Gingerbread men are so much fun to make because the decorating possibilities are endless. Sure, you could always make a traditional gingerbread man, who is rather cute and irresistible with his plain sweet smile and buttons. But why not add a little personality with a range of facial expressions – curious, mischievous, deadpan, dour or dreamy.  Or, you could even go further …

I was thinking of how I wanted to decorate these sweet little things this year, when it hit me to make them into luchadores. My bicultural train of thought went something like this: gingerbread = marranitos = panadería = Mexico = lucha libre. Of course, who doesn’t love lucha libre?! I’m a HUGE fan of the masked Mexican wrestlers, especially those vintage folk heroes like Mil Máscaras, Blue Demon and El Santo. I like classic lucha and kitschy lucha, and the idea of two identities and two sides to everyone. And I knew my daughter would just love them, because she could, in her words, “Fight them!” Yeah, too much My Little Pony Equestria Girls for her.

Disclaimer here: I am no cookie artist, so that means anyone can make these. I’m not even that good at baking cookies. As a mom, you work at the things you want to be great or just good at. And you’re okay with being mediocre or even bad at some things. I’m okay with being an okay cookie-maker. I make up for it by being an absolute pro at cookie-eating.

This holiday season, I did use a little help in the kitchen from my old friend Betty. Yup, I bought a box of gingerbread cookie mix (take your pick, from Betty Crocker to King Arthur to Williams Sonoma mixes) and called it a day. We’re in the thick of the holidays, I’ve got a fussy, teething one-year-old who wakes up at all hours of the night, blah, blah. Best decision ever, and they turned out pretty delish. Still, there are plenty of great gingerbread cookie recipes online, and this soft gingerbread cookie recipe by Inspired by Familia looks yummylicious.

If you’re new to decorating with royal icing, it’s awesome (until your hand starts cramping and you have to clean up!). It’s the type that hardens after you decorate, so it’s perfect for using on plain cookies like gingerbread or sugar cookies. One of my favorite cookie decorating blogs is Sweetopia. Who knew cookies could look sooooo pretty? I especially love her 10 tips on how to decorate cookies with royal icing.  In the past, I’ve actually followed her tips closely and come out with Pinterest-worthy cookies. Below is her recipe for royal icing.

For ideas on how to decorate the luchador masks, go to Flickr or Google and just search for lucha libre mask and you’ll get an array of photos showing various masks and designs. Pick a few and practice freehanding the design on wax or parchment paper before actually piping onto the cookie.

My luchadores didn’t turn out perfect looking, but in our house, they were just the thing we needed to give our holidays a bit of Mexican flavor. Here are the two recipes you need to follow. Have fun!

Ingredients:

Soft Gingerbread Cookies (via Inspired by Familia)

• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons molasses
• 2.5 cups flour
• 1.5 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Royal Icing (via Sweetopia)

• ¾ cup of warm water
• 5 Tablespoons meringue powder
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 2.25 lbs./1kg powdered sugar
• **Add one teaspoon of clear vanilla to this recipe if using a meringue powder with no vanilla flavor.

**You will also need several decorating piping bags and tips, available online or in most craft stores. You can also add candy or sprinkles to your gingerbread.

Directions:

Soft Gingerbread Cookies

-Preheat over to 375F

-Cream softened butter and add brown sugar, and beat until fluffy.

-Add egg and molasses.

-Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, clover and salt.

-Refrigerate the dough for an hour. Roll it out on a floured surface, and cut out into gingerbread men using a cookie cutter. Bake for 10 minutes, and then let cool before icing.

Royal Icing

-In mixer bowl, pour in the warm water and the meringue powder. Mix it with a whisk by hand for 30 seconds. Add the cream of tartar and mix for 30 seconds. Add the powdered sugar, and using the paddle attachment mix on the lowest speed for a full 10 minutes, until icing turns thick and creamy.

-Cover the bowl with a dampened kitchen towel to prevent crusting and drying.

-Now you can tint smaller batches of the icing with food coloring, or thin it by adding small amounts of warm water until you reach the desired consistency.

 

With the stress of Thanksgiving occurring this week, let me take the worry away from cooking a dessert that everyone on your guest list will love.  In just a few minutes, you can present a fun and easy dessert that explodes in autumn cheer.  Still keeping the tradition of fall flavors, this no-bake pumpkin cheesecake dessert will capture the seasonal mood in a non-traditional presentation.

This year, we are skipping the pie and making individual dessert treats. I’m serving my favorite childhood cookies (and my son’s favorites too!), galletas Maria with a pumpkin mixture of cream cheese, topped creamy whipped topping, dulce de leche and pepitas. Don’t be surprised when your Thanksgiving guests of all ages, devour this special treat and beg to be served seconds… and thirds!

Pumpkin Cheesecakes in a Cup with Dulce de Leche Drizzle

Makes  4 -6

Ingredients:

• 20 Maria cookies, crushed
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons dulce de leche plus more for topping
• 4 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 4 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• whipped topping
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• pepita seeds

Instructions
In a food processor, combine cookies and butter.  Pulse until cookies are crushed and moistened and butter is evenly distributed.  Divide mixture among 4 cups.

In a medium bowl, using a hand mixer, mix heavy cream until stiff peaks form.  In a separate mixing bowl, mix cream cheese, dulce de leche, sugar, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon until mixture is smooth.  Fold in pumpkin puree and heavy cream.

Place pumpkin mixture on cookie crumb layer, distributing evenly.  Top with whipped topping, dulce de leche and a sprinkle of pepita seeds.

Cooking with our niños is a great way to pass down our culture and flavors to them. It’s also a great time to engage in conversations en Español. We’ve put together five recipes by Latina bloggers that our kids can help out with in the kitchen. Check out the stories behind these meals, snacks, and drinks and share them with your kids.

1. Ice Cream For Breakfast Popsicles by Adriana of Adriana’s Best Recipes

2. Guacahummus by Maura of The Other Side of the Tortilla

3. Mexican Pizza by Stephanie of SpanglishSpoon

4. mexican street corn | in a cup or in the cob recipe by Angie of Little Inspiration

5. Drinks from Around the World by Becky of Kid World Citizen

This week on The Culture of Food round-up we are sharing delicious breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert recipes by Latina bloggers. Each one of these recipes is a traditional meal option with a little twist. Some of these recipes are also fun to get the niños involved in the kitchen. Click on the links below to view the full recipe.

1. Apricot Tart & A Breakfast Quiche by Stephanie of SpanglishSpoon
2. Ensalada de pollo, queso de cabra, frutillas y hojas verdes by Pilar of En Mi Cocina Hoy
   
3. Lemon Kale Meatballs by Melissa of Hungry Food Love
4. “Sneak Some Veggies” Spelt Lasagna by Singers Kitchen
5. Chocolate Caramel Popcorn by Denise of Addicted to Recipes

This post post was written in collaboration with Latina Bloggers Connect and Maseca. All opinions are our own.

It’s amazing how a smell can bring back so many memories. The minute a bag of Maseca makes it’s way into my home my mind starts thinking of what to make. It definitely inspires me to cook a traditional meal that I usually only enjoy when I travel to Guatemala or El Salvador. I recently had the opportunity to try Maseca’s new Centroamerica flour mix. I decided to make a traditional pot of beans with bolitas de masa (dough balls). The moment I poured water and salt into the Maseca mix my mind began to travel back to the vacations in Central America that I took with my family as a child. The smell of fresh masa being kneaded by one of my aunts is forever engraved into my memory and immediately makes my mouth water.  All I wanted to do was find a comal, flatten out the dough ball, and enjoy a fresh tortilla. However, I waited for my pot of beans with bolitas de masa to cook.

The end result tastes like beans with a fresh tortilla in a bowl. You can serve it with your favorite toppings like Salvadorian sour cream and fresh cilantro criollo.

Ingredients

Beans

• 2 cups of black or pinto beans
• 1/4 cup of diced onion
• 3 cloves of garlic (whole)
• 1 chile (of choice)
• ½ gallon of water

Dough Balls

• 1 cup of Maseca flour
• 1tbs of olive oil
• ¼ tbs of salt
• ¾ cup of water

Toppings (optional)

• Sour cream (I used Salvadorean sour cream)
• Cilantro (I used cilantro criollo)

Cooking Directions

For Beans

-       Rinse 2 cups of back beans.

-       In a large pot combine 1/2 gallon of water, beans, and 3 cloves of peeled garlic. Bring to a boil.

-       Let the beans boil for about 45 minutes.  Cooking times may vary.

-       After 45 add onion, whole chile, and about 15 dough balls to your pot of beans. Cook for an additional 15 minutes.

-       When your beans are fully cooked serve with fresh cilantro and sour cream.

Note: The beans and dough balls will absorb the water quickly. If beans look too dry add 1 cup of water.

For Dough Balls

- Combine Maseca flour , olive oil, salt and water into a small mixing bowl. Knead until smooth.

- Form small dough balls about the size of bouncy ball. Makes about 30.

For more delicious recipes made with Maseca visit the Maseca website.

This summer we are bringing back the Culture of Food Weekly Round-up! There are many delicious recipes around the blogosphere by amazing Latina bloggers that are sure to make this summer delicious. To kick things off we want to share with you five refreshing drinks (non-alcoholic), or aguas frescas, that are traditional in many Latin American homes. Check out the recipes and  stories behind these flavorful drinks. Just click in the links below!

1 Mango Cucumber Juice by Melissa of Hungry Food Love

2 Guayaba Limeade by Vianney of Sweet Life Bake

3 Limonada de Panela by Cristina of Una Colombiana en California

4 Mexican Watermelon Cooler by Silvia of Mama Latina Tips

5 Agua de Tamarindo by Nicole of Presley’s Pantry

Anchoring Buena Vista Street in Disney’s California Adventure Park, you can experience the Golden age of Hollywood at Carthay Circle Restaurant. Modeled after 1920’s original Spanish Revival architecture, the building is based on the iconic central tower of Carthay Circle Theater.

As one steps inside, you are transported to the magic of Disney’s movie-making throughout the decades.  The interior is elegant, ornate warm and rich.  Artifacts and photographs of Disney’s premier of their first feature-length animated film “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” line the hallways.  You can’t miss those beautiful, giant, black and white photographs of Shirley Temple and Walt Disney as you make your way upstairs to the dining area.

Although, the ambience of the restaurant is movie-premier elegant, Disney dining has figured out a way to make families and tourists feel comfortable in a warm, social and informal hospitable setting.  The lounge and restaurant are perfect getaways from the excitement of the park.

The restaurant accommodates up to 200 guests with a terrace and its beautiful views of Buena Visa Street that seats 56 guests.  Perfect for people watching and an excellent view of Disneyland’s fireworks show.

Yes, this replica of the famous movie-house is beautiful and radiant but the food in this case, is the star of the show.  Chef Andrew Sutton, the acclaimed executive chef at Napa Rose restaurant at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, also is executive chef of Carthay Circle Restaurant and Lounge. By his side, Gloria Tae, Sutton’s protégé at Napa Rose, and chef de cuisine at Carthay Circle Restaurant.  We could not have asked for a better culinary duo.

The menu, best described as “Modern Southern California Fresh” is comprised of wild and farmed sustainable fish and hand picked seasonal vegetables from local markets.  It’s modern, breezy, light and fresh. The dishes boast in diverse flavors with ingredients from local ranchers, artisans and farmers. Menu includes sushi-grade yellowtail grilled with jerk spice, topped with a tropical salsa of pineapple, mango, black beans and lime, and Sierra Golden trout roasted with couscous, lemon and oil.  The lunch selection includes an udon noodle bowl with red Thai curry broth, and an Angus burger with Tillamook cheddar cheese.

There is something for everyone!  Kids can choose from fun creations such as sloppy joes with house-made slaw, pasta and mini crispy tacos, or a beef filet or fish for dinner.

The lounge area offers a relaxing atmosphere for small bites.  Appetizers are paired perfectly with classic cocktails, California craft beers and world-class wines. Appetizers include hot shrimp with a chilled spicy tomato shooter to duck confit sliders with apricot conserve, watercress, crisp onions and Taleggio cheese.

One of the wonderful things about The Carthay Circle Restaurant is that each guest who orders an appetizer and entrée or an entrée and dessert will receive complimentary, center-stage viewing for the “World of Color” nighttime, water spectacular on Paradise Pier Bay. Lunch guests and guests who have dinner before 7 p.m. will receive tickets to the first “World of Color” show; guess who dine after 7 p.m. will receive tickets to the second show.

Don’t miss this extraordinary culinary journey next time you visit Disney’s California Adventure.  Hours are from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily.

For reservations: 714-781-DINE or email dine@disneyland.com with date, time and contact information.

To give you a sneak peek to what to expect, Chef Sutton has shared with us his recipe for Halibut Ceviche. This is the perfect dish for the warm summer months.  Enjoy!

Halibut Ceviche with Avocado, Tomatillo-Cilantro Essence, and Crisp Plantain Chips

Carthay Circle Restaurant

Disney California Adventure^® Par

Serves 4 to 6

Halibut Ceviche

• 1/2 pound sushi-grade halibut, diced into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1/4 pound yellowtail, diced into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• Generous pinch coarse salt

Tomatillo-Jalapeño Sauce

• 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 jalapeño, thinly sliced with seeds
• 3 tomatillos, sliced
• 1 cucumber, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• Coarse salt, to taste

Plantain Chips

• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 green plaintain, peeled
• Juice of 1 lime
• Coarse salt, to taste

For Serving

• Halibut ceviche, drained
• 1 Roma tomato, seeded and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup finely chopped cucumber, peeled and seeded
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, divided
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• Juice of 2 limes, divided
• Coarse salt, to taste
• 1 Haas avocado, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons yellow onion, finely chopped
• 4 julienned radishes, for garnish
• 1 thinly sliced red jalapeño, for garnish
• Micro-cilantro, for garnish

For halibut ceviche:

Mix together ingredients in a glass bowl, stirring to coat fish. Cover and refrigerate 4 to 6 hours.

For tomatillo-jalapeño sauce:

1. Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add jalapeños and tomatillos, cover with water and simmer until tomatillo is tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat, cool and drain.
2. Puree mixture with cucumber and cilantro in a blender. Strain through a fine strainer and season with salt. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

For plantain chips:

1. Preheat 1 inch of oil in a deep-sided skillet over medium-high heat to 350˚F.
2. Slice plaintains into 1/8-inch-thick rounds.
3. Add to oil in batches and fry until golden, about 1 minute per side. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Spritz with lime juice and season with salt.

To serve:

1. Drain ceviche and stir together with tomato, cucumber, half of chopped cilantro, 1 tablespoon olive oil, juice of 1 lime, and salt in a mixing bowl.
2. In another bowl, mix avocado, onion, remaining chopped cilantro, remaining lime juice, remaining olive oil, and salt.
3. To serve, spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons of tomatillo-jalapeño sauce onto each plate. Top each with equal amounts of avocado salad, then ceviche. Garnish with radishes, jalapeño slices, and micro cilantro. Serve with crispy plantains and lime wedges.

Editor’s note: We’re spending this week celebrating dads raising bilingual kids with guest posts written by them in honor of Father’s Day. We love having the dad’s perspective and hope this series encourages other papis to share their stories with us.

I first fell in love with Argentine asado several years ago on a magical New Year’s Eve in Mar del Plata, Argentina. It was my first trip to South America and I was meeting my wife’s large, extended family for the first time. We had caravanned together from Buenos Aires and decided to have a traditional Argentine barbecue at the family’s beach house before heading out on the town to celebrate the new year. What transpired was an unforgettable moment of falling in love with a new culture—its food, its wine, its cooking traditions, and its whole-hearted embrace of familia.

An Argentine asado is a lengthy barbecue, more akin to a fiesta, where family and friends gather for hours on end to eat, drink, talk, laugh, and generally live life at a languid pace unrecognizable by our fast-tempoed, modern society. I was so enchanted by the asado experience that I became an asador and promised to share my passion with the rest of the world.  So, I started Gaucho Garcia, an English-language resource dedicated to South American grilling.

When our daughter, Luna, was born last August, my wife and I knew two things: one, we were dedicated to raising her bilingual and teaching her about her family’s Spanish-speaking roots (I am of Spanish descent and she is Argentine). And two, we committed to educating her about everything related to Argentine cuisine. What better way to raise a bilingual child than to speak Spanish while teaching her the culinary traditions of her family?

In addition, since we were both fluent, we felt that raising Luna bilingual was one of the best gifts we could give her in this life. With so many primos in Buenos Aires and Madrid that we hoped to visit in the years to come, instilling Spanish at an early age seemed imperative so that she could communicate with her family during our travels. In fact, she will embark on her first international adventure to Buenos Aires this September for her cousin’s wedding.

For now, Luna is still just babbling and has only one tooth—not nearly enough to make it through the large portions of bife de lomo that I normally serve at my asados. In no time, however, she will be assisting her Papi with the preparation of la parrilla and helping her Mami in the kitchen with the family’s recipe for empanadas argentinas. And when she comes running to me one day, grinning from ear to ear, and says, “Papi, mira lo que hice en la cocina con Mamita!”, I will know that the commitment we made the day she was born has paid off… and we just might have that fateful New Year’s asado to thank for it all.

Gabriel García is an attorney and an asador living in the Silicon Valley hamlet of Morgan Hill, California. In 2007, he fell in love with South American barbecue after partaking in his first asado with his wife’s family in Argentina. Since then, he began blogging about asados and Argentine cuisine on his website Gaucho Garcia. He is father to a 9-month old baby girl, Luna, who he hopes will one day carry on the recipe for his world-famous chimichurri.

I’m officially on vacation… and I couldn’t be happier. I don’t plan on doing much the next two weeks, except spend lots of time with my kids and my husband doing pretty much NADA!

But before I sign-off until 2013, I just wanted to share with you some of the great Christmas content we’ve gathered throughout the years since we launched SpanglishBaby. After all, this is the fourth holiday season we’re celebrating! From posts about how we celebrate La Navidad in our bilingual and bicultural households to really cool Christmas-related activities and yummy recipes, there’s something for everyone, so check it out:

POSTS ABOUT CULTURE/TRADITIONS:

A Christmas Gift: 9 Villancicos Navideños {Printable Lyrics PDF}

Christmas Carols for Posadas – Villancicos Para Pedir Posadas {Printable}

Celebrating Las Posadas: From Mexico to the US

Navidad in El Salvador

A Bicultural Christmas Photo — We asked our regular contributors to share one photo that represents Christmas for their families.

Posadas in Mexico: The Largest Nativity Scene in the World

Santa Claus: Does It Matter What Color He Is or What Language He Speaks?

A Mexican Holiday in Pictures

Your Bicultural Holiday Traditions — A series of posts written by bloggers and our contributors exploring how the holidays are celebrated in their bilingual and bicultural casitas.

A Multicultural Noche Buena Feast

POSTS ABOUT ACTIVITIES:

The Grinch Who Stole Christmas Bath Fun: Christmas Kids Activity

Christmas Party Favor: Snowman Play Dough

Burrito Sabanero Puppets on a Stick {Holiday Craft}

Christmas Activity for Kids: Snowman Bowling

Christmas Activity Sheets in Spanish {Printable}

Poinsettia Craft {Printable Activity}

POSTS ABOUT FOOD:

Gluten-Free Quinoa, Almond and Sherry Cake — Christmas with a Twist

Christmas Baking with Kids: Gingerbread Man

Choco-Mint Christmas Cookies

Last Minute Holiday Drink: Warm Winter Margarita

MERRY CHRISTMAS! ¡FELIZ NAVIDAD!

{Photo by jcortehals}