Guatemalan Icebox Cookies

We’re just wrapping up a great 4th of July weekend.  My husband worked crazy hours all of Friday/ Friday night in order to have a rare weekend completely at home, and so we all have been enjoying a slower pace as a result.

On Saturday, we first had my mom and grandmother over for a little cook out, and then some friends and their daughter joined us for dessert and fireworks.

As I mentioned in my last column, I feel like our family has been feeling more comfortable (but authentically comfortable, not just lip-service comfortable) in how we’re embracing our multi-culturalism right now.  At home, in the community…and at the table.

At any rate, we concluded this quintessential American holiday with a Guatemalan dessert- Guatemalan Ice Box Cookies.  The recipe makes a ton of cookies, but they’re small and light.  They taste like the crispy almost-burnt top of a chocolate cake, but with a teeny bit of spice you can’t place.  Everyone, especially the kids (ours, and our friends’ daughter- all of whom happen to be Guatemalan-born) loved them.  Here’s the recipe:

Guatemalan Icebox Cookies:

• 1 1/2 t vanilla
• 1 egg
• 12 T unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 t cinammon
• 1/4 t cayenne (I’ve used chili in its place)
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/4 t ground black pepper

Beat egg, vanilla, and sugar together until mixture is white and creamy.  Add cold butter in small pats, and mix well.  Sift together dry ingredients.  Add them in to the butter/sugar/egg mixture until everything’s together, but don’t over-mix.  Take out half of the mixture and form into a ball; then roll into a log, and wrap in waxpaper.  Repeat with other half.  Freeze for at least 4 hrs.  

Take rolls out of freezer and slice into 1/2 inch thin coins.  Preheat oven to 350 and bake between 8-12 minutes.  Cookies will be crunchy and delicious!

Feliz Father’s Day…for Less

Confession: I think I enjoy Father’s Day more than Mother’s Day.  Where Mother’s Day is high-profile and social, Father’s Day feels quieter and more intimate.  Plus, having grown up raised by a single mom, I’m completely in awe of my husband as a father and I enjoy the opportunity to reflect on it.  He rocks!  The kids and I are better for having him in our lives.

And so he deserves our love, and admiration and…some presents!

I’d been asked to participate in a financially-savvy Father’s Day promotion by the team at RocketXL and received two gift cards-one from T.J.Maxx and one from Marshalls- just in time to put to use in my Father’s Day shopping.  

Though both stores are within a 15 minute drive from our house, I’d never been in either.  (Another confession: I do at least 90% of all our non-food shopping online, a figure which seems to surprise most people that hear it…but oh, how it saves me time and appeals to my personality). One of my shop-aholic-iest friends heard about my participation in the promotion and assured me she’s had much success founding a variety of great deals at both stores in the past.  ”You just need to be willing to look,” she said.  

So on Saturday morning, I set out willing to look, though with very little time.  The weather was turning and I had to meet another friend for lunch in another part of the city, so I was concerned that I wouldn’t have enough time to find something good.  But I did, and fast!  I was out of both places in less than a half an hour, including the walk between the two, and came out with the perfect gifts for my husband.

Here are the gifts I purchased: 

1. Digital money counting coin jar- from our older daughter, who loves to watch her dad empty his pockets, and help him put his loose change into the coin jar he keeps in his closet.  Now we won’t have to wonder how much money is in there!
2. Bourbon grill sauce- from our son, who loves to watch his dad grill, and is delighted by anything with the potential to be sticky.
3. Designer-brand dress tie- from our younger daughter, a total daddy’s girl, who loves it when she sees her dressed-up daddy off to work.
4. Designer-brand t-shirt AND
5. Stereo-quality headphones- from our two dogs, who had to give good presents in order to redeem themselves for their frequent and badly-timed barking while my husband tries to take work calls at home.

(what did I give my husband for Father’s Day?  the only thing I didn’t get at either store, because though they carried books, this title was not available- The Angel’s Game (just translated into English) by Carlos Ruiz Zafon)

Here’s what I could have spent (based on the items’ reg. dept. store prices) : $136

Here’s what I spent:  $56…after gift cards: $6

Verdict:  If I can tear myself away from my beloved online shopping, I’ll be back!  And for those of you who love the hunt for a good bargain, if you haven’t already, give T.J. Maxx and Marshalls a try.

A Close Approximation to the “Me” You’d Meet at a Party

In my writing, I come across one way.  In person, another.  Either way, I lack the ability to tell a short story (anyone who knows me well knows all my best stories are looong), but in my writing, you miss the eyebrow raise, the big earrings and the unruly hair.  So, if you’re curious about what I’d look and sound like if you met me at a party, watch me tell this crazy family story here.

* originally recorded for The Tiki Tiki Blog

Speed Post

Because I want to have blogged, but don’t feel very bloggy right now.

Recent Reading:

• Luis Alberto Urrea’s Into the Beautiful North- I wanted to like it, de verdad.  And I loved a number of his quirky characters enough to finish the book, but the plot/stlye/pacing was a bit “eh” at points.  Would not really recommend.
• Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers- a friend had recommended this long ago and I just now picked it up.  It’s a fast (I read the nearly 300 pgs in a night), fascinating read that will change the way you look at geniuses, success stories, and society.  Highly recommend!
• Elizabeth Kostova’s The Historian- I’m ashamed to say I didn’t read this when it first came out and there was so much press about it.  But I just started this and am in love with/in awe of the writing.  It’s super engaging, but I’m trying to read it slowly.

 

Writing:

• Too bad brainstorming doesn’t count.  I’m in a mini funk.

 

Recent Viewing:

• Full episodes of Cuentame Como Paso here.  (highly recommended for any of my paisanas)  It’s like the Spanish version of The Wonder Years, don’t you think?
• Spirited Away, viewed with the kids.  The older two liked it (though not as much as the fabulous My Neighbor, Totoro which we all LOVE), but are a bit worried now that I might be turned into a pig. 
• Jon & Kate Plus 8.  It’s like a burning building that you can’t look away from.  

Memorable Eating:

• A fantastic dinner with my mom at a “seasonally progressive” restaurant where 80% of the menu is locally grown.  (Email me if you’re in my area, and I’ll give you the name).  I had an apricot arugula flatbread pizza, a salad, and spinach goat cheese ravioli with caponata.  So good!
• At home, I taught myself how to make memorable versions of Chicken Tikka Masala and Chicken Saagwala with extra veggies from our farm-share.  I have no authority over Indian cuisine, but my husband and older daughter (yeah, she’s 3…she’s loved Indian take-out since she was 18 mos old) particularly love it and we’re trying to save money and calories through less takeout.
• This week, I’m also going to try Marta’s Cuban “Peet-sah” recipe from TikiTiki.  Want some, too?  Go get it here!

 

Goings-on:

• Our veggie garden is looking so good!  I harvested a ton of Komatsu greens and Persian cress and moved a few seedlings around with the newly-cleared space.  I still can’t believe I like gardening this much but I find it so oddly fulfilling and calming.  
• I’m also very surprised to find how much I like running.  And reading/thinking about running! Like so many of my blog/facebook/twitter friends, I started Couch-to-5K recently- on Mother’s Day actually.  C25K helped me so much the first 3-4 weeks, but now I’m finding I can go at my own pace just as well (sometimes this means I run more than I would on the plan at this stage, vs. walking).  Anyway, I am signed up for 3 5Ks between July and October!

 

That’s all for me, for now.  What are you up to?

Then We Came to The End

…well, for now anyway.  Go read my last installment of my Multi-Culti Mami column for Literary Mama.

Here’s a blurb:

 

“…maybe because of that experience, I identified ever since exclusively as Spanish-American. When they were smaller, I thought of my Guatemalan-born, American-raised children as exclusively Guatemalan-American, rather than as simply American, too.
But my three children are from a different place and time of origin, both of which are more fluid than the ones I knew growing up. That, it turns out, changes a lot.”

Leave your love here, or there, in the comments.  I could use some ánimo as I go forth into a new (but still writerly) direction.

Glow

So between finishing up my latest column, launching Tiki Tiki, potty training, and life in general…my already fairly low maintenance “beauty routine” has suffered from an even greater lack of time and energy.  I have time for a quick shower after a run, but aside from that, all the rest has to be pretty on-the-go.  All this considered, it’s been the right time to try out a new product I received recently for review from Caress.  The new Evenly Gorgeous body wash is part ofthe Caress Skinwear collection of body washes and beauty bars.  The idea behind the line is to make glowing skin the ultimate fashion statement, and they promise to make that available straight out of the shower.  

Now I have been a Dove girl ever since their tear-jerking Superbowl commercial featuring the song “True Colors” came out (I remember it so vividly because I’d just become a mami, and I used to rock our older daughter to sleep to that song many nights), and I love the way their body wash makes my skin feel. Caress’ marketing of the Skinwear collection with Kim Kardashian and Carson Kressly is aimed for a hiper demographic, for sure not the parents-with-young-kids crowd, and if the product hadn’t come to me first, that promotion wouldn’t have gotten my attention.  BUT…I’m so glad it did, because the Evenly Gorgeous body wash itself is great, and actually very useful for mamis short on time yet desirous of glow.  

The Evenly Gorgeous body wash foamed up nicely in the shower, and had a nice clean-yet-toasty/brown-sugary smell; it exfoliated somewhere in-between the barely-noticeable “gentle” exfoliators and the more abrasive ones- just the right amount- and the smell was energizing.  I used up the whole bottle over a couple of weeks and my skin definitely glowed.  Some days, it made me look better than I felt, which IS one of the good points of beauty/fashion, is it not?

I just ran out of the body wash and, next time I’m at the store, I’ll buy more…and alternate the Caress with my old standby, because I’m trying to strike a good balance between the cuddly mami and the mami who is all dressed up with somewhere to go.

Gazpacho Garden

I’m new to gardening this year, but no less enthusiastic.  You can read more about it here, but suffice to say, that my little patch under the ventana will be bursting with produce shortly.

Anyway, while I was reading about small garden-growing, I ran across information about Pizza Gardens- gardens most oftenly grown with kids and planted with their favorite pizza toppings.  They’re supposed to be a great way to illustrate the garden-to-table connection.

But I planted such a variety of stuff and I’m trying to raise healthy eaters- do I really want to label our mini farming experience into “pizza gardening”?  And frankly, if we use the produce only for pizza, we’ll look like a bunch of focas by the end of summer (something I am particularly nervous about).  

So, me pregunte, what fun & healthier name can we give the huerto?  Answer: gazpacho garden. In addition to stir frys, grills, and recipes that use bits of things, I can use the bulk of heirloom tomatoes, hot and sweet peppers, and onions I’ve planted in gazpacho and we’ll never have more produce than we’re able to eat.  All I’ll need to complete the recipe will be un poco de aceite de oliva and migas!   And then we can have some of the sandia I’m also growing for dessert.

Tiki Tiki Launch!

For the last three months, I’ve been busy dreaming, brainstorming, planning and writing with the fabulous Carrie, Marta, and Carla on this fantastic project- the Tiki Tiki.  I’m super ilusionada to launch today!

The Tiki Tiki is a magazine-style website aiming to capture the “cultura, color and sabor” of living Latino in the United States through essays, recipes, contests, giveaways, photos, videos and a special feature we call “del alma.”  It’s entertainment, information, and inspiration.  For Latinas of every background, I guarantee you’ll recognize yourself, and your friends and familia in our features, and find yourself at home in the comunidad. 

Where did the name Tiki Tiki come from? Carrie explains it best:

In Spanish — particularly Cuban Spanish — Tiki Tiki is a funny saying meaning constant conversation, constant habla habla, the kind of noise that would make non-Latinos a little crazy. It is talking fast, hands in constant motion about 17 subjects and somebodies all at once.

We adopted Tiki Tiki as our name because we plan on doing a lot of talking here, a lot of back and forth, about a lot of subjects and definitely all at once.

And also because it is the sound of a Spanish heartbeat – tiki-tiki-tiki-tak tiki-tiki-tiki-tak.

Go over there now and take a look! We’re hosting a Latino Book Month giveaway of five great books. (I would have entered it if I could have…instead I just bought 3/5 books).  Head over, por favor, and leave a comment about the site on the contest post to be eligible to win.  And tell all your friends!

Best Children’s Book. Ever.

Curious about what my favorite children’s book ever is? Here’s a hint: it’s a Spanish classic featuring an imaginary whale.

Take a peek at my nostalgic review, here, at the Latin Baby Book Club.

Notes from The Dream Day

My events went so well!  Brace yourself for the giddy…

In spite of being really nervous beforehand, I managed to relax within the first few minutes of the morning talk and this helped me so much in connecting with my audience. Both my morning talk and my evening reading were hosted by a private pk-8 school in Pittsburgh (a great educational choice for lots of international families that live in or around the city, though it is not where our kids will be attending) and the event coordinators really made sure that everything ran smoothly. 

In the morning, I was invited as the guest speaker for the school’s weekly chapel service.  I spoke to an audience of 1st-8th graders, faculty, parents, and community members about my experiences in the early part of my writing career, weaving in my love of writing as a child, some funny stories, and some inspirational-kind-of advice, and also talked a bit about how the values of the school apply in the field of writing.  I also read some poetry, including the very popular “Godzilla poem” (aka “My Daughter at Her Tea Party,” first published in The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 3/25/06).  

After the chapel, I was invited by the school’s lovely Spanish and World Cultures teacher to speak to her 6th and 7th grade students.  Each classroom welcomed me with a reading of one of Bequer’s Rimas.  Perfect!  I spent an hour and a half or so sitting in the middle of the room, answering the kids’ questions in a fun, informal way.  I loved what they asked me about!  Everything from “How do you learn from reading?” to “How did you meet your husband?” to “Who is your favorite poet? (in English and in Spanish!)” to “How long does it take you to write a poem?” (they were HORRIFIED by the answer I gave!) Before leaving, I gave them magnets I’d made with the logo from my business card and they were delighted. 

After that, I had lunch with my mother (who had gone to the morning talk to hear me and, for the first time ever, CRIED at my words!…I’ve teased her a lot over the years about how she’s never ever cried when she’s heard me give a variety of speeches) and went home for a quick nap and an outfit change.

The evening event was a celebration for the conclusion of National Poetry Month.  When they contacted me to speak, I requested my theme to be “Inspirations from Around the World” so that I could weave the poetry they wanted me to read in with my new Call Me Okaasan piece. The event began with groups of 3rd-8th grade students reciting (memorized!) poetry in a variety of different languages- Latin, English, Spanish, French, Hindi, Japanese… They did an incredible, awestriking job. Then I took the stage and gave a talk about finding  and taking inspirations from travel, literature about other countries, and even language study, and read some poems.  I concluded with my piece from Okaasan- “Two Names for Every Beautiful Thing”-and received a big bouquet of flowers while people clapped.

I was so touched the response! My husband said (I couldn’t see because of the glare of the stage light) that he saw lots of people tearing up and nodding in recognition as I read my essay in particular. Afterwards, at the reception, many parents and faculty members came up to me, to let me know how it had moved them. I signed and sold some books**, told more funny stories, and gave some encouraging words to future-writers.  Maybe my favorite moment was when a couple of  boys who had international moms not in attendance bought their moms copies of the book for Mother’s Day! That almost made me tear up!

All in all, it was the dream day for a writer, and I came away with lots of inspiration and gratitude.  

 

* made possible by my husband, who watched the kids ALL day, cleaned up the house, managed to look so handsome when he accompanied me to the evening event, worked the cashbox and kept the line moving and me on task during the signing & selling, and, on the way home, stopped to get me a pizza! 

** I have some copies of Okaasan left over.  If anyone wants to either Paypal me or send me a check for $16, I will happily mail one of those copies, signed (and dedicated, if you want) to you. Think of it as Amazon with personality.  Leave a comment or email me privately, if you’re interested.