- Published on
The first day of spring is here! The bees are buzzing on blooms, the asparagus is sprouting upwards, Benny the cat is rolling in the garden beds, and Sam the Border Collie is a overseeing it all.
Spring is by far my favorite season. When I was a little girl, Mama always sewed a new dress from me from seersucker fabric - the quintessential spring fabric in pastel stripes.
Spring is by far my favorite season. When I was a little girl, Mama always sewed a new dress from me from seersucker fabric - the quintessential spring fabric in pastel stripes.
A new seersucker dress and my freshly-washed white Keds and I was always ready for spring. Mama and Daddy grew beautiful roses and Mama specialized in sweet peas. Oh, how I loved the smell of sweet peas and the colors! One whole side of our house was a flower bed of sweet peas each spring. Daylilies, amaryllis, and shrimp plants made up the front beds!
Spring, growing up in my hometown meant Easter time with a new outfit, complete with hat and matching purse! There was no Easter Parade, but there was a parade of women and girls arriving at the Methodist Church on Easter morning to show off their new duds!
Spring meant ballet recitals from ages 4 to 18 and Hi Jinx Social Club spring dances in high school. Both occasions meant fancy costumes and dresses, all sewn by Mama!
Spring from college all the way into my 40's meant SPRING BREAK! As a student and a teacher, I returned to Mama and Daddy's house to spend my Spring Break. Those were wonderful visits, full of laughter, love, and fried shrimp in Mama's kitchen!
Springtime in Houston was a mixed bag. There was gardening to do with flower beds, window boxes, and vegetable beds. There were dances to chaperone at the junior high where I taught. However, there were tornadoes and flooding, as well.
Spring in the Texas Hill Country could also mean tornadoes. Look at me pictured below with our Border Collie, Max, taking shelter in the bathroom during a tornado warning! With spring showers, came wildflowers - all colors of them in our yard - even bluebonnets.
Spring has sprung!
- Published on
The gaucho parade is here again! This year, we decided to skip the crowds that thave descended upon Pueblo Edén for the past couple of years, in favor of snapping photos of them as they travel towards Minas from Pueblo Edén to the gaucho clubhouse for lunch.
Yes, we stayed away from the village festivities, but it was too overwhelming for us this year to battle the crowds.
Yes, we stayed away from the village festivities, but it was too overwhelming for us this year to battle the crowds.
- Published on
Here I am, celebrating another birthday in Uruguay. It's just the two of us today, so we escaped to one of the restaurants overlooking the port in Punta del Este. We sat by the window and birds kept coming up to beg for bread crumbs! I am not a close-up bird lover. I like the feathered creatures to stay in their spots up in the sky and up in trees, but NOT close to me. I finally settled down and took the opportunity to snap some photos instead of being a scaredy-cat.
My husband had no qualms about feeding them and even got one to eat out of his hand. Traitor!
I had the polenta with shrimp and it was delicious!! Hubby had the lamb chops (pictured), which were ever so good too. Sometimes quiet birthdays are the best - spent with birds and boats.
My husband had no qualms about feeding them and even got one to eat out of his hand. Traitor!
I had the polenta with shrimp and it was delicious!! Hubby had the lamb chops (pictured), which were ever so good too. Sometimes quiet birthdays are the best - spent with birds and boats.
- Published on
Pueblo Edén is celebrating their 101st anniversary. I so look forward to this every year. Despite the tricky winter weather (it can be cold or rainy), the horse poo, the crowds, and dodging huge horses everywhere, it's the best event of the year.
What I noticed this year was how I was seeing the young kids from years earlier growing up! Some that rode along in their dad or mama's lap are now commanding their own horse. It's a close-knit community and a wonderful place to visit.
What I noticed this year was how I was seeing the young kids from years earlier growing up! Some that rode along in their dad or mama's lap are now commanding their own horse. It's a close-knit community and a wonderful place to visit.
- Published on
Honestly, these birthdays are coming way too quickly. I swear I just wrote a post about last year's birthday. Time is speeding by...
Once again, we were joined by dear friends at La Huella restaurant in José Ignacio. Like every year, I got the grilled brotula fish, French fries, and white wine. I'm so predictable!!! We'll have ice cream for dessert - dulce de leche. Somehow, I slipped into a birthday routine here in Uruguay! Next year we need to shake it up!
- Published on
Pueblo Edén is a little village nestled in the hillsides. Every year, they celebrate the anniversary of its founding. 2017 is the 100th Anniversary! It's a BIG DEAL. Heck, the Maldonado Intendencia (state government) even sent the army in to build a bridge at the entryway where it traditionally floods.
This year, in addition to the tables of food and sales of used goods by the church, there was a circus performing for two night, a Queen of Pueblo Eden elected, and many, many food, arts & crafts, and other vendors. The Maldonado Symphonic Orchestra always plays, but this year other performances joined them.
In 1917, when Pueblo Edén was founded - it was a hopping place. La Casona, our friends' home, was a large grocery and general store. There were a couple of mills and of course, lots of agricultural activity in the area. Today, it boasts a couple of small restaurants, a chapel, a community gathering center, and a bar. Despite the remote feeling, Pueblo Edén is home to many expats, who appreciate all its beauty and quaint feel.
This year, we decided to have an Open House at our home for friends to stop by, have snacks and soup, and then carpool on to the festivities in the village. It was a big hit!! People brought bread, snacks, and desserts and I made four different soups.
Here are recipe links from my cooking website (MissCookbook.com) to the soups that I made:
This year, in addition to the tables of food and sales of used goods by the church, there was a circus performing for two night, a Queen of Pueblo Eden elected, and many, many food, arts & crafts, and other vendors. The Maldonado Symphonic Orchestra always plays, but this year other performances joined them.
In 1917, when Pueblo Edén was founded - it was a hopping place. La Casona, our friends' home, was a large grocery and general store. There were a couple of mills and of course, lots of agricultural activity in the area. Today, it boasts a couple of small restaurants, a chapel, a community gathering center, and a bar. Despite the remote feeling, Pueblo Edén is home to many expats, who appreciate all its beauty and quaint feel.
This year, we decided to have an Open House at our home for friends to stop by, have snacks and soup, and then carpool on to the festivities in the village. It was a big hit!! People brought bread, snacks, and desserts and I made four different soups.
Here are recipe links from my cooking website (MissCookbook.com) to the soups that I made:
- Published on
Birthday time again! My family has always been big on birthdays - cakes, special dinners at home or restaurants, big parties for big birthday years, etc. Some may think it's silly, but there's always been a ton of love involved.
Once again, we went to my favorite ocean-side restaurant, La Huella, in José Ignacio. Business there was booming, as during this time of year reservations are a must - even for lunch.
Brotula is a type of white fish popular in Uruguay. It tastes a bit like red snapper. I like mine grilled on the parilla with French fries on the side and a big glass of cold, crisp white wine.
My husband and friends truly spoil me every year for my birthday and so much more. I do feel loved!
Once again, we went to my favorite ocean-side restaurant, La Huella, in José Ignacio. Business there was booming, as during this time of year reservations are a must - even for lunch.
Brotula is a type of white fish popular in Uruguay. It tastes a bit like red snapper. I like mine grilled on the parilla with French fries on the side and a big glass of cold, crisp white wine.
My husband and friends truly spoil me every year for my birthday and so much more. I do feel loved!
- Published on
Here's my recipe for PAELLA from MissCookbook.com.
I love, love, love paella. It's a traditional seafood, chicken, and sausage dish from the Valencia part of Spain. I first ate it in Spain - way baaack in the early 1970's and my tastebuds fell in love at first bite.
It took another 10 years to taste it again. My tastebuds were longing for it badly when my second mom, Lynne Young, made a rip-roaring version of it in Houston, Texas one night.
Never had it again until we moved to Uruguay. It's a traditional New Year's dish here. One of the large supermarkets has a giant paella pan (which looks somewhat like a wok). We're talking more than a meter in diameter. You can buy paella by the kilo!
This year we decided to make our own. We drove to Piriapolis, a smaller coastal town in Uruguay, about 45 minutes from us. No hardship, as it's a beautiful spot with great seafood vendors. We bought shrimp and mussels for our paella at the beach and made a quick stop at the grocery for some chicken and chorizo (sausage).
Here's the thing - my husband had never eaten paella. He thought it was a soup (which he loves) and more like gumbo. Nope, it's thicker, more like an etouffee or jambalaya. I only have Cajun food references, as that's how I grew up! He was in for a surprise, but he did like it,
Try it sometime for yourself - it's easy to make! Here's the link to my PAELLA RECIPE on my cooking website: MissCookbook.com.
It took another 10 years to taste it again. My tastebuds were longing for it badly when my second mom, Lynne Young, made a rip-roaring version of it in Houston, Texas one night.
Never had it again until we moved to Uruguay. It's a traditional New Year's dish here. One of the large supermarkets has a giant paella pan (which looks somewhat like a wok). We're talking more than a meter in diameter. You can buy paella by the kilo!
This year we decided to make our own. We drove to Piriapolis, a smaller coastal town in Uruguay, about 45 minutes from us. No hardship, as it's a beautiful spot with great seafood vendors. We bought shrimp and mussels for our paella at the beach and made a quick stop at the grocery for some chicken and chorizo (sausage).
Here's the thing - my husband had never eaten paella. He thought it was a soup (which he loves) and more like gumbo. Nope, it's thicker, more like an etouffee or jambalaya. I only have Cajun food references, as that's how I grew up! He was in for a surprise, but he did like it,
Try it sometime for yourself - it's easy to make! Here's the link to my PAELLA RECIPE on my cooking website: MissCookbook.com.
Piriapolis, Uruguay
- Published on
Get our family recipe for German Dumplings (SEMMELKNÖDEL),
Traditions, traditions, traditions!!! We all have made fun of our own or those of others, but I'm convinced that traditions are the stuffing that shape a culture.
I'm a Southern woman who married a German Guy, lived in Texas, then came to Uruguay. Boy howdy, do we ever have some mish-mash of traditions at our house! I'm not complaining, as I get the best Christmas traditions from all three cultures: pecan pies and divinity (Southern); lebkuchen cookies and semmelknödel dumplings (Germany); summer watermelons at the beach (Uruguay).
These semmelknödel, are fun to make! I looked at Hubby like he was nuts when he asked for a piece of cloth or dishtowel for making these. I had no idea. The cloth or dishtowel is wrapped around the dumpling tube to hold it together while cooking. It all made sense once I watched it cook.
No matter where we are, we love to eat these on Christmas Day with a pork loin or a roast chicken and some great red cabbage. Here's our grandmother's recipe; it's yummy: Maria Schlehuber's Red Cabbage. And here's my mother-in-law's recipe for Lebkuchen Spice Bars.
Whatever your holiday traditions may be, always cherish them and don't be afraid to change things up and add new ones.
I'm a Southern woman who married a German Guy, lived in Texas, then came to Uruguay. Boy howdy, do we ever have some mish-mash of traditions at our house! I'm not complaining, as I get the best Christmas traditions from all three cultures: pecan pies and divinity (Southern); lebkuchen cookies and semmelknödel dumplings (Germany); summer watermelons at the beach (Uruguay).
These semmelknödel, are fun to make! I looked at Hubby like he was nuts when he asked for a piece of cloth or dishtowel for making these. I had no idea. The cloth or dishtowel is wrapped around the dumpling tube to hold it together while cooking. It all made sense once I watched it cook.
No matter where we are, we love to eat these on Christmas Day with a pork loin or a roast chicken and some great red cabbage. Here's our grandmother's recipe; it's yummy: Maria Schlehuber's Red Cabbage. And here's my mother-in-law's recipe for Lebkuchen Spice Bars.
Whatever your holiday traditions may be, always cherish them and don't be afraid to change things up and add new ones.
- Published on
While my friends were visiting from Texas, we were invited to watch a Doma Racional (Horse Whisperer) training session at the home of a friend in Uruguay. Doma Racional is a method of taming horses with patience and respect. The trainer, Marcelo Gonzalez says, "Today in Uruguay, about 60% of dressage is rational." This training method uses interpretation of the horse's body language and animal psychology, instead of the traditional methods.
Marcelo believes, "To carry out rational dressage, you have to put yourself in the place of the horse and take into account that, for the animal, humans are predators. The techniques of this type of friendly dressage is intended to make the horse understand that this alleged predator is not going to harm it, but rather it is going to be an educator, a friend."
It was an amazing experience! I had to say there were tears in my eyes several times, seeing the communication between such a magnificent animal and a trainer. Watching this was an experience I'll never forget.
Marcelo believes, "To carry out rational dressage, you have to put yourself in the place of the horse and take into account that, for the animal, humans are predators. The techniques of this type of friendly dressage is intended to make the horse understand that this alleged predator is not going to harm it, but rather it is going to be an educator, a friend."
It was an amazing experience! I had to say there were tears in my eyes several times, seeing the communication between such a magnificent animal and a trainer. Watching this was an experience I'll never forget.
