to mention that the clean-up after this party is a snap! =D
I often wonder how my Cuban grandmother spent her days. I wonder what she cared about and how she decided what to have for dinner.
I have stories, of course, from my mom, about how she would make desserts every night. Homemade desserts EVERY NIGHT, people! Doesn't that just sound glorious?
I know some things just by word of mouth. She had an old coffee can that was the perfect size for a flan. She kept chickens. The lights in their tiny port town would be turned off at 9 o'clock, but she would continue to read late into the night by candlelight.
Perez-Puelles family. Circa 1930. My mom, Luz, is the 15 year old in the 2nd row on the right, with the Wilma Flinstone pearls.
How I wish I knew more about their lifestyle. I am absolutely fascinated by the minutia of those lives that came before mine.
I know this intrigues my kids, too. I tell them about rotary phones and curb feelers and they have a hard time believing I was actually alive and survived those barbaric times. ;-)
This is one of the reasons why I blog. I know my kids are fascinated by how I grew up and so I write "now and then" type stories. But more than that, I know that my own ordinary days will be important for them to remember. So I write about the real things we do and the places we go and the people we do them with.
Last week I decided to take up the challenge by Ali Edwards to document A Week in the Life. The idea was to take photos of all the activities we did, what we ate, where we went, what we bought, etc. And then make notes about each day. And finally to compile all this information into a photo album.
Can I just tell you that I really enjoyed and got into it.
So this week I am sorting through the hundreds (!) of photos I took last week. The observations I made about the week were nothing eye-opening, but I'm glad I stopped and paid attention.
I love the familiar rhythms and routines that make up each day in particular.
For example, every Monday I change the sheets on our beds and put up fresh towels in the bathrooms. This particular ritual makes me profoundly happy. I have such a sense of accomplishment. If nothing else gets done for the rest of the week, on Mondays there are always fresh sheets on our beds and all is right in my little world. =D
So, I documented the process and made notes about each thing I did and the places I went and the people I love.
I took photos of my bed looking all fresh and inviting with the clean sheets that, of course, you can't see, but I know are there and which make me so happy.
And I found that we drink a lot of coffee.
And I did a lot of driving. (Don't worry! Jon took the photo.)
And I admit that we occasionally eat fast food. (Well, if you can even think that the perfection that is an In N Out Burger could possibly be in the same category as other fast food places....)
Some days I pumped gas (which, by the way, I totally hate, but that's not important right now).
And witnessed drama. =D
Here are Lucy and Jonathan in the high school drama classroom playing a
spirited Improv game
of "Playground Dis."
I tended to my garden.
And I worked out. (Actually, I try to get out of this as often as my conscience will allow, but that's not important right now, either.)
I made phone calls.
And of course, I blogged. (Here's a screenshot from last week.)
Laundry was a constant.
As were dirty dishes.
And we also had a house guest. =D
I documented grocery shopping.
And took photos of my people in their natural habitats. ;-)
Those are just a few of the random snippets of my days.
I'm working on the album this week and I've decided to put it together digitally and upload it to Shutterfly for printing.
In the album, I will include my meal plans for the week, grocery receipts, bits and pieces of conversations, and even a look at the weather (from my iPhone app).
Each day's photos will be spread over four pages. I've only just started, but this is what the general layouts will look like with photos and words.
I figured out that even though I do a lot, I can't do everything. (But I'm still doing a lot!)
So, besides cooking and laundry and educating my kids and doing life, what else is going on?
Well, Jonathan and Lucy are both in Drama Productions, so I can say with complete certainty that right now:
Drama is My Life. =D
The show Jon is in is called Give My Regards to Broadway and includes a cast of 24 in 18 numbers. And I'm in charge of costumes for them all. Do the math. That's like 400 costume changes.
Lucky for me, I'm just overseeing this madness, and not really having to sew much. I have a crack team of Costume Helpers Goddesses who are making adjustments and fitting these beautiful pieces to each kid.
Not to mention my Embellishers. (Hey, that works on multiple levels!)
My job is to oversea this craziness and make sure those young thespians look wonderful. (All I need is a tiara and a scepter.)
So, if you're wondering where I've been....
You can find me somewhere between the band uniforms...
and the fake beards....
Right in the center of it all with a big grin on my face. =D
My mom will be 96 tomorrow and we had a birthday party for her this past Sunday at her home.
There were the usual gifts of soaps and lotions and sweet-smelling stuff that she so loves. And she was delighted by the turnout and the sentiments expressed.
She received lots of cards filled with love (and cash!). Because she's going to be spending some time in Miami before going to Cuba, we figured she could use it for her upcoming trip.
But this trip is also a Family Reunion. She and her big brother, my Uncle Fernando (98!), who lives in Miami are going to be reuniting with their other three siblings for the first time in 50 years. Although a couple of them have visited from Cuba at different times, the five of them have not been together in the same spot for half a century.
My mom, Luz (we call her Luza) and her brothers and sisters will probably spend most of their time remembering their early childhood and the games they played as young children in Puerto Padre, Cuba. That's their hometown.
So for her birthday, I made a gift, not just for her, but for all five of them for their upcoming reunion.
I made tshirts for each one with the name of their hometown of Puerto Padre. (I also made matching tags out of cardstock, but that's not important right now.) How cool is that? (Thank you. *takes bow*)
I was hesitant at first when I came up with the idea. Tshirts for 90 year olds? I know. It doesn't sound very smart. But I figured these would be a perfect, one-of-a-kind gift for my aunts and uncles, and of course, for my mom.
If I had any doubts, they were quickly wiped away when I saw her reaction and her misty eyes.
She was so excited and proud. She fiercely loves her siblings and their early shared memories are still bright and present in her mind and imagination. She can't wait for all of them to dress alike and be a "clan" once again.
So the Perez-Puelles siblings will be wearing their One-of-a-Kind gifts to their Once-in-a-Lifetime Reunion in Havana next week.
This makes me totally happy.
My Big Fat Cuban Family: A Cuban-American Blog
My Big Fat Cuban Family is all about my Cuban American life. Enjoy my ramblings on my blog about my Cuban family, Cuban heritage, Cuban culture, Cuban life. And some decent Cuban recipes with pictures, too.
