Blog - Sweet Life

Fritos Candy

Photos by Jason David Page In 1932 C. E. Doolin of San Antonio, Texas purchased a recipe and equipment form a local gentleman named Gustavo Olguin. Doolin had spotted Gustavo making an extruded corn chip out of masa. He would fry them and sell them in snack size bags. Gustavo called them Fritos, “little fried things,” and Doolin thought these would be a perfect snack item to sell in his confectionary store. He carried the equipment home and began testing the recipe. His mother would later perfect the recipe. Doolin soon hired farmers across Texas to grow a special corn… Read More

How to make Dyed Corn Husk Flower Vases

Photo by Jason David Page Hola! I’m back with a fun and festive way to showcase all those beautiful corn husks you purchase to make tamales. For our annual tamalada I wanted to create something to display my Lone Star Living Bouquets. Lone Star Living Bouquet is the first floral bouquet dedicated to celebrating your Texas life sold exclusively at HEB. I am obsessed with their flowers and showcase them in my kitchen weekly. My little sister took the lead in this DIY and we both loved the final result so much that I featured them in my tamalada post…. Read More

How to make Champurrado

Champurrado is a traditional Mexican chocolate based atole that is comfort in a cup. Atoles such as champurrado are thickened with masa harina (corn flour) and flavored with spices, fruits or chocolate. Served for breakfast in the cold months champurrado is thick, creamy, and rich and coats the belly in pure comfort. When the temperatures drop nothing beats a warm cup of champurrado. Who doesn’t want to enjoy chocolate for breakfast!? My abuelita made us champurrado on chilly mornings before we would head out to early Mass. I clearly remember sitting at her table grasping the warm cup, slowly sipping… Read More

Tamales de Pollo con Mole (Chicken Mole Tamales)

I recently visited Oaxaca with Eat.Drink.Cook.Mexico. It was a magical trip filled with amazing food, daily market tours and plenty of mezcal tastings. I was in a group with fellow food lovers who made the trip even more memorable by sharing their love of food with me. The highlight of the trip for me was that I was able to travel to Oaxaca with my daughter. Visiting Oaxaca for the first time with her made the trip truly special. To see her excitement as we cooked, shopped at the local markets and climbed the stairs of the ruins warmed my… Read More

Join Us for the Smithfield #CocinaConSmithfield Twitter Party

Sweet Life Disclosure: This is part of a sponsored campaign with DiMe Media & Smithfield. Thank you for supporting the brands I collaborate with to bring you exciting new recipes. It’s time to start preparing para los dias festivos! Are you ready?! I know I am! There’s a lot of things I love about the holidays, but my favorite thing is entertaining, so I’m always on the hunt for new recipes that I can serve alongside my favorite traditional dishes. Start looking through your recipes and pictures to share with us! We’ll be chatting recipes, all-things-bacon and ham, and home entertaining tips… Read More

Agua Fresca de Aguacate (Avocado Cooler)

Sweet Life Disclosure: This is a sponsored post with the Hass Avocado Board. Thank you for supporting the companies I collaborate with to bring you exciting new recipes. Video By Gerald Flores. I love making aguas frescas. They are light, fruity, refreshing plus I find it a thrill to try out new combinations with each new season. Agua Fresca (fresh waters) are light-bodied drinks made from fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs and grains. You can find them sold at local mercados throughout Mexico and are pretty popular here in South Texas. A tall glass of agua fresca is a great option for… Read More

How to Host a Tamalada

Photos by Jason David Page How to Host a Tamalada It wouldn’t be Christmas without tamales. The smell of tamales steaming on the stove-top reminds me of my childhood, my abuelita, mami and aunts and uncles all huddled in my abuelita’s kitchen. Tamales are a traditional dish served at Christmas, but they’re so much more than that for many families here in South Texas. Tamales are a deeply rooted connection with our past, our present and our future. The communal event of making tamales, a tamalada, goes beyond coming together to create this aromatic treat. Making tamales with family and… Read More

Turkey Blackberry Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Salsa Verde Spread

Sweet Life Disclosure: This is a sponsored post with Unilever. Thank you for supporting the brands I collaborate with to bring you exciting, new recipes. Hosting Thanksgiving comes with plenty of perks and I love them all. From spending time with the family, board games with the kids, thanksgiving football game and let’s not forget about the best perk of them all – plenty of leftovers. Oh tasty, tasty leftovers make this gal super happy. I’m pretty much set for the next two weeks for meals, anything from turkey enchiladas, turkey tostadas, nachos to soup Thanksgiving leftovers are the best…. Read More