November 2011 | Yvonne Condes

November 23, 2011

The Muppets!

Last year I made my boys sit down with me and watch The Muppet Show. I was determined to make them like it. They did not. So I went to YouTube.I was thrilled when they fell in love with The Muppets doing “BohemianRhapsody.” But still no Muppet Show.

Now, I can happily say my kids are Muppet converts all the way. We saw a screening of The Muppets at the El Capitan and they absolutely loved it. It was silly and fun and full of corny jokes.

The Muppets opens with Walter, a puppet living in a Small town USA and just realizing that he’s different. He too loves the Muppets and tags along with his best friends Gary (Jason Segal) and Mary (Amy Adams) to Los Angeles. There he gets a tour of Muppet Studios and he uncovers a plot that forces him to find Kermit and help him get the gang back together.

What was great about the movie is that it is good hearted to the core. It’s not trying to be hip and cool. It’s sweet and funny and perfect for kids and their nostalgic grown up parents.

We’re definitely watching the Muppet Show this holiday weekend. In the meantime, I’m going to have them watch my second favorite Muppet video, which is Kermit and Bret McKenzie singing “Life’s a Happy Song.” And this video, the last trailer to be released for the movie that opens today.

November 23, 2011

Nothing Says Home Like Flan

Milk, sugar, and vanilla: Three of my favorite things in the world. As a child I wasn’t allowed to have sugar (too gordita!) so of course I thought about it all the time. My mom didn’t make a lot of desserts growing up, but she did make one that combined my three favorite things. Her flan is to die for. It’s milky, sweet, and so rich.

For years I tried to make it myself, but I couldn’t recreate it. It wasn’t dense enough. It wasn’t rich enough. It wasn’t hers. Growing up I hated cooking and would spend my time in the kitchen reading a book until it was time to cut vegetables or grate cheese, not paying attention to what she put into her amazing dishes.

When I asked her how she made her flan she said “It’s just condensed milk, evaporated milk, eggs, and vanilla.” How many eggs? How much condensed milk? Her answer was different every time.

Finally, I got her to look through her recipes (which were just a list of ingredients, no quantities) and write down how she made it. I was blown away by how simple it is; and how bad it is for you! Now I realize why I never could recreate it. I was trying to make a lower fat version. Well, there’s no low fat happening here.

I save her flan for very special occasions. Because I don’t want my boys wondering how I make any of the foods they love, I have them help me when I cook. I want my kids to have that memory of one taste that makes them think of home.

Here is my mom’s recipe for flan, which is easy and decadent. And below is a slightly lower fat, lower sugar Pumpkin Flan recipe that I made for my son’s kindergarten Thanksgiving celebration. It has whole milk, but you can easily substitute low fat milk. And best of all, it’s naturally gluten-free.

Flan de mi Mama en Tucson

1 cup sugar

2 cans sweetened condensed milk (14-ounce cans)

1 can evaporated milk (12-ounces

5 eggs

1 teaspoon good quality vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 and have a 9-inch cake pan ready. Slowly melt 1 cup of sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until the sugar is completely melted and golden.

Quickly pour into cake pan and using pot holders, swirl the pan around until the caramel is covering the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides (doesn’t have to be perfect).

In a large bowl, combine the condensed milk, evaporated milk, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk together until smooth. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan. Place pan in a larger pan. Slowly add hot water to the larger pan so the water comes up 1 inch on the side of the cake pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the custard is set, which is when a knife comes outclean.

Cool completely and then refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight. When it comes time to serve, run a knife along the edge of the panto release the flan. Place a serving plate over the top and flip the flan over very carefully and let the syrup run over the top of the flan. Serve in slices with raspberries just on its own.

Pumpkin Flan

1 cup sugar

1 can sweetened condensed milk (14-ounces)

1 ½ cups whole milk

1 cup canned pumpkin

6 large eggs

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon good quality vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 and have a 9-inch cake pan ready. Slowly melt 1 cup of sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until the sugar is completely melted and golden.

Quickly pour into cake pan and using pot holders, swirl the pan around until the caramel is covering the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides (doesn’t have to be perfect).

In a large bowl, combine condensed milk, milk, pumpkin, eggs, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla. Whisk until the mixture is smooth. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan. Place pan in a larger pan. Slowly add hot water to the larger pan so the water comes up 1 inch on the side of the cake pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the custard is set, which is when a knife comes out clean.

Cool completely and then refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight. When it comes time to serve, run a knife along the edge of the pan to release the flan. Place a serving plate over the top and flip the flan over very carefully and let the syrup run over the top of the flan.

Want more milk recipes? El Maestrodel Vaso Medio Lleno has them linked on his Facebook page. Or visit the Master of the Glass Half Full onTwitter.

Disclosure: This is post is part of a sponsored campaign with the California Milk Processor’s Board and Latina Mom Bloggers.

November 22, 2011

PlayStation Family

My boys love playing video games, but I don’t always love that they often stand stationary (or like my little one; lay down). So I’m always looking for games that will get them moving.

I was recently given a PlayStation3 with the Move games “Medieval Moves: Deadmund’s Quest” and “Sports Champions.” My boys were running around like crazy people playing the game and my 7-year-old was sweating after playing for 10 minutes.

There are so many cool features on the PS3 and Move is one of them. The Move is a wireless controller that has incredible accuracy when you’replaying a game. I know because I played a lot of games last weekend.

I’m one of several bloggers chosen to be part of Playstation Family.We were invited to Foster City to visit Sony’s PlayStation headquarters and learn more about the company and products from Sony CEO of Computer Entertainment Jack Tretton. We learned about the amazing capabilities of the PS3 and also the soon to be released Vita.

My kids will be thrilled with the PlayStation Vita, a handheld gaming device that’s coming out in February. But what I’m interested in is the PlayStation Network where you stream television shows, movies, sports,and music. There are HBO shows and movies from Sony Pictures, Warner Bros. Walt Disney, and Paramount along with NFL Sunday Ticket.

But is it safe to use? The PlayStation Network was hacked in April and the hacker obtained the personal information of 77 million users.

“It clearly opened our eyes,” Tretton said. They learned a valuable lesson and security is the best it’s ever been, he said. Users needed to decide if the content was worth the risk, he said. And it appears that it is. There are now 90 million registered accounts in the PlayStation Network, 13 million more than before the attack.

The selection of movies does look really good and so does the music program with 10 million streaming songs. I’m excited to create a new running mix for half marathon training.

Not only did we learn a lot, but we got to socialize. Some amazing bloggers are part of the Family including my MomsLA cofounders Elise Derby and Sarah Auerswald, and MomsLA contributor Lori Cunningham of The Well Connected Mom.

It was a fun and exhausting 24 hours. I’ll be very interested to learn what our next PlayStation Family adventure is going to be.

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post, but I was given a PS3, games, and transportation and hotel were provided.

November 22, 2011

MomsLA Featured on NBCLA

As I mention often, I’m one of the founders of MomsLA.com. I’m thrilled to tell you that my MomsLA partners, Sarah Auerswald and Elise Derby, and I were among the bloggers featured on a piece tonight about the power of mom bloggers. It was fantastic!

View more videos at: http://nbclosangeles.com.

November 21, 2011

Savvy.com Shopping App for the Bargain Shopper

There are so many things that I see at a store that I would love to have, but are too expensive. I know they’ll go on sale, but I don’t know when. I say to myself that I’ll go back, but it usually doesn’t happen.

>Recently I was shown an app that is perfect for the bargainshopper. It’s called Savvy.com. You can use the app to scan a barcode and the app will email you when the item goes on sale. It can also tell you when you buy something and it goes on sale so you can go back to the store with your receipt to get a price adjustment.

A friend and I learned about the app during a lunch hosted by Samantha Fein of Garza Girl at The Grove, my favorite over-the-top LA shopping experience. (Why is it over the top? The Grove’s Santa House is almost as big as mine and Mario Lopez films “Extra” there and snags shoppers from the sidewalk to be extras.)

So far, nothing I wanted has gone on sale, but I did say I would pay $18 for a $48 scarf. I doubt I’ll get an email about my wish pricing. But there was a funky jacket that I’m sure will go on the sale rack soon and I will be there.

The Savvy.com app launched last week and not all retailers are participating yet. But some of my favorite are including Anthropologie, J Crew, Crate & Barrel, and Best Buy. According to Pricetector.com, retailers missed out $20 billion in price adjustments during the 2010 holiday season. For a bargain shopper like me, that is shocking.

I can’t wait to get my first notice of a price adjustment. I just hope I can resist spending extra money with my savings.

Disclosure: My guest and I were given money to go shopping and use the app plus we enjoyed a fabulous brunch at The Farm of Beverly Hills.

November 16, 2011

Gluten-Free Red Quinoa Dressing with Sage and Browned Butter

My favorite Thanksgiving dish is stuffing. And before myhusband was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, it was his, too. Having Celiac, an autoimmune disorder where gluten attacks your small intestines, means no wheat, barley, or rye. So no stuffing.

Year after year, I’ve tried making gluten-free stuffing, but it wasn’t great. In fact, it wasn’t ever very good. Rice stuffing, gluten-free cornbread stuffing, and the worst, stuffing made with white rice bread just didn’t taste the way stuffing should. They always turned out bland.

But I believe this year will be different. Thanks to SimpleGourmet and a whole lot of browned butter, I made the best stuffing yet. Actually, it doesn’t even compare with my failures of the past. Turns out all I needed to do was take a cooking class.

Simple Gourmet in Manhattan Beach invited a group of bloggers to take their Thanksgiving Classics class thanks to the fabulous hostess Debbie Goldberg of Manhattan BeachMomma. It was really fun and very informative. Simple Gourmet foundersMelanie Barsuk and Taji Marie showed us how to make the perfect turkey – Apple-Thyme Roasted Turkey with Creamy Pancetta Gravy – pictured below.

They also made amazing potatoes – Yukon Potato Gratin with Parmesan Rosemary Béchamel – and delicious stuffing, which was Carmelized Parsnipand Farro Dressing with Sage Browned Butter that’s pictured below on the bottom left.

Simple Gourmet’s Thanksgiving dinner

After watching the Simple Gourmets make the food we got to try everything. The turkey was cooked perfectly and the side dishes were very good.

The Farro Dressing was tasty, but Farro is a type of wheat and isn’t gluten-free. Melanie and Taji said quinoa, which is gluten-free, would make a great substitute.

I’m obsessed with red quinoa right now. It’s tasty and easy to make. The class was so inspiring that I decided I needed to get out of my rut of making the same dishes all the time and cook up a trial run of Simple Gourmet’s stuffing, but with quinoa.

I didn’t have any parsnip or white onion like the recipe called for so I took Melanie and Taji’s advice from the class and used what I had on hand, which was carrots and red onion.

Here is the recipe I came up with and it came out delicious. I have to admit that I made half the recipe, but used the same amount of butter and cheese that you would use for a full recipe. I served it with scallops topped with browned butter and sage.

Gluten-Free Red Quinoa Dressing with Sage and Browned Butter (Adapted from the Simple Gourmet Caramelized Parsnip and Farro Dressing)

3 Tbls butter

1 red onion

4 cups finely diced carrots

1 Tbls fresh chopped thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

6 cups cooked red quinoa (follow directions on the box except sub chicken stock for water)

2 Tbls poultry seasoning

1 egg

1/3 cup chicken stock

½ cup grated parmesan

6 Tbls butter

2 Tbls chopped fresh sage

Melt 3 Tbls butter and add onions, carrots and thyme. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes over medium-high heat until vegetables are soft and beginning to caramelize. Remove and season with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, toss together the quinoa, vegetables, and poultry seasoning. Taste and adjust salt and paper.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, stock, and parmesan. Pour the egg mixture over the quinoa and toss to combine.

In a small pan cook 6 Tbls butter and sage over medium heat and cook until golden brown (be careful not to overcook. Can burn easily!). Remove from heat and set aside.

Butter a 9×13 casserole dish and fill with the quinoa mixture. Drizzle brown butter and sage evenly over the quinoa. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 15 more minutes until golden on top. Serve warm with turkey gravy.

Red Quinoa Dressing with Sage and Browned Butter served with scallops.

(Tip: I’m channeling Paula Dean here, but if you’re making this for Thanksgiving, the more cheese and butter you add the better!)

For more recipes visit Simple Gourmet blog.

November 9, 2011

Master of the Glass Half Full Twitter Party

I don’t know if you’ve had a chance to read the awesome bits of wisdom that The Master of the Glass Half Full shares on Twitter, but here is a small sample:

If you’re short, cheer up. When you stumble andfall it’ll be less painful. Your daily glass of #positivismo

Your husband is not losing his hair; he’s growing hisintelligence.

If you feel you’re getting old, cheer up. Oldage is a much better option than dying.

You’re not looking at other men; you’re just confirming howhandsome yours is.

If you have insomnia, use it to your advantage. You have an extra three hours a day. – (This one speaks directly to me as I write this post at 1 a.m.)

Soon you will be able to chat with the Maestro himself.As one of the Positivity Ambassadors for the California Milk Processor’s Board,I’m pleased to invite you to The Master of the Glass Half Full Twitter party. Join me, LatinaMom Bloggers, my fellow Positivity Ambassadors, Toma Leche, and The Master of the Glass Half Full himself for the party on November 16^th from 9-10:30 PM ET (6-7:30 PM PT).

We’ll be sharing tips on how to live a morepositive life and sharing our favorite milk-based recipes. Plus we’ll tell yousome creative ways to incorporate milk into your family’s diet and share thehealth benefits of milk. If that’s not enough, there’s a chance to win somegreat prizes. It’s going to be a fun and informative—hope to see you on Twitter!

WHEN: Wednesday, November 16th, 2011, at 6-7:30 pm PTor 9-10:30 pm EST

WHERE: Twitter hashtag #Positivismo

WHO TO FOLLOW: Special Guest: @maestropositivo a.k.a. El Maestro del VasoMedio Lleno (The Master of the Glass Half Full). Panelists: @SassyScorpYM, @Eva_Smith,@michellerivera5, @daytrippingmom, @unknownmami, @shesnachomama, @darielacruz,@nibblesnfeasts, @yvonneinla, @spousesprite, @presleyspantry,@vidacoco, @colombianaenCA, @mamanoticias Moderators: @LatinaMomBlogs, @JollyMom, @Eva_Smith

*PRIZES:

Oster Classic Beehive Blender with a Six Month’s Supply of Milk
Two (2) Six Month’s Supply of Milk
Tree of Life Yoga Kit with a Six Month’s Supply of Milk
NOOKColor & skin with a Six Month’s Supply of Milk

RSVP: To be eligibleto win prizes, you must RSVP at LatinaMomBloggers.com.Click HERE to RSVP.

OFFICIAL RULES: Please makesure to read the Official Rulesat Latina Mom Bloggers.

* Sixmonth’s supply of milk is calculated at 5 gallons per month for six months at$4 per gallon equaling $120 to be paid in the form of a gift card.

*Twitter,NOOKColor, VividView, Oster and Tree of Life Yoga are the trademarks of theirrespective owners, and they are not affiliated with California Milk ProcessorBoard.

Disclosure: This is part of a sponsored campaignwith the California Milk Processor’s Board and LatinaMom Bloggers

November 7, 2011

80 Days to Train for the Tinkerbell Half Marathon

Wednesday was the day. After weeks of little exercise and a lot of Halloween candy, I finally started to run again.

I’m beginning to train for the Tinkerbell Half Marathon in January and I really want to do better than I did for the Disneyland Half Marathon (which was just slightly faster than walking).

Wednesday was the perfect day to start training because I had time and the weather was beautiful. I ran for 45 minutes and felt great. Iwas sure that I was ahead of the game as far as training.

But then I actually looked at the Tinkerbell online training manual from marathoner Jeff Galloway that’s on the Disney Wild World of Sports website. The training manual had runners start training in September. Uggh. I’m behind again.

But I am ahead on one way. The woman I always turn to when I have nutrition/dieting/weight loss questions, Amelia of Eating Made Easy, said that if I want to lose the weight I gained doing the LA Marathon earlier I have to make a change. She said that after a woman turns 40, it’s crucial that she include strength training into her exercise routine.

So I started a weight routine this past weekend that is really challenging (I hope the kids don’t want anything from the high shelf in the pantry because I can’t lift my arms). I’m hoping that losing that 10 pounds will help my running time improve.Ten extra pounds is a lot for a 40-year-old woman to carry around while trying not to trip over Tinkerbell. And a lot to lose, but I have 80 days to do it!

Do you have a strength training routine you love? Bar classes, power lifting, yoga?