Arroz con Leche With a Crunchy Cinnamon Twist

This shop has been compensated by Vons. All opinions are mine alone. #StockUpConOfertas #CollectiveBias

Rice pudding is a universal dessert and many countries have their own version of it.

In Latin America, it’s called “Arroz con Leche”, which translates to “Rice with milk”.

The Mexican version of arroz con leche is usually made with milk, cinnamon, sugar, egg yolk, vanilla, orange peel and raisins. Other ingredients like chocolate, butter, nutmeg, or lime zest may also be added but growing up, my mom kept it simple.

She would make the yummy dessert in the evenings with milk, cinnamon and raisins and I would always go for a second serving right before bedtime! We knew we were having arroz con leche every time the kitchen smelled of milk and cinnamon.

My mom would tell us stories about enjoying arroz con leche in Mexico City as a little girl. My grandmother would serve it to her eight children, as a simple, tasty and cost-effective alternative to oatmeal or cereal.

The other day, when I was at Vons, stocking up on store offers, I passed through the cereal aisle, and saw a tempting box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, at a great price (product prices may vary by store).

I had been planning on making arroz con leche for quite some time and when I picked up the Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal box, it occurred to me that the crispy, square, cereal bites could be used as a component to my arroz con leche recipe.

Basically, I replaced sugar with the Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal and the result was a deliciously delightful serving of arroz con leche with a sweet, crispy texture.

My husband loved it. My sister loved it and my little Benny still asks for more “Awoz con weche”.

The recipe is very simple, you only need a handful of ingredients:

Ingredients (makes 6-8 servings)

*1 cup of white rice

*1 cup of evaporated milk

*1 cup of regular milk (I used 2%)

*4 cups of water

*1 cinnamon stick

*3 TBSP sugar

*Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal

Instructions

In a large pot, bring the water and rice to a boil. Break the cinnamon stick in half and add to the boiling water. Stir the rice occasionally and once it’s been boiling for about 10 minutes, add the f evaporated milk, followed by the regular milk. Close the pot and allow to boil for another 5-7 minutes. Once the rice has a tender consistency, stir in the sugar. Set aside and allow to cool before serving. Add Cinnamon Toast Crunch.  You can also add another sweet crunchy cereal like Honey Nut Cheerios!

I hope you try this recipe at home... and remember to take advantage of the Stock-Up Sale at Vons happening now through October 14!

En español

El postre de arroz es algo universal y muchos países tienen su propia versión del  mismo.

En América Latina, le llamamos "Arroz con Leche."

La versión mexicana de arroz con leche se hace generalmente con leche, canela, azúcar, yemas, vainilla, cáscara de naranja y pasas. Otros ingredientes como chocolate, mantequilla, nuez moscada, o ralladuras de limón también se pueden añadir, pero mi mamá siempre preparó la receta de la manera más sencilla y deliciosa posible.

Ella hacía el delicioso postre después de la cena con leche, canela, piloncillo y pasas, y yo no dormía sino hasta después de comer una segunda porción.

Cada que la cocina olía a leche y canela, mis hermanas y yo sabíamos que mi mami nos estaba haciendo arroz con leche.

Ella nos contaba historias de su niñez en la Ciudad de México y de cómo mi abuela les hacía este rico postre a sus ocho hijos. El arroz con leche servía como una alternativa sencilla, sabrosa y económica al cereal.

El otro día, cuando estaba de compras en el supermercado Vons, entré al pasillo de los cereales, y vi una caja tentadora de Cinnamon Toast Crunch, a muy buen precio (los precios de productos pueden variar según la tienda).

Había estado planeando en hacer un arrocito con leche y cuando agarré la caja de cereal, se me ocurrió que el crujiente cereal cuadradito podría ser utilizado como un componente a mi receta de arroz con leche.

Básicamente, sustituí el azúcar con el cereal Cinnamon Toast Crunch y el resultado fue una porción deliciosa de arroz con leche con una textura dulce y crujiente.

A mi marido le encantó. A mi hermana también y mi pequeño Benny todavía pide más "Awoz con Weche".

La receta es muy sencilla, sólo requiere unos cuantos ingredientes.

Ingredientes (para 6 a 8 porciones)

* 1 taza de arroz blanco

* 1 taza de leche evaporada

* 1 taza de leche regular (usé la de 2%)

* 4 tazas de agua

* 1 raja de canela

* 3 cucharadas de azúcar

* cereal Cinnamon Toast Crunch, al gusto

Instrucciones

En una olla grande, poner el agua y el arroz a hervir. Romper el palito de canela por la mitad y añadir al agua hirviendo. Agitar el arroz de vez en cuando y una vez que haya estado hirviendo durante 10 minutos, añadir la leche evaporada, seguido por la leche regular. Cierre la olla y deje hervir durante otros 5-7 minutos. Una vez que el arroz tenga una consistencia tierna, agregue el azúcar. Ponga a un lado y dejar enfriar antes de servir. Añadir cereal Cinnamon Toast Crunch. También puede añadir otro cereal crujiente dulce como Honey Nut Cheerios.

¡A disfrutar!

No olvide que las tienda Vons ofrecen excelentes ofertas en este cereal y muchos otros productos hasta el 14 de octubre!

How to Make a Mini Mariachi Sombrero Cake!

In anticipation of Mexican Independence Day and Hispanic Heritage Month, here's a pastelito of a sombrerito (a little cake, shaped like a little hat).
If you've been reading my blog, you've probably noticed that I always say my recipes are simple and "easy to make". Well, I'm being honest and this one's no exception.
With the limited amount of time I have to spend in the kitchen, it's nearly impossible to imagine myself spending hours on a gourmet meal (sigh...some day!). But that's why I usually share things that can be done in less than an hour, like this little cake!
The trick for making this mariachi sombrero cake stand out, is to focus on the decorative aspect of it. All you have to do is get a little creative and use white icing to decorate the cakes to look like the embroidery of a real mariachi sombrero.
Ingredients:
*Your favorite box of cake mix (& all required ingredients: eggs, water, vegetable oil, etc.)
*White cake frosting (I used pre-packaged Betty Crocker Vanilla frosting).
*Chocolate cake frosting
*A cute little helper...(Benny actually loved being involved with making the batter)

Tools:
*Small cake pan (I used Wilton 6 in.x 2in deep pan)
*Cupcake pan
*Spatula
*Decorative Writing Tip (I used Wilton tip #3)
*Black Food Dye

 

1. Once your cake batter is ready, pour into 6 in. pan as well as cupcake molds and bake as indicated on the box instructions.

 

2. Slice the top of a plump cupcake to give it a flat surface so it can sit perfectly over the cake. The cupcake will be used as the top of the hat.

3. This is what it will look like before you begin decorating. In order to make a black-colored mariachi hat, the fastest and easiest thing to do is to add black food coloring to brown chocolate frosting  (see below). Use a spatula to spread the frosting as evenly as possible.

Optional: Once you've covered the cake with black frosting, you can cut a small wedge all around the bottom of the cake. This will give the cake the effect of a thinner hat brim (see below)....

 

This also allows the cake to give the illusion that it's floating :)

 

The decorating of the cake is the fun part! I used a very small tip to create tiny dots and large circles. I basically doodled and played with frosting until I thought I had a pretty cakey-looking mariachi hat.

 

It's a bit messy but you get the point! I'm sure fondant would be fantastic for something like this.
Thanks for reading!

En español

Con motivo de la celebración del Dia de la Independencia de México y el Mes de Herencia Hispana, aquí les presento un pastelito de un sombrerito de mariachi.

Si has leído mi blog, te habrás dado cuenta que tiendo  a decir siempre que mis recetas son sencillas y "fáciles de hacer". Y es que, estoy siendo honesta y éste pastelito no es ninguna excepción.

Con el tiempo limitado que tengo para dedicar a la cocina, es imposible que me proponga a completar recetas complicadas. Es por eso que comparto recetas y proyectos que se pueden hacer en menos de una hora, como este pequeño pastel!

 

El truco para hacer este sombrero de mariachi se centra en el aspecto decorativo del mismo. Todo lo que tienes que hacer es ponerte un poco creativo y usar glaseado blanco para decorarlo a que se parezca el bordado de un sombrero de mariachi.

Ingredientes:

* Mezcla para pastel (y todos los ingredientes necesarios: huevos, agua, aceite vegetal, etc.)

* Glaseado blanco (yo usé un glaseado preparado de Betty Crocker, sabor vainilla).

* Glaseado de chocolate (color café)

* Un pequeño ayudante lindo... (Benny pidió estar involucrado con la preparación del pastel)

Utensilios:

* Pequeño molde para pasteles (yo usé un molde de 6 pulgadas de marca Wilton)

* Molde para pastelitos tipo “cupcake"

* Espátula

* Manga pastelera (yo usé la punta # 3 de marca Wilton

* Tinte negro para alimentos

Se ve un poco desarreglado pero el punto es que se parezca un poco al sombrero de un mariachi, como el que cantó en Guadalajara: Viva Mexico!

Kids World—Where Kids Rule!

Disclosure: I was invited to visit this new children’s venue for a possible review. Benny and I accepted the invitation and received free admission to Kids World and a $10 arcade card. All opinions are my own.

 Last Sunday Benny and I spent most of the afternoon exploring Kids World in Oak Park, CA.
Oak Park is a quiet city bordering Thousand Oaks, just outside of Los Angeles County. It’s a beautiful community, where scrapbook shops thrive and residents pride themselves in their tight-knit community.

 Kids World is a 15,000 square foot facility with basketball courts, activity rooms, a big arcade and three elaborate play spaces that cater to children of all ages. It’s pretty darn cool, especially because parents are not only allowed to enter all play areas with their children, they’re encouraged to join them in climbing, crawling, hiking, jumping and sliding through the various levels of adventure!
In a conversation with Kristina, a Kids World co-owner, I learned she had been researching kids’ entertainment centers for a while before taking on this venture.
 “I wanted parents to bond with their kids,” she said. Plus, at other venues, her kids simply “wouldn’t burn enough energy”.
 And in case you were wondering, yes, I was that mom (and a pregnant one at that) who climbed up with her toddler, got lost through a hall of punching bags, squeezed underneath obstacle bars and ran through a tunnel of jumping mats just to keep up with the little one.  It was hilarious. I definitely burned calories and there’s no question Benny and I bonded. During our quest, my son emphatically encouraged me to hurry up, asked me to join him for a “swim” in the toddler ball pit and high five’d me when we finally figured a way out! LOL!

 The arcade has tons of games, most of which seemed to charge $1 per play. In order to play, you must swipe a pre-purchased play card that keeps track of all your earned points. These points can be redeemed for prizes (think Chuck E. Cheese).  Benny was particularly interested in the games that required throwing balls at targets…Hehe

After several hours of play, we got hungry and decided to eat there. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised by their food. I bought a pizza meal for Benny that cost only $5.95 and bought myself a Chicken Caesar salad. As it turns out, the venue has a kitchen and cooks who prepare everything from scratch. The pizza, pasta dishes and salads are all made from scratch. My salad was delicious. For those seeking a refreshing adult beverage, there are beers on tap and Mimosas are served during Sunday brunch hours!

And just a heads-up, the place is impeccably clean. There is a “socks-only” policy, so make sure to bring socks. Your shoes will be waiting at the exit.
Admission is $10.00 per person with a $2 sibling discount.  Kids World is located at 618 Lindero Canyon Rd. Ste. A, Oak Park, CA 91377
More details here: Kids World
I definitely recommend it... Laughs and good times are guaranteed!

En español
El domingo pasado Benny y yo pasamos la mayor parte de la tarde explorando Kids World en Oak Park, CA.

Oak Park es una ciudad tranquila, cerca de Thousand Oaks, a las afueras del condado de Los Ángeles. Es una comunidad linda. 

Kids World es una instalación de 15,000 pies cuadrados con canchas de baloncesto, salas de actividades, una galería de juegos y tres laberintos elaborados para niños de todas las edades. Es bastante divertido, sobre todo porque los padres no sólo se les permite entrar a todas las áreas de juego con sus hijos, sino que se les anima a subir, escalar, gatear, saltar y correr a través de los distintos niveles de la aventura!En una conversación con Kristina, co-propietaria de Kids World, me enteré de que había estado investigando centros de entretenimiento de niños por un tiempo antes de invertir en uno propio. "Quería que los padres compartieran experiencias de diversión con sus hijos", dijo. Además, en otros lugares, sus hijos simplemente "no quemaban la energía suficiente". 

Y por si tenían la duda, sí me animé y subí con Benny y nos perdimos a través de un túnel de pelotas colgantes, logré caber debajo de las barras de obstáculos y corrí a través de un puente con tapetes para saltar… y todo por alcanzar al travieso de mi niño. Fue muy gracioso. Definitivamente quemé calorías y no hay duda que Benny y compartimos un buen rato. Durante nuestra aventura, mi hijo me animó enfáticamente a darle prisa, me pidió que me uniera a él para "nadar" en el océano de pelotas y nos felicitamos cuando finalmente logramos salir…pero que risa!! 

La galería tiene un montón de juegos, la mayoría de los cuales cobran $ 1 por jugada. Para jugar, debe pasar una tarjeta de juego pre-pagada que realiza un seguimiento de todos los puntos acumulados. Estos puntos pueden ser canjeados por premios (piensen en Chuck E. Cheese). Benny estaba particularmente interesado en los juegos que requerían que lanzara bolas contra blancos ... Jiji 

Después de varias horas de juego, nos dio hambre y decidimos comer allí. Debo decir que me quedé muy sorprendida por la comida. Compré una pizza para Benny que costó sólo $5.95 y me compré una ensalada César con pollo. Resulta que el lugar cuenta con un grupo de cocineros que preparan todo de la nada. Las pizzas, platos de pasta y ensaladas son preparados ahí mismo con ingredientes naturales. Para aquellos que buscan una bebida refrescante de adultos, hay cervezas de barril y se sirven Mimosas los domingos! 

El lugar está impecablemente limpio. Se requieren calcetines para entrar así que asegúrese de llevar pares de calcetines. Sus zapatos estarán esperándolo a la salida. La admisión es de $ 10.00 por persona con un descuento de hermanitos de $ 2. Kids World se encuentra en: 618 Lindero Canyon Rd. Ste. A, Oak Park, CA 91377 Más detalles aquí: Kids World 

Simple Angry Bird (Red Bird) Pancakes

Angry birds have been around for quite a while but it wasn’t until recently that Benny discovered the app on one of our phones and quickly learned the ways of successful finger bird launching!

The other morning he asked if he could have an Angry Bird pancake for breakfast and I figured, well, “I think I can”.

Here is what you will need to make similar “Red Bird” pancakes:

Pancake Batter (I used Zodiack’s ‘just add water’ pancake mix)

Red & Yellow food dye

Reddi-Whip

Blueberries

Raisins
Butter

Start by adding red food dye to your pancake batter and pour inside a squeeze bottle.

Set aside a small portion of pancake batter and mix yellow and red food dye to create orange-colored pancake batter.

You’ll have to make sure you use a griddle or non-stick pan/skillet that is free of scratches… this is key in making sure the pancakes turn out smooth.

Make sure you’re using low heat and the pan is pretty warm before pouring the batter.

Use the squeeze bottle as a pen, so to speak, to draw out silhouette of Red bird’s head, which is basically a circle with two small ridges (bird crest) on top.  Once your outline is done, fill in the circle with the rest of the red batter.

For the beak, I didn’t use the squeeze bottle; I tried forming two triangles by pouring the orange-colored batter straight out of the bowl and that didn’t really work so I used a fork to cut the edges. Note: I added a bit of butter to the pan to make it easier to lift the smaller pancake pieces.

I made another round pancake (no food coloring), to serve as the bird chin. I had to cut the bottom to match the red pancake shape.

Lastly, I placed all the pieces together and used blueberries to make the angry-looking eyebrows which are very characteristic of this particular bird. Once those were in place, I used Reddi-Whip (2 small squirts) to make the eyes and placed raisins over the Reddi-Whip as the pupils.

Benny loved his pancake and asked for syrup too, of course!