Our Loteria Meet and Greet at Cafe Calacas was so much more than I expected.  Everything about the night was perfect.  The owners and workers at Calacas were beyond welcoming from their smiles, handshakes and delicious food and drinks.  My drink of the night was Habanero Lime Refresher.  I was running around the entire time so it truly hit the spot with it’s refreshing crispy lime taste and a special kick at the end of each sip–a not so heavy habanero touch–mmmmmmm is an understatement!   Cafe Calacas is definitely a place to check out when ever you are in the Santa Ana area. 

Meeting our Social Media family was definitely a treat for both Abuela and I.  We enjoyed hearing all their touching stories.  It’s so encouraging to know how our videos have helped some through their toughest times.  It’s so humbling to know that we have grow in their hearts through their times of need.  Both Abuela and I will hold what they shared with us in our hearts and will continue to pray for them in the days to come.  Know that I do pray for this YouTube channel.  I pray that God would move across the screen and touch lives, heal lives and speak to the lives on the other side of the camera who may be fighting some sort of battle.  So when you share with me-us something that is personal, we take it to heart and take it to God.  I know that He hears and sees the tears, pains and joys of our Social Media family.  And even if you don’t feel it–He is working– I know personally.  In His perfect timing he has answered my prayers.  Maybe not in the way I expected, but He has seen me through much and continues to do so.

The recent growth of our channel has really brought so many amazing things, including getting to know family that I didn’t even know existed.  We had a chance to reconnect recently over Social Media.  One day a gentleman with the “Contreras” last name reached out and said, “Como han estado.  Saludos a la familia.”.  Although I didn’t recognize the face, the last name, which is my Abuela’s last name caught my attention.  I thought to myself, “Could we be related?”.  Something within me felt that we were.  After a short conversation over Instagram, we threw out names that ended up connecting me to his family.  The meet and greet was where I got to meet them all and I’m so happy I did!  **Shout out to my new family Frank Contreras, Yolanda Contreras and Gloria Contreras among many more!

Having my aunts and all their children present also touched my heart.  If you attended or saw our Meet and Greet Video, you probably noticed a lot of people wearing the black “La Abuela” loteria shirt– well, they were all family.  It made the night more special than it already was.  There was another event going on in the area and finding parking was pretty stressful.  But they stuck it out and showed up!  I am extremely thankful for that.  La familia is important and we must stick together.  And to this day, I can say that we have been present for each others accomplishments!  Here is to many more FAMILIA!  Love you all!

Although all these factors and so much more that happened that night made the event special, I would have to say that my highlight was to see my Abuela’s eyes sparkle.  I live for those moments- I long for those moments–when I get to see her face light up with joy–so much joy that for just a moment she can forget about her worries.  I love our drives home after our events.  Hearing her talk about her experience and the people she met and what she talked about is such a joy.  My heart becomes filled with gratitude for those moments.  She has gone through so much in her life and has done more for others than anyone I know and she deserves all the attention and spoiling she has gotten because of our videos.  My mom has made special appearances in the videos, cooking her own recipes and many of you also know her as well.  It’s an added bonus to see her get recognized too.  It’s just such a great feeling for me.

You all know that these videos started off as a way to document my Abuela, her cooking and ways for my kids and future generations.  But I must say that they have evolved into way more than that (not by luck, chance or coincidence).  It’s because we don’t show you something we are not.  What you see on video is really us.  I know everyone loves Abuela, and I’m just a facilitator in the videos but what we do share is our real relationship and the relationships we have with our entire family; and I believe you are a witness of it.  I know there are a few people who don’t like how I speak, how I act or even how I look but what’s the point of sharing with the world things that are unrealistic or unattainable.  My Abuela is a humble-hardworking woman, my mom is a God fearing woman who has worked hard to gain ground in the U.S. so that I could have a better life, and me…  Well, I do have a hard time saying who I am because of my own personal insecurities–  But I can say that because of what these women have done and accomplished in their lives, has paved the way for me to be the woman that God has created me to be.  I can enjoy what they worked hard for, and honor them for it through my life.  In addition, it is an opportunity to show the world that Mexicanos/Latinos(as) (that know the value of life and the meaning of hard work) can overcome all obstacles.  Those who understand and believe, realize that there is power in pushing each other to reach higher, without forgetting our roots.  Our roots keep us grounded and our God becomes the rock in which we stand. 

We are giving all of our wonderful followers an opportunity to order the exclusive “Abuela’s Kitchen Loteria T Shirt!”  This is a custom t shirt design, all in an effort to campaign for abuela to be added to the infamous Mexican Loteria. #addabuelatoloteria

Only available for purchase using PayPal.

SEE BELOW FOR BLACK T SHIRT ORDERS!

FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY:

These t shirt are a high quality Cotton Blend.  The graphics are printed utilizing a Direct to Garment (DTG) Heat press method.  So these are great quality t shirts…you will not be disappointed.  🙂

There are people we come across in our life time that leave different impressions or marks in our lives.  But there are those who have a lasting impact that alters your thinking, your perspective and possibly your life in a positive way.  I’ve had a few of those kind of people in my life.  Maybe I’m more impressionable than most people, but I know when someone’s sincerity is genuine.  Call it a gift or discernment, but whatever the case might be, I can tell.

My Great Uncle, Ramon (Abuela’s brother), has been one of those people who has left me enriched every time I get to spend time with him.  It’s not often, primarily because he has lived far from me all my life but no doubt the time spent with him has been valuable.  There is something about how he tells stories of the past, his facial expressions, body language and that special tone in his voice.  I immediately become connected to the past, our ancestors, who at one time all lived together in a big piece of land with different rooms within that sparse parcel.  To this day, some of the property in Purepero, MIchoacan, is still in tact, and with some of the same rooms still standing.

There is also something about the way he seems not to be paying attention, gazing into the distance during a conversation at times; but you can count on him to laugh at your silliness and jokes with impeccable timing.  Maybe that’s it–He makes it easy for me to be me to be silly even “si me paso“.  He doesn’t shut me down or notices my defects.  He embraces me, Silvia, as odd as I can be.

For the greater portion of his life, my Great Uncle Ramon, has lived in Purepero, Michoacan (where Abuela is from).  Almost annually, I would travel there and would stay at his house.  I always felt welcomed by him and his wife, Marica, whom I also have great respect for.  I looked forward to those trips and anticipated spending much time just sitting around with the family.  I enjoyed my time there, especially with the older generation.  I would just sit and talk about everything with them.  Sometimes, I would just sit and watch novelas for hours at a time, just to hear and see their reactions.  I got to meet my bisabuelos (Abuela’s Parents), and many other of abuela’s siblings and uncles.  It was the best of times. Even as a kid, I knew how important it was to get to know them all.  I wanted to somehow keep their memories engraved with in me.

Today, that land, (those little rooms on the plot located along Calle Cinco de Mayo) are no longer lived in.  The family that is still in Mexico, gather there to spend time together weekly, but is not a residence to anyone, according to my uncle.  The last time I was there, my uncle Ramon and his wife Marica were still living there–no more kids were at home, each one with their own family, no longer living in the same property.  I remember walking around on my last visit, I could still hear faint voices in my imagination, and the stories by those whom once inhabited the area.  I could see my Aunt Licho (Abuela’s sister), sitting in the corner she loved to sit in, I could imagine me pushing her around in her wheelchair, sometimes scaring her because I pushed her too fast.  I could imagine the times where I was allowed to grind the corn in a “metate” which I’m sure was just for fun.  I was very small to remember what we did with the corn but old enough to have the memory of it.  I could imagine my walks to the “cerro” to shoot my great-great grand-father’s gun from the “Revolucion” to then watch my uncle Ramon shoot a rabbit for dinner.  As a teen we would take those same walks to reach the top of the “cerro” just to sit, look down at the town and talk about life.

There is no way to reenact those experiences pero los llevo en mi memoria y corazon.  They are experiences that have left an impression in my life and will remain with me until the day I die.  I feel so blessed and thankful to have been enriched greatly by those experiences.  That’s why I enjoy my uncle Ramon’s visits.  They connect me to those old stories, to the family that has past, and to the experiences that have left a lasting impression within me.

I was so thankful to have been able to spend these few days with him and my Abuela, together.  It helped Abuela greatly during this hard time to have her only living brother with her.  I loved to see her light up as they told their stories of old together.  It was great to see her laugh (even despite the pain of her recent loss), and for that I am grateful.  Today, my uncle Ramon leaves back to Minnesota.  It was hard to say good bye to him, it always is.   I can only imagine how Abuela might feel to see her brother leave.
I don’t care how poor a man is, if he has family, he is rich. 

Today, I feel like the richest woman on the planet.

Most of us wish to live long lives. In our 20s, we want to live long enough to meet our significant other.  Years later, we would want only to live long enough to meet our unborn children.  As we pass that rite of passage, we  then hope to live long enough to meet our unborn grand children.  We live hopeful, because life bring many unexpected events.  Many people have had the privilege of reaching those marvelous milestones and have even surpassed them by getting to meet great-grandchildren.  As awesome as that is, it also seems like the longer you live, the more loss or pain you experience.

My Abuela will be turning 81 this coming September.  She has seen so many births and she has also experienced many deaths.  A few days ago we lost my uncle Jose (one of my Abuela’s sons),  the one many of you were praying for.  Being that we are a close family, we all took a big hit, especially his wife, children and Abuela herself.  She loved him so much and we all knew that.  She worked so hard these past few months, during the peak moments of his illness, to make sure he had all he needed.  Recently, my uncle Jose craved all sorts of foods and Abuela was so faithful to make sure that anything he craved, she would cook for him.  And with his passing, a piece of her heart as a mother…has also left.

I’m so grateful that my aunts suggested we gather at his house this past 4th of July. Our annual 4th of July Celebration usually consists of hanging out at my “Abuela’s” house.  We all would gather at her house around sunset; each family would bring their own stash of fireworks and we would all sit around to watch everyone light up the sky with all the colors of the rainbow.  We would sit around talk and laugh, as we munched on chips, papas con pollo (made by my Tio Manuel) and all sorts of junk food.  But this year, the “Aunts” of the family decided that we should all gather at my uncle Jose’s house and so we did.  Somehow we all felt that it might be my uncles last 4th of July.  But we never would have guessed that it was going to be his last full day of life.  This 4th of July, we had a great time with my uncle, laughing, eating, lighting up the sky and just talking.

July 5th at around 11:00pm, my Uncle Jose Contreras slipped away very gently with his wife, 3 kids, Abuela and some family by his bed side.

As heart broken as Abuela is, she was thinking about all of you today.  She wanted me let you all know why we will not be uploading videos for an undetermined amount of time.  We would like to thank you for your on-going support and encouragement.  If you are able, please keep Abuela and our family in your prayers.

Sincerely,

Silvia and Abuela
Abuela’s Kitchen
22421 Barton Road #308
Grand Terrace, CA 92313

To help the family with memorial costs, click on either of the links below.
http://josecontreras.mydagsite.com/

Pronto en Español.

At the Riverside Tamales Festival, I met a lot of cool people.  One of them happens to be Vanessa Aguilar.  Vanessa was last years’ winner at the festival in the “homemade” division with her ENCHIMALES, an enchilada tamal.  She has since then opened up her own business called “Banessa’s Tamales,” and I can understand why she has been in such a high demand for her tamales.  My mouth had the honor of tasting her tamales and let me just say… “MMMMMMMM”.  They were even ABUELA approved.

I met with Vanessa at the Mission Inn and she handed me a brown paper bag and immediately my mouth began to salivate (I obviously didn’t disclose that info to her lol).  I acted as normal as I could, but I wanted to run home and sink my teeth into them even though I had just had a huge dinner of Hot Wings.  I got home and peaked inside the bag thinking I would wait until the next day to try them but the smell was pulling me in.  I used every fiber in my being to restrain myself since I had already had dinner.  So I walked away and minutes later I hear the microwave beep and then I here, “MMMMMMMMM”.  That did it.  I quickly walked to the kitchen and there sat my husband chomping on a tamal.  He said, ” I don’t know what this is but these are amazing!” I took a bite and my eyes were rolling back from the goodness.  We were devouring the tamal without even knowing what kind it was.  There was a familiar taste to it.  It was sweet, tarty and comforting.  The label indicated it was a “guava with cheese” tamal.  After that, I put all the tamales away and decided the next day I would invite my Abuela, mom, dad and Uncle Art to join me in tasting all the tamales I had.

We sat around my kitchen bar area and taste tested one at a time.  It was as if we were having our very own tamal eating contest.  We tasted, scored, and made comments about each one.  We had Sweet corn with candied walnuts, pineapple coconut, pear apple cranberry, veggie (mushroom, zucchini, cauliflower, corn), green chili cheese, pork/potato with chile verde and the famous Enchimale!

We were so full after all the taste-testing but our palettes were well satisfied having lunch (and dessert) thanks to Banessa’s Tamales!!! We tallied up our votes to see which were our favorites.  Our overall favorite was the “Enchimale,” which is her number one seller.  In the “sweet” category, the Guava with cheese was our favorite and the pineapple coconut trailing close behind.  They were all so good, that it was really hard to choose a solid winner of the bunch.

Banessa’s Tamales has a tamal for every taste bud, from traditional tamales, sweet tamales, to the “vegan” tamal.
So be sure, to taste for yourself.  You will not regret it!

Happy Eating!
Silvia SS

You can contact Vanessa through facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/BanessaSTamales?fref=ufi
IG: BANESSA_S_TAMALES

Last year on a lazy Saturday afternoon in April,  I got on Facebook to scroll through my usual updates.  I noticed a friend had posted something about a Tamales Festival in Riverside, CA.  It was too close to home to miss.  Immediately my eyebrow went up and I jumped in the shower and quickly got ready with out even bothering to comb my hair because there was only a couple hours left before it was over.  I grabbed my camera and jumped in the car.  Not really knowing what to expect I started recording what I saw.  My eyes were full of color.  Greenery, trees, Mexican Inspired art stands, fruit stands– and there in the midst of all that, was this Tamales stand with the name Mestico Afro-Latin Cuisine, that read, “CHICKEN AND WAFFLE TAMALES”.  My eyes opened so wide, I thought my life could end right there in that moment.  I snapped out of it and knew I had to try it. I purchased one and my taste buds were satisfied with the well known sweet and salty bled you find in most Mexican candy.  I moved on to the next tamales vender and again was satisfied .  I was in heaven!  Tamales everywhere!!!  I even witnessed the tamales eating contest wishing I was one of the contenders to indulge in such awesomeness!

I left that day happy with people I met and food I tasted.  I even put out a Video Blog of what I saw.  I remember specifically saying I would like to be involved some how next time.  Wouldn’t you know, the lovely people from The Riverside Tamales Festival saw my video and this year we will be part of the festival.  Abuela and I will be having a Meet and Greet from 3-5:30 pm AND… Ready for this?  I will be a tamales judge!!!!  Can’t get any better than this!!!  So if you are interested in participating click on the link below to see how.

Unbeknownst to me, there was a far greater purpose for the tamales festival.  The founders of the tamale festival are actually trying to save the Trujillo Adobe House located on Orange Street in Riverside, CA.  Through the tamales festival, they are trying to share information on the Adobe House and raise funds for restorations.  Why is this adobe house so important?  Well, it’s part of history.  It is the connection we have to the past of historical significance Hispanics have given to the community.

On September 22, 1838, Juan Manuel Lorenzo Trujillo led an advance party over the Old Spanish Trail from New Mexico to California.  Once they settled in California, Lorenzo created a community of Firsts:  church, school, voting, irrigation canal, a mine, planting and farming among much more.  Not much is left of that old town and that is why the adobe house must be preserved.  In the early 80’s, the adobe house was given to the County of Riverside by the descendants with the provision that the county would preserve the adobe and incorporate it into the County parks system.

Not much has been done to keep up the Adobe House as you can see in the picture.  It’s chained up and unnoticeable from the street.  It is currently boarded and not being kept up.  That is why Spanish Town Heritage Foundation needs your support in raising funds.  So come out and join us Saturday, April 18, 2015 at the Riverside Tamale Festival from 11am-7pm.  The entrance fee will only be $1.00.  Can’t beat that!

Don’t let our history die!
Historia No Muere!

http://riversidetamalefestival.weebly.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Riverside-Tamale-Festival/107137806123132?fref=ts&ref=br_tf

Last year’s Video.

*Information of the Adobe house provided by :  Suzanne Armas, One of the founders of the Spanish Town Heritage Foundation and descendant of the Trujillos. https://www.facebook.com/suzanne.armas

“Abuela’s Kitchen” YouTube Channel has done far more than I ever imagined.  You probably don’t know the process of how we go about video taping a dish because I really haven’t shared it.  It begins with discussing possible dishes.  It’s really a family affair.  Most of the time we discuss it face to face and on busy occasions we talk it over the phone.  When we have face to face contact, Abuela, my mom, my Uncle Art and myself sit around over coffee, tea, water and Coke ( you can probably guess who has what).  Everyone brings up different dishes.  Abuela, being a Ghost-Social Media addict, begins to bring up all the dishes left by those that comment on any of the platforms.  My mom brings up dishes she remembers growing up (she is a true foodie) and Uncle Art nods away in agreement or disagreement.  I write down all their suggestions.   We consider the season we are in, your requests and of course, what we want to taste in the near future. 😛  We finally arrive at a consensus after much deliberation.  Sometimes we throw away all deliberation if Abuela is adamant about a particular dish.  So we all give in.

On a usual Monday, I shoot her a text about 9:00 a.m. telling her I’m about to leave to pick her up.  If everything is a go, she won’t respond.  If she calls; something has come up.  9:30 am I head out on my 20 minute drive to get her.  I pull up and turn off the car, go through my phone knowing it will still be a while before we leave.  Before I know it, she is at the fence waving with her 2 … 3 dogs at her side (Solovino a Chihuahua that recently stopped by her house and never left.).  I get out of the car, we have our usual exchange of words, “Que Honda Abuela?”.  “Aqui nomas corriendo limpiando el cochinero.  Pasale a lo barrido.”  She zooms past me into the kitchen where she is cooking all kinds of crazy things.  She drops everything she is doing. If she is cooking, she doesn’t care if the food is half cooked.  She begins to show me what she already has bought for the dish we will be video taping.  I patiently watch as she shows me every single item and explains how the dish goes.  She hands me the bags, and dashes to her room to get her cleanly pressed apron.  Her loud-crazy birds start squawking like crazy and she begins to fight with them, “Callense animales!”  The exchange goes on for a while.  Then she exclaims in a surprised voice, “Las Cocas!!!!”  She runs back into the kitchen and pulls out cold Cokes for everyone who will be at the taping and puts them in a plastic grocery bag.  We head to the car, pack it up, get in and start it up.  “Ayyyy se me olvido XYZ!!!”  And out jumps Abuela.  She is running around like crazy, meanwhile I’m freaking out about her falling as she runs around.  And then we are off to the store to pick up whatever we still need.

The day is a memorable adventure, but my FAVORITE part is our drive.  I’m driving and she is in the passenger side talking her little head off.  We have all kinds of conversations and array of topics.  I have learned so much about her life when she was young, about my Great-Grandmother- another wonderful lady that I had the honor of actually spending time with as a kid.  I have learned more about her home town of Purepero, Michoacan, about my Abuelo, about her life experiences, and even current events.  And she keeps me up to date on the family.  All this in our weekly 20 minute drives  (not counting random lunches or hang outs).  But those particular 20 minutes, just her and I, have opened up a whole other world to me that one day will be gone.  Those 20 minutes have become our time warp… our time… that will live in me forever.<3

These buñuelos require some work.  Once a year is definitely enough but boy are they delicious.  This is another of the family’s  favorite recipe from Abuela.

Dough

1/2 Pack of regular size flour bag.
3 Hefty pinches of salt.
3 Tomatillos

1. Mix flour and salt together
2. Take out the pulp from the tomatillo into a small pot with water..
3. Strain the tomatillo water.
4. Add tomatillo water to the flour mix, a little at a time.  You will need enough water to bring the flour together.
5. Need dough well.
6. Make little balls as if you were making Flour Tortillas.

Cooking Buñuelos
You will need a large dish towel.

1. Heat up a pan with Lard or cooking oil.
2. Take a dough ball and pat it back and forth between your hands flattening it as if you are making a corn tortilla.
3. Begin to slowly and gently pull the edges out.
4. Place on your knee and continue to pull around the edges, rotating and pulling until you can’t anymore with our ripping.
5. Place in your pan.
6. Prick with a fork so the buñuelo doesn’t bubble up.
7. Flip when browned on one side.
8. Spin it around in pan slowly so it cooks evenly.

Making the Syrup

1. Place 3 piloncillos in a pot. (Piloncillo is brown unrefined sugar.)
2. Add 2 cinnamon sticks.
3. Add enough water to cover the piloncillo.
4. Bring to a boil until the piloncillo melts into the water.

Mixing Syrup with Buñuelos

1. In a pan, add the syrup and let it boil.
2. Then crumble the buñuelos into the syrup.
3. Add as many buñuelos as you want to get the consistency you like.
4. Let the syrup and buñuelo simmer together.
5. Serve in a platter.

Enjoy!
Abuela’s Kitchen

Video link for more help.
https://youtu.be/z9oGRbE2woY

Abuela makes this dish every Thanksgiving.  It’s gone before we can blink.

Ingredients
1-2 Boxes of Regular Saltine Crackers
1-2 Large Can of Jalapeños
1 Medium Can of Mixed Veggies
1 Tomato
1/2 Onion
Lard
2 Lbs of Longaniza

Instructions

1. Mash crackers into crumbs.
2. Slice up the tomato and onion.
3. Slice your Longaniza into pieces.
4. Heat up a large pot with Manteca.
5. Add Longaniza to the pot and fry it.
6. Once Longaniza is fried, add tomato, onion and cook together.
7. Drain out half the water from the veggie cans, then pour veggie can into pot and let it come to a boil.
8. After it’s cooked for about 3-4 minutes, start adding cracker crumbs into pot a little at a time and mix as you add it.
9. Once it’s as thick as you want it, add the jalapeño juice. (If you want it to be spicier, add more than a can.)
10. Mix well.  YOU ARE DONE!!!

Recipe is enough for 8-10 people.

ENJOY!

ABUELA’S KITCHEN

Link to Chorizo Stuffing video for more details.
 
https://youtu.be/C1fbLVM_WFQ