Posts by Carrie:
Shrimp Creole or Camarones Enchilados
March 8th, 2010
(If you are an RSS or email subscriber, click the headline link to see the post video)
(Video courtesy of the fabulous chef, Juan Montalvo from The Hungry Cuban.)
When my father was visiting last month, he made Camarones Enchilados — or Shrimp Creole — a couple of times. It’s a staple dish he makes and the only problem is he sometimes doesn’t make enough. It is delicious and to my ridiculousness, I haven’t watched him make it. Ever.
So, I saw the recipe — a worn piece of paper — as he pulled it from his shirt pocket and asked him for a copy.
“OK, copy it and then let me tell you how I change it,” he said.
As he went ingredient by ingredient, he pretty much changes the whole thing.
On the day he left my house in Tennessee, he left the ingredients ready and chopped in the fridge for me. So, armed with his recipe and my kitchen whizziness, I went for it.
And of course, it tasted nothing like my dad’s. My husband, a big fan of Papi’s shrimp, gave his feedback and ate them anyway. Maybe I put in too much tomato juice because my sauce was more watery than my dad’s, which is fragrant and thick and memorable.
Below is a copy of his recipe, plus some links to other Camarones Enchilados recipes around the web. And, hey, enchilado is not enchiladas, OK?
Hungry Sofia
Best Cuban Recipes
Gourmet Betty
Papi’s Enchilados, which is similar to the recipe I have in my copy of Cuban Cookbook by Cuban food Goddess Nitza Villapol.
2 pounds shrimp
some olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 dientes of garlic
1 large green pepper
small can of V8 veggie juice instead of tomato sauce.
white cooking wine
1/2 cup of parsley
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Saute the onion, garlic and green peppers in the oil, then add the tomato juice, white wine, vinegar salt, parsley, Worcestershire and lastly add the shrimp. Don’t overcook them.
Serve with fluffy white rice.
Do you have an enchilados recipe? I want to serve this at our next dinner party.
Giveaway: Mabel’s Labels
March 1st, 2010 
This contest is now Closed. Congratulations to Tara J! She wins the loot.
(Required disclaimer: I have not received cash or gift compensation to write this post.)
This is the first time I have flat-out gone and asked a company to provide products for a giveaway on the Tiki Tiki, but I did because I love Mabel’s Labels and I think our readers will too — if you don’t already.
OK, so when I went to a blog conference recently, I got a sampler pack of Mabel’s Labels in the swag bag, but I’ve been a customer for a couple of years. When Maria started school in 2007, I bought labels for her lunch box, for her shoes, rain boots and clothing — all of which were required to have her name.
Two-plus years later, the labels still are on the items.
And so, with joy, we’re sharing the greatness that is these fun labels with you, Tiki Tiki-ers.
The folks at Mabel’s Labels have agreed to offer a reader a Big Combo pack worth $55 and includes 45 sticky labels, 24 shoe labels, 50 iron-ons or 75 Tag-Mates, plus two bag tags.
The labels are safe to use in the dishwasher or laundry and they can be personalized by color and special animal or symbol icon. (We’ve go ta turtle on ours.) They’ve also got some home organizing and allergy alert labels I find pretty cool. Even cooler, the successful company was conceived and is run by moms. Mami power to the max.
The winner will receive a coupon code from Mabel’s Labels for the free purchase and shipping of the Big Combo pack. The winner must be in the U.S. or Canada.
The rules: Nothing fancy, just leave a comment on this post and consider telling us something about just how fabulous and organized you are or aren’t, or maybe about how you keep track of all your kid’s stuff, or after checking out Mabel’s Labels do you have any ideas for them?
Extra credit for good karma and nothing else: Hit the Share on Facebook button on the top right of this post.
Giveaway timeline: Giveaway runs today through 6 a.m. EST Friday, March 5.
Selection: The winner will be chosen using Random.org and notified via e-mail by the Tiki Tiki. Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address. The winner has until 2 p.m. Monday, March 8 to contact us, or a new winner will be selected.
Good luck!
OK, and look, here is my daughter’s lunchbox with the label I affixed in the summer of 2007. And, by weird coincidence, the Mabel’s Label’s website has a “Maria” label (see above)…Meant to be? Hmmm? That’s a Laptop Lunch Box, by the way, and I love, love, love it.
Mira, Mira: El Buzz and Link Love
February 26th, 2010 Happy Viva Viernes everybody. Some cool stuff we’ve discovered this week, and recommended sites you can knock around in during the weekend.
Houston, we’ve discovered a Texas food blog
There are 109 comments on this Carnitas, Houston Style recipe from Homesick Texan. Oh goodness, please go see this recipe and this site. And then check out the breakfast tacos and oh goodness, then the Mexican pancakes with coconut. It all almost makes me want to go to Texas.
And food in Vancouver
Speaking of food, a well-traveled friend is in Vancouver for the Olympics and instead of regular reports on medals and athletes, what I have heard non-stop is how well he is eating — everything from Malay to Chinese to Indian. So, here are some Vancouver food blogs if you’re ever headed that way: Nancyland; Ethnic Eats; Chow Times; Urban Foodie Blog. Buen Provecho, Aye!
And we’re still talking food
This time, in Chicagoland. Look at this beautiful grocery, Super Mas, that just opened in the New City section of Chicago. It is $6 million worth of a grocery store with a bakery, catering, scratch tortillas and flat screen TVs so nobody misses futbol and novelas. Good luck and happy franchising one day! Pictures here.
A quick hit of news
Americans who trace their ancestry to the Caribbean are pitching the Census bureau to add more race options, given that the Caribbean is multiracial and multiethnic. The story from the LA Times says another group of advocates is asking the Census to allow Mexican-Americans to identify whether they trace their roots to peoples such as the Maya or Mixtec.
America, she is achanging.
And now, the Weekend Link Love
Joscelyn, is the mother of identical twin boys and a pre-teen son. She offers advice and ideas for families with multiples at Mami & the Multiples.
My newest crush is the Hollywood Housewife. Love the blog, the heart and adore the baby girl.
My friend Rebecca is half-Latina. I told her that between the two of us we make one awesome full-blooded Latina. Be sure to look at her children’s book section at Tooth Whale.
Fun and frugal is Jenn Fowler from Frugal Upstate. She’ll teach you how to make snow ice cream, hear that you snowed-in Northeasterners.
Lindsay Maines will remind you that yes, you can rock that minivan. Read her fun at Rock and Roll Mama.
Papi Plays
February 23rd, 2010 
I’ve talked about this before on my other blog, Bilingual in the Boonies. My husband thinks I am way much more fun in Spanish-speaking countries — and that includes Miami.
I agree with him.
It is most obvious to me just how vanilla I can be when my family is here visiting. I hear the music in their words, notice the crazy and the pal’ carajo in their attitude. I’m a little too protestant sometimes, if truth be told.
My father is not. Yes, he is a pain in the fotingo about whether the doors are all locked and about how quickly Maria brushes her teeth after dinner, but he’s kinda typical Cuban — pretty easy and generally joyful.
Witness Papi and Maria playing pick-up sticks. He’s not acting. He’s being himself. 100% It is why my house is very quiet when he is gone. Also notice my kid cheating her 72-year-old Abuelito in the game.
I am everlastingly grateful my kid gets regular doses of the viejos who fill her house with something besides: “Did you wash your hands?” and “Eat some more peas.”
Oye, Mira Mira: Fab Links
February 19th, 2010 So, how about a regular round-up for World Wide Web fabulousness?
OK, vamos. There’s too much wonderful out there not to share.
From my friend Leisa Hammett, who blogs on writing, art and autism, I discovered this video. Beautiful and inspiring, it was created by the novelist Katherine Center for the Mom 2.0 Summit, going on now in Houston. (Click the headline link if you can’t see the video.)
Center beautifully wrote:
“I have watched you sleep. I’ve kissed you a million times. And I know something that you don’t, yet:
You are writing the story of your only life every single minute of every day.
And my greatest hope for you, sweet child, is that I can teach you how to write a good one.”
You can see all the words that accompany the video on her site.
I met Cathe Holden a couple of weeks ago at a blog conference, Blissdom, and was delighted to learn she was the owner of a blog I had stumbled on and loved, Just Something I Made. Cathe is a graphic artist in Northern California. She posts about her work, her craft projects and she offers a lot of free downloads. I love her Gift Making Guide…easy, wonderful, hand-made ideas. The whole thing, actually, is amazing. Go see.
Selena Cate from Apron Thrift Girl, also attended the same conference and when she told me she lived in Sonoma County, Ca., I wanted to hear more. My husband grew up there, so I’ve had a chance to spend time in the wine country and love it. Selena told me there is good thrifting there. I had no idea. Her blog catalogs simple, frugal, thrifty living, plus crafts and things to do in the area. It is a beautiful site. I’ve enjoyed her recipes and this Valentine Burlap Banner idea.
Are you subscribing to Groupon yet? If not, let me tell you, it is awesome. Really great deals in your local area, like $10 coupons for $20 worth of food at local restaurants, deep discounts on photo shoots, services and more. Mucho mas.
George Duran is from Venezuela, host of TLC’s Ultimate Cake Off, and spokesman for Hunt’s tomatoes. He cooked a beautiful eggplant parm rolls at Blissdom and everyone’s mouth watered. (Even if you don’t like eggplant, you’ll like this).
Duran also has been on Food Network and MTV. Over on the Food Network, his recipes include Caramels with Salmon Roe. Whoa. And there is also this dessert, Chocolate Soup, which includes all of my favorite ingredients: sweetened condensed milk, chocolate and raspberries.
OK, finally, if you want some real sweetness, click over to Marta’s My Big Fat Cuban Family and read about her nearly 96-year-old mother, Luz, who is heading to Cuba to reunite with her siblings who are 99, 93, 90 and 87. It will warm your heart…and maybe, just maybe, make you wish for the Cuban longevity gene.
Happy Fin de Semana, y’ all…and if you have discovered some World Wide Web fantastics, feel free to share in the comments.
Sade, Ricky and Diversifying the Suburbs
February 17th, 2010 
Welcome Back Sade
Someone moved the Mason-Dixon Line on me. Though I live South of the line — and have sworn never again to live North of it — it has been freezing and snowing for days. It’s an unusual white out in a land where a half-inch of snow is the winter norm. Needless to say, esto frisada and muy cansada of it all.
So, warmth and joy were mine this morning when I saw Sade’s new site and news of her new album. It has been 10 years since the last. And it appears it has been worth the wait.
partial lyrics, Soldier of Love
All the days of my life
I’ve been torn up inside
I’ve been left behind
Tall I ride
I have the will to survive
In the wild, wild west
Trying my hardest
Doing my best to stay alive
I am love’s soldier
Love her. Seriously.
Diversifying the Suburbs
It may be the old reporter in me, but I love demographic information. William Frey is a well-known demographer who gives an interesting tidbit about the Census and Hispanics in this week’s Washington Post.
“If immigration stopped today, we would still see substantial gains in our minority populations for decades to come,” Frey wrote.
In addition, the 2010 Census will tell us more about the movement of minorities into the suburbs of America. Already, he said, a majority of Hispanic, black and Asian residents in metro areas live in suburbs. Also, guess where the fastest Hispanic growth has happened since 2000? South Carolina, South Dakota, Arkansas and your el buzz editor’s home state, Tennessee.
Arriba!
Ricky Martin has a Big Corazon
Do you know Ricky Martin has a Foundation? Si. The Ricky Martin Foundation to advocate for the well-being of children around the world.
The Foundation funded a study on human trafficking in Puerto Rico, his native land and results released this week showed evidence of commercial sexual exploitation, labor exploitation and purchased marriages.
“I am very pleased that through my Foundation we can bring awareness to the crime of human trafficking in my island. I am confident that the seeds we sow today will germinate in a Puerto Rico that ponders on this issue and acts for the sake of our children and for the good of our society,” Martin said.
Source: Hispanic Tips
On Love …
February 12th, 2010 
– from On Love by Kahlil Gibran
Happy Valentine’s Day Tiki Tiki-ers.
besitos.
Babies Documentary, Scary Latino Obesity Rates
February 9th, 2010 Babies, a documentary.
Oh, dear goodness. I think my mami-making parts shot out sparkles when I saw this story on Babies, the documentary, in USA Today. Four babies from four different parts of the world — U.S., Mongolia, Namibia and Japan — are followed from birth. They are absolutely beautiful and the trailer is stunning. The film by Focus Features will be released in April. It’s on my calendar.
End childhood obesity
Nearly one-third of Latino children are obese. Enter Salud America!, a research organization of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focused on reducing childhood obesity among Latino and Hispanic children. There is a great story on Latina Lista that includes an interview with one of the researchers and some perspective on Latino family habits and customs and you can find the organization’s recent newsletter here. Then, go watch this eye-opening public service ad by Salud Today — a different group. It is filled with eye-opening and shocking stats on diet, obesity and lifestyle. Ya sabes.
Latinos: Coming of Age in America
OK, OK, this Pew Hispanic Center report – Between Two Worlds: How Young Latinos Come of Age in America — came out in December. Obviously, your editor has fallen down on her El Buzz job, but it is worth mentioning even now.
The study looks at young Latinos in the United States, from the newly arrived to those of us with roots of origin, and the results are interesting and fascinating. It is no wonder we make the heads of marketers spin. Just take a look at what they found out about “self-identification.”
Among the U.S.-born children of immigrants, “American” is somewhat more commonly used as a primary term of self-identification. Even so, just 33% of these young second generation Latinos use American first, while 21% refer to themselves first by the terms Hispanic or Latino, and the plurality-41%-refer to themselves first by the country their parents left in order to settle and raise their children in this country. Only in the third and higher generations do a majority of Hispanic youths (50%) use “American” as their first term of self-description.
You can find the report, and many others, at the Pew Hispanic Center site. If you go read it and have an opinion, come on back and leave a comment. Or, just say how darned cute those babies in the video are.
Cherish the Present
February 1st, 2010 
Nashville: Snowstorm 2010
Snow and ice fell on Nashville Friday, blanketing the city and surrounds with a glorious — if treacherous — icy white.
We haven’t left our house in four days.
Today included.
So, time that would have been mostly mine has belonged to others — my 6-year-old daughter, home from school, needs my attention. The new puppy needs to be housebroken and worn out. That means my to-do list has gone mostly undone and this pulls me mentally away from the present as I drift off to think about everything else I am not doing.
Truth is, this white wonderland has offered a rare gift, allowing me time to “just be” with my family.
In the midst of our busy lives it is a rare gift, indeed, to be given unplanned still and cozy moments.
And those only happen in the present.
If the present eludes you too sometimes:
Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so. One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return. — Mary Jean Iron
Asi Son Los Perritos
January 29th, 2010 
I tracked poop through my living room, up the stairs and into my office yesterday. And then, I tracked it all the way back before I noticed.
I did not get upset. I just cleaned it up and went on with my bliss.
The caca came from the 8-week-old Malti Tzu we adopted Wednesday, a gift for our 6-year-old, Maria.
I am in new mom love, as this is the first little perrito I ever have raised. (We’ll get to the German Shepherds of my childhood later.) This guy, whom Maria named Buddy, looks like a battery-powered wool duster. He wiggles and hops and fetches and oh dear goodness, I am annoying myself with my own glow. My sister-in-law said last night she may make me a little sling for Buddy. Don’t think I didn’t already consider breaking out Maria’s old Maya Wrap, let me tell you.
Maria too is in love. She is attempting to get him to sit, but he just licks her hand. She gives him the treat anyway. Que malcriado he is going to be. (My husband, by the way, says he looks like a gerbil.)
We got a puppy for her for lots of reasons, with the main ones being that our Only Child would benefit from the companionship and from having someone she can boss around. (After reading all the breed descriptions, I have determined that if my daughter were a dog, she’d be a Terrier. I would be too, so we went with a breed that wants nothing more than to please and love.)
When I was growing up in Miami, we had two German Shepherds who didn’t last long. One got sick and died. The second one, Happy, used to high jump to the clothes line, grab my dad’s underwear, shake them and bury them. One day, Happy went to a “farm.” I have questioned my parents about that. A farm in Miami? Really? But they insist some guajiro in Perrine, where we lived then and before it was hugely developed, got Happy and was overjoyed to have the crazy, untrained beast that was Happy.
The Shepherd who lived next door to us back then was named Sucio (Dirty). He was a loping, lazy dog and I so loved hearing the neighbor lady yell Sucio! Sucio! out the back door.
My grandparents had two dogs, Troy, a Terrier mix, and Toby, a Shepherd mix. They lived outside and my grandmother stood between them with an old broomstick during meal times. A neighbor of theirs recently told me he used to see my grandparents wipe the dogs bottoms regularly. Only Crazy Cubans wipe the bottoms of outdoor dogs.
But, of course, I called a friend with a male Shih Tzu yesterday and asked her whether I was supposed to wipe Buddy’s wet wee wee after he went pee. She laughed at me. Well, given my grandparents and the dog butt wiping they did, I come by this honestly, I told her.
Ah, whatever. It is a snow day here today. I am in my wool socks and thick sweater. There’s a fire in the hearth. The kid is happy and the puppy is napping.
There’s bliss going on. Pure Puppy Breath-Smelling Bliss.
Even if there is remainder poop on my chancleta.
