Blog - Sweet Life

Roasted Corn and Mango Salad

It’s grilling season in Texas and there is nothing better than the intense contrast of smoky, golden corn kernels, vibrant mango chunks, and crumbly queso fresco. This bright mix of flavors is perfect served up as a salad, salsa or side dish. Roasted Corn and Mango Salad When my husband was young, he lived next to a corn field on a ranch in Driscoll, Texas. Every year, the stalks would grow tall and he would watch his father harvest them on his tractor. The rancho had a store where they sold all kinds of delicious foods and ingredients made… Read More

How to make Menudo {Video}

Menudo is a classic Mexican soup that is traditionally served during the holidays, and especially at Christmas-time. It’s also known as a hangover remedy here in Texas, where the popular soup is served at many local Tex-Mex restaurants on Sundays. Menudo Menudo is packed full of one of my favorite ingredients, hominy. These plump, juicy kernels have such an amazing texture and they take on the flavor of whatever broth you add them to, making them the perfect addition to any soup or stew. As a child, I remember my mami would spend hours prepping her ingredients and tending to… Read More

Red Wine Guava Spritzers

A refreshing red wine guava spritzers made with red wine, guava juice then topped with sparkling water is the best remedy for long, hot summer days. Red Wine Guava Spritzers Hello, Summer, excited to see you, now pease stop raining. We have been hit with an enormous amount of rain lately here in South Texas. I thought by now I’d be sitting outside enjoying an icy cold cocktail, but instead, I’m cooking, washing dishes by candlelight since our electricity has been flickering in and out for the past few days. When these thunderstorms settle down, I’ll be sipping up plenty of these red… Read More

Slow Cooker Oxtails in Salsa Verde

Delicious oxtail tacos in salsa verde made in the slow cooker are the perfect weeknight meal for those busy days. Slow Cooker Oxtails in Salsa Verde I recently hosted a fun Facebook live with Melanie from Que Means What and Rumba meats. I had a great time chatting with Melanie about family, food, and culture. Melanie focuses on sharing her passion for diversity in entertainment, education and spending time outdoors. Melanie is also on a mission to reconnect with her heritage so that she may pass her love of her culture to her sons. She is also a huge supporter… Read More

Big Red Cake

A dreamy poke cake featuring a beloved Texas soft drink Big Red is a perfect addition to your summer parties. Big Red Cake Created in Waco, Texas Big Red is a true Texas treat. An Icy cold Big Red it is a welcome remedy for a hot Texas summer day. Sipped with barbacoa on the weekends or churned into ice cream Texans are addicted to Big Red and have been enjoying it since 1937. One of my favorite ways to enjoy big red is baked into a cake. I made this Big Red cake over the holiday season, but never… Read More

Baked Chicken Flautas with Roasted Poblano-Avocado Sauce

Shredded chicken wrapped in corn tortillas, baked and served with a creamy roasted poblano avocado sauce is nothing short of deliciousness. Baked Chicken Flautas with Roasted Poblano-Avocado Sauce I’m excited to share with you a recipe I enjoy plating up on a busy weeknight that the entire family loves. With a busy family, hectic schedule and endless piles of laundry I’m always on the lookout on ways to save myself time during the week. Lucky me I reside in the beautiful state of Texas where we can grill year round. My wonderful husband fires up the grill pretty much every… Read More

Tipsy Texas Tea

A spiked Tea cocktail made with plenty of tequila, fresh lemon juice and Texas tea is the ultimate summer cocktail. Tipsy Texas Tea We Texans love our Tea! My mami made sun tea all throughout the brutal Texas summer months. Sun tea is made by adding tea bags to a glass container. Placed on the porch the warmth of the sun brews the tea, which results in the tastiest tea. I recently hosted a fun facebook live where I shared my Tipsy Texas Tea cocktail. I had so many requests for the recipe that I did a quick photo shoot yesterday. This… Read More

Pan de Campo

A simple bread made of baking powder, flour and shortening pan de campo has become a beloved staple of the Tejano kitchen, traditionally cooked in a Dutch oven. Pan de Campo In 2005 pan de campo was declared the state bread of Texas. Pan de campo also known as “camp bread” or “cowboy bread” originated with the vaqueros of South Texas. The bread baked quickly and was eaten with a heaping spoon of beans or dried meat. The crispy exterior made pan de campo a delicious portable meal while the vaqueros tended cattle on the South Texas… Read More