Tasty Tuesdays-The Times They Are Changin'

I'm going to admit that my idea of sharing how I was going to start writing consistently pretty much fell on its' face as soon as I left the starting block. I have no excuses but lots of reasons~ oh yeah, lots of reasons~ with photos even!

If you follow me on social media, you'll see I'm much more likely to be posting things. Why is that, you may ask (as if I think you may actually care)? Well, I'm happy to tell you anyway. It's a whole lot quicker to pop in a pithy quote or quick update or photo than it is to sit and do a blog post. Yep, that's about it. No huge revelation or new theory. Just easier and quicker is all. 

And why is this significant? Because I have been busy with the Quiltopia Quilt Show, my Etsy shop plus my new job at Whitlock's Vac & Sew, that's why as well as trying to spend time with Brian plus do my various projects here at home. And, while I am absolutely loving all this, it doesn't leave a whole lot of time- or at least not a whole lot of time to sit down and blog. 

So there you have it- my excuse reason for not keeping up writing at Mangia Mamma. The only problem is, I have a habit of posting things on social media with the promise that a recipe, craft project, idea or some other thing that a few people may actually want to know. Not wanting to lose any friends- as that's usually who says things like, "Sounds yummy. Want to share the recipe?", I am now feeling a bit convicted about keeping up with the blog.

Okay, it's time for me to stop beating around the bush and share what's really been going on!!

1) Quiltopia was a great success! It's a three-day show at the Willamette Heritage Center the first weekend of October. I had the opportunity to be the social media coordinator for the event plus I was able to demonstrate the HandiQuilter the whole weekend on behalf of Whitlock's- which is a great segue to 

Can you tell I love my new job (and Janome sewing machines!!!)?

2) My new job!!!! I've been hired at Whitlock's which is a terrific sewing/quilting shop that also sells vacuums. I had been planning on teaching kids' classes, but they've decided they'd also like me to work on the floor helping customers find the sewing machine of their dreams as well as all the notions and extras to make their sewing dreams come true! I love working there and being part of the team!!

3)Part of my sewing dream to come true is my shop, Piccolo Di Luce. I have been so excited about getting to make pocket oratories and rosary cases for so many wonderful customers since I started. This week I was actually asked to be part of the Zelie & Co. Auction as one of their guest artisans! 

Check out my shop page on my blog as I'm going to be adding a few new items in the next month.

4)With the busyness, I was so grateful to be able to get away with a group of old and new friends this past weekend. The "Cabin Girls" have been meeting at a cabin in lovely Rhododendron, Oregon for 24 years now, and this year was just as fun as when those of us who first starting coming were all a lot younger!!

5)Recipes. Yes, I had promised recipes on the blog then didn't come through. I know there are a bazillion blogs on the internet, but sometimes I still like to post recipes that I think are fun, or quirky or just really yummy. Today's is no exception. With all of the pumpkin spice craziness, I thought I'd weigh in my take on pumpkin spice creamer. It's totally delicious and simple to make. So, with friends Lynsi and Annette first and foremost in my mind, here is the recipe plus a few variations!

PUMPKIN SPICE CREAMER #1

2 cups half & half
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice mix

Whisk everything in a small bowl. Once well blended, pour into decorative bottle and store in refrigerator.

PUMPKIN SPICE CREAMER #2 (doesn't use real pumpkin, but has a great pumpkin flavor!!)

2 cups half & half
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup pumpkin spice syrup (like Torani)
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice mix

Whisk everything in a small bowl. Once well blended, pour into decorative bottle and store in refrigerator.

Variations:
~For Pumpkin Maple Creamer add 1/4 cup maple syrup to recipe #1
~ For Vanilla Cinnamon Creamer, use 2 1/2 cups half & half, no pumpkin, and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon instead of pumpkin pie spice

Thursday Thoughts - or - "What I Did This Summer"

I know everyone says it, but I am totally trying to figure out where summer 2016 has gone. You know how when you were little, your teachers would make you write a paper about "What I Did This Summer". Back in those days, it was usually a paper filled with the fun we had on our family vacations, books I read and maybe even a fun activity or two I got to participate in. I guess times haven't changed to much, so here are a few Thursday thoughts on "What I Did This Summer".

We started out in June with an Aziz Family Reunion here in Oregon. It was especially nice getting to see cousins that live on the other side of the county. From berry-picking & jam-making to a BBQ down at my Uncle Paul's in Lebanon to a Father's Day Picnic at a park here in Salem, the weekend was packed full of family!

I've been pleasantly busy making pocket oratories and rosary cases for my Etsy Shop as well as selling them on the Peter's Square Marketplace. One of the most fun pocket oratories I made was for a little boy whom I am happy to be praying for. His name is Ambrose. His story is amazing, inspiring and incredible, so be sure to check it out. After hearing his dad share on EWTN radio's The with Barbara Mc one morning, I looked up his Facebook page and immediately added little Ambrose to my prayer list. Whilst making another pocket oratory one day, I thought, "I need to make him an oratory, so he'll have something to hold onto at church or when he wants to see a picture of Jesus and His Blessed Mother. Ambrose's mom graciously gave me their address, and I had the joy of making this little "toddler size" pocket oratory for this precious little boy. Like I said, be sure to check out his page on Facebook, so you can pray for him and his family too!

I got the chance this summer to help a little bit with fixing up my late grandparents' house and learned a lot more about swimming pool tile than I could have imagined. My parents have done the majority of the work which is simply incredible. The house went from looking okay to simply stunning. Be sure to stay tuned as I plan on posting some "after" photos as soon as it's all finished.











We didn't go on any family vacations this year, although Cari, Mary, David and I did attend the annual Knights of Columbus campout. It was super fun getting to meet some new people as well as doing the whole camping thing. We are always in charge of Sunday breakfast and this year was no exception. We made our family favorite, breakfast burritos while standing under a canopy during pouring Sunday morning rain. It wasn't totally fun, but the food was hot and tasty, and everyone seemed to enjoy it!

The last part of August was spent sending everyone off to school again. It seemed like it might be easier than last year, and it actually was (okay, up until this week when I've had a few "kid homesick days" missing them being here). I'm so proud of all of them, especially David as he starts his senior  year at Christendom College. He's worked really hard to get this far, and we are now in continual prayer mode for his thesis, his classes and, of course, where he's planning on attending graduate school when he receives his Bachelors Degree in May. 

So now, even though it's September and technically still summer, I feel like my summer is pretty much over. Thankfully, I've got all kinds of stuff going on as well as lots to pray for, so the transition is seeming to go pretty well. The weather has been going through transitions to, so I'm working on some new food ideas too. I hope you enjoy your Thursday!

A New Look & End of the Summer Recipe

If you've ever visited my blog before, you'll notice Mangia Mamma now has a new look. Thanks to my oldest child, who is much more computer savvy than I will ever be, the blog now has a bit more of a polished look. I had once again thought about just giving it up then Cari (the aforementioned oldest child) noticed how many people actually check it out. I was so shocked that I had her double check, and sure enough, I get enough "hits" that I decided to keep going with it. 

I also now have a page about my Etsy shop, Piccolo Di Luce. It'll link you right to the shop as well as have updates on new items I'm working on & selling. 

Since I'm going to try to start blogging a bit more consistently, I thought I'd let you know what the weekly menu will look like here at MM:

~Tuesday posts will be "Tasty Tuesdays" and feature a recipe from my plethora of cookbooks or new creations from my kitchen

~Thursday posts will either be a link up to Like Mother, Like Daughter's {Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real} or a post on homemaking,, movies, books, podcasts that I've been enjoying and other things like that.

~Friday or Saturday posts will be all about empty nesting & having young adult kids. I am hoping to have some guest posts about these topics as they are relevant to so many people, even if not today then in the future.

I thought I'd add an easy and inexpensive recipe for one of our family favorites during this last part of summer. When it gets too warm to put on an oven, you can still cook up a batch of Mangia Mamma Tostadas! Another bonus for us is that it's gluten free, nut free, low sodium & can be made with lactose free cheese. All of the toppings can be cut up/made ahead of time, so you can just heat up the meat & beans for a quick weeknight dinner.  Enjoy!

Mangia Mamma Tostadas

It's less expensive plus so much better tasting when you fry up corn tortillas to make the shells yourself. If you do use store-bought tostada shells, be sure to heat them for 5-7 minutes in a 300 degree oven which makes them taste a little closer to homemade goodness.

• Yield:
 Serves about 6

METHOD
INGREDIENTS

Vegetable oil
12 corn tortillas
Salt
21 Seasoning Salute from Trader Joe's
1 lb. lean ground beef 

1 finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons tomato paste
2-3 tablespoons low sodium taco seasoning 
2-15 oz. cans refried beans 
Toppings can include the following plus anything else your family may like:
cooked rice (I either make a batch or just reheat what I've got in the fridge in my rice cooker), chopped lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, guacamole or avocado, salsa, cilantro, grated or crumbled cheese of your choice (we do whatever we have along with some goat cheese for our lactose intolerant kid), chopped fresh cilantro, green onions, sour cream

1 Heat refried beans in a saucepan, until warm. If you are using regular canned beans, drain them, then add them to the pan with a little water, mixing them as you heat them. Keep on low while you prepare everything else.

2 Heat a little bit of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently until opaque. Add ground beef, cooking until no longer red. Add taco seasoning and tomato paste. Keep on low heat while you prepare the tortillas.

3  Pour enough oil to about 1/4" into another frying pan. Heat the oil on medium high heat until sizzling hot, but not smoking then turn down to medium. As soon as it seems hot enough, fry the tortillas in the oil, one or two at a time depending on how big your pan is.  Fry until golden brown on both sides, cooking about a minute per side. Using tongs, push the tortilla down in the oil, and to turn and lift the tortilla out of the pan, gently shaking the excess oil as you do so.  Place the tortilla on a paper towel-lined plate, to absorb the excess oil. Sprinkle with a little salt (or the 21 Seasoning Salute for anyone who needs to eat low sodium). 

You might need to add a bit more oil to the pan as it gets low, but be sure the oil heats enough before adding another tortilla.

4 We like to serve this buffet style. I just place the pots of beans and beef on trivets on the kitchen counter along with the rice in the cooker plus various toppings in various bowls (I like to use jars or tupperware sometimes in order to expedite clean up). Have everyone serve themselves stacking their tostadas with what ingredients they like.

I usually have leftover oil and tortillas, so since I don't like to waste what can be reused, I make chips with what's left. Cut the tortillas into any shape you want and fry the same way for the tostada shells. Also, you can also use any kind of leftover meat or even eggs instead of the beef. This makes a great "Faithful Friday" dinner when you just use the beans and no meat. 
I'd love to hear what kind of tostadas your family likes to eat as I'm always happy to learn new ideas for recipes!