Month: May 2025

I have, once again, immersed myself in one of my favorite YT series.

MasterChef Mexico Celebrity 2024.

Obviously it’s entirely in Spanish, however, I am able to listen, and read, via subtitles, everything in Spanish.

As my lover isn’t interested in speaking Spanish to/with me, I have to find any other way to learn this beautiful language.

So, total immersion via MCMC 2024 is my way of doing just that. When I hear/read Spanish for any length of time, I feel so much closer to being able to speak it to whomever I meet; deliver people, neighbors in the condo, people on the paths in the park, the people at the registers in the stores.

I have signed up, bought, or trialed a plethora of language learning apps, but have not learned much from any of them.

This seems the easiest way to learn, not only Spanish, but how to cook amazing Mexican food. Win-win.

Until next time, stay happy, and healthy in the Lord.

Now I know you know what rice pudding is, and what it looks, and tastes like.

I made the best batch of said pudding the other day, also a request, but the recipe Max sent me used sushi rice, or Arborio, which I didn’t have. I cooked the rice in milk, with sugar, and a cinnamon stick, not water, which is what I did the last time I made it, about a decade ago.

This batch is so good I’ve eaten a bit myself. I say this because I’m not much of a sweet fan; I’m more meat, and potatoes.

Here’s the recipe if you want it. I guarantee it’s the best you’ve ever eaten. Let me know.

I add the sugar in step 2, but not the raisins until the very end, with the vanilla extract. Next time I’m going to use dried cranberries with enchilada powder on them. They’re delicious, and Ivan agreed that they would taste good.

Until next time, stay happy, and healthy in the Lord.

Yes.

I made English muffins, using my sourdough starter even. No, it wasn’t an April fools day joke, I really did it. I’ll show you a photo of how it started, then, when I griddle them in the morning I’ll take a photo of those as well. I can’t wait.

I’ve been wanting to make them, with the sourdough starter, for quite some time now. I finally got the chance. I started the dough about 9:25pm tonight as that’s when I normally feed the starter. I needed 150g of active starter, which mine is, but I didn’t have that volume, only 45g. I keep a 100% hydrated starter so it’s strong, and ready to be used in any recipe.

This evening I fed my 45g about 75g flour, and 75g water, making the 159g volume needed with the original 45g to maintain. I mixed all of the ingredients together making a shaggy dough, then covered it so it could nap for 30 minutes. This is called the autolyse, and is the starting of the flour absorbing the water, making the other ingredients easier to be combined.

After napping, I got to knead it by hand for 13 minutes, or so. I was too tired to get out the stand mixer. Anyway, here’s what it looked like after being beaten into submission.

In the morning, it should have doubled in volume, and I’ll cut the muffins out of the dough, cook on a medium-low heated griddle for several minutes on each side, and hopefully they’ll be done. If not, they’ll go into the oven for a few minutes until cooked through. Then they can be split with a fork to maintain the nooks, and crannies, toasted, and dressed in whatever way we want.

I’m anxious to see how they turn out. I’ll let you know.

Until next time, stay happy, and healthy in the Lord.

Post script: tomorrow is the birthday of our daughter. Happy birthday E.

I started cleaning the kitchen the other day, at 11:00am., and finished around 5:30pm.

I took all of the grains, and everything in a powdered form, out of the cupboard, washed, and dried several Mason jars, of varying sizes, then put all of the powdered stuff into the Mason jars, with new sealing lids. I wiped down the shelves as needed, did the dishes as I went along, and then fixed, and ate dinner.

Finally, I am able to sit down, and reflect on all that I was able to accomplish. Plus, my kitchen is clean, and God willing, bug free.

Next week, I’m going to tackle the pantry, and the 3rd bathroom.d

This is how it all ended up.

Until next time, stay happy, and healthy in the Lord.