Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Hearts For You!

So we are making our own
Valentine's Day Cards 
this year!
It is fun!
We are proud!
Pretty Paper!
Number! Get it?
Paper from the Phone Directory!
Clever!
First Sight! Get it?
Pages from a book!
Once again!
CLEVER!
Pretty In Pink!

Make some cards!
Have fun!

Sunday, January 17, 2010

HOLLI HOT SAUCE

In Texas we call the yummy dip
served with tortilla chips in all
Mexican restaurants
HOT SAUCE!
In Colorado it is called
SALSA!
This Mama LOVES
HOT SAUCE!
Usually I make my own as I
am pretty picky about my
HOT SAUCE!
Starting at a very young age,
5 years old to be exact,
my mom would pack
HOT SAUCE
in my metal
Scooby Doo
 lunchbox!
I remember very vividly
sitting at the cafeteria table
dipping my Fritos into my
HOT SAUCE!
  Of course every single child at my
table wanted a taste!
One can only imagine the
GERMS
we
shared!
YUM!
News spread fast!
I became very popular!
I'm sure I felt pretty good about
my new fame and notoriety
as I marched through
the halls of
Hobby Elementary
with my crooked bangs
and
knobby knees!
I can just hear the chatter in the hall!
"Hey Holli! Did you bring your
hot sauce today?"
"You betcha!" was Holli's perky reply.
Then a loud cheer and a sudden
commotion as children argue
about who gets to sit at
"Holli Hot Sauce's" table today!
WOW!
I owe it all to
HOT SAUCE!

So I am going to bestow upon
you all a very easy
HOT SAUCE
recipe!
I have many
HOT SAUCE
recipes but here is the easiest
one from my recipe box.
Once again you will need this

This is a "cheater" recipe!
So let's name it......
Cheater HOT SAUCE

In a blender put 2 cloves of garlic
1 cup of cilantro and
the juice from 1 can of Rotel.
Blend on high about 20 seconds.
Add the remaining can of Rotel
to the blender and blend another
20 seconds.  Do not blend too long
or it will become foamy!
There you go!
Easy Peasy 
40 Second 
Cheater
Hot Sauce!
This is great on eggs, tacos,
quesadillas, you name it!
Store in the refrigerator for
up to 5 days.

I double dare you 
to put it in
your child's lunchbox!

Are you a Queso Lover?
Then go HERE!




7 Layer Tex Mex Dip Lover?
Then go HERE!






Friday, January 15, 2010

Mama Holli's Texas Tortilla Soup



Since the weather is a little chilly....
how about some nice
HOT
Tortilla
Soup!
Are you in?
I thought so!
Listen up Mexican Cooking Mamas!
Holli Tamale 
is in
la cocina!
She is cooking up
some
Texas
Tortilla
Soup

Here we go amigos!
Don Your Sombrero

Texas Tortilla Soup
1 small chopped onion
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup oil
4 garlic cloves minced
3 large carrots sliced
4 ribs of celery diced
1 lb diced raw chicken breasts
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 can of Rotel tomatoes
1/2 cup flour
1 can diced tomatoes
4 cans of chicken broth
1 cup of chopped cilantro
sour cream and tortilla chips to garnish

Heat butter and oil in a large soup pot.  Add to the pot onions, celery, carrots, garlic and chicken.  Let that simmer on medium heat for 8 minutes.  Next add cumin, chili powder, salt, rotel, and flour.  Stir well.  Slowly add all remaining ingredients and simmer on low for 1 hour.  Stir every 10-15 minutes to prevent sticking as the broth will become thicker as it cooks.  Ladle in bowls and top with crushed tortilla chips and sour cream if so desired.

I can honestly say I have concocted many
a tortilla soup recipes over the years
and this by far is my favorite!
Not only is it my favorite but
it is the easiest to prepare!

Last note!
In case you are not familiar
with
ROTEL
I have provided a photo!
This is a staple in every
Texas Mama's Pantry!
Look for it near the canned tomatoes
at your grocery store!
Some of my Tree Hugging Colorado friends
did not know what this was!
So don't let anyone stop you
from  enjoying
 a big bowl of
simmering soup!
Not even.....
The Soup Nazi!
"No soup for you!
You come back in 
one year!"


Adios Amigos!


I Spy



I am minding my own business
doing dishes at the sink
and look what I spy
through my window!
I want to sit in the sun!
 I quickly reach for the knob
on my faucet.
Switching from COLD to HOT!
That feels good!
Hot water running over my hands!
I can at least pretend
I am sitting in the sun!
My daughter announced a few
days ago that she was so ready
for
SUMMER!
Well I have to agree.
I am COLD!
As much as I love the beauty
of
WINTER,


today
I
am
COLD!
So I will crank up the
heater
and
brew
me
up
some
coffee
and
dream
of 
warmer 
days 
ahead!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Every Mama Deserves a Great Haircut!

Every Mama remembers with great
JOY 
the day they found their Hairdresser!
It is such an important milestone
in a Mama's life!
For if Mama's hair
is not perky.....
then Mama's not PERKY!
When one finds that talented being
who makes them into a 
beauty queen
every 4-6 weeks,
 it is a bond for eternity!
The perfect Hairdresser can
plunk you in a chair,
survey the damage,
visualize the transformation,
and execute her craft perfectly
while graciously listening 
to
 your every word!
She is magical
in every sense of the word!
Here is my stylist and friend of
12 years!
Kelly Welly is what I call her!
She is FAB!
I mean FAB!!!
The only problem is she is in Texas!
SO SAD For Me!
I am in Colorado now!
So when I go back to visit we all
line up to get our hair "fixed"!
She calls me a
"Tree Hugging Mama"
and
"FIXES" my granola hair
once a year!

Here she is making us purty!
I told you everything
is bigger in
TEXAS!
Big hair needs 
BIG 
scissors!

So if you are lucky enough
to be near The Woodlands, Texas,
give Kelly a call!
She will fix you up
and make you
real purty!
Total Image Salon
Kelly Drebert






25710 Budde Road,
Spring, TX 77380

(281) 362-7966 





Monday, January 11, 2010

In My Own Little Corner!



In my own little corner 
in my own little room 
I can be 
whatever I want to be.........

I have always told my children
they can be anything they
choose to be!
That there is nothing that
they can't do
if they set their mind
to do it!
When they were young I would
sing to them the song,
In My Own Little Corner,
from the musical, Cinderella.
I would change the words
to fit what they were
magically imagining
themselves to be at that
time in their young little lives!
With my oldest daughter
I would sing......
"I'm a ballerina dancing on the stage
you can see me in my pretty pink dress!"
We even have video of her
belting this song out while
standing on the kitchen table!

Here she is today
A ballerina dancing on the stage!

                                  

Encourage the ones you love
to dream BIG!
For You REALLY can be 
whatever you want to be!

We are proud of you
little ballerina girl!




The Graphics Fairy

Madre Loves A Good Mexican Dip!

Oh Yes Mama Holli Loves Dip!
She could live on it actually!
Breakfast, lunch or dinner!
Muy Bueno!
So do you want the recipe?
I think SO!
Black Bean and Pico Dip
2 cans of drained black beans ( I use organic)
1 can of drained organic white corn or 2 ears of fresh cooked corn
1 16 oz container of pico de gallo if you can't make your own
(I find the pico in the deli section of my grocery store when I am too lazy to make my own)
1 avocado diced
1/2 cup of chopped cilantro

3/4 cup of Italian Salad Dressing
2 Tbs of Red Wine Vinegar
2 Tbs of Olive Oil
1/4 tsp of Tabasco
2 minced garlic cloves
juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a bowl and set aside.  In a small bowl whisk dressing, oil, vinegar, garlic, Tabasco and lime juice.  Pour over bean mixture.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Cover and refrigerate one hour before serving.  Stir to distribute dressing.  Serve with tortilla chips and Big Scoop Fritos!

This is also yummy wrapped up in a flour tortilla!  So healthy and yummy!




Once A Child Always A Child!


I feel the need for 
SPEED!


In Formation!


What A Crew!


Let The Inner Child In You
Escape Every Once 
In 
Awhile!
It Will Keep You
Young
and 
Happy!

Friday, January 8, 2010

Dump Cake For Mama!



Here is the scenario.......
Hubby calls Mama at 4:00
in the afternoon!
"Hi Honey, I've invited Wilbur
for dinner!"
Mama say's......"Are you kidding me?"
Mama hangs up the phone.
Mama SCREAMS!
Mama says a few choice words!
Mama grabs the car keys and RUNS to the grocery store!
This is where the DUMP CAKE comes in!

So Listen Up Clever Mama's!
This is What You Do.......
1.  Go to the store and purchase a plain
angel food cake.
2.  Bring it home and plop it on a pretty cake platter!
3.  Make your way to the pantry!
4.  Grab the chocolate syrup and or caramel syrup.  Grab chocolate chips and nuts of any kind.
5.  Dump syrup over cake.  Dump nuts and chocolate on top of syrup.  Dump more syrup.  Dump more chocolate.
6.  ALL DONE!

There you go!
Mama is so Clever 
and 
Hubby
is
in
so
MUCH
TROUBLE!
OUCH!
It won't be pretty!
You can just see it 
in her eyes!
She is plotting her 
sweet
revenge!
He won't even
know what hit him!
It could have been the 
cast iron skillet, the meat cleaver,
the 20 lb sack of potatoes......
so many weapons in a kitchen
a mama can choose from!
One may never know!







Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Sometimes........



Sometimes one just 
has to.....
Go to the farm

Go to the city

Go to the bay

Go to the ocean

Go to the mountains

Go to the beach

Go to the park

Go to the lake

In 2010 
may you make the time 
to 
go to your 
special place!


Photography courtesy 
of 
Mama Holli

Monday, January 4, 2010

Introducing Kendall Payne

I want you to meet a special lady,
Kendall Payne.
She is the daughter of Craig and Susan Tschudi,
sister to Jordan and wife to Tyler.
The first time I heard Kendall sing
was in Beaver Creek, Colorado.
She grabbed the mike during a Tom James
Company Karaoke Session!
She was probably about 16
at the time. She belted out Patsy Clines's
famous song, Crazy!
I knew at that moment she was destined
for greater things!
She has recorded several wonderful
albums. Her songs have appeared on numerous
movies and television shows.
Here is a sample of her work!
Enjoy!
Visit her website for more music!
http://www.kendallpayne.com/

2010 Ready Or Not!


Take a good look at this talented
New Year Mama!
She is proudly perched
on
a
bottle
of
champagne!
WOW!
MAGIC!

I hope your year is full
of
MAGICAL
MOMENTS

Thank you to the most gracious
Graphics Fairy
for this happy graphic!
The Graphics Fairy

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Friday, December 18, 2009

Four Mamas In The Kitchen!

BIG POST TODAY!
BIG!
HUGE!
GIGANTIC!
Four Mamas Are In The Kitchen!
Oh Yes Big Stuff Is A Happening
In Mama Lisa's Cocina!
Mama Lisa and Mama Elizabeth
share their tradition of making
these wonderful treats!

Chocolate, caramel, sprinkles and pretzels!
What a lovely combination indeed!
Follow along and learn how to
whip up these divine treats!
First you will need to find a local
bakery that sells really good chocolate.

Mama Lisa and Mama Elizabeth feel quite
strongly about this!  Do not go to Michael's
or Hobby Lobby to get your chocolate!
You will also need to purchase
your caramel from
the same bakery.  It comes in logs! YUM!
Slice up the log as seen above.
Purchase pretzel rods from
your grocery store.
Gather sprinkles, crushed cookies, crushed toffee, crushed peppermint and so on!  
The topping choices are endless!
First you will take a slice of the caramel
and wrap around the pretzel.
This is the tedious part.
Stretch and soften the caramel
with your hands and then
wrap the pretzel in a
blanket of lovely caramel!
Mama Lisa is doing a good job!
You will want to cover the pretzel
almost to the end.

Line a baking sheet with wax paper
so the pretzels don't stick.
Make as many as you want or have time to.
Get your chocolate ready in microwave
safe bowls. Working with one bowl at a time
microwave on high for about 1 minute.
Check and stir and add more time if needed.
Be very careful not to overcook!
Using a spoon Mama Elizabeth carefully
covers her pretzel with the
yummy chocolate!
Place the dipped pretzel back on to the tray
with wax paper.
This time leaving more room
between the pretzels.
Mama Elise adds toppings while
the chocolate is still soft.
Oh how pretty are these puppies!
We did white chocolate ones as well!
So Darn Pretty!
We ROCK!
Let the pretzels set up.
You may need to pop the trays
in the fridge for a
few minutes if you live in a
humid region.
Being that we are in Colorado
where it is very dry ours set up
pretty fast on the kitchen counter.
We did stick some trays out in the
snow and that did the trick as well!

Wrap them up in pretty little bags
to give as gifts......OR NOT!
Don't give as gifts
and let your family
EAT THEM ALL!