December 16th is the start of Posada. Posada celebrates and follows the journey of Joseph and Mary on their travels from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Two children after dark each night carry two small, pine cones that have been decorated to represent Joseph and Mary on the burro. There is a procession each night with the children knocking on a random door asking for lodgings for the family.
At this point, the residents threaten harm to the family if they do not move on, and obviously, this leaves the family pleading for a safe refuge. The house members will again threaten the traveling couple, but then the head of the house will realize who the couple is, and throwing open the doors, will greet and welcome the couple with open arms.
Everyone will kneel around the Nacimiento or the manager scene, and will sing glorious songs, Ave Marias, and of course, offer a prayer. Upon Christmas Eve, adding a new verse to the Ave Marias indicates that the birth is under way, and at midnight, fireworks announce the birth of Christ. There is a lot of wondrous celebration, and the whole family eats, drinks, and prays welcoming the Christ Child to the world.
Of course, if you are celebrating an authentic Mexican Christmas, you will want to have the best in costumes and foods. Delectable cuisine is a must at a celebration, and this is cuisine you will find absolutely delicious and wonderful. Filled with menudo, atole, rice, tamales, and other fine dishes, this is a holiday like no other.
Here are is a favorite from my own kitchen. What would you like to add?
Sweet Rice or Arroz Dulce
3/4 cup of rice
1/2 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of Mexican vanilla or real vanilla
4 cups of whole milk
1 cup of cream
1/4 teaspoon of salt
Briefly scald the whole milk. Place the rice into one of those deep baking dishes, pour the scalded milk over the rice making sure to cover thoroughly, and bake in a 275 degree oven for roughly 3 hours. You can adjust as needed for time and temperature. The rice at this point should be soft. You will want to stir about every 10 minutes for the first house to help in preventing sticking. Also, you can add more scalded milk if needed.
Take out of the oven about 30 minutes before it is completed. Add the sugar, vanilla, cream, and stir thoroughly. Continue baking to completion.
Celebrating a Mexican Christmas or Posada would not be complete without adding this delicious sweet rice to the table. Children as well as adults love this rice dish with a sweet kick. Celebrating the holiday season has never been so easy or so absolutely scrumptious. In fact, this recipe also makes a wonderful dessert for special occasions all year long. Feliz Navidad!
When it comes to feasting in a home environment nothing beats a good, old fashioned home-cooked meal. Whatever type of cuisine is most popular in your home, you will find that it is essential that you serve the best ingredients and that you insure your family will not turn a finicky nose up at the meal you provide. Thankfully, there are answers that work for more and more families. Take authentic Mexican dishes for instance. These are meals that will please even the most finicky of eaters whether 2-years old or 99-years old.
Finding the best meals for your family means you care. Even if you are a professional who has little time for slaving over a hot stove, you will find that there are authentic Mexican dishes that are fast and easy to make. The benefits are well worth the time put forth, and your family will appreciate the effort. Sitting down as a family and appreciating a meal is no longer a fantasy only experienced by those moms and dads on television!
Where can you get those recipes for the authentic Mexican dishes?
The good news is that recipes are easier than ever to get simply because of the internet. Everyone loves to share a family favorite. When you want to find a recipe, you will find there are copious numbers of options available with nothing but your computer, an internet connection, and your favorite search engine.
What should you look for in a recipe?
Unfortunately, not all recipes will work. You will need something that is flexible. In addition, using good commonsense will aid you in your endeavors. You will learn that eggs are used for one thing, and cornstarch is used for something else. If you happen across a recipe that just does not make sense, chances are good you will need to adjust the recipe or find another recipe.
With so many options available today, you will find that serving your family the healthy meals you dream of is just another possibility in your busy day. Even if you are busy there are easy methods of providing family favorites that just mean tossing some healthy, fresh ingredients in a pot and waiting while you run kids to soccer practice. Even the most complicated of meals can be made easy thanks to a combination of premade soups.
Authentic Mexican dishes are a great way to introduce a family to healthy eating. This is a historically colorful cuisine that is second to none when it comes to appearance. Bright reds, greens, and yellows can appeal to any finicky eater. Arrange your meal in a fashion that appeals to children, and you have a healthy dish that will become a favorite.
When it comes to authentic Mexican dishes, you will find that the world is a brightly colored collage of peppers, fruits, and other vegetables. Eating healthy does not have to be a struggle. In fact, you can get those finicky eaters to help in the kitchen! When the finicky 3-year old is helping prepare a dish of enchiladas, you are going to appeal to the child in a way that will better guarantee the whole plate is licked clean.
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