Make a flan

This flan is pretty easy to make, but the recipe wasn't complete, so I've rewritten it. Please let me know if you have any difficulty or find errors!

The recipe:

Flan

6 eggs

2 cans of condensed milk

1 cup of 2% (or what you prefer) milk

1/2 cup of sugar

1 teaspoon almond extract (or any flavor you like)

Ingredient amounts can be halved if you prefer a thinner flan (such as for cooking in a pie pan). This amount of ingredients filled my dish to the rim and took steady hands to transfer into the 9x13 and then into the oven. DO Be careful not to burn yourself.

Using a nonstick small saucepan, melt sugar over medium heat until a dark caramel color. Some people might prefer a lighter caramel. The darker color has a stronger taste, which we like.

I don't have a flan mold or even know what one is, so I have used a round 2 quart casserole dish. This Christmas, I used a smallish glass oven proof bowl, the old fashioned kind with a handle on each side lengthwise, formed into the top similar to a long spout. Pour the melted sugar (caramel topping) into the bowl, and swirl it around evenly to coat. It will harden quickly.

In food processor, combine 6 eggs, condensed milk, regular milk, and extract. Blend well. It may be a challenge for your food processor to hold this much, and may need to be blended half at a time. Pour into prepared dish set into baking pan, such as 9x13 pan, filled with warm to hot water. 

Bake at 325-350F for about an hour, or until custard is set. To test for doneness, color should be light golden brown and slightly crusty on top. Knife inserted in center of dish should come out clean.

Let cool, refrigerate til ready to serve.

To serve, unmold onto serving plate or simply serve scooped from the casserole dish. Both ways have been a hit in my family.

To unmold, simply run knife around edges to unstick flan from dish and invert onto serving plate. Flan should slide right out. It will then stick to serving plate as it lands, so be sure you have it land where you want it. You can then spoon or pour any remaining caramel sauce on top of flan and serve.

Variation: This is a dish that lends itself easily to different variations. Try using vanilla extract and adding sweet potatoes pureed in the food processor. My sister's favorite holiday dessert!

2010 Christmas Day

I spent the day with my sweetie and his son, and some time with kids and grandkids. 

Wonderful dinner, Krystal and Will, thank you oh so much for feeding our tummies with food and our souls with companionship, and the grandkids are always so much fun with their bright smiles and brighter attitudes toward everything!

Alhena showing me the rooms in her dollhouse, and they were having a party, and see her pretty dress and she had a headband with a bow in her hair, she just sparkled!

And Z, "gramma, come help me, gramma, train!", distracted as he tried to put the tracks back together and get me in the dining room where he was playing, at the same time.

It really warms my heart how happy they both are to see me whenever I'm there.

There was the time Krystal walked into the kitchen, and there was Z, sitting where I had been, very carefully eating the rest of the French Silk Pie I couldn't finish at the time, but planned to finish after the present opening. When the topping was gone from mine, he hopped down from my spot and up into his sister's spot to finish off some whipped topping she'd left behind on her pie.

Uh oh, Alhena is just tall enuff that the corner of the roof of her dollhouse hits her at about eye level, and she bumped into it and came crying to me. I soothed her and told her dad. She'll learn to be more careful.

Z asked me, "All right, Gramma?" Out of the blue. A question we always asked him whenever he might have fallen and hurt himself, and the answer is always the same, a yes. He's always had the cutest little bit of a lisp, almost.

I'm so blessed to be a part of this family. :) Merry Christmas, hope yours was as good as mine. Write it down and hold onto these memories.

The Crows

So, the other day, I was sitting in my car in the McD parking lot, happily munching on their small vanilla 50 cent ice cream cone for lunch. It was well after noon, so the parking lot wasn't at all busy. I noticed a crow walking around in the rain, sorta pacing, outside my driver's door window, several feet away. He'd pace a little bit, then pause, and look up at me for a few moments, then resume pacing.

I thought, "Why, he's waiting for me to get done and throw my leftovers out for him!"

I searched around in the back seat of my car, thinking there might be a leftover piece of dog treat somewhere in there. All I found was a stray corn chip. Where's a stray french fry when you need one; I know they're there when I don't want them! Anyway, I put down my window and the crow skipped back several paces. I tossed out the corn chip and he was all over it, happy as could be.

Pretty soon, several more crows joined the first. He resumed his pacing, pausing, and looking up at me again, after he ate the corn chip.

"Hmmm, I must have something else in here I can feed them," I thought. It was raining, still, but not too hard. I knew I had an old box of melba toast or something like that in the back back. But, I'd have to get out, in thr rain, and go around to the back of my "rig" (as Bryan calls it), to get it. I did.

I brought the whole box with me, and got back inside. The crow resumed pacing. There were several, waiting and watching.

I crumbled up a handful, put the window down, and the crows skittered away from it. I threw the crumbs out, and the crows were all over it! More were flying in, seemingly from nowhere.

How did they know food was there? Did they hear it? or see it? or smell it? They were coming from far across the street. There was no way they could have seen, there were trees and buildings in the way.

Now, there were more than a dozen, just waiting, fussing among themselves. I threw out a couple more handfuls, and was done. They weren't even beginning to show signs of slowing down, plus more crows came every time I threw out more food. I still have some, but I'm saving it for another time. :)

Ok, Krystal, here goes:

My Great Crab Adventure

I went crabbing today with Krystal and Will and the kids. I love spending time with the kids! They're so much fun! I really do miss seeing them every day, and spending that quantity of time with them!

Anyway, a superhot summer day in Washington, on the Peninsula, at Joemma Beach State Park, a favorite crabbing location. Me and the kids are playing, Krystal and Will are fishing and playing, too. When we left, they'd pulled a crab out for me, the one with the biggest claws, they said, cause I'm not much into the innards portions, but like the crab legs meat.

After finding out how expensive the crabs are to buy around here, $7.50 a pound is what we paid on Krystal's birthday in June for live crabs, and that's when I found out you have to buy about 2 pounds per person, and about 1 pound of that is thrown away, I told Krystal I actually think I prefer the imitation crab! It's cheaper, it's easier, and it's just as tasty (I'm not one who has discriminating tastes, not at all!). I think Krystal was borderline horrified to hear me say that (SHE does have discriminating tastes!)

When the kids dropped me off at home, they gave me a (HUGE) crab in a 5 gallon green bucket of water from the bay. The bucket was green, not the water. :) And instructions on what to do with it: bring a big pot of salted water to boil, put the crab in, return to boil for 20 minutes. Then eat it. Something about using tongs. Ummm, ok. I'm a pretty good cook, actually, so that sounded simple enuff. And I was there when Krystal and I cooked the fresh crab for her birthday. But...I don't remember those crabs running around.

Leaving the crab to sit for a minute in the bucket, I went to my best friend, the internet, for some professional advice. First, I put the big pot of water on to boil, cause who knew how long that would take!

Ok, the internet said the most humane way to do it is to let the crab rest in the freezer for about half an hour, then put it in the boiling salted water, return the water to boil, and continue to boil for about 15 minutes. It gave additional instructions on breaking it apart, cautioning me to be careful not to burn myself on the crab guts. This is the website url: http://everything2.com/title/How+to+cook+and+clean+a+live+crab



Ok.

A lot of this sounded familiar from what the kids had said. Including using my long tongs to pick it up with, as Krystal suggested. I found the long tongs I thought safest to use; no way am I picking the thing up like the kids do! I pulled him from the water and he immediately went into his attack pose, poor thing. He grabbed my tongs with his claws, and was actually almost pulling them from me. I had to put him back in the water and try again, with a better grip!

I had cleaned out the top shelf of the freezer for him. I guess it wasn't roomy enuff. I put him on the top shelf, and pulled my tongs away from him. I closed the freezer. I heard some scuttling around noises, and then a clunk. I edged open the door very slowly, and found the top shelf empty. ? Where did he go? Oh, there he is, on the bottom shelf! I closed the door again very carefully so not to squash him, and ran to get the tongs from the kitchen where I'd left them. I retrieved him and replaced him back to the top freezer shelf.

I closed the door again, and again heard the scuttling noises. This time, as I very slowly pulled open the freezer door, I followed the sounds of his slow progress to the bottom of the freezer. He didn't stop when he landed, but fell on out of the freezer onto the floor. I again went after my tongs, wondering why I hadn't had them ready already. When I got back, he was on his feet, and scuttling sideways. I could just imagine him getting away and me chasing him all over with the tongs! Those things can move pretty fast once they get going!

I captured him again and returned him to the top shelf of the freezer. Third time was the charm. He was calmer this time, colder I guess. I put him way in the back and he stayed put this time. I closed the door and heard no more from him.

I went and salted the water, and added more water to it. I wanted to be sure he was well covered. I left the crab in the freezer and left the water to boil, while I came to work on the story. Krystal requested I do one.

I went back and retrieved the crab, with the tongs, and dropped the live, unaware crab into the boiling water. I winced in case he screamed, but he didn't. If he did, I didn't hear him. He started turning red quickly, tho. I was surprised how quickly the water returned to boiling. In 20 minutes or so, I'll be trying to eat fresh crab, with no crab shell cracking tools. :D Not the first time for that (Krystal's birthday).

It's ok, I have my professional instructions from the internet! And a headache from too much summer sun. Or did the crab scream, after all?

Oh! He floated to the top! I wonder if that means he's done? It's been around 20 minutes of boiling...I kinda lost track of the time. I always do. :) I talked to Krystal later, and she said yep, they float when they're done. So, crabs and pork tenderloins (the portion in the restaurant, that's how you tell when it's done, too).

Now...to figure out how to get him open...?

I got my trusty super strong fork that we used last time, and went at him! It seemed harder this time than last time, but the missing ingredient this time was my family. It was more fun around the table with Krystal and the kids, and talking, and laughing, than it was this time at the sink with just me. Family and friends are so very important!!

My hands hurt, I bent the tines of my trusty super fork, and this is all I got for it. :( Yep, I prefer imitation!

Really? Really??

Ok, ok, I got some good quality family time, fresh air, sunshine, great views, a lotta laughs...I thank you, Krystal and Will, for the crab! I don't want another one, but I'll go crabbing with you anytime! :D

Now, I'm off to make great crab and macaroni salad for dinner. 

Maybe the headache is just from not eating yet today? 

Hm, ya think?

stop Stop STOP!

My birthday was a couple of days ago, and my sweet and generous daughter took us (her, me, and her 2 kids) to Outback for dinner. Nice place, high prices (2 adults and 1 kids meal, a bit over $64!). Dark in there. Cloth napkins.

Anyway...

By the time we got there, almost 2-year-old Z was sound asleep. He gave up daytime naps about a month or so ago, and whenever we go anywhere in the car, it's a sure bet he'll soon be zzzzz-ing. Not why he's called Z, altho it could be. He's at the stage where he's chattering all day long, and saying lots of real words in with his chatter, but still lots of gibberish, too. He'll also surprise you, and pop out with a perfectly articulated short sentence or several words every now and then, appropriate to what's going on. He can generally make himself understood. He didn't stir until we ordered dessert.

I had the baby back ribs (waiter talked me into the full order, altho I really only wanted the half order), sweet potato with some butter and brown sugar, and that was IT. The ribs really were "fall off the bone" tender, and the sweet potato was perfect. No soup, no salad, altho of course, those could be added for more money. I didn't need soup or salad, I couldn't eat all I had as it was, it's just the thought. I also had a Diet Coke.

Krystal had the prime rib (I think she asked for 8 oz), and baked potato. Hers came with salad, I think. She had French and Ranch dressings. The French was their house dressing, and she liked it a lot. It was pretty good. The croutons were good, too, I had one of them. :) Her steak, tho, was a little underdone and not very tender.

Krystal also ordered a Bloomin' Onion. Outback gives them free to active duty soldiers when they come in to eat, but unfortunately not to spouses/families even if the soldier is deployed. Yep, we asked. :)

Alhena had some of Krystal's salad, and ordered grilled chicken and brocolli from the kids' menu. Good selections on that and plenty to feed both kids. It's on the back of a thin coloring book they give the kids, along with one of those small packs of colors (holds 2 or 3). Z slept on.

Dinner took a long time to come, but the service was good. I didn't have to ask for a drink refill except once. They also serve a little loaf of dark bread, which was very good, except it would be better if they served it with a sharper knife. It squashed a little in the cutting, which you have to do yourself. I didn't mind, I like cutting little loaves of bread. :)

Dinner was very pleasant and we all enjoyed it very much. Then, dessert. Mine was free, a scoop of ice cream with chocolate sauce, topped with whipped cream and a cherry. I gave Alhena my cherry, altho I like 'em, too. That's just what Grandmas do. Krystal ordered the brownie topped with ice cream, topped with whipped cream and chocolate curls. There were hints of nuts in the brownie. Hers was way better than mine, but mine was free.

Anyway, as I said, Z waited until dessert came to wake up, and then he was hungry! Krystal's sharing her dessert with the kids, and I'm sharing mine with Alhena. So, we're just eating away, and talking, and Krystal gives Z a bite. Then, Krystal takes a bite. Krystal takes another bite, and Z is watching intently. His brow furrows. Krystal takes another bite, and Z frowns. As Krystal goes to take another bite, Z suddenly bursts out with "stop Stop STOP!" We realize at the same time exactly what he means, and we both crack up laughing. Krystal gave Z the bite, and we laughed til we cried.

We cried inwardly when the bill came!

3 Minute Cake-in-a-Mug Reviewed

So, I found this recipe on the internet some time ago. It's a Cake-in-a-Mug, takes about 3 minutes to cook in the microwave. I was looking for something sweet, but not a whole cake, cause I know I would want to eat the whole thing! I'd heard of this before, but didn't do anything with it. I came across it again, and sent it to my male friend, who (he freely admits it) can't cook. But his raving favorite dessert is chocolate cake, like his Gramma used to make; you know, 2 layers, half an inch of chocolate icing all the way around each layer, including in the middle; he'd eat the whole thing, too. I made him a whole thing once, and I think I got one piece out of it. :) I never heard back if he made the mug cake or not, I'll have to ask him.

ANYWAY, so I'm sitting at home babysitting tonite, after a light dinner, watching a movie. Just me and Z (1 1/2 years old), and we needed something sweet and chocolately to finish the movie with. I remembered this cake, so I looked it up (I'd saved it in my recipe collection, of course!) and made it. It's cooling now, as I type this. When it's done cooling, I'll let you know how it tastes.

A couple of notes to note. 1. DO use a larger size dish bowl or dish to bake it in. I'm not even sure the revised 2cup Pyrex is deep enuff for how high this cake rises! I kept turning the microwave off and letting the cake sink back down below the mug's rim, and on until it finished it's time. I gave it 2 minutes. Toothpick came out clean at the end of that time. Krystal has a really good, strong microwave. 2. I mixed all the dry ingredients in a bowl instead of in the mug, then stirred them to blend, then added the wet ingredients and stirred them into the dry ingredients all at once. I think I avoided overmixing.

AND NOW for the tasting! I will return...

And I'm back. Z and I enjoyed the cake immensely! However, keep in mind that he is only 1 1/2 years old, and I love sweets and chocolates, and just ain't that picky.

I maybe should have given it a full 3 minutes, instead of only 2. Or maybe if I hadn't kept turning the microwave off and on...but then it's likely it would have overflowed the mug, even tho the mug I used was larger than average.

So, the first thing was the consistency. It was kind of rubbery. This might just be a hazard of microwaving cake, or maybe had to do with over cooking or under cooking. Not sure. Anyway, it wasn't light and fluffy.

I served it turned out of the mug, into a bowl, cut it up into bite size chunks, and sprinkled powdered sugar over it. As for taste, in my opinion, the recipe should call for a pinch or a sprinkle, at least, of salt. The other thing, again, was the strange consistency. Other than those 2 things, it was good. (Remember, if it's sweet and it's chocolate, I'll eat it.) Overall, it's an ok snack if you want something sweet and chocolate and quick. But it's no match for a real layers cake covered in half inch deep chocolate icing all over. May as well go ahead and bring on the ice cream, too, in that case.

Sorry no pictures. We're camera poor around here these days.

I MADE A HAT!

I crocheted a hat! I wasn't sure I could do it, but I did it! :D

Not today, tho, a little after Thanksgiving.

So very cool. It took too long, I did it in spurts. It probably should have taken a day.

I looked up some patterns, stitches, and stuff online. I love online, it's the single greatest invention ever! Then, I started with a "magic ring" and double crocheted in rounds. A little sloppy at the start, working more a spiral than rounds. Then, I got the rhythm. I have a few holes from improper decreasing of stitches, but they're hardly noticeable. Really.

I'd love to post a picture of it, but sadly, no camera. :( Nope, not even on my cell phone, it's old and didn't come with a camera, believe it or not. I'll get one later and post it.

(picture will go here when I get one :))

Next project: a bikini?!?!

Alhena IS Santa Claus!

Alhena is 3, just turned 3 at the beginning of October. Shortly before Christmas, she became Santa Claus.  

Of course, she'd been hearing murmurings about Santa since Halloween, just like the rest of us. Then, along came Thanksgiving, and Christmas was suddenly full blown and looming on the horizon, getting closer every day. Watching tv and cartoons, Santa was suddenly appearing in nearly every one. Alhena quickly picked up that Santa was coming (to HER HOUSE!) and bringing "presents", altho she may not have known what "presents" was yet. She knew it was good. 

She was so excited, HE was coming to HER HOUSE! And bringing HER presents!   

Alhena and Z have a classic rocking horse, with the rocker base that isn't open under the horse. It has leather-looking strips for the mane and tail.  

Alhena and Z also have a yellow Sit and Spin.  

Alhena puts "presents" under the horse (she's figured out "presents" are toys) on the rocker part. She places the the Sit and Spin behind the rocking horse, and sits on the part that sticks up, that you hold onto. She takes 2, and only 2, very specific strips from the horse's tail, and holds one in each hand. 

She is magically transformed into Santa, with sleigh, presents, and reindeer! "HO HO HO! Merry Christmas to ALL!" she says. 

She distributes the presents to whoever happens by: Mom, Grandma, friends.  What a smart and imaginative little girl!

You Never Forget Your "First"(s)

Well, when you're my age, you do!

Hi, this is my first "real" experience blogging. This will just be a some stuff from my life, I think; whatever I feel like expressing, a little bit of me. :)

Below are some previous blogs I wrote and posted at my MySpace account. They make a nice introduction, I think. I hope you enjoy them and come back again. :)

August 16, 2009 - Sunday

wo Current mood: blessed My grand daughter Alhena has changed so much in the last week or two. She's gone from a baby-like 2 year old to a 2 year old going on 30, in the blink of an eye. She'll be 3 in October. Alhena's speech has cleared up astoundingly. You can now understand most of what she says with "stranger's ears", when before, you could understand her easily, but only after you developed "momma ears". What was for so long called "wo", with a long "o", is "wo" no more, she now calls it "water" with ease. She's accepted now that many words have more than just one syllable. She does still have her Italian-ish way of speaking, what I call her accent, for now. There are many ways that Alhena has become a little girl and given up being a baby. She's potty training, amazingly well. Her idea. She strips off the diaper quickly after she gets up in the morning, and it's often still dry, in favor of panties. She makes it thru full days with the panties, whether we go to the store or to the park, or just stay home. Alhena truly misses her daddy, he's been called to serve his country in Iraq for the next year, at least. Alhena, of course, is too young to understand why Papa, as she calls him, doesn't come home anymore. We've told her he's working. She told Mama to go to work and get him and tell him it's time to come home now. Out of the mouths of babes! Her attitude about things is so much more adult than it was before. By the way, she can also pronounce "attitude" with ease, with all 3 syllables! This almost 3 year old has more than her fair share of beauty and grace and intelligence. I can't wait to experience age 3 with her and the rest of the family! I'm already missing her "wo"! 6:32 PM 0 Comments (Add Comment) | 0 Kudos Translate Edit Remove

June 5, 2009 - Friday

"Quote" The fox told the little prince this "secret": "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye." From The Little Prince Now I want to read, or re-read, whichever the case may be, this story again.:) The Secret 9:45 PM 0 Comments (Add Comment) | 0 Kudos Translate Edit Remove

May 20, 2009 - Wednesday

The Price of Children Current mood: content Copied from an email, I don't know who wrote it originally. But it touched me. Hope it will touch you, too. The Price of Children This is just too good not to pass on to all. Here is something absolutely positive for a change. I have repeatedly seen the breakdown of the cost of raising a child, but this is the first time I have seen the rewards listed this way. It's nice. The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140.00 for a middle income family. Talk about price shock! That doesn't even touch college tuition. But $160,140.00 isn't so bad if you break it down. It translates into: * $8,896.66 a year, * $741.38 a month, * $171.08 a week. * A mere $24.24 a day! * Just over a dollar an hour. Still, you might think the best financial advice is: don't have children if you want to be 'rich.' Actually, it is just the opposite. What do you get for your $160,140.00? * Naming rights. First, middle, and last! * Glimpses of God every day. * Giggles under the covers every night. * More love than your heart can hold. * Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs. * Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies. * A hand to hold usually covered with jelly or chocolate. * A partner for blowing bubbles and flying kites. * Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day. For $160,140.00, you never have to grow up. You get to: * finger-paint, * carve pumpkins, * play hide-and-seek, * catch lightning bugs, * never stop believing in Santa Claus. You have an excuse to: * keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh, * watch Saturday morning cartoons, * go to Disney movies, and * wish on stars. You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodlewreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay for Mother's Day, and cards with backward letters for Father's Day. For a mere $24.24 a day, there is no greater bang for your buck. You get to be a hero just for: * retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof, * taking the training wheels off a bike, * removing a splinter, * filling a wading pool, * coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and * coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless. You get a front row seat in history to witness the: * First step, * First word, * First bra, * First date, * First time behind the wheel. You get to be immortal. You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren and great-grandchildren. You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match... In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits, so one day they will, like you, love without counting the cost. That is quite a deal for the price!!!!!!! Love & enjoy your children & grandchildren & great-grandchildren!!!!!!! It's the best investment you'll ever make!!!!!!!!! As Grandma enjoying my grandkids these days, I totally agree! 12:24 AM 0 Comments (Add Comment) | 0 Kudos Translate Edit Remove

April 30, 2009 - Thursday

What is a "PANDEMIC", anyway?? People are familiar with the word "epidemic", but what the heck is a "pandemic"?? This is what I found when I looked it up. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-difference-between-an-epidemic-and-a-pandemic.htm To read the full article, use the link above. But, basically: My interpretation is that a pandemic is much worse than an epidemic, affecting more people in a larger area. To quote, "In the most extreme case, the global population is affected by a pandemic." Swine Flu: Level 5, pandemic is imminent. What can YOU do? Um, wash your hands a lot. Use the alcohol hand gels when you can't wash your hands. Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose, mouth. Stay home when you're sick (yeah, your boss is gonna like that), keep your kids home when they're sick (your boss will like that one, too). Stay informed (www.cdc.gov). So, try to stay healthy, ok? Love You. PS Paris, not eating pork won't help you not get this flu! 2:54 AM 1 Comments (Add Comment) | 0 Kudos Translate Edit Remove