I am torn between my feelings for the rapper (entertainer? I dunno…) Pitbull. This is serious situation, here.

On one hand, I jam (JAM) to his music; the man knows his way around a beat and his hooks always make me shimmy.  Who else can remix a song from the movie Beetlejuice that can simultaneously make you shake that booty, want to start a conga line, AND drool over a young Alec Baldwin?

WHAT???!!!

Props, homie!

But his lyrics? UGH! Simplistic!  Something you fish out of your middle school son’s notebook. Not even. I’m expecting a “roses are red, violet’s are blue” rhyme when his next album drops. Yea… I said it! Lack of lyrical depth aside, and my own biting criticism, I can’t deny the man is like Midas with a beat. He just might be some sort of genius.

Again… Props, homeslice…

Now… One the other hand, when I see him on TV I have this uncontrollable urge to slap him upside his bald head. I dunno… I can’t help how I feel. Something about the way he curls his upper lip, ghetto Elvis style, just rubs me the wrong way. I can’t explain it. Who does that?! And so I don’t watch him on TV.

I’d never act upon my urges, though. I mean, the dude is sure to have body guards, and I doubt my 160-something pound frame can support the tackle of a 300 lb body guard without some significant brain damage. So there’s that…

OK… Um… Yea… Let’s jam to this song, start that conga line, and move onto some pizza!

You liked that, didn’t you? See what I mean? You started a conga line, didn’t you?

OK… I think I may be a genius. No really, I think I might be a genius. Or an idiot savant. Either way, I came up with something goooooooooooood.

I combined two of my favorite foods: Pizza and chicken enchiladas.

Genius, right?

I know…

Flow with me…

This pizza is a bit more labor intensive than your usual Marguerita;  however, everything comes together quickly. The chicken gets cooked in a nice spicy sauce, then shredded. The sauce gets reduced; the reduction intensifying the spice slightly, providing a bit of punch. Oh, and then there’s the cheese! 3 kinds of cheese because, what’s pizza without cheese? You top it with a little cilantro, some diced tomatoes, and into the oven it goes.

Semi pro tip: I like to pre-bake my pizza dough for about 10 minutes; this way the cheese doesn’t become a melty burnt mess. I don’t like burnt cheese.

So yea… I’m a total genius, because… *singing – This pizza is slaaaaammiiiiiinnnnn’!

And yes, I used my crackly singing voice.

Now…

Make, make, make, Señora!

Or Señor…

Love,

Me…

Chicken Enchilada Pizza

By Miss Bosslady, 04/24/2013

• Total Time: 01h 14min
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook time: 54 minutes
• Yield: 8

Ingredients:

• 1 Medium Onion, chopped fine -
• 1 Tablespoon canola oil -
• 4 Cloves garlic, minced -
• 2 Tablespoons chili powder -
• 1 1/2 Tablespoon cumin -
• 1 Tablespoon sugar -
• 1 Medium tomato, seeded and chopped -
• 2, 8 oz cans of tomato sauce -
• 1 Cup water -
• 2 Tablespoons of sofrito -
• Adobo or salt and pepper to taste -
• 1 lb. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts -
• 1/3 Cup minced fresh cilantro -
• For the Pizza
• 1/2 Batch of your favorite pizza dough -
• Shredded chicken -
• 1 Cup of mozzarella cheese -
• 1 Cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese -
• 1 Cup shredded Monterey jack cheese -
• 1 Medium tomato, seeded and diced in small cubes -
• 2-3 Tablespoons cilantro (optional) -

Instructions:

For the chicken

In a large sauté pan or skillet, cook onions over medium heat stirring often until softened and translucent, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in garlic, cumin, chili powder and sugar until the spices are fragrant, about 20 seconds.
Add the chopped tomato, tomato sauce, water, sofrito and adobo (or salt and pepper) to taste. Reduce the heat to medium/low and bring the sauce to a simmer for about 2 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low and add the chicken to the sauce. Cover the chicken and cook until the chicken is completely cooked, about 20-22 minutes. Remove chicken from the saucepan, and transfer to a plate. Set aside to cool slightly.
Strain the sauce from the pan through a mesh strainer into a medium bowl, pressing down on the onions and tomatoes to extract as much liquid as possible. Transfer the solids to a large bowl and set aside. Add additional adobo (or salt and pepper) to the sauce if needed. Add the sauce to a saucepan and cook, reducing by about half over medium/high heat, about 5-7 minutes. If needed, lightly salt and set aside to cool.

Shred the chicken into bite size pieces and add to the bowl with the reserved solids. Add in 2 tablespoons of the reduced enchilada sauce and the cilantro. Stir to combine.
To assemble the pizza

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush a rectangular cookie sheet with olive oil, and then dust with a coating of semolina flour or whole wheat flour. This will prevent the dough from shrinking on itself (pro tip).
Place pizza dough in the center of the cookie sheet and roll or lightly pull/stretch the dough to cover the entire cookie sheet. If the dough gets tough to stretch or roll, allow it to rest for a few minutes and continue rolling until you are able to cover the cookie sheet.

Once the pizza dough is rolled, lightly brush outer edges with olive oil. I like to also lightly sprinkle the edge of my dough with a little salt (or garlic salt), but you can leave as is.
Place the pizza dough in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes until the pizza dough is a very, very light golden color. The dough should have lost its shine, but should not be dark. At all!

Remove pizza dough from the oven (be careful, it’s hot!) and add the shredded chicken mixture. Add the shredded cheeses and diced tomatoes. Dot the pizza dough with the reduced enchilada sauce. Top with additional cilantro, if desired.

Place pizza dough with toppings back in the oven and bake until the cheese is bubbling and the crust is lightly browned, about 12-15 minutes.

Remove from the oven. Slice and serve.

I know, I know – I’m horrible! Another recap?! What the heck is wrong with me?! When was the last time I posted new material?

I’m SORRY! It’s been a crazy busy time for me.

- Here’s the shimmy:

I joined my studio’s salsa dance team where I committed 16 weeks of my life to dancing salsa. Lots of it. An insane amount by my standards. I mean, I haven’t danced this much since I was a teen, chest popping in my best friend’s living room. I’ve been dancing up a well heeled storm, booty rolling and double spinning like cuh-razy.. Allow me a moment to state the obvious: I am NOT all that young – And in addition to dance I have my regularly scheduled mom and career duties. Naturally I was having a little trouble with time management. And energy management. A sista was TIRED! The kind of tired felt during the first trimester of pregnancy. You mamas know what I’m talking about. I was falling asleep on people. Definitely drooling. BUT! I have it all figured out. I’m gaining stamina, changed my diet – And with all this renewed energy, I drafted a schedule and I am back on track!

Expect new posts soon.

SOON!

So yea…

Drinks…

It’s April, and that means:

• Summer is just around the corner.
• We’re shopping for wedges.
• We are working out like a maniacs to achieve that six pack before the 4th of July. You’ve dusted off your Turbo Fire, removed the wrapping from your P90x, unpacked that new Insanity workout. You’re a bad-ass in a sports bra.

I know this…

Of course, you’re going to be attending loads of barbecues and roof top parties, showing off that summer six pack and those killer muscular legs in summer wedges. I dig that. How about in addition to a killer body you bring a giant mason jar full of slammin’ cocktails?

You like that?

I got you, boo…

Click on the photo to be taken to post and recipe:

Strawberry Mint Mojitos: Making these mojitos is a multi-step process. Vodka is infused with strawberries and steeped for about a week. Once your hooch is steeped, make a couple of syrups and mix it all together, topping it with some club soda. The best part is you can make everything ahead of time. The vodka lasts indefinitely and the syrups last about a month in the fridge. When you get that invite, grab your hooch, your syrups and go. It’s a smooth drink that is sure to make you the life of the party.

 Mango Margaritas:  4 words: Mango, tequila, ten minutes. Wait, is ten minutes considered one word? Nevermind… That is all you need to make these mango margaritas. Freeze mangoes the night before. Chop them up, juice some lemons, add tequila, and some Cointreau, y ahi está! Frozen margarita madness all up in that piece.

 Guavaberry Cocktail: – This is a new addition to my cocktail repertoire, but I have been dreaming about this tropical tasting combo for some time now. Perfectly balanced with a good dose of rum; I keep it true to my roots, true to mi tierra. Drink up.

 Cherry Berry Sangria:  - OK - Long ago I decided I would never walk into someone’s home empty handed. Most people bring a nice (or hella-cheap) bottle of wine. I, on the other hand, like to bring sangria. It’s a thoughtful gesture, very much appreciated by the host or hostess of any party, along with guests who savor this fruit-filled sangria. What’s my secret? A cherry simple syrup and berry vodka. That extra bit of effort will get you popularity votes for sure. Bring this sangria and wash the dishes. You won’t know what to do with all those invites.

Pomegranate Tangerine Margarita:  – This margarita is a winner. I busted out a pomegranate simple syrup, my trick to enhance the tartness of  the pomegranate in this drink. The tangerine and lemon juices add brightness, and the tequila just punches you in the face. In a good way, of course; the sort of way that makes you tell jokes and dance when you would otherwise be the party wallflower.

DIY – Grenadine Syrup:  – And speaking of pomegranates – Did you know homemade grenadine is made with pomegranates and not cherries? I didn’t know either. And then Google came along to school me. Bring a bottle of this, some bourbon, and a bottle of cherries. Show your Shirley Temples what’s what.

Morir Soñando:  - Oh, wait – You don’t drink alcohol? I got you, boo. I reinvented morir soñando, a classic latin drink made with orange juice, condensed milk, and in this case almond milk. It’s a classic that’s sure to please. And if you decide to booze up after all, rum or bourbon work well here.

Wait, what are you still doing here? Get your butt to the liquor store and get to this – Summer is almost here!!!

Love,

Me…

Do you live in NYC? Do you enjoy stuffing your face with dessert?

If your answer was an emphatic “YES”, then I’d like to invite you to a desserts fundraiser! Enjoy scrumptious desserts and pastry demos at “Sweet Sensations” while helping to support scholarships and programs for at-risk students in Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP).

When I was asked to bake for this event by the lovely Lillian from Sweets by Sillianah, I immediately said yes.
I observe youth at risk daily, children as young as 9 roaming the streets at 10 PM. I see this in my very own neighborhood, on the bus, on my way to work – Hell, growing you either knew youth at risk, or were one. The truth is, when I was growing up my neighborhood was under-served and lacking resources. As an adult and a parent I recognize the value of programs such as this one. I urge you to stop on by – Stuff your face AND donate to a wonderful cause!!! 100% of the proceeds raised at this event will go to C-CAP.

When: Sunday, April 21, 2013, 3:00-5:30 p.m.
Where: Openhouse – The Old Bowery Station | 168 Bowery
How much: General Admission tickets are on sale for $39 | Purchase here:
What: Pastry & chocolate technique demos by renowned pastry chef Stephen Collucci (Colicchio & Sons) and master chocolatier Mehdi Chellaoui

- Amazing door prizes including a copy of the Momofuku Milk Bar Cookbook signed by Christina Tosi, baked goods from Pound for Pound Bakery, and many others.
- Desserts (there will be gluten-free options) by local bakers & NYC food bloggers:

•Alejandra Ramos, Always Order Dessert
•Hazel Sy, Tasty Pursuits
•Jacqueline Raposo, The Dusty Baker
•Joanne Bruno, Joanne Eats Well With Others
•Josephine Son, Saucy Smile
•Patty Lee, By Patty Lee
•Louise Ng, Lou & Esi

Our Platinum Sponsors:

•Stephen Collucci, Colicchio & Sons
•Mehdi Chellaoui, Chellaoui
•Openhouse and The Old Bowery Station

Our Gold Sponsors:

•Sugar Flower Bake Shop
•Pound for Pound

About C-CAP:
C-CAP works with public schools across the country to prepare at-risk high school students for college and career opportunities in the restaurant and hospitality industry. A national nonprofit, C-CAP manages the largest independent culinary scholarship program in the United States. Since 1990, C-CAP has awarded students $37 million in scholarships and donated $2.8 million worth of supplies and equipment to classrooms. C-CAP provides training and curriculum enrichment programs including: job training and internships, teacher training, cooking competitions and scholarships, college advising, career advising, and product donations.

For more information about C-CAP, visit www.ccapinc.org.

Last week was an awful week.

Is there ever a time when you’ve felt everything has finally fallen into place, life is nearing perfection and then…

BAM!

You’re kicked in the solar plexus by potentially life changing news?

Last week I felt as if the hot air balloon I refer to as life suddenly lost its propane and I was suddenly barreling 70 miles per hour to the cold hard ground.

Fast.

I had my scheduled cry. Yes, I schedule my cries, cause nobody gots time for a blubbering fool.

I lost it for 3 whole minutes, all the time I allow a breakdown of massive proportions. I picked myself off the floor (almost literally) and then began to look at my situation through different eyes.

Mascara streaked eyes, but different nonetheless.

My week deemed a release of endorphin releasing properties; as such, I have been exercising like a maniac and devouring massive amounts of chocolate.

Balance.

Join me and release some much needed endorphins with this collection of chocolate filled madness. Exercise optional.

Click on the photos to be taken to post and recipe.

Enjoy!

——————————————————————————————-

Chocolate mousse stuffed strawberries. Seriously?! Who could possibly turn down fruit filled to the brim with luscious chocolate mousse? No one, that’s who!

I call these “friend making, soul shaking brownies”. I make new friends whenever I bring a batch. These bad boys have a dark chocolate brownie layer topped with a chocolate chip cookie layer and adapted from the great Abby Dodge. I used two types of couverture chocolate chips – milk and dark, and I can safely say if these are not the best brownies you have ever tasted, it’s pretty damn close.

Do you remember taking a bite of your first Reese’s cup? Your thoughts weren’t very coherent, were they? Were you speechless? Well times that by 1000 as you spoon warm molten chocolate cake with peanut butter filling in your mouth.

Chocolate pudding is what dreams are made of. Dark and milk endorphin releasing chocolate are mixed with milk and heavy cream. WHAAAAAT?! I remember making and eating this chocolate pudding every single day for two weeks straight. I had a system… Then I put on some pounds…

Any time there is a matter of the heart involved, a plate of these chocolate chunk cookies should immediately follow. It’s an unspoken rule or something. Real talk.

There you have it! I don’t really know how to end this post so…

Love,

Me…

So I was watching an episode of The Walking Dead the other day and again I couldn’t help but wonder, how will I fare in the event of a zombie apocalypse?

I don’t normally watch The Walking Dead. Nothing against it, really – I just need to watch a show from its premiere before I dig into the current season – And since my Netflix queue is full of shows I’m waiting to watch, The Walking Dead has taken a back seat.

Mr. M.O.B., though – He watches this show and thinks its like the best thing on TV.

The show’s premise is something-something The Zombie Apocalypse. A group of people clearly suffering from post-traumatic shock are forced to shoot or samurai sword zombie brains.

Did I get that right?

Oh, you get the gist.

Zombies are eating people, and I am watching Family Guy while The Walking Dead fills up space on my DVR. OK, so yesterday my DVR did this thing where it wouldn’t allow me to change the channel, so I had no choice but to sit there through an hour of The Walking Dead. That hour couldn’t come fast enough. Did you know there are little boys “busting caps” on zombies?

Crazy…

Then it hit me – My one and only defense tactic is the windmill. I can’t fight, I don’t know how to shoot a gun or wield a samurai sword. I am not a badass. I am a flipping scaredy cat. I’m the type that makes my kids check out a noise if Mr. M.O.B. is not home.

Yea, I said it.

So one of two things will happen in the event of a zombie apocalypse:

1. I will be so damn tired of running and living in fear I will just give up and allow the zombies to eat my brains.

2. I will be so damn tired of running and living in fear that I will beg to become one of them.

I’m hoping for #2 because I am at least guaranteed a meal, and who knows – Maybe someone will stop running and shooting long enough to find a cure and I could become human again.

No?

While I figure how to carve some time in my day to get from couch, or my case, floor-to-5k…

Let’s talk about these cookies.

This is my favorite oatmeal raisin cookie recipe, tweaked like a mofo from the Betty Crocker Cooky book. It’s a soft oatmeal raisin cookie, baked slowly for 20 minutes until golden brown at a nice 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

The best part about these cookies is boiling the raisins in water until they plump, then using the raisin liquid in the cookie batter. These cookies are great on their own; but since I can’t leave well enough alone, I added a simple filling of cream cheese, confectioners sugar and vanilla bean paste.

Yes, I turned regular old oatmeal raisin cookies into crazy delicious sandwich cookies. Can you really blame me? I mean, if you’re running like a mofo for your life and you want to hold on to hope of surviving the zombie apocalypse, these cookies ought to do it.

I do what I can to keep your sanity intact, folks…

Love,

Me…

Yo soy Dominicana. I am Dominican. I say this with pride. I exclaim my nationality proudly every time I am asked, “Where are you from?”

And even when some brave soul states, “You weren’t born in the Dominican Republic, you are American!” – To this I say, “Yo soy Dominicana!”.

And then stifle the urge to show my mad merengue skillz.

There is a time for everything.

I identify as Dominicana; from the rapid fire fluency of my language, to the mangu I eat for Saturday and Sunday breakfast, to the hand on my hips and flicks of my wrists, to the merengues  that pull at my innards, make me dance, and make me miss my country…

I am Dominican.

Today my people proudly celebrate their independence, and I celebrate along with them.

Dominican Independence is celebrated with carnavales the entire month of February, ending on or around the 27th. Every town is involved, each offering their own sazón to this mix.

It is a celebration of our freedom – True to form in vibrant colors, reenactments, costumes, Diablos Cojuelos, comida  y musica. It is loud, it is colorful, it is happy. It is a “dance in the streets all day, all night type of deal, and best interpreted in Fernandito Villalona’s Carnaval.

It is… My people…

This cocktail pays homage to la Independencia Dominicana, to carnaval. It is vibrant, sweet, and fresh, and if you’re not careful it will knock you on your ass like a vejigazo from a Diablo Cojuelo.

Guava nectar and guava paste give this cocktail its pink hue and intense guava flavor. The strawberries provide the perfect balance and help cut the sweetness of the guava paste. It is perfect, says my mom who drank it like a refreshing juice on a hot summer day, and was promptly drunk from it.

And the rum? True to my Dominican roots, I used a healthy dose of Brugal, el ron de mi tierra, and a bit of coconut rum to keep this jammy tropical and celebratory, evoking the spirit of mi gente.

Bueno, I don’t know what you are waiting for. Today is a special day! Roll like a Dominican, like it’s carnaval, play your favorite merengue, get your cocktail on, and like Fernandito Villalona says, ”Baile en la calle de noche, baile en la calle de dia”.

Love,

Me…

If you ever ask I will tell you my favorite Bob Marley song is “Waiting in Vain“.

When I listen to this song I am suddenly hit by a bout of nostalgia. It never fails; I remember why this song is one of my very favorites as it takes me back to my teenage years. I was 15 to be exact – Back when puppy love was a serious situation, worthy of hours upon hours of heavy discussion with your friends and the object of much daydreaming.

I had a wicked crazy crush on a boy named Miguel something-or-other. In High School one doesn’t bother with last names unless the boy is in your class, and this boy clearly wasn’t. He was in a class a few doors down from my own. I don’t remember which period, I do remember it was after lunch. Good lawd – The first time I blessed my eyes on him, my teenage heart said to follow through.

He was tall, slim, curly haired, and had the complexion of a cinnamon stick. He was quiet. I would stand outside my classroom door until the bell rang, pretending to listen to chick babble all the while stealing furtive glances his direction, hoping to catch his eye. I never did. I was way too shy to approach him and only learned of his name about 6 months after  he took center stage as my fantasy boyfriend. In my head I used to call him “X”. or Raphael. He looked like a Raphael.

I spent many a daydream on that boy. I would picture our paths crossing, him asking me to be his girlfriend, living the happily ever after afforded to a teenage mind. Every love song that played during that time was about that boy, a boy I had yet to formally meet, but the waiting feel was fine, and thus Bob Marley’s Waiting in Vain fit my feelings perfectly.

He never even knew I was alive.

*Sigh*…

It would be almost 2 years until our paths officially crossed at a party. By then I was taking other classes and had temporarily forgotten about him; as is customary of any fickle teenager.

I was dancing when I spotted him. My heart dropped to my knees  as my brain exclaimed; “Holy s***, it HIM!” Oh, I was instantly transported to my sophomore year of high school, except this time it was for real – He was RIGHT THERE! NEAR ME!

AAAAHHHHH!!

After a while he asked me to dance and I inwardly shrieked. I remember it was a salsa song, perhaps Tito Rojas who was hot that year.  I couldn’t dance salsa back then and I am pretty sure he was laughing at me, not with me. One dance led to another, which led to proper introductions, which led to some words.

Next thing you know I was making out with my renewed crush by the stairs that led to the roof.

What?

I kept it PG, so don’t judge me.

We mostly talked about nothing and made out some more; And though he was a great kisser “Fantasy Miguel” was soooo much better than “Real Miguel”.  It’s always like that, isn’t it? I was obviously “some chick” he kissed at a party, which was a crushing let down. I spent like 8 months daydreaming about this boy – And there was no declarations of love, he never admitted to daydreaming about about me, there was no mutual crush action.

In fact, he didn’t even know we went to the same school! Ugh! There  just was a lot of soft kissing, and a lot of silence in between. We had NOTHING in common other than a couple of friends, I think.

He eventually went to the roof to pee, which I found most distasteful. Yes, I was making out with a boy steps from a building roof, but dammit – I was a lady – I was sitting on a piece of cardboard!

I wouldn’t let him touch me afterwards because he had just touched his teenage man parts and I was not clear on his penal hygiene situation.

Anywhoo…

He got my number and never ever called. I remember not caring too much past a week. He was such a let down. It bees that way sometimes. A few months later there was another boy to fantasize about and the waiting feel was fine.

This molten chocolate cake was one I spent my waking hours daydreaming about. Sometime last year bon appétit posted a molten dulce de leche cake recipe that made my knees weak. I never made it for fear that it would be too sweet, but the idea of dulce de leche in a  melty state stuck.

I thought a bittersweet chocolate with an added spoonful of dulce de leche would be a harmonious combination, and obviously much less sweet. The dulce de leche sinks to the bottom immediately and bakes fluid. I didn’t purchase ready-made dulce-de-leche; instead I made it from a can of condensed milk.

The cake bakes just like any other molten chocolate cake, with a nicely risen cracked top. You dip your spoon into the center, eager to get to the gooey chocolate. Further to that, at the very bottom is a spoonful of melted dulce de leche. When those two come together it’s a perfect synergy of flavor. That jammy explodes in your mouth, and releases something in your brain that craves for more.

Which is exactly why I used these mini mason jars. Much like teenage puppy love this must be eaten in small doses, and since this makes 6 to a batch there’s no waiting in vain for your love…

The waiting feel is fine…

Love,

Me…

I am shy by nature. And when I say shy I don’t mean I pretend to be shy, or I come off as shy. I am. I don’t do well in crowds, I’m excessively silent, even around my own family. I tend to absorb the world around me and internalize a lot; my mind always on the move.  I don’t miss a lot, but remain habitually silent until I’m comfortable.

Aside from my excessive shyness there’s my face, my demeanor. For some reason people are afraid to approach me. They take one look at me and say. “Oh, I can’t speak to her, She’s scary, unapproachable. Cold.” I’m actually used to this by now, used to hearing, ” I was really scared of you when we met”. The thing is, my face looks sort of angry in repose, and my voice comes off sort of strong and monotone. I understand their hesitance. I can look scary.

But I’m not scary. I’m kinda cool, sort of dorky, and other people think I’m funny. But they have to speak to me first. I have never been the type to introduce myself, or start a conversation. The very thought makes me want to break out in hives.

Now that I regularly attend events I thought it would be prudent to change my demeanor a bit, become more approachable. I’m still so shy, though… Many times I attend events where I don’t know one person and it scares me the crappies out of me. I have a strategy now. Does it make me less shy? No, but a chick does what she can.

When I attend an event I do one of 3 things:

1. I take something really yummy to either drink or eat. People tend to love you when you bring good food.

OR

2. I wear a really nice outfit, or cool accessories to ensure someone will come up to me and comment on it.

OR

3. Both… I wear a nice outfit and carry something yummy.

This breaks the ice, we have a conversation and I leave each event with a new contact, and possibly a brand spankin’ new friend.

Homemade grenadine syrup is a conversation starter. Not many people make this from scratch, instead opting to buy the sugar and red dye #something-or-other laden syrup that now passes for grenadine. Store bought grenadine sucks. Don’t buy it. Make your own! The flavor is far superior and your Shirley Temples take on a whole new dimension. Adding bourbon or rum isn’t a bad idea either. I add booze.

Sometimes my days are hard.

Grenadine is crazy easy to make – All you need are pomegranates seeds, sugar, and some pomegranate juice. The pomegranate seeds and a juice are added to a pot and allowed to reduce. Following the reduction the seeds are strained and sugar is added and mixed until combined. You place the newly strained juice back in the stove to reduce until thickened.

What you get is a thick syrup with the consistency and color of movie vampire blood. The flavor is pure concentrated pomegranate and can now be your new conversation starter.

How cool will YOU look starting a conversation with, “So I made my own grenadine last night”. Wear a wicked cool outfit and bring your grenadine; with some maraschino cherries and a bottle of bourbon people will be hanging on to your every word…

Love,

Me…

Oh, the weather outside has been frightful…

Brr…

We had a few cold weather days that gave our long johns a run for their money last week, didn’t’ they? Rolling without a hat or gloves was a crazy definite no-no. It was cold like a mofo… Made you almost want to hide under your covers with your portable heater, didn’t it?

That’s a fire hazard, by the way – Don’t do it. Sleep in your leg warmers. It’s safer.

Some states were cold enough to freeze a finger off – And I don’t know about you, but I need my ten digits intact; my thumbs especially.

Que frio, carajo!

I didn’t bring you here to discuss the cold weather. It’s January, it’s winter – We know it’s cold…

I um… I brought you here to talk about, um… Las Navidades.

What, wait – It’s January 28, 2013!

Um… Yea, I know that…

It’s just… It’s just that the holidays breezed through, you know? They came, went, and I felt we rushed into it. We jumped in with fervor, with the zeal only seen during the holiday season. We shopped online; we hit the stores Black Friday. Then we danced our Navidad merengues, tore into those pasteles and…

Now what?

Nothing…

Nothing!

Seriously, Latinos – How many times did you play Mi Burrito Sabanero this year – What, 25? That song should be played a total of 153,256.2 times. If not, we are doing the burrito’s camino de Belén a disservice!

Navidad felt so rushed that my tree was back in its box by January 4^th. OK, you don’t understand –That’s crazy talk! My tree usually still shining bright a couple of days shy of February 1^st.

Don’t judge me… I love the twinkling lights of my Christmas tree!

Have we as a collective lost our Navidad spirit? Are we so intent on rushing through this holiday that we don’t play Feliz Navidad at least 16,000 times? That we don’t try to extend these moments as long as we possibly can? I mean, one day it’s November and the next day we are two weeks shy of Valentine’s Day!

It’s just not right!

I’m bringing Navidad back today, right now – For 1 day –  And I’m dragging you down this wreathed Navidad spiral with me.

As a self-respecting Dominicana I have MP3s of Fernandito Villalona’s “Dejame Volver” and for some Puerto Rican flavor, El Gran Combo’s “La Fiesta De Pilito” in my ipod at all times – And I’m busting them out – For coquito cookie time.

These feelings aren’t new. Last year I felt the same way about the holidays; how rushed they felt, how before they began it was all over – And there I was in the middle of January, sitting amidst the memory of empty gift wrap, wondering; “where did Navidad go?” So I made Coquito ice cream. And I made that jammy every single time I wanted a taste of Navidad.

This year I’m bringing you coquito cookies; a lightly spiced cream cheese sugar cookie with – Get this – A coconut topping that tastes just like coquito.

JUST.LIKE.COQUITO!

The dough comes together as any other sugar cookie dough would. The only downer is you have to place the dough in the freezer for a few hours. Once the cookie dough has chilled it is rolled and cut using your preferred cookie cutter. I went the round cookie cutter route and cut a smaller round in the center of each cookie. It reminded me of a wreath; a wreath you can eat…

The filling has all the components of the coquito drink (there’s RUM!), cooked until thickened and reduced. Once the filling has thickened two types of shredded coconut, sweetened and unsweetened are added and mixed until combined. I felt using both sweetened and unsweetened cut down the sweetness of the cookie. The filling is cooled slightly then spread on top. Easy…

Check out this coquito deliciousness right here…

And there you have it – Latino Christmas, in a cookie you can enjoy year round, any time the feeling strikes.

Or simply when you just want to belt out Aires De Navidad in the middle of July.

Like you needed an excuse…

Love,

Me…

We all deal with stress in different ways.

Me? I play Tetris and eat crazy amounts of Wonka candy.

I’m not saying I’m stressed very often, but I am going to say I hold a record 928 lines in Tetris. And I start my games at level 15. Always.

Further to that, I don’t I wear dentures, but I do have 2 crowns. And let’s just say I’m glad the amalgam used it my dental fillings does not register as an actual metal in airport security check-ins.

Ok… TMI…

Sometimes I wonder why I haven’t taken up drinking. OK, that’s not really true. I don’t wonder why I haven’t taken up drinking. I know the answer to that.

You see, I’m a bit of an overachiever in some areas and a hardcore procrastinator in others. If I took up gymnastics it would be hardcore procrastination nation – but if I took up drinking I would achieve Queen Lush stats; complete with crown, feather boa and fiery whiskey breath.

Though I enjoy sporting feather boas from time to time this sort of behavior doesn’t bode well for a mom, so I don’t drink very often. But when I do, I do it right!

Seriously, a sista’s been stressed lately, and Tetris isn’t pulling its weight. The staff at Family Dollar is starting to ask questions about my increased candy inhaling.

“Back again?! Didn’t you JUST buy 4 packs of the giant Sweet Tarts?!”

“Yes I did… Thanks for noticing…”

OK – It’s not right to drown your stress woes in drink. I don’t recommend it on a daily basis and I don’t want to see you in the gutter. I do, however, recommend this pomegranate tangerine margarita. It will tantalize your taste buds, combining the tartness of pomegranate and sweet brightness of tangerines.

And we all know what margaritas have, don’t we?

What is the main component to any good margarita?

TEQUILA!

Yea buddy…!

All you need here is tequila, triple sec, fruit-flavored simple syrup, pomegranate, tangerine, and lemon juice, a blender and some ice. Bring with you a willing disposition and BANG – WHAAAT!

You’re done…

I made pomegranate simple syrup for this margarita. I love to work with fruit flavored simple syrups because fruit syrups tend to highlight fruit that would often get muted in a drink. I love to work with fruity drinks, period.

The truth is I’m not a straight shot kind of girl. I once had a straight shot of tequila and promptly threw it up. Real talk… I like my drinks diluted in fruit flavors. Not frothy like a piña colada, just diluted in fruit, but also making the alcohol discernible to my palate.

Some say this is much more dangerous – fruity drinks sneak up on you and get you crazy drunk. So with this in mind, this recipe only makes 4 margaritas.

I know – Just 4! Don’t be mad at me.

I did this to avoid a “Sipping-jello-shots-out-of-a-stranger’s-bellybutton-because-you-had-way-too-much-to-drink-and-have-lost-all-inhibition” type of situation.

There’s enough stress in the world without having to worry about slurping up belly button lint.

You’re welcome…

Love,

Me…