Blog - Sweet Life

Rosca de Reyes

Rosca de Reyes or Three Kings Bread is a traditional bread enjoyed by Christians to commemorate El Día de Los Tres Reyes Magos or Three Kings’ Day. A rosca is baked to honor the day the Three Kings visited the newborn Jesus, and officially ends the holiday season in Mexico. Family and friends gather to celebrate and feasting on ‘Rosca’ is the highlight. The signature sweet soft bread, which is shaped like a ring. Shaped into a ring it represents the king’s crown and God’s eternal love. The bejeweled-looking bread is meant to symbolize the gifts given to… Read More

Homemade Rompope

Rompope is the Mexican version of eggnog, spiked with rum. This creamy egg-based drink is often served during the Christmas season for Las Posadas. My mom loves Rompope and always made sure to purchase extra bottles for the Holiday season with every trip we made to Mexico. Mi Abuelita loves to sip Rompope on chilly evenings spent chatting on her porch. It never feels quite like Christmas until we have our first sip of Rompope. Have you ever made homemade Rompope? It’s much easier than you think. Made with almonds, sugar, milk, cinnamon sticks, ground nutmeg, vanilla… Read More

Homemade Cranberry Cocktail Syrup

Homemade cranberry syrup made of fresh cranberries, sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice is the merriest of gifts for cocktail lovers. I am gifting the gift of booziness this year. My homemade cranberry cocktail syrup is the ultimate gift for the cocktail shakers in your life. Homemade cranberry cocktail syrup is not only soooo easy to make. You can literally make todas las cocktails with it. From margaritas to martinis to mimosas my homemade cranberry cocktail syrup has got ya covered. I shared how to make homemade hibiscus cinnamon cocktail syrup, then how to infuse vodka. Today I’m excited… Read More

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Tamales

Pumpkin cream cheese tamales flavored with brown sugar, ginger, cloves, cinnamon are filled with a pumpkin cream cheese filling. Served warm with a dollop of whipped cream is the sweetest ending to your holiday meals. I have combined my love of fall pumpkin desserts with one of my favorite holiday recipes – tamales! The masa is spiced with brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and mixed with warm milk to create a sweet masa. Spread onto a corn husk then filled with a pumpkin cream cheese filling my pumpkin cream cheese tamales make me so happy. Savory tamales are… Read More

Salsa Verde Chicken Tamales {Tamales de Pollo con Salsa Verde}

Salsa Verde Chicken Tamales made with chicken cooked in salsa verde until fork tender spooned onto a tender masa steamed in a corn husk make for the ultimate holiday feast. Excited to share this Tamale de Pollo con salsa verde recipe with you today. I cannot imagine Christmas without tamales – chicken, pork, beef, bean or cheese we love them all. Every year we gather as a familia to make tamales. Our tamalada is my favorite event of the entire year. We make tamales, laugh, eat, sip cocktails and share stories. Today I want to share with… Read More

Coyotas

Coyotas stuffed cookies that hail from Sonora, Mexico are made from a dough infused with a brown sugar cinnamon tea and filled with a brown sugar filling. Coyotas are said to be the oldest pastry baked up in Sonora, Mexico the first batch baked in the 19th century. Made from tea infused dough, piloncillo the name Coyotas, were sold by woman and children in the streets. Mestizo women and children of Spanish and native heritage were called coyotas and coyotitos soon people from the town nicknamed the cookie coyotas and the name remained. Coyotas are made with… Read More

Pineapple Piloncillo Empanadas

Flaky pineapple empanadas flavored with piloncillo, lemon juice and cinnamon make the ultimate Holiday gift. Empanadas were the first baked treat I made with my Abuelita Cuca. I always seemed to find myself drawn to the kitchen when I heard her chopping and, stirring away the numerous pots on the stove. These pineapple piloncillo empanadas are a loving nod to her. I would sit at the table watching her every move. A quick stir, a quick flip, a few pinches of seasoning, her tiny hands were graceful and confident. She would turn to me and ask if I… Read More

Marranitos {Pan Dulce} Recipe

Marranitos a pan dulce, made from ginger, cinnamon, dark brown sugar and unsulfured molasses can be found in any Mexican bakery. Marranitos also known as Puerquito, chochitos, or cochis are a piggy shaped pan dulce. Growing up Abuelito would take us to the local panaderia to pick up a bag of pan dulce every Sunday after mass. I ran for the conchas, the galletas y las empanadas. Pero my big sister always headed for the marranitos. Truth be told – I hated marranitos, the ginger -molasses combination was my not my favorite combination. I would watch as my… Read More