<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Arnie:

clealy front half was dunking for marzipan in the eggnog again this year....<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The bowl was empty when I was done too!! Next year...less eggs....less milk...MORE RUM! I didn't see you there though....how did you know??? <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/confused.gif" width=15 height=22>

We saw the CHRISTMAS STORY movie at the theatre when it first came out. We now have it on video & Mike always watches it every yr...

I always wondered who watched that TNT Christmas Day marathon movie loop.

Now I know.

... just when you thought I'd dropped off altogether ... Getting caught up on the boards and just couldn't resist adding to this one. When I lived in Texas, we had a neighbor who made tamales almost every Saturday morning, and sometimes salsa verde to go with them. They were wonderful. Nothing commercial compares. My husband (a Texan) was under strict orders to NEVER tell me exactly what went in them. I preferred to think it was roast (rather than boiled cow's head or whatever). We have some Cubanos working here, so have been comparing some of the differences in cooking. (Like Cea said, banana leaves rather than corn husks, and some different spices, etc.) Never tried anything but the meat ones, though.

Now for the New Year's stuff--we fix a big pot of black-eyed peas (in honor of Texas), cornbread and fried potatoes. (I figure the potatoes with everything must be that same German tradition). Cea, don't forget north Texas has a large concentration of folks of German-descent also, especially around Gainesville.

Okay, okay, I'll quit rambling on ... at least in THIS post ...

Ooops. I lied. Got to rambling and forgot where I was ...

Muffy, sorry about your cookies! (Bad neighbor). That cookie was actually a soft ginger cookie with a little molasses in it ... a new recipe my mother decided to try--it was the hit of the season around here. I'm rejoining Weight Watchers next week, so no cookies for me for awhile.

Pat--know those differences well and avoid those who are related merely by an accident of birth (theirs, not mine, hah!). Hope the New Year starts out better for you.

Okay, okay, really I'm done now, for awhile anyway.

Happy New Year to you all!

[QUOTE]Originally posted by pamramadama:

Hope the New Year starts out better for you.
QUOTE]

Hope the New Year starts out better for us all. <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/lookout.gif" width=15 height=15>

As my hero, the great John Lennon once said: "Have a very merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year. let's hope it's a good one, without any fear. (war is over, if you want it)"
Boy if that doesn't suit for these trying times, i don't know what else does. Besides maybe "Imagine all the people, sharing all the world" and of course, the immortal lines: "I don't want a pickle, I just wanna ride on my motorsickle"--ADG
Thank you too Arlo, for gettin' us through the year somewhat intact. Blunder on!
<img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/peace.gif" width=16 height=16>

Absolutely, Shannon. (Except for Bin Ladin and the Al Quaida (sp)).

In the Northern regions and the desert plateau, banana leaves are less available than they are in the tropical rain forests. That's why you get the different in wrappings. It affects the flavor too, of course, but I think banana leaves, being larger, are simply easier to use for wrapping. Having grown up in the middle of the country, I'm more used to the corn husks, and like the flavor better.

The tamal (which is the singular form of the word, rather than the anglicized 'tamale') is steamed masa with a filling. That's all it is -- although for the sweet ones you might want to add a little sugar to the equation.
As for the filling, it's whatever you want it to be. Cooks all over the world have their "secret ingredient(s)" that they won't reveal to anyone except their own children.
Real masa -- 'cow corn' soaked overnight in water and lime (the mineral, not the fruit), then taken down to the millers and stone-ground fresh -- is way, way, better than the 'masa harina' more widely available in the U.S. and elsewhere. However, masa harina is still better than canned or frozen tamales.
fan, if you've ever had polenta, you've had something similar to a tamal, if only similar in the sense that hash browns are similar to potato pancakes with applesauce and sour cream. You get the idea, IOW, but not the full flavor.

I'm all for a better year. A 'good one, without any fear' would be just fine.

I'm working on adopting a child, myself. Just one to start with probably, then taking it from there. (This thing of being totally alone in the world has got to go. Especially over the holidays.) I'm too old to seriously consider bearing children anymore, but that doesn't mean I can't or shouldn't have a family of my own, and I'm positive there must be some kid(s) out there in need of someone who'll love, take care of, and look after, 'em. (I know I sure need someone in my life who will love, take care of, and look after me -- and kids are so good at that.) The chances of my getting married at my age are less than being killed by terrorists, statistically speaking, whereas becoming a single mother is moving into the mainstream.
Adoption has always been a part of the plan. It's just time to put that part of the plan into effect. Of course, I'll really need to find a better source of income, now. And I'll definitely have to find a way to move now, too. I sure wouldn't want to raise children around here.
I have tons of relatives. I just don't have any family in my life at this point, and that sure bites the big one. Even when I still had family, they hadn't been a part of my everyday life for years. Decades, in some cases.

And Pam, before I ramble on any longer ... Yeah! Very bad neighbor. That was the only present I had for Christmas day this year, and it wasn't right for him to eat it all up before Christmas even got here.
Since my mother died, I don't generally get any presents at all anymore. (She would send me a fruitcake every year. But it was something to open on Christmas morning, and that still makes a difference, no matter how old one gets.) Well -- actually, my friends from India have been sending me a $50.00 check every year lately, so as to be sure I'll at least have some food in the house over Christmas and New Years'. That's helped a whole lot.

Muffy, Pamram, nothing is better than a kitchen full of good cooks and good music in the air. My kitchen's available. I would so love to make tamales with you two. Keep it in mind...I make a killer picadillo fillling. <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/angel.gif" width=25 height=20>

<center><FONT COLOR="#000080">--- Edited 1 times, lastly by Ceashel on Jan 01, 2002 ---</FONT></center>

you folks are great!! I love the feeling, of friends, with holiday spirit and good wishes, here, on this thread, Happy New, and better New Year, to you all

A word to all Blunderland. I know from personal experience that Cea can cook ANYTHING. Ohmigosh. The tamales sound great ... but let's not leave out the Cajun-cookin'. <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/yum.gif" width=15 height=15>

Muffy, I guess it's a good thing your neighbor didn't bring up your mail--at least you had a chance to open it! Good luck on the adoption angle. Had a friend in Texas who did just that--it was a tough, long haul, but she finally successfully adopted a 3-year-old little boy that she was fostering. It can be done.

Cea, Pam: You're on! (Cajun? I love Cajun!Cooking it, eating it, all of it!) <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/yum.gif" width=15 height=15> Don't be surprised if I really do show up either, 'cuz as I get used to being mobile, I'm going to be looking around for a place that feels like home to move to. That, and just plain getting out and changing the scenery a bit. (I'm way overdue for that.) It's a date. OK? <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/bounce.gif" width=31 height=31>

Bumper, you're a trip! Thanks dude. I feel the same way about you, this place, and <u>all</u> of you.

As for the adoption thing, yeah: Thanks for the encouragement, Pam. There's a ten week course to attend, and a whole lot of paperwork, headaches, and hassles, I'm sure. But after that, I can adopt from anywhere in the country.
I have a good feeling about this. It feels like there's someone (or two or three) out there that I'm picking up on -- something that's meant to be. Of course, that may just be my imagination working overtime, but that's what it feels like, so what the hey. There are far worse things I could do with my time than that, I'm sure.
As for the neighbor/gift thing, I just appreciate that I could come here and gripe about it. Now I can let it go, and won't think about it anymore. Although I'm still kinda' sorry I missed out on those cookies... (Sniff)

Muffy, sounds like you're way overdue for a lot of changes and I hope you get to make them all before too long. May 2002 bring all good things.

Thanks Pat. I couldn't agree with you more -- and right backatcha' with wishes for good changes to come. Sounds like a bit of good fortune wouldn't do you any harm, either.

I think there's a lot of people who could really use some positive changes in their lives, especially after this past year. Here's hoping that things will actually work out that way, for all of us.