Wishing you a Happy 2012 with Extra Cheese

"Ok Jim, they called me crazy for hiring my nephew, here's your chance to prove yourself. These had better be the best New Year's Eve graphics EVER."

may your 2012 be filled with love, sparkles and extra cheese-

nacho mama

Nacho Mama's Podcast EPISODE ONE-Resolutions: Weightloss and Fitness

Yep, that's my hand on Richard Simmons' butt. If only I could get mine that firm!

NACHO MAMA'S PODCAST, EPISODE ONE airs LIVE TODAY at 3pm PT on:
www.BlogTalkRadio.com/NachoMamasPodcast

EPISODE 1! We'll be talking about Weight Loss and Fitness resolutions for the new year. Thinking of joining Weight Watchers? Trying Sensa? Wondering how you can find an exercise regime you can actually keep up? I'll give you my two cents based on my personal experience and share what's been working for me. I'll also let you know about some of my favorite blogs on the topic of weight loss, fitness and body image. I'll even pass along an easy and healthy dessert recipe from one of my favorite blogs!

Nacho Mama Says: FELIZ NAVIDAD and a CUCHI-CUCHI-CHRISTMAS!!

 

Greatest. Kid's show. Ever.

And can we talk about that fabulous HAT?!

Wishing ALL of you  Happy Holidays with Extra Cheese-

Nacho Mama

From the Archives: Don't Sweat the Holiday Stuff-A Tale of Two Santas (orig.pub.@Rockonmommies)

This post was originally published last year on Rock On Mommies.

When I think back on my childhood Christmases I have to say that, in my memory? They were perfect; filled with twinkling lights, beautiful music, yummy food and thousands of hugs. The other day I was having lunch with some of the other Rock On Mommies, and we went around the table sharing our favorite childhood holiday gifts.  I was shocked to discover that, although I can remember the way my Great-Aunt Rosie smelled (Giorgio) and I can remember my cousins playing “Silent Night” on their clarinets (shrill, but charming) I can’t really remember my presents very much.

That was really eye-opening. Especially when I think of the hours I’ve spent agonizing over getting just the right gifts for my family and friends. I have actually lost sleep. Over the presents.  Oh.

Then there’s all the hours making sure everyone arrives on time and that everything falls into place just so. Because I want the holiday to be perfect-just like I remember, right? But when I really looked at my memories (and the photos) I was shocked again to realize that what made those memories so warm and fuzzy for me was, in fact, all the imperfections.

MUY BIG NEWS! Nacho Mama's PODCAST! Launching 12/28, 3pm PT

That's RIGHT! I can't wait to start podcasting for all of you!

Episode 1 of NACHO MAMA'S PODAST will air LIVE at 3pm PT on Wednesday December 28th. I'll be talking about:
-RESOLUTIONS! Weightloss, Fitness, etc.
-My thoughts on the new changes to the Weight Watchers Pointsplus program
-Working out (including highlights of my "bucket list" workout with Cynthia from Fat Girl Escapades)
-My fave weightloss blogs
-A GREAT and easy recipe from one of said blogs
and MORE!

Can't tune in for the live broadcast? No worries-you can visit MY BLOGTALK RADIO CHANNEL anytime to catch up with me! That's right, you'll be able hear my podcasts anytime over at http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/NachoMamasPodcast

Do YOU have a suggestion for a podcast topic? Or a question you'd like answered?
You can tweet it to me @ShesNachoMama OR send me an email with the subject line "PODCAST" to ShesNachoMama@yahoo.com

I hope you like my podcast! It's something I've wanted to do for a very, very long time.

HAPPY, HEALTHY HOLIDAYS TO YOU ALL!

Wishing you love with extra cheese-
Nacho Mama

When bad recipes go good: Nacho "Sugar" Mama's Candy! #POSITIVISIMO

'Tis the season for baking and making all kinds of tempting treats! Almost all of my favorite holiday treats are based on one vital ingredient-MILK!  There's my mother's flan (the recipe is top secret and she won't even share it with me, let alone the internet), Tres Leches cake and fudge. Of course, it wouldn't be Christmas in our house without Mexican Hot Chocolate! 

But this year I wanted to try something different.

Last year, I developed a YUMMY Christmas Cookie recipe that calls for Dulce de Leche candy. For those of you who don't know, Dulce de Leche is a milk-based confection popular in Latin America. It's not the easiest thing in the world to make, and the "shortcut" method involves boiling cans of sweetened condensed milk for hours on end. This method is not only time consuming, but very dangerous-sometimes the cans explode!

But I had lots of leftover condensed milk from the fudge I made last week and thought I'd try to find an easier way. So I did an online search and found several "recipes" for making Dulce de Leche in the slow cooker. EASY! Following the directions to the letter, I submerged my cans of sweetened condensed milk in water in my slow cooker, set the temperature to LOW and let it cook for 8 hours.

Then I let the cans come to room temperature (again, to avoid explosion). And when I opened them up I had.....two cans of room temperature condensed milk. It was a COMPLETE FAIL! Not one to accept failure, I poured the milk into a pan on my stove and stirred it until it turned a yummy caramel color.

Then I poured it into a pan that I, thankfully, lined with foil and let it cool. And when it cooled I had something that *looked* and smelled exactly like Dulce de Leche BUT was as hard as a rock! It was nevertheless delicious, and very similar to "Sugar Daddy" lollipops-which I happen to love.

So-I broke it into pieces and packed it up for my friends with labels reading "Nacho 'Sugar' Mama's Candy"!

See? When you're cooking with milk the glass is always half full!!

If you need some help seeing the glass half full this holiday season, be sure and

follow the Master of The Glass Half Full on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ElMaestroDelVasoMedioLleno?ref=ts

And on Twitter: www.twitter.com/maestropositivo

Wishing you love with extra cheese-

Nacho Mama

Disclosure: This is part of a sponsored campaign with the California Milk Processor's Board and Latina Mom Bloggers

RECIPE: Nacho Mama's Mexcellent Holiday Fudge! #Eagle

As I may have mentioned before, I'm not so hot when it comes to making desserts. But I'm a pretty good fake and am always up to learn something new. So when I was approached by the folks at Eagle Brand to come up with a dessert using their Condensed Milk? I was all in!

Borden is hosting it's "Sweet Secret Recipe Contest" from now through December 7th. Click HERE to learn how  sharing YOUR holiday recipe could get you a chance to win $10,000 towards a "sweet secret" wish!

I was SO happy with my recipe when it was all done. Because I'm trying so hard to stick to my freshly-adjusted Daily Pointsplus Target (more on that later) I decided to try to make a recipe using the Eagle Fat-Free Sweetened Condensed Milk. So here it is:  

NACHO MAMA'S MEXCELLENT HOLIDAY FUDGE!

Number of servings: 42

Pointsplus per serving: TWO! (or at least it's 2 pp+ per *piece* - how many pieces you decide a serving is is up to you!)

Ingredients:

1 14oz can EAGLE Brand Fat-Free Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 cup DARK chocolate Morsels

2 cups MILK chococlate Morsels

1/4 teaspoon each: Cinnamon, Fresh-ground Nutmeg, Chili Powder

Dash of Salt

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

First, pour the entire can of EAGLE Brand Fat-Free Sweetened Condensed Milk into saucepan and stir in the salt and spices.

Then add all the chocolate morsels and melt into the Condensed Milk mixture, stirring constantly over low heat until smooth:

Once the chocolate is completely melted, spread the entire mixture evenly into a 9x12 inch pan (lined with wax paper) and allow to cool at least 4 hours before slicing and serving.

That's IT!! It was sooooo delicious, the spices give the fudge a yummy warmth. I'm going to be slicing this baby up to give as gifts to my daughter's teacher and family friends. I hope you'll give it a try this holiday season. It's just TOO EASY!!!

Wishing you love with extra cheese-

Nacho Mama

Disclosure: Eagle Brand sent me samples of Condensed Milk for review. The above is my own opinion and recipe!