Mexican Recipe: Picadillo

Last week was chaos, well  I’m exaggerating a bit but it sure was difficult. Both kids were sick and not feeling well so we had to have house arrest for the whole week. Thankfully they were all good by Saturday cause the oldest one was looking forward to celebrating Sinterklaas at daddy’s company party. I’ll talk more about this Dutch tradition in the next days.

We are also getting ready for a trip so I have been busy shopping and putting things apart that we will take with us and haven’t had much time to do anything creative for the blog. 

That doesn’t mean I don’t have something for you guys. One of the topics I would like to pursue is Mexican cooking adapted with ingredients I can find easily here in the Netherlands. The recipe I have for you today can be used in so many different dishes. It is very easy and it is a common dish in Mexican homes. Depending on where in Mexico you come from there could be some variations. I am from the north and this is basically how we cook it in Monterrey. 

The recipe is for Picadillo. I came to make this recipe my own by combining a recipe a friend gave me and using some tips on procedure my mom uses. My husband says it’s the best picadillo ever and I believe him. 

So here it goes. 

PICADILLO

Ingredients 

1/2 kilo minced beef. I use the runder gehakt as sold in the supermarkets here.

3 Roma tomatoes

1/2 onion finely chopped

1 or 2 garlic cloves finely chopped.

1/2 or 1 depending on taste blocks of chicken bouillon

2 jalapeño peppers

2 small potatoes finely chopped in squares. 

Water

Salt and pepper to taste

How to make it.

First put some oil on a pan and sauté the onions and garlic until the onions are a bit clear and add the meat. Cook until light brown and add the full tomatoes and jalapeños and let them sit while the beef continues cooking. 

Once the beef is completely cooked, add the potatoes and then add the necessary water until it covers the meat and potatoes but not more than this. 

Add the chicken bouillon and let it sit until you see the tomatoes are losing their skin and once they do, smash them right there and take away any skin you have left over or the center which is usually harder. Mix a bit so the tomatoes juice goes everywhere and let it sit until the water evaporates fully without leaving the meat dry. 

Once it’s done, season to taste  and then it’s ready for you to enjoy. 

We usually have this with pasta soup which here is called vermicelli, add a bit of lemon and yummy!!! You can see the photo above for reference. 

Other ways to enjoy are in tacos, with a bit of cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions,  avocado and salsa  to complement. And I love eating the jalapeño in a quesadilla all on its own and adding even more salsa. Yes I’m crazy. 

You can also serve it with red rice, beans and tortillas. It’s a good filling for Chiles rellenos or empanadas, flautas and more. 

So there, for Mexican food lovers this is a basic. 

Let me know if you make it or if you do other variations. I would love to read your comments. 

Circus Elephant crochet blanket

I have been dreaming and working on designing my own graphs and other crochet things like toys or hats for a while now but for some reason or the other I am doing it very slowly and not as efficiently as I would like to. I don’t really mind as I am enjoying the season of my life I’m at right now, but anyways…

I started this blanket back in April or May but I had a newborn baby and limited time and then I was planning the Paw Patrol party and focused all my crochet energy into making the puppies that this blanket was left in a bag lost in my craft room.

Also in April/May I worked on another blanket for a friend’s baby. It took me less time to finish since my mom was here and helped me with the kids plus her baby was due late May and wanted to give it to her before he was born, which I did and she loved it.

The design is based on the Puppy Zoodiac from 1doogwoof. I was looking for a cute puppy graph on Pinterest and found hers the closest to her what I was looking for. I changed the colors to my liking and since I wanted it to be a blanket had to redesign the layout to make it bigger and fit something else on it. I wanted to share with you all the finished graph but wasn’t allowed by the designer which is totally respected. I was probably dreaming too high, and thought she would love to see her design used as an individual graph for a blanket and wouldn’t mind sharing it. So I’m sorry I can’t provide you with the full graph. I will however, share the layout I created with the paws on site. The puppy graph you can find clicking on the link above and just add it to the lower left side of the layout so it turns out like this.

I am thinking now that I will add to my project list to make a puppy of my own design and do this blanket again. I sell or give the blankets I do as I can’t keep them all at my craft room.

Here is the graph without the puppy.

For the border I used the border 65, from the book Every Which way Borders from Edie Eckman which was a bday gift from my husband and kid this year. It consists basically in V stitches and standing V stitches.

Now as for my own pattern this is the graph for the blanket. I’m posting it for sale for a very cheap price that doesn’t even represents all the work put into it but I want it to be accesible for everyone. I will be designing more graphs and some will be free some others will be for sale for 1€ which is less than a dollar, so there, see it as a donation so I can keep up with it.

Here is the link to it: Circus Elephant Graph

This is the final result with the same edge in colors blue and red.

Both blankets were worked with C2C stitch with a 5mm hook.

Mickey Mouse Crochet Cuddly

Isn’t it cute? I mean both of them. 

¿Apoco no esta lindo? Digo, el niño y el cojín. 

I must correct the ears next time I do it but I don’t know you guys, but I kind of like some imperfections on crochet or in general on handmade stuff cause it makes it gives the handmade characteristics more real or more unique.

Todavía tengo que corregir las orejas la próxima vez que lo haga pero por lo pronto así me gusta. No se ustedes, pero a mi me gusta que las cosas hechas a mano tengan una que otra imperfección porque como que le da un valor más nostálgico más casero y no se, hace que el producto realmente sea único. 

Anyways, as part of the celebrations for Mickey’s birthday I made a pillow for my child who is a real Mickey fan, just as momma. 

Como parte de las celebraciones del cumpleaños de Mickey al final de esta semana, hice esta almohadilla para mi pequeño que es un fan del simpático ratón al igual que yo. 

Here you can find the instructions on how to make it yourself.

A continuación las instrucciones para que lo hagan ustedes mismos.

MICKEY MOUSE  CROCHET PILLOW

Materials/Materiales:

I used 2 balls of 100 grs each in color black, and 1 ball of red also 100 grs.

Utilicé 2 bolas de 100 gramos de estambre en color negro y 1 en color rojo. 

Scrap yarn ik white or yellow / Pedaceria de estambre en amarillo o blanco

Tapestry needle / Aguja para coser lana

Scissors / Tijeras

Amigurumi filling / relleno para almohada 

Crochet hook 4MM / gancho de 4 mm 

Notes/Notas: 

I USED DOUBLE STRAND OF YARN OF EACH COLOR WITH A 4MM HOOK. 

USE 2 TIRAS DE ESTAMBRE DE CADA COLOR PARA EL GROSOR CON UN GANCHO DE 4MM.

1. you will be working in rounds changing colors half through every round. Make sure to follow the change of color following the first change you will work, that way you circle will naturally divided in two.

Se trabaja en círculo, en rondas, a mitad de cada ronda hay que cambiar de color. Cambien el color siguiendo el margen que da la ronda 1 de esta forma el cambio es natural. 

2. To avoid visible change of colors be sure to end the last stitch of each color with the yarn of the other color you are about to use. That way you finish the stitch in same color and begin the next with the new color. There are many tutorials out there to do so. 

Para evitar que el cambio sea visible, deben cambiar el color de estambre antes de terminar el último punto de cada tono, de esta forma se cierra con el color que estaban usando y en su gancho tienen el que van a utilizar. 

3. The first 2 chains on every round DO NOT count as one. 

Las primeras dos cadenetas en cada fila no cuentan como primer punto. 

4. You will be carrying the yarn from side to side when changing color so leave it loose on order to leave the circle flat. 

Van a ir cargando el estambre de un lado a otro para cambiar de color, déjenlo suelto para que el círculo les quede plano. 

Stitches and abbreviations: Double Crochet (DC), Single Crochet (SC), Slip Stitch (sl st), Chain (ch), Round (R), magic ring, Half double crochet (hdc) 

Puntos y abreviaturas: Punto Alto (PA), punto bajo (pb), punto enano (pe), cadeneta (c), punto medio alto (pma), ronda (R), anillo mágico 

Body/cuerpo 

R1. Start magic ring with black, chain 2, DC 5, change color to red before finishing the fifth DC and continue with other 5 in red and sl st to the first 2 chains with the color before the last one to start next round in black. (Read notes as this is the same you will do every round) (10)

Comienza el anillo mágico con 2 cadenetas en color negro y haz 5 puntos altos. Cambia a rojo como se menciona en las notas ya que esto se repetirá en cada vuelta. Haz 5 puntos altos más en color rojo y cierra cambiando a negro. 

R2. Chain 2, with black 2 DC all around, changing color halfway through following the color change from past round. (20)

2 cadenetas,  comenzando con negro haz 2 pa en cada punto y cambiando de color a rojo a mitad de camino según se indique por la vuelta anterior. 

R3. Chain 2, 2 DC in first stitch, 1 in next stitch and repeat all around 9 more times. (30)

2 cadenetas, 2 PA en el primer punto, 1 en el siguiente y repetir 9 veces más. 

R4. Chain 2, 2 DC in first stitch, 1 in next two stitches and repeat all around 9 more times. (40)

2 cadenetas, 2 PA en el primer punto, 1 en los dos siguientes puntos  y repetir 9 veces más. 

R5. Chain 2, 2 DC in first stitch, 1 in next three stitches and repeat all around 9 more times. (50)

2 cadenetas, 2 PA en el primer punto, 1 en los tres siguientes puntos  y repetir 9 veces más. 

R6. Chain 2, 2 DC in first stitch, 1 in next four stitches and repeat all around 9 more times. (60) 

2 cadenetas, 2 PA en el primer punto, 1 en los cuatro siguientes puntos  y repetir 9 veces más. 

R7. Chain 2, 2 DC in first stitch, 1 in next four stitches and repeat all around 11 more times. (72) 

2 cadenetas, 2 PA en el primer punto, 1 en los cuatro siguientes puntos  y repetir 11 veces más. 

R8. Chain 2, 2 DC in first stitch, 1 in next five stitches and repeat all around 9 more times. (84) 

2 cadenetas, 2 PA en el primer punto, 1 en los cinco siguientes puntos  y repetir 11 veces más. 

R9. Chain 2, 2 DC in first stitch, 1 in next six stitches and repeat all around 11 more times. (96) 

2 cadenetas, 2 PA en el primer punto, 1 en los seis siguientes puntos  y repetir 11 veces más. 

R10. Chain 2, 2 DC in first stitch, 1 in next seven stitches and repeat all around 11 more times. (108) 

2 cadenetas, 2 PA en el primer punto, 1 en los siete siguientes puntos  y repetir 11 veces más. 

Cut yarn after the last sl st leaving a long enough thread to close it. 

Corta el estambre dejando una tira larga para después cerrar. 

Repeat all over again so you have 2 circles.

Repite nuevamente para tener 2 círculos iguales. 

When finishing the 2nd circle don’t cut the yarn but put them together with the wrong side facing each other and start closing making a SC all around and changing color when necessary. Fill the pillow as tight as you like before closing it.

Cuando terminen el 2ndo círculo, no corten el estambre sino que junten los círculos con la parte trasera pegadas una a la otra y comiencen a cerrar usando el punto bajo alrededor con su correspondiente cambio de color. Rellenen la almohada tan apretado como quieran y cierren. 

Ears/orejas 

Repeat R1 to R5 in color black and make 4 circles to make two sets of ears.

Repite la R1 a la R5 en color negro y haz 4 en total para hacer 2 sets de orejas. 

Join them together with SC all around and fill before closing. 

Unelos con punto bajo todo alrededor y rellena antes de cerrar. 

Attach them to the main circle on the upper side to form the famous Mickey Silhouette.

Cóselos a los lados de Mickey en la parte negra para formar la conocida silueta. 

To finish it off, make two white or yellow circles to make the buttons. 

Para terminar haz también dos círculos pequeños en color amarillo o blanco para simular los botones del traje. 

R1. Hdc 8 in magic ring.

8 Pma en el anillo mágico. 

R2. 2hdc all around (16)

2pma alrededor 

Sew to body at the center on the red side. 

Cose al centro del traje rojo. 

That’s it! Enjoy your brand new Mickey Mouse Pillow. 

Y listo! Disfruta tu almohadilla nueva. 

Mickey Mouse Piñata

Post in English and Spanish below. 

This week I’ll be sharing ideas and crafts to celebrate the most loved mouse of all. You are right, Mickey Mouse is jarig, as the Dutch would say. His birthday is on November 18th, so in preparation for it, and as the Disney Mom I am, we will look into crafts to do with your kids or for your kids with this beautiful, charming and loving character.

For starters we have a piñata. 

This piñata is mini. It can actually be a favor gift for your guests, that is if you don’t have hundreds of  them. It takes maybe 2 hours to complete one from beginning to end and the materials are easy to find.

You will need:

A box made of cardboard which can easily be folded.

Crepe paper in red and black

Yellow paper

Glue gun and the glue sticks for it

Scissors

Curly ribbon 

Candy of course 

A bit of newspaper

Now, I’ve made some pictures for you to see the progress and I will explain each set of photos. 

First you need your little helper to help you take out all the materials. Draw two circles and cut. 

Measure 5 cms and make a strip, it’s better if your cardboard is flexible and has this natural corrugated lines to bend easily. Roll and then paste the two circles to each side as shown in photos. You will end up with a gap which is good cause that will be the place to fill up the piñata. So on the top, you will make two holes to attach the string and hang somewhere. 

Now make the ears with single pieces of cardboard and attach with the hot glue and a piece of newspaper. 

Then make a strip to seal the bottom and add some candy. Paste it with the hot glue but before this make sure to make some holes and add the curly ribbon crossing it on the part that goes inside so when the kids pull the strings it breaks open. 

Now cover the sides with a strip of crepe paper. You will need two pieces to cover it from each side. Then start decorating starting from the bottom to the top. You will need about 6 or 7 pieces of red and then the black to complete. Put them close to each other so it covers the glue line. Then cut around to make the shape. Do the same with the ears on black. 

Now you have it. Enjoy with your kids. Tomorrow on the blog I will show you how to make a normal piñata. 

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Ahora en español, pero pueden ver las fotos arriba. 

Esta semana es el cumpleaños de un personaje que me encanta: Mickey Mouse. En esta casa nos encanta todo lo que es Disney, especialmente Mickey y Minnie. El sábado siguiente es el cumpleaños de Mickey y en las redes sociales muchas bloggers ya empiezan con los festejos. Obviamente aquí no nos podemos quedar atrás y durante la semana estaré escribiendo y compartiendo ideas y manualidades para celebrarlo con sus niños o para sus niños si es que les gusta el personaje también y es un buen tema de cumpleaños.

Empezamos con la piñata que no puede faltar en cada fiesta y aunque el tamaño de esta es mini los pasos se pueden repetir en grande. Pueden ver las fotos que están muy descriptivas del paso a paso para esta piñatita. Es una actividad linda para hacer una tarde lluviosa con los peques y se lleva más o menos 2 horas de principio a fin.

Los materiales a ocupar son fáciles de encontrar en casa o en una papelería cercana:

Caja de cartón corrugado

Papel crepe en negro y rojo

Silicón

Tijeras

Pegamento 

Hoja amarilla

Listón curly

1 al 3. Para comenzar necesitan hacer un molde de círculo y trazarlo dos veces y recortar. 

4 al 9. Después miden una tira de 5 cms de ancho y recortan. Se doble para que pueda darle vuelta a los círculos y pegar uno a a cada lado. Va a quedarles una abertura pero esta bien, ese es el lugar por donde saldrán los dulces al estirar los listones. Del lado contrario hagan dos orificios e inserten el mecate para colgar la piñata.

9 al 11. Una vez formado el círculo principal, dibujen dos círculos sencillos más pequeños para hacer las orejas simples y peguen con silicon. 

12 al 15. Primero se agrega un pedazo de papel con unos listones curly en el centro, cruzados por dentro para hacer fuerza al jalar y que se abra y salgan los regalitos. 

16 al 19. Se pega y después pueden empezar a decorar empezando por las orillas con tiras de crêpe negro. Después comienzan a decorar de abajo hacia arriba con papel rojo y luego negro. Cuando terminen agregan dos círculos amarillos que formarán del papel. Esta decoración se repite por ambos lados. Y se va cortando las tiras al pegarlas una encima de otra y al final se corta alrededor para darle forma.  Hagan lo mismo con las orejas.

Y listo ahora si pueden disfrutar de su piñata. Esta puede ser una idea genial para las bolsitas de dulces de una fiesta… Eso sí no tienen cientos de invitados, claro está.

Diviértanse y los espero mañana para hacer una piñata en grande. 

Hasta pronto.