My Favorite Holiday Foods!

One of the things I'm definitely looking forward to when I fly back home will be the food! Nomnomnom<3 Especially since it's the holiday season, ovens will be put into overdrive as dozens upon dozens of goodies will be baked. Everything from cookies, to empanadas, to tamales, to pies will come out of everybody's ovens. **drools** Some of my favorites include:

Empanadas: These are Mexican stuffed bread pastries, usually filled with mashed apple, pumpkin, or even pineapple. My favorites are apple empanadas (I'm not a fan of pumpkin- eek, please don't hate me!). Some empanadas can be also filled with meats, but I prefer the sweet kind. They're best served warm, with a glass of milk or a scoop of ice cream.

Tamales: This is a Mexican dish made with masa (a starchy dough) boiled, steamed, or baked inside a corn husk. Meat such as chicken, beef, or pork are stuffed inside the masa. The corn husk is removed, and the baked masa filled with meat is eaten. These are extremely delicious, especially in the morning.

Pecan pie: I suppose pecan pies could be eaten year round, but they are always seen much more often around the holidays. They will satisfy any sweet tooth, and always give me the satisfaction of feeling more Texan (Sandy Cheeks, anyone?).

Candy Canes: These aren't actually baked, but they are a staple of Christmas time candy. The traditional colors are white and red, though variations of other colors can be seen. They have a yummy peppermint taste that leaves my mouth feeling very cool.

Hot Chocolate: This drink warms me right up, though it isn't necessary here in Dubai yet :P, and has a wonderful chocolatey taste. My favorite kind at the moment is Nutella Hot Chocolate, which is made with around 1-2 spoonful(s) of Nutella per cup. (Nutella is a chocolate hazelnut spread that is delicious on crackers, with fruit, or by itself.) A mug of hot chocolate topped with marshmallows and cinnamon is perfect for being cozy at home.

Bunuelos: This is another Mexican dish made with dough, sugar, and cinnamon. The dough is flattened like a tortilla, and is fried in oil. Then, it is covered in a layer of cinnamon and sugar. This is nom-alicious, because it is sweet and crispy.

Sugar Cookies: Again, these can be eaten year round, but they make their appearance more often during the holiday season. These are just cookies covered in sugar and cinnamon (can you tell I really like sugar and cinnamon?) and are great with a glass of milk or hot chocolate. I usually have more fun making these cookies than I do actually eating them. :D

Caldo: The word "caldo" means "soup", in Spanish. Here, I refer to a family recipe for a sort of chicken soup. It has chicken, rice, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, and is usually made with chicken broth. It is typically eaten with lime and corn tortillas, and it is yummy during the cold winter months. This is my all-time favorite soup. <3

Until next time,
<3 Lucero