cross culture cookies

new cookie, yesterday's cookie...they're goin' fast!

this year, i haven't yet tasted my favorite xmas cookie of all times, mexican wedding cookies or russian tea cakes - and i'm sure there are other cultures that partake in the making of these delicious holiday treats and have their own name. the basic principle of the cookie - walnuts, flour, sugar and more sugar! with extra dough from yesterday's sugar cookie recipe i thought i would try creating a spin on my favorite xmas cookie. i added some chopped walnuts to the dough, rolled them into one inch balls and when they were hot out of the oven, rolled them in confectioners sugar.....with a little orange zest, nutmeg twist, these cookies were super tasty! same dough - NEW COOKIE! enjoy.

chopped walnuts to add to yesterday's dough

original recipe from "twelve days of christmas a pinata for the pinon tree" 

*ingredients we substituted

**ingredients we added

1 cup of butter

3 1/2 cups of flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon aniseed (*we used nutmeg 2 teaspoons)

3 large eggs (*we used flaxmeal)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon zest (*we used orange  zest)
**1/4 cup chopped walnuts
**confectioners sugar (use enough to foll baked cookies in)
bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees 

ho ho ho, merry....cookies

mama and her little baker

this morning when we rose, diegas asked e, "do you know what you're doing today?" she looked at him with big sleepy eyes and answered "yeah"...which usually means you're about to tell me, right? "you're making cookies with cousin isei" (forget the word cookies she was concentrating on the word isei. her big boy cousin. at the age of four he's definitely her mini-hero!) the cuteness continued as diegas said "you come from a long line of cookie monsters." diegas and i pretty much eat more cookies than anyone should. we like cookies!!and after evia got to have her first cookie (a homemade coconut-cranberry, grandma t success) two nights before at tio gamz's bday dinner, we knew she liked them too!

bizcochitos recipe in "twelve days of christmas a pinanta for the pinon tree"

evia showed me a recipe in a book that her grandma lu just bought her called "the twelve days of christmas a pinata for the pinon tree," by philemon sturges. the story is the classic tale, but with a pinanta instead partridge and silver beads, kachina, mariachi and a host of other native american/southwest "gifts" for the tree. it's a absolutely gorgeous book. i hadn't noticed the recipe at the back for "bizchochitos" which reads: "this state cookie can be found in every new mexican home at christmas time." but evia had noticed the illustrations of the cookies. hmmmm sounds like mama "has" to make cookie dough. similar to a regular sugar cookie recipe the book's recipe includes anis seed and lemon zest. 

two batches:anis seed/lemon zest, nutmeg/orange zest (flax meal for egg)

for our sugar cookies this year, i was tempted to do something "healthy" you know substitute sugar for honey or agave nectar or use applesauce or bananas or something of that nature and then i thought, what?! for xmas?! no, i think the real thing will be just fine. i made one batch of the recipe from the book and one batch with coconut oil instead of butter and spiced my own concoction of nutmeg and orange zest. of course in our house we always do flax seed instead of eggs for little e. so the the nutmeg recipe wound up being totally vegan, kinda-fun until i added traditional frosting.

cellophane wrapped cookie dough balls ready for fridge

ingredients were put together the evening before, while my dad visited and e entertained us both! the batches were shaped into round balls and put in the refrigerator to cool and set for cousin isei's arrival the following day for our first annual "cousin cookie extravaganza." oh the fun! aunntie becca, tio gamz, isei and i listened to christmas music and got a few batches made. see photos below of our very merry family making these delicious treats! merry christmas!

ready for little bakers

auntie becca and cousin isei rollin'

my little quick learner

worker beees

our cuties with their beautiful cookies ready to frost (added cinnamon to traditional glaze)

e's hand at sprinkling the sugar

sometimes baking requires an adult drink: chilled vodka, cherry cider, fresh cherries and lemon

red + green = xmas

i haven't actually finished the crisp of the recipe i found, but here are a couple of my prep photos, season-appropriate in green and red. pomegranates and green apples are the main ingredients for this yummy holiday delectable. let the baking commence! (by the by, you're right, those are the very fruit used for the thanksgiving decor!)

update: i finished the crisp over the weekend and boy were we happy to have the smells of nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, bubbling apple and pomegranates wafting through the air. our christmas tree was delivered at 5 and the crisp was done at 6 perfect timing for it to cool while we ate dinner. the little one even got to participate in a few bites as we hung ornaments on the tree. it was a festive and delicious holiday evening.

on a side note: we learned about goleta valley beautiful from a friend on facebook (thanks elizabeth!) although during the rest of the year the organization concentrates their volunteer efforts on planting beautiful native tree species to the urban areas of santa barbara and goleta, this year they decided during the holidays to rent those same trees instead of having them sit in the nursery. rina and i went on a nursery tour during our lunch hour and got an up-close look at coastal oaks, torrey pines and a slew of others. my personal favorite (most closely suited for xmas decor) was a redwood! how cool to have a 9' redwood in our house. according to the GVB executive director ken knight, this tree will later be planted at stow house. It is my understanding that redwoods can live up to a thousand years. pretty cool to have such an intimate few weeks with this tree that will be on our earth for hundreds of years to come! this purchase felt so good this year. it's money going to a eco-friendly cause, it's not a tree that come 1/1, we'll solely use for firewood or will go to mulch, and it was more affordable than our usual xmas tree. keep it in mind for next year. i believe they have traditional trimmed trees too (just limited). enjoy your holiday of family, food, giving and lovely holiday ambiance!

a holiday to remember

baby girl's first thanksgiving feast

this year we hosted our very first thanksgiving. we were so thankful to have the opportunity as it allowed us to be in one place the whole day and not split our time between the families. although we are blessed to have both our families so close, it makes for hectic holidays when we're rushing from one dinner to the next and never feeling quite settled or relaxed.

a little pressure this year, was not only hosting, but cooking the turkey. we've made countelss roasted chickens, but hadn't the experience of a 20lb turkey, let alone a "thanksgiving" turkey to feed 22 people. a little of the edge was taken off when my dad offered to cook his annual deep fried turkey on the patio. if our turkey didn't turn out, i secretly was at ease knowing that we could all enjoy my dad's tried and true bird. 

our brined, 20 pounder, stuffed and rubbed with herbs from our garden

my cute hubby and my dad carving their respective turkeys (photo credit: jenny hopwood)

luckily thanksgiving is always a pot-luck style meal in our families. so the sole responsibility of the turkey's, drinks and appetizers were fine by me. i get the most pleasure of entertaining by dreaming up the decor, flow and layout of the event...it's the planner in me, i suppose. i spent the 3 weeks leading up to the holiday, going to various thrift stores and antique stores, stocking up on white china, linens, and silver to set a table for such a large group. many trips of which my co-workers joined me on the lunch hour - thank you rina and mary!

"the" table(s): collected china,handmade napkins, eclectic chairs and fruit decor

place cards: tangerines wrapped in twine with clove to hold place card

i had been in the bay area the week before. my gammi generously allowed me to chose a serving piece from her silver heirlooms to add to my table. a gorgeous spoon from the mid 1800's was my choice, once Austin Grimm's - my gammi's great grandfather. so special. i also got out my great grandmother's wedding silver my gammi passed down 8 pieces to me years ago and i suppliemented with other pieces i found. a couple of years ago, i actually found 14 matching pieces of the community plate onieda "deauville" pattern at an antique store and snatched them up. i had forgotten they were in my cupboard until i went through the entertaining pieces. 

austin grimm's serving spoon and great grandmother's wedding silver

the cake plates came down, the silver tea service that diegas' grandma lu bought me 2 xmas' ago and a sugar bowl my grandma eunie bought me were also included on the dessert table. my mom cut tangerine branches from her trees, to adorn my fruit inspired decor (ps. fruit gets eaten vs. flowers that eventually are thrown away, eco friendly!) and i set cloth napkins that my sister-in-law made for me last christmas. what a blessing to share the meal with those past and present! it was truly a family table!!

cake plates and antique linens ready for pies

centerpieces: tangerine branches and pomegranites

the food was unbelievable. everyone contributed amazing dishes (perhaps a post in the future, of some of the recipes) and tons of help preparing and cleaning up. we had so much food left over. today is day 5 and we are still eating leftovers - and everyone went home with some. one special note is that it was evia's first thanksgiving feast. my mom made her an eggless pumpkin pie and the girl couldn't stop saying "more?"

i hope to host many more family gatherings as our families grow. i felt like we had truly come into adulthood hosting a thanksgiving full of warmth and the cherry on top...a perfectly tasty turkey!

quiet scene in our house the next morning

favorite finds :: bride to be

recent find for a special bride (gray, silver and white beaded clutch in near perfect condition)

i think i'll have to start a "favorite finds" post on a regular basis. i adore the things i find after scouring, racks, shelves and lots for the perfect item. whether a thrift store, a vintage boutique or a swap meet, hunting and then gathering up the loot is one of my all-time favorite activities.

an item that i find to be the perfect gift for a bride to be, (whether using it on the wedding day, as i intend, or to use for a fun night out) is a vintage white clutch. you see them everywhere if you're on the lookout and the craftsmanship that went into clutches from the 20's to mid century makes so many of them unique and special. for several years, i've searched the cases and shelves of many boutiques for these clutches, to provide my dear friends with a gift that is useful and pretty. 

from beaded, to glittery, to rouched texture...you'll find one that speaks to you for that bride. if you're close enough to the wedding, you can also include lip gloss, breath mints, or any other "day-of" necessity to have at the ready. perhaps a something borrowed, or blue that you know the bride specifically was interested in can be included. and remember to always state that it's only if they chose to use it. otherwise it's great for a night on the town (don't want the bride to feel like it's a necessity to put it to use - as she may have something already planned).

happy gift giving.

fun strap detail on purse-back for gloves or "clutching"

the gift ready for giving

lou lou...louie

november 5 had been on the calendar for a few months. we all seemed to be counting the days until we met in la for brunch and to celebrate the joyous occasion of our dear friend, sister, daughter and her engagement to mr. moreno. lindsey lou as she's known in some circles was our guest of honor. after a picture perfect engagement in europe, it seemed only fitting to enjoy some champagne a delicious meal and desserts with a euro flare. we chose bottega louie in downtown los angeles. i had various friends who were past patrons and gave me the inside scoop on some of the dishes to order, the ideal place to sit and overall review in general. were we in for a treat!

i think we reached consensus that one of the highlights of the meal were the portabella fries! yes, fries made of mushrooms. o. m. g.! being that i am not drinking these days, i wasn't fortunate enough to participate in the veuve clicquot, however i didn't miss out by ordering a green tea mojito. it's so fun when the non-alcoholic drinks are just as fancy. another highlight was my mom's dish - a flatbread "breakfast style" pizza, with burrata, prosciutto, a baked egg and arugula - spectacular! belgian waffles with chatilly cream, lemon ricotta pancakes and salmon benedict on potato cakes were just a few other items at our table...is your mouth watering(?), because i'm not done...the macarons are their specialty item in the bakery. i ordered some to bring home to the hubby. a fine treat for spending the day as mr. mom and taking such good care of my favorite cookie! if you haven't been there and have a day planned in la, i recommend a visit.

all the girls: anna, lindsey, suzanne, tina, emily and marisa

salmon benedict

macarons: earl grey, espresso, pumpkin, cinnamon, raspberry

cakes powdered to perfection

with the bride to be: jessica and lindsey

downtown la, bottega louie

my favorite time of year

i have been so bad about posting lately and really wanted to make sure i at least give an update once a month! october is over today, so i thought i would post a fall update. this time of year has always been my favorite. mainly because there is a clear distinction of the season - although it takes santa barbara a little longer than most places to get into the chilly groove. october can be one of our hotter months. but also because there is the anticipation of all the holiday's that are quickly approaching. i love being cozy, eating good food and sharing our free moments with friends and family - and that's what the next few months will bring and have already brought!

here is what we've been up to as of late: 
~we've had several trips to the zoo with our new zoo membership

zoo with cousin isei

sliding down the hill at zoo with papa

hangin' at the zoo with friend d

 ~diegas went hunting for 10 days in wyoming and mama and baby had to keep busy to make the time go by as fast as possible. we missed papa!

the eve that papa went to wyoming

lemon festival petting zoo

looking for bunnies with grandpa

~we've made some delectable treats to fill our bellies and put tasty aromas in the air

homemade pizza with goat cheese for e

chubbie bunnies for papa's return
check out the spin on this recipe (yumm!) post from smitten kitchen

pumpkin pie (first of the season) shared with the lee's and hill's

 ~the hubby and i celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary and enjoyed our evening at downey's

evening at downey's, with no room for dessert - little treat!

so many blessings since this glorious day, october 2005

~we've visited the pumpkin patch and attended cousin's 4th pirate themed birthday...happy halloween!

pumpkin patch fun

pirate party costume that only stayed on for 5 minutes

halloween morning on the front porch before spending the day with nana