Busy and a Honeybee!!!

Did you know the name Melissa means honeybee? Well I find this fitting, wow this year has been full of surprises, cooking, care taking, love, hugs, tears, triumphs and trials.  Loving and caring for my loved ones is what I do, I wouldn't have it any other way! Well the holidays are upon us, where did the time go??? I need to get on the ball or as my Tia Patsy says "I better get on it!" Stay tuned for recipes and fun holiday projects I can hopefully get done ;).

Grandma Lizzy's Rice Pudding

Grandma Lizzy's Rice Pudding

On gloomy days like this, I love to cook.  I remember my grandma making sweet rice for us as kids and we were always ecstatic when she did.  She'd either make rice pudding or "little clouds" (Natillas).  Now that I am older and have proven to be a good cook to my Grandpa he has given me pots and kitchen items that were my grandmas, he says I know you'll use them.  For my birthday he gave me my grandma's wood pig cutting board and a bolillo I cried tears of joy, he could have given me a million dollars and and it would not have been as great as these gifts he's given me.   The pot you see in the pic was my grandmas she used it for many years and everything that came out of that pot was delicious!  Here's our recipe for Grandma Lizzy's Rice Pudding (Grandma Lizzy was my great grandmother who was an exceptional cook herself)  So go on, make some sweet rice sit and enjoy it with a little cup of cafecito and think of your grandmas and how hard they worked and cooked day in and day out teaching our Mamas how to cook so they in turn could teach us.    

Grandma Lizzy's Rice Pudding

1 can evaporated milk
1 c water
1 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbs. butter
2 eggs
2 1/2 c minute rice

Cook rice as directed on the box.  Meantime, combine milk, water, sugar, and vanilla in a pot.  Keep heat on medium to medium low, you don't want to scald the milk as it will taste bitter.  Mix well with a whisk.  In a small bowl separate eggs leaving only the egg whites but set the yolks aside don't throw them away!  Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until they are stiff.  Continue to beat and add yolks until they are well incorporated.  Now here's the tricky part.  While beating the milk mixture very fast with a whisk add the beaten egg.  Be sure to put some muscle into it and beat the mixture rapidly while adding the egg otherwise you will have scrambled eggs in your rice pudding.  Add rice and butter, simmer on low for a couple of minutes and transfer the pudding to a glass bowl.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and let set for about half an hour. 

Marisol's Super Princess Muffins

My little princess is the one of the greatest highlights of my life however her eating habits are not.  She is one of the most finicky eaters I know and despises vegetables!  I want her to have a healthy well balanced diet and some might say just set it in front of her if she's hungry enough she'll eat it.  That definitely did not work! She wont' even try spaghetti!!! Growing up my Mom and Grandma always made this awesome zucchini bread so I took that recipe and changed some things around,  I cut the sugar in half, and added some more veggies to the recipe.  Needless to say, Marisol loves them and is eating real vegetables!!!! Here's the recipe they are delish! 

Super Princess Muffins
3 c flour
1 c sugar
3 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 mashed ripe banana
1 shredded zucchini
1/2 c shredded carrots
3 eggs
1 c coconut oil
1 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Mix well and bake in a muffin tin at 375 degrees until golden brown.

A cute birthday card.