Count Your Blessings

This Thanksgiving I am grateful for so many things---too many to list. But at the top of that list is family, friends and health. I am so incredibly blessed and loved. For everyone who has shown their support and love for my family the past 8 months: THANK YOU from the very bottom of my heart!

Pumpkin Enchiladas (this isn't really a food blog)

Yummy! And very easy. My Aunt Cheryl made these top vote getting Pumpkin Enchiladas for our annual Halloween party. They were DELICIOUS! Since the weather has finally cooled down to normal Fall temperatures here in Southern California, we've been doing more cooking

The recipe she gave us was for 2 single serving enchiladas. Two isn't enough, and I've made enough enchiladas is my time that I just gathered my ingredients and started mixing. (The diced tomatoes are for the Spanish rice and snuck their way into this photo). There is no exact science to making these.

In a large mixing bowl dump your pumpkin, diced green chiles, about 1 cup of salsa and maybe 1/4-1/3 packet of taco seasoning. (I used half and it was a bit much).

Dice a medium sweet Mayan onion and sautee. Add to pumpkin mixture.

Shake your enchilada sauce, before you open the can, and pour just enough to cover the bottom of your 9X13 pyrex.

My family prefers flour tortillas, but you can use corn. Spoon pumpkin mixture into tortilla, roll and place seam side down in the pyrex. If you want more enchiladas don't use as much filling, if you like your enchiladas really substantial then fill 'em up.

Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the top. Add shredded cheddar cheese, the more the better. Cover with foil and bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes. Remove foil and bake 5-10 minutes more, until cheese starts to bubble and brown. 

Let enchiladas sit 5-10 minutes so it will be easier to serve them. If they are too hot they slop all over the place while you're trying to get them out of the pan. Have fresh tomatoes, sliced avocado, olives, sour cream, or whatever else you like to garnish your enchiladas with. Serve with Spanish rice, beans, chips and salsa. Happy fiesta!

If you are unsure about the pumpkin, use the same ingredients but substitute refried beans for the pumpkin. And if red enchilada sauce is too strong for your taste use the milder green chile enchilada sauce. 

Tis the Season

I've been waiting for this day for months. Not this particular day, but I've been in the Christmas spirit for a really long time. Maybe because I started making Christmas stuff in August. I've been anxious to start listening to Christmas music. (I gave in and started singing carols last week).

For me, stretching out the holidays makes me feel less stressed and I get to enjoy them even longer. I know many folks out there get bent out of shape when Christmas is displayed before Halloween, but I would have been sad out of luck for the Christmas orders we've had since September without those jumping-the-gun retailers. Maybe it's my retail background, but I look forward to the festive displays and merchandise---regardless of when it starts.

The point of me telling you all this you ask? FlyAKite is fully stocked with ALL NEW Christmas ornaments and greeting cards. We've been busy little elves and the results are ADORABLE! (if I say so myself)

Share love and give a smile! Let us help you spread the holiday cheer!

Pumpkin Pie

i don't like it

Let me back up. I come from a family that practically lives for pie. My Grandma Wilde is the QUEEN of pies. She is an excellent cook and famous for her baking. I love her. I love her pies. All except the pumpkin (well, and banana cream, but that's because I can't eat bananas). It's not just hers. I just don't like pumpkin pie. I like pumpkin flavor. I like it baked in other things. I like the spices. It is so unappetizing to me in pie form. It's cold. It's got a funny texture. It's heavy. Given the choice on Thanksgiving I would rather just have another scoop of green bean casserole and a roll.

That said, when we moved to LA a few years ago our apartment manager brought us a pumpkin pie right around Thanksgiving. We were very grateful for her thoughtfulness, but wondered what we were going to do about this pie situation. We decided to get some whipped cream and at least try a piece.

HEAVEN!

This pie is light, almost like a mousse. The flavor is fantastic. Her crust is AMAZING. We eat it for breakfast, which is really the best way to eat pie.

We get a pie every year. We look forward to it. She makes dozens to give away, but won't reveal her recipe. Thank you Terri!

11/11/11

Today I'm thankful for the men and women who serve to make our country free.

Fighters WIN

There has been a battle raging since April when Dad was diagnosed with bladder cancer. In June his bladder, prostate, pelvic lymph nodes, urethra and appendix were removed. In July doctors told us that the cancer had spread. The last 9 weeks of chemotherapy have been HELL. Today he got the results from his latest PET scan and . . . 

the chemotherapy is working!!!

The cancer in his neck is half the size and the spot in his chest isn't visible. He will have two additional chemo infusions, so he won't be done until January, but we couldn't be more THRILLED! 

Dad has been AMAZING through this ordeal. He is so strong. Our faith has been strengthened. Our prayers have been answered. The next 12 weeks will still be challenging, but we can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

Wait, it's November?

photo by Golden Section

I vowed to myself to be a better blogger, and then I seem to have lost the month of October. I don't really know where it went. I'm on the computer ALL the time, and I had blog post ideas. Somewhere I experienced a disconnect. This being the month that celebrates Thanksgiving I will be creating posts about things I am grateful for. Some meaningful and some silly. Thankfulness is something I am really trying to work on. I might also throw in a few tutorials. 

Join me in a month of thankfulness. And if you write about things you are thankful for, leave me the link in a comment and I'll check it out.

Dia de los Muertos

Happy Dia de los Muertos!

This won't be a long post. I don't want to steal my sister's thunder. And this is ALL her. (I'll post a LINK to her blog with the complete story.) Halloween has become a VERY big deal in our family the last few years. For anyone on our Christmas card list you'll know what I'm talking about. It's not unheard of to find us discussing costumes in February. This year has been different. With Dad in the midst of chemotherapy we didn't know if he would feel up to dressing up. As of the week before Halloween we didn't have a costume and figured we'd just skip it this year. 

D.D. came up with the idea. Steele was on board as long as he could have a cool hat. My makeup alone took over two hours! But what a FANTASTIC job! My sister is a makeup artist, and she really demonstrated what she can do. Especially what she was able to do on herself!

I LOVE the way my teeth turned out! And my eyes! At the end of the night I was reluctant to remove my makeup. I wanted to revel in it as long as possible. And yes, we did our photo shoot at the cemetery.

THANK YOU D.D. for being the creative force behind my favorite Halloween costume ever!

p.s. we really missed Dad and Mom