Homemade Ravioli dessert laundry

On Sunday baba took off and I decided to cook homemade ravioli I had never made it in my life and I figure that I should give it a try.  It was easier than I expected, we all love it...great thing to keep frozen for a fast meal.

The recipe for the dough I took from here  I look around for a while but all of them asked for so many eggs that made me sick so the one I found with the least amount of eggs I too.  For the filling I just came out with it myself using leftover chicken from the day before and some ricotta cheese with parsley nothing fancy.

BASIC RAVIOLI DOUGH

150 Ravioli (8 to 10 servings)
3-1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt 3 whole beaten large eggs
2-1/2 tablespoons cooking oil
1/2 cup of lukewarm water

Sift flour in large bowl, make a well in center and add salt, oil, eggs and water. Mix liquid and flour gradually until absorbed. Place dough on floured board and knead dough thoroughly for 3 to 5 minutes until dry and smooth. (Add more flour if dough is still sticky). Cover and set aside 10 to 15 minutes. 

Nenas when you do this, when you are ready to start stretching it make sure you cut it two pieces of the same size one for the bottom one for the top..and make sure to make it very thin.

As you can see it takes allot of playing with the dough like I tell las nenas and stretching and stretching

I tried so much making a rectangle but is not easy or  maybe because I am not so savvy, but hopefully I will finally learn.

Yes nenes mami's raviolis have all shapes circles, triangles, squares etc.

Now that I know how to make the pasta I will venture more with the filling.

After a great Sunday this is what my Monday looks like....I hate laundry with a passion...specially folding and putting it away so I usually start early Monday and as the day progresses I accumulate all the folded clothes in the dinning table by the time is time for dinner I have already finish and I am ready to put everything away.....I miss Abu when she is home she always does my laundry she knows I hate it and I cook since I know she does not really care for the kitchen.

Nieve is gone! Fingerprints and flowers

So Saturday morning when I went outside to walk Yuyu I notice one of the doves had died, yes Nieve was gone.  I felt so bad specially seeing Siwa so lonely in the cage it broke my heart.  Baba had left to work already so I called him and he mention to buy a new cage and bring Siwa inside the house.  On our way to the pet store the girls were so sad that Nieve was gone and specially Gamila kept on mentioning we needed a friend for lonely Siwa.  

I had though of getting Siwa a companion but is not that easy to find doves like her, and since they are such a mellow birds you can not put them with parakeets, so I figure if I found some Diamond doves I could buy them and they would be perfect.  Well to the girls luck they had two only so we got them and the girls named them Elvin and Pretty.

Nenes like you already know mami is a frustrated artist, I would have loved to draw and enjoy it and be good at it.  Now that I see Samia getting bigger I figure she could see some of those books that teach you how to draw, I first came across them a few years back how to draw Fairies, when I went to google it I notice it was a bit complicated however I came across Ed Emberly's books and now we all are hook in them even baba, those books are great, they arrived Saturday and I had promised the girls to take them to a fair they prefer to stay home with their book.  Yesterday I will venture to say they were drawing a large part of the day...and today morning when they woke up to go to school they first thing they ask me was if they could draw...I am in love with them.

When they were not drawing we were fixing our plants we got a few plants to decorate outside we spend so much time outside in the back I figure is better to put the plants out there than in the front. 

Amir while your crazy sisters run, plant, play princess and all their crazy games you are just so happy in your blanket enjoying the balls and seeing them.

I love those last pictures of my little man he look so so so cute, or like he is called at home by the girls Lover Boy!

Since my kitchen is so close to the back I get to cook while they are playing outside and I can still see them all the time.  So I decided to make some Sesame Noodles from here.

We all like them, however I will use less Tahina the next time, they were a bit strong for me.  I made a few changes to the recipe I did not add cucumber.

And here is lover boy before going night night, baba loves to bath him he is just so calm for everything.

You guys look so much alike!

Tooth fairy and apples

The other day while I was driving all of a sudden Samia asked me about tooth fairy it was something like this.

S  Mami are tooth faires real

M I was like humm why you ask

S I just want to know if they are real

M (laughing) yes I think

S (serious look) mami are you lying to me

M No, but do you think they are real or not

S No mami I think they are not real.

M Well Samia they are only real if we believe in them, but since you don't then they are not real.

I never heard of toothfaires when I was growing up I hear of el raton mickey taking my tooth and changing it for money.

Actually in Colombia is very common to see 10 year old girls walking around with earrings made from their milk teeth what they do is take it to the jeweler and have them into charms and earrings...Thank God Abuela was never into that. Something like this.

I am not a fan of apples as you guys might now by now.  I only eat one apple a week and a green one to control tartar in my teeth..yes today is the teeth day...hahaha.  But now in the supermarket they have this very appealing big bags of apples and mami fell for them so we were home with a bag full of huge apples so I look around on what we can make with them that is not apple pie and I came across Apple Crisp the truth is that I had never heard about them.  So I took the recipe and just made it a healthier one.

½ cup melted butter
4 cups apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 cup brown sugar I USE SPLENDA INSTEAD
½ tsp salt
1/3 cup flour I USE WHEAT INSTEAD
1 cup oatmeal

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease 8×10″ baking dish.

2. Layer apples in baking dish. Sprinkle with lemon juice.


3. In large bowl, mix together dry ingredients, and use pastry blender to combine with butter. Sprinkle crumb mixture over apples.

4. Bake for 30 minutes until bubbly and hot. Serve with good vanilla ice cream.

I should mention Samia helped me the whole time. Oh and instead of serving it with Vanilla Ice Cream I served it with yogurt the girls love it and so did we.

It gets easier!

Well Amir is 8 months and it has gotten easier I have to admit...well i really think it has never being impossible.

I hate it every time I go out and people see me with three kids they look at me like I am crazy or how busy I am at home..come on people for god sakes it is not impossible how did my grandmother did it 16 children, no TV to entertain, no nanny, no washer and dryer and she did it.  I just think as longest one is not lazy and likes routine everything can be done.

And since things are easier we get to cook allot, go out and play and Amir is in every activity either sitting down, crawling or just laughing...Amir you love for Samia to play with you and make you laugh.

Let's start by saying that while I made a nice chickpea curry with no curry (I did not have at home) my 3 enanos played outside non stop, I will tell you the recipe for my chickpea below.

Milo you made that shirt at school, truly your teacher help you, I can not picture you making such a perfect shirt just quite yet.

 Catching the bubbles.

This picture is so funny all of a sudden I hear las nenas caballo mami horsey..and I am like come on in our neighborhood, and I run out to find this..yes that is what happens when you live in the middle of nowhere surround my sugarcane fields..  Is actually nice and I also get policeman patrolling in bicycles.

This is my view while I am cooking Amir loves to be outside and just enjoy his blanket although he has discover grass and he loves crawling to the edge and touching it and giving it a taste.

The girls also do allot of crafts they have show and tell in school and they love making stuff to go and show so the other day I got them this wooden mask and they painted them.

Samia you just wanted to show it, Gamila you told me you are going to scare your friends away with it.  Que mentalidad tan diferente la de estas dos pulgas.

I read a few weeks ago that is good to make children draw in the morning so lately after breakfast instead of watching TV I have paper and crayons out and my nenas draw.  Samia this is a drawing from when you were 4.  I took the time to ask you why you make the arms coming out of the head and you told me that is how they are, I tried to explain that NO but then I figure is art and there is no right or wrong a bit hard for me but I tried. You did mention this was a tree with your teacher in pink and a bird in yellow.

Milo this one is your masterpiece not sure what you drew but at least you did something.

And now cooking time.

CURRY CHICKPEAS WITHOUT CURRY (I ended up using Garam Masala instead of Curry)

1 Can of Chickpeas

2 Tbsp of olive oil

3 Tbsp of tomate paste

1 Small onion

Salt

Pepper

Cumin

Garam Masala

Coriender

1/2 cup of vegetable or beef stock, I used beef

Cilantro

Take the oil and heat it up then take the onion and cut in to small pieces and put in the oil let cook for about 5 minutes.

After the onions have being cook add the tomato paste and all of the condiments to taste

Then throw the chickpeas make sure when you open it you drain the water, let cook for about 3 minutes then add the stock and let cook for about 15 minutes.  When is ready to each add some cilantro. 

Zucchini Patties -- And much more

Just a few pictures of what we being up to lately for some reason the last two days have not being so hot so we have spend more time outside.  Yesterday the girls play none stop while baba was fixing some stuff the funniest thing is this picture Samia was posing for me and little Milo tried doing the same pose but she could not it was just so funny.  

Samia today you have not stop talking about Hunter a little boy in her class, he was with her last year she is so excited about him, making cards for him and pictures and asking me if he could come over her house for a play date it was just so funny hearing her talk none stop about Hunter.  Milo you are so different from Samia just look at your boots you don't care about fashion at all.

While outside las nenas had a blast.

Now that the school year started we are reading two different books every night..Samia is allow to check out a book from the library everyday and Gamila the same so every night we have a different book to read, I actually love it.  I decided to start taking a picture of the books this way las nenas one day see the books they read while they were growing up.

Yesterday after playing outside Samia decided she wanted to have a tea party for us the best part was that she included Amir.  Samia don't ever change always remember we are the hand..always remember what mami has teach you we are hand and the hand does not come apart..

Samia yesterday while you were outside playing you started picking all of these leaves and decided we could use them as paint brushes your idea was great and I just love the fact you think like that.  

Today you also mention that you would love to make a movie with paper I think that my duty as a mami is to come with a way to help her with that, nenes the best thing an individual can do is use their imagination never be afraid to do what your imagination tells you to do.  You only learn by trying!

Last night after everybody went to bed mami decided to go to the movies, I just enjoy it so much being there all by myself I watch Eat, Pray and Love ~~~~ I had tried to read the book a couple of months ago and it was so boring I did not even finish it and for those that know me with books that is not an easy task for me to do...after watching the movie I want to give the book a try.  I found the movie to be a good one...makes you think a little bit.

Few random thought"

Would that mosque near WTC would ever be build?????  I was in NYC when that happen and I can say from experience there were many Muslims in that building the day of that tragedy? Is a touchy subject but this is the country where anything can happen so is not impossible.

The other day I had the opportunity to talk to a very nice old lady and I asked her something that is always in my head " Would my children be confuse with the two religions?  Her answer was awesome ...she told me teach them the two they would ask questions as they grow and our duty is to answer them to the best of our knowledge.  However the part that really catch my attention was what she used to tell her children as they were growing up.  "Kids you were born in to the Catholic club but there are many other clubs out there and you are more than welcome to go and visit them and decide which club you want have a membership with. I just love the way she said it  Hopefully I am wise enough to teach my children the same.

And finally my cooking with Samia she is getting very good in the kitchen and she enjoys it.  Since we are leaving in a couple of days I am trying to clean out the fridge so we had a few zucchinis in hand and we made Minni patties.

Zucchini Patties

3 Zucchinis

1 Onion

1 Egg

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

I use Garam Masala for a little Indian taste

3 Tbs of while flour

3 Tbs of wheat flour

1 Tsp baking power

Take the zucchini and grate it

Grate the onion

I take a piece of tulle and put the mixture in there and squeeze it to remove the water from the zucchini and the onion.  (make sure you leave no water, I find my tulle to be the most effective way)

Then mix the egg

Then add your spices you want

Then add the flour, baking power

Put the oven at 425 

In a cookie sheet spread some olive oil

Then with a spoon drop little balls

Cook 15 minutes in one side then flip to other side  and press

Cook another 15 minutes

Pan y mas!

Last week of having the kids at home, yes my Gamila would start school next Monday.  Not sure how I am going to feel Monday when I come back and there is only Amir in here. I know I will miss them like crazy but being truthful we all need it.  I think Gamila needs it more than any of us.  


The last of couple of days we being in a roll like always..for starters mami did a henna tattoo, I have always wanted one so a couple of days back I order a small kit and baba and me played with it, he use some of the stencils they included and did this cool picture...I personally though it would last longer but is almost gone, I think because I put it in a high traffic area.

The nenas are in a beauty shop roll, they are into putting make up on themselves and the dolls, they are also doing their nails.  This is one of the few things that they can play for very long lapses at a time.

Amir is growing and growing I am teaching him now how to hold his tete.  I also have notice that boys are so different from girls in so many ways for starters he is in love with me he sees me and he just goes bunkers he loves for me to lay with him and just cuddle him all the time.

Samia everyday you amaze me more and more, I think you have realize that usually baba and mami make bread when baba is off in the mornings so today you asked us out of the blue mami you making bread????

Nothing better than seeing the pita bubble up!!!! I know kind of pathetic when you get excited about a pita bubbling up.hahahahah

 
Samia and I have being working in a small city in a box she is so excited and everyday we do something, I find it that at this age they have such a short attention span so I don't want her to be sitting down for a while not enjoying what we are doing.

So is a work in process....

First we draw the building Samia loved the church

Then mami cut it

Now Samia is helping pain the back

We still need the people and a few other things

 
Lately we have being house hunting again yes we would be moving at the beginning of next year most likely, I am so excited finally I am going to be in a city...maybe not living in it but close to it...yeppy yeppy yeppy!


In less than two weeks I will be in Miami I am so excited about it and I know the nenas are so happy to go and see Abu.

Now that I am talking about Abu; Nenas Abu loves a something call Platano Maduro!!!! 

 

Usually I buy the plantains and just let them get dark.

Once it  gets dark I cut the ends and slit the middle and put a little bit of butter t

Then put foil paper and put it in the oven for about 35 minutes.

Once is cook inside I put Queso blanco inside and put it int he oven again for a little while till it melts.

Nenes in Colombia we eat this allot, is one of those platters that is good at any time!

Here are my lemonade nenas!