Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Tamale Recipe

Chicken Tamales
1 package dried corn husks.
Boil dried corn husks for 10 minutes. Drain, separate from each other and rinse off. Set aside.
Tamale Dough:
8 cups Masa Mix (I use MASECA for Tamales brand which is different from the Masa for tortillas)
8 cups water (broth from the chicken is best)*
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups vegetable shortening
Combine the Masa flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Work the broth/water in with your fingers to make a soft, moist dough. In small bowl, beat lard or shortening until fluffy. Add to Masa mixture and beat together until you have a spongy texture.
Tamale Filling:
3 lbs of boneless chicken
10cups of water
3 fresh Pasilla pepper pods
1 onion, chopped into small pieces
1/8 cup cooking oil1
cup salsa

COOK CHICKEN: Add to large pan, 10 cups of water, 1 teaspoon salt, 4 bay leaves, and 2 tablespoons chicken base (or 3 chicken bullion cubes, 2 teaspoons onion power and garlic powder. Cook chicken until done. Remove chicken from broth and set aside. Reserve 8 cups of broth* in container to use in making the tamale dough above. (Save and set aside balance of broth for use in making soup.) When chicken is cool enough to handle, shred chicken.
BLACKEN PEPPERS:Cook peppers on gas grill or broil in the oven until outside of peppers are black (but not overcooked). Put peppers in sink and run cool water on them. Peel blackened skin of peppers off and discard. Chop peppers.
TAMALE FILLING: In skillet, add 1/8 cup of cooking oil, chopped onion, and chopped peppers, cook until onions are translucent, add all of the chopped chicken and stir. Simmer mixture for 5 minutes, then add 1 cup salsa. Set aside.
ASSEMBLE TAMALES:
Place on counter a cleaned, wet corn husk that is at about 4 inches wide at top. Flatten husk by spreading out the husk with your hands. To the center of it add ¾ cup of tamale dough (recipie above) and spread out the dough to cover all but the bottom ¼ of the husk. Add 1 large tablespoon of the filling (recipe above) to the left side of the dough creating a line of filling from the top of the husk to the end of the dough. Roll the tamale from the left to the right, keeping the filling rolled tightly in side. Unroll the tamale and fold bottom of husk (not already covered with masa) up onto tamale, then roll tamale closed and set aside.
When all tamales are rolled, place in large steamer pan (Large Tamale Pans are often sold at markets that specialize in Mexican Food). Place tamales on bottom of steamer, laying them with ½ inch separation between each one, and change direction on each layer (similar to laying a wood fire). Steam Tamales for 1 hour (keep pan covered to retain the steam during the hour. *
1. Add water to steamer pan(s) occasionally. Do Not let pans boil dry!.

Tamales anyone....?

My mother loves to cook and I love her to cook! She came to town with the plan to make tamales, which is no small job! It is quite a process and I jumped in when it was time to actually build the tamale. We made 29 tamales. I have her recipe that I am going to post separately, it is quite detailed.

And then for dessert she made Pineapple Upside Down Cake! So yummy! She is amazing! The kids are begging for Grandma to cook everynight! Why not, I say!

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

What did I do?


Steve and Grandma though these really cute jammies, that are oh so soft and cuddly, looked like prison clothes! So Steve created her inmate number (her birthday) and had to get photos! As you can tell, Emily is completely unaware of any wrong-doing! Is it a crime to be too cute?

Another Quiet Sunday....


Today we were sitting around reading and then there is a knock at the door. It was Grandma Lockhart! The kids go running, "Grandmaaaaa!!" We were all pleasantly surprised and glad to see her. Well, Grandma wastes no time, "what do you have planned for dinner?" she asks. I had nothing planned we were going to my sister's! (My kind of Sunday cooking!) Well Grandma decided she would do it here and have my sister come to our house! (That works for me too!) Grandma makes everything into a masterpiece! And right away the kitchen became a busy place with Grandma and her grandkids beside her helping!

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Thanks Penny!

Thanks to Penny who has turned me into a blogger! I now look at everything through blogger eyes. Everything I do I am thinking of how I can blog it, if I should blog it, and if I need a photo to go with it! My kids are loving seeing their photos on the blog too!

I appreciate her inspiration as I have lurked her blog for the last little while. It is fun to get to se into other's lives and what makes them happy, sad, and inspired. I am motivated by Penny's example!

Love ya Penny!

Tattling....a cure?

At our house no one is incharge of themselves. So it seems! Everyone is ready to correct or tattle on one another. I often remind the one in front of me tattling that they are incharge of themselves! The other day I was reading blogs and came across one Parenting like Super Nanny. There was a post on tattling, so I clicked it , read, and couldn't wait for a child to tattle to give it a try!

The suggestion was when a child comes tattling, respond with an assignment. Give the child an assignment to count how many times they hear someone say thank you, please, or whatever. They are supposed to report at the end of the day. Well, this child came tattling about some sibling's inconsequential behavior and I gave her an assignment to count the thank you's she heard during the day.

There was an immediate change in this child's face, she was puzzled!! And guess what it diffused the tattling on the spot and re-directed her behavior in a postive manner. With so many kids so close together there seems to be a lot of tattling! Hopefully this little tip will work with everyone.

Changes...

It is Saturday and amazing to watch the changes in our home. The girls have decided it is time they learn to curl their own hair! I have been informed that they can do their own hair while I get the baby ready on Sunday morning. Ok, sounds good. In time they will quit burning themselves I am sure.

Next, it is the girls with the phone! Oh my goodness aren't we too young for this? Running every time the phone rings, "I'll get it Mom!", can I call so and so? Can I go to...., can so and so come over?

And now Emily is reaching for everything, including the food or drink in our hands. She is determined to get it, whatever it is, in her mouth. So I let her go to work on a cracker and she loved it! Here comes the messy stage! Every stage has been so much fun with Emily. Being number 6 I wouldn't think it would be so much fun! But, this time I only have one little one doing this stuff, not four little toddlers all less than a year apart from each other. Next it is the teenage years with the first group! This should be fun, hormones, friends, driving. I think I want us to stay right here in the grade school years. (at least for now) Although Jonny is quick to remind us that he is 13, not a kid anymore! Proudly a teenager!

Friday, February 22, 2008

Snowy Friday FUN!!!!

So it is Friday and it has been snowing all day. I know the kids will want to just play when they get home as there is no homework on Fridays! So I was trying to think of a fun after-school snack. After all, it is about FUN when it comes to an after-school snack.

So what sounds good if I were driving around town. I know Krispy Kreme is always a hit when the red HOT light is on. Aha! That is our FUN! So I quickly looked at recipies and with only about an hour to spare before the bus arrives I had no time for doing yeast recipies! So a cake doughnut it is! Now it is not the most healthy, I realize! But it is about FUN!

This kids will be excited! I can hardly wait for them to get home from school and see what a treat awaits them. And it's not just the white stuff outside waiting for them to play!




And yes, now my camera is covered in powdered sugar! (Don't tell Steve....)

Thursday, February 21, 2008

More Slippers....


So while everyone was getting ready for school and baby was still sleeping, I decided that Emily needed some slippers to match her outfit for the day. I was able to get these done from start to finish in about 30 min! And so cute, I am sure she loved them too! What's nice is they stay on through all of her kicking and squirming through the day.

Meeting the Bus

It was such a nice day that I bundled Emily up and put her in her new stroller and away we went. The kids came running down the street to meet us when they got off of the bus. They were so excited to see Emily in her stroller! Of course they each had to have a turn pushing Emily home! Who would have thought pushing a stroller would be so much fun!





Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Here she is with her new slippers on!

So here are the new slippers on Emily! They are really cute and soft too! I think this pattern will be easy enough to modify for larger sizes. It might be fun to make them for the rest of the kids too. I know they would love to have some as well!
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Emily's New Slippers


I was surfing around the blogosphere and found a pattern for these cute little slipper/shoes. I quickly printed off the pattern, found a reason to go to Walmart (hehehe) and found some soft and cute fabrics to give this pattern a try! Ok, well it took me 5 minutes to get them cut out, and about 45 minutes to make them, with about a week inbetween cutting and sewing. I have showed the pattern to a few friends too and they were just as excited as I was to give them a try. They are really easy to make and cute as can be when done too. I think Emily will have to have some in every color and pattern of fabric! It really doesn't take much to make either. Here is the link to the pattern I found. http://stardustshoes.blogspot.com/2006/10/cloth-shoe-pattern.html
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Sunday Afternoon games

We usually spend Sunday afternoons with my sister at her home or ours. The kids love to watch Disney channel whenever they visit Aunt Tami, but Sunday we try to limit to our family favorite, America's Funnies Videos (AFV). When we tell them no shows it is amazing how they will come up with some game and play together. This week it was fun to watch them play together and have Emily right there too. She fits right in. It is amazing how laid back she is as she gets passed around from brother to sister!
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21 years and counting!

We celebrated our 21st anniversary this last week on Valetines Day! We went to our favorite Thai restaurant, Sa Wad Dee, and had a great lunch! It was much easier than dealing with all of the Valentine's Day crowds in the evening! We then spent the evening with the kids and had heart shaped pizzas from Papa Murphys and watched movies! Who would have ever thought that at 21 years of marriage we would have a new baby bringing our number of kids to 6! This time last year we were newly pregnant (though we wouldn't figure it out for another month) and touring the Church historical sites! This last year has been one of the best ever! So many blessings!
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Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Just having fun....

I love to just take shots when she is just happy! Of course I think she is always cute but it is fun to watch her grow and change each day. I am so grateful that I get to be home and part of her every waking moment! She has the sweetest personality. She will smile back at me when I smile at her. When I lay her on her changing table to do her diaper or whatever she will just talk up a storm! Heaven help us when she really has words to use!
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A New Toy for Emily!

She is so much fun!
I just remembered that my sister bought this Exersaucer for Emily before she was born. I brought it in and put her into in and she got all excited!
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Friday, February 8, 2008

In her brother's shoes!


Jonny was getting his stuff together to go on the Scout Klondike campout and Katie siezed the opportunity to put Emily into Jonny's shoes. It was too cute and of course I took a couple of photos. Katie has started getting her dressed and has even changed a diaper!
It's a good thing Emily is so good natured about life with 5 older brothers and sisters. They are always fighting over who gets to hold her next. Emily is only 3 months old so I am sure this facination will fade over the next year.
Now Katie isn't the baby of the family anymore! I think she's happy to pass that on to Emily!
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A Crazy Shopping Day!

To add excitement to our no school, snow day I and the 6 kids went to Walmart for a 2 hour shopping trip. It started off with everyone having some money. The amounts the children had to spend ranged from 69 cents to $21. I decided to let everyone do their shopping first. Hopefully that would make my part easier. They would have their treasure to oogle over while I did the not so fun food shopping.

All is well, for the most part. Everyone has made their selections and I am off to do the family shopping. All the while Emily is asleep, and adorable doing so I might add. Of course she is always adorable, even at 3am feedings! But I digress.

We get to checkout and each child goes through paying for their own things with their own money (mostly, mom picks up the tax or 10 cent shortfalls) and I have two carts worth of groceries and misc stuffed into one cart with a baby in her car seat on top. I send a child for a second cart and then the baby wakes up, hungry!

We get both carts and everyone out to the car and I start to load bags into the van and I see two hats sitting on top of the baby's car seat! I didn't pay for them. I was at the other end of the shopping cart, unloading groceries and then re-loading grocery bags and missed putting the hats on the table to pay for them. Meanwhile the baby is crying, very hungry after a very long nap in her carseat and I have to go back into the store to pay for the hats.

Well Jonny made my day! I was tired from shopping with all 6 kids in tow and he says to me "Mom, you go pay for the hats and I will get all the groceries into the car." I just about fell over as this is the same son who complains if he is asked to do anything that doesn't involve Legos or an video game! What a good kid! It warms my heart!

Thursday, February 7, 2008

So Very Cute!



Emily was in such a great mood, all smiles, so I decided it was a Kodak moment. I found this cute hat that I knew was too big, but she would grow into it eventually. But for the photo-op it was perfect!

She is growing so much and changing before our very eyes! The whole family just can't get enough of her and fight over whose turn it is to hold her! It is fun to watch the kids interact with Emily. It is fun to watch Emily's face as the kids try to entertain her!

Another Snow Day!

Carson on his "Snow Horse"


We are all home on another snow day. I tried to let the kids sleep in, however they sensed the no school day and were up and ready to play. Funny how they don't spontaneously get up when it IS a school day?

I have tried to get them to do their school work and clean their rooms before we just have a fun day. We were mostly successful.

Of course there is still snow to play in and lots of it too. They are finally trying to build a snowman. Or I thought it was the beginning of a snowman but it is a horse saddle made of snow says Carson.