Happy Dia de los Muertos!

     We don't usually celebrate Dia de los Muertos also known as Day of the Dead, but these I decided why not?!  It's a great day to remember all our family and friends that have passed away, plus Liam loves skeletons!   We started the day off with some Sugar Skull inspired Pancakes with Apples cut to look like Bones

I baked up some Dia de los Muertos Bread

While dinner was cooking we munched on some

Tortilla Chips with Salsa & Guacamole.

It was perfect with the Do XX Amber and Willmon Moscato Wine

For dinner we had Tamales, Grilled Mexican Corn on the Cob, 

Mexican Rice, and the Dia de los Muertos Bread.

And for dessert......

We enjoyed some Sugar Skull Sugar Cookies I baked up!

Everything turned out great!

Even Kinley liked it!

Dia de los Muertos Dinner

Mexican Grilled Corn - Recipe from I Wash You Dry

Here's what you need:

6 ears of corn (shucked & fibers removed)

1 TBsp mayonaise

2 TBsp sour cream

1/2 cup Cotija cheese

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup cilantro (chopped - the hubby put some on his, but I don't care for it)

1 lime (cut into 6 wedges)

How to make them:

Heat grill over medium heat and spray rack with non-stick cooking spray.

Grill corn, turning frequently (so as not to burn them) until the corn is slightly browned and heated through, about 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the mayo and sour cream in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.

In another small bowl, combine the chili powder, salt and pepper.

Slather the hot grilled corn with the mayo/sour cream mixture (pastry brush works great), then sprinkle on the chili powder mixture.

Coat in Cotija cheese and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

Serve with a lime wedge (to squirt lime juice on the cobs)

ENJOY!

Mexican Rice - Recipe from About.Com

Here's what you need:

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1/4 of a medium onion (chopped)

1 1/2 cups Basmati rice (rinsed throughly)

3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 cup plain tomato sauce

How to make it:

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.

Add in the fresh onion, sauté for 1-2 minutes until softened.

Add dry rice and cook with the onions for about 5 minutes or until rice becomes a golden brown color.

Add in the garlic to the rise and sauté for one more minute.

Add broth and tomato sauce (add slowly into the rice, not directly onto the hot pan) 

Stir it up and bring to a boil.

Once it starts boiling, turn the heat to low and cover.

Let it simmer for 20 minutes and fluff with a fork, then ENJOY!

Dia de lost Muertos Bread

Sugar Skull Sugar Cookies

What you need:

Cookies-

2 cups all purpose flour (sifted)

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (room temperature)

1 cup sugar

1 large egg, lightly beaten (room temperature)

2 Tbsp milk

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Royal Icing for decorating (optional)

Royal Icing - 

1 pound confectioner's sugar (sifted)

5 TBsp meringue powder

scant 1/2 cup water

How to make them:

Cookies -

Whisk or sift together flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl; set aside.

In a medium bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar; mix until light and fluffy.

with mixer running, add egg, milk, and vanilla; mix until well combined.

With the mixer on low, slowly add reserved flour mixture.

Mix until just combined.

Transfer dough to a work surface.

Shape into 2 discs, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350˚F.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to 1/8 inch thickness.

cut into desired shapes (I used a skull cookie cutter).

Transfer to the prepared baking sheets, leaving an inch in between.

Leftover dough can be rolled and cut once more.

Bake for about 10 minutes or until lightly golden; DO NOT allow to brown.

Transfer to wire racks to cool.

Decorate with royal icing.

Royal Icing -

Beat ingredients in a mixer bowl on low speed until smooth, about 7 minutes.

If icing is too thick, add more water; if too thin, beat 2-3 minutes more.

*To decorate the Sugar Skulls - divide the icing in 5 bowls.

Using food coloring gels, color 1 bowl of icing teal, another fuchsia, another marigold, and another black, leaving 1 white.

Put each bowl of icing in a prepared piping bag fitted with a thin tip.

Use the white icing first and cover the cookie to make it look like a skull.

Let dry, then using the other colors decorate the skull.

Let dry, then ENJOY!

Dia de los Muertos Bread

Recipe from Nestle Kitchens

What you need:

1 packet (7grams) active - dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water (100-110˚F)

1/2 cup Nestle la Lechera Sweetened Condensed Milk or Nestle Carnation Sweetened Condensed Milk

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 tsp anise seeds (I didn't put these in, since I couldn't find any)

1/2 tsp salt

4 large eggs (room temperature)

4 1/2 cups all purpose flour (sifted and divided)

1 egg yolk (beaten with 2 tsp water)

2 TBsp granulated sugar (divided)

How to make it:

Stir yeast and warm water in a large glass bowl; allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Heat La Lechera and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until butter is melted.

Add anise seeds, salt, and La Lechera mixture to yeast mixture and stir to combine.

Add eggs and 1 cup of flour and mix well with wooden spoon.

Continure adding remaining flour, cup by cup, stirring well until dough comes together.

Knead dough gently for about 5 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic, no longer sticky.

Place in a large greased bowl, cover with greased plastic wrap.

Let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until double in size.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Punch dough down and divide in half. 

Cut 3 small (about 1 tablespoonful) balls from each half.

Roll out 4 small dough balls to form the "bones."

Shape each of the larger dough pieces into round loaves.

Gently press the bones on top of the loaves crossing each other to make an "X".

Roll the remaining 2 small dough balls to form the "skulls." 

Put the skulls in middle of the "X" and gently press down.

Place loaves on the prepared baking sheet and allow to rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350˚F.

Brush tops of each loaf with the egg wash.

Bake for 20 minutes; remove loaves from the oven and brush again with the egg wash, then sprinkle each with half of the sugar.

Return to the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until loaves are golden brown and sound hallow when tapped.

Serve warm or cool completely, ENJOY!