Follow me into the kitchen

Let’s work together to make something for snack. What shall it be? A baked good or bread? Today, lets make pretzels! 

I measure, you pour. Let’s help each other stir. 

See how the yeast turns foamy with the water.. now we have to wait for the dough to rise. 

Make a fist and punch the dough down. Now lets break the dough into 8 balls. 

Can you stretch the dough this long? Wow, good job! Now do you want to learn how to shape it? 

You need 3 spaces in-between. Perfect. Now they are ready to be baked. 

Ding, they are done!

Let’s slather these with butter. Look how easily it melts. 

Now lets try a piece as it cools. 

Yum!! 

(My side of the conversation while making pretzels with Isaac) 

Joann’s Strawberry Dessert

I first tasted this recipe almost two years ago at a family gathering. But the flavors were not fresh in my mind and I had never made it myself. Even if summer is not officially here, I couldn’t wait to make this summery dessert. 

I enjoyed delving into the simple steps of this recipe from the cutting of the strawberries to making the angel food cake from scratch. Of course my little helpers were in the kitchen, there to lick every spatuala or bowl bedecked with pudding or whipped cream. 

My favorite part of this recipe was the tearing the cake into bite-size pieces. It had been so long since I’ve made angel food cake and I forgot how it’s cake consistency is almost like a marshmellow. Layering each ingredient was another highlight and of course, eating it! We all enjoyed this delicious and refreshing dessert. The photos speak for themselves - this is an amazing recipe!

Rating - 5! 

Baking joy

I woke up in the middle of the night to feed Rafael and the thought of waking in a few hours brought on a feeling of dread. It was the end of the week, we were low on groceries and the gallon of milk had run dry. Trying to scheme up a good breakfast for my children can be a challenge when we have so few options. I wasn’t ready for the crying and complaining. 

But then I remembered. 

I had dough rising on the countertop to make cinnamon rolls. An honest and deep sigh of relief came over me. The mere thought of sweet, gooey, frosted rolls gave me an inspiration lift and all of a sudden made the morning feel bright and uplifting. Just the remembrance of that dough gave me a boost of energy. 

Waking up around 5:30 didn’t feel so heavy. I loved rolling out the dough as the sun slowly rose into the cerulean sky, scattering rays of light into my cozy kitchen. Rafael curiously watched as I stretched and shaped the rolls in his high chair. The anticipation helped push me through any ounce of exhaustion. This was my first time making sourdough cinnamon rolls and the novelty was not lost on me.

They turned out divine and delicious and everything you would hope a cinnamon roll would be! Some mornings just need a cinnamon roll to change the narrative of the day. 

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All this made me realize yet again the joy of baking. In my opinion, joy is the best way to describe it. Baking is enriching, fun, and cathartic. It’s almost as if something deep inside is fed as I stir up the batter or roll out the dough. For me, the process is where it’s at (and of course that first bite!). Each step is enjoyable for me - pulling out the ingredients from my cupboards, measuring and stirring, cracking the eggs, and all the rest. 

Honestly baking has been not only a life-force for me during these intense years of pregnancy and motherhood, it’s been a life-line.. a sanity saver of sorts. To make something tangible and edible with my own two hands - in the midst of all the noise and mess is so satisfying. Most hours of my day are thinking and tending to the needs of my children and home. So to step off that track and do something totally different and creative has really brought me such joy. 

So here are my steps and finished cinnamon rolls, in all their sweet, gooey, glory. I hope this post and these pictures serve as a reminder - if it’s a rough morning or just another day of to-do’s - bake, and the joy will follow. 

A nostalgic throwback recipe

This is the start of a new series where I cook through the Gram & Bebop cookbook. My mom and I put this special book together years ago but I am sad to admit I have only made a few recipes. Many of them are French recipes with lots of steps, so naturally I avoid them. But I have been wanting to delve into the food that was so integral to my grandparents lives, to get to know them better in some sense, through these recipes. So, starting off here with a family favorite!

Swedish Meatballs 

I bought all the ingredients a few days ago, but today all my energy was spent and the thought of making Swedish meatballs sounded more overwhelming than inspiring. But dinner’s gotta be made and it made sense to stick to the original plan despite my resistance. Pulling together dinner in the midst of watching Araceli’s and Rafael’s every move is always a struggle, and not one I look forward to on most days. Luckily today they played with some cookie cutters on the floor and that seemed to keep them entertained for a bit. 

I happily got lost in the recipe, enjoying the steps and losing track of time. Memories from my childhood came into view - I specifically remember seeing my mom brown the delicate meatballs on the stove ever so slowly. I got distracted looking at the pictures of Grandma and Bebop in the cookbook and envisioning my mom making this recipe for the first time at 16. More memories and stories came into view as I browned the meatballs and whisked together the sauce. That is part of the goal in this cookbook challenge - getting out of my comfort cooking zone, yes but also allowing myself to linger in the stories and memories of my mom and grandparents as I cook. 

Before I knew it, the recipe was complete and cooking in the oven. Once dinner was served, I was ready to taste my efforts. The sauce mingled with the meatballs felt a plateful of comfort. Most of my children ate it up, but Rafael loved it most of all! This will always be a nostalgic throwback recipe for me, one I will always return to again and again. 

Rating: 5

A hint of tang

This here is the 2nd sourdough loaf I have ever made. My first attempt went ok, but unfortunatley I didn’t cook it long enough. The loaf was still gummy on the inside and not completely crispy on the outside. I was determined to create the ever-elusive perfect sourdough loaf. I had everything I needed, how hard could it be? 

I took out my starter in the late morning, refreshing it with some new flour and water. After dinner, hours later, my starter was bubbly and ready. I used the “Same-Day sourdough bread” recipe and mixed up the dough until it passed the window pane test. I let it sit on the counter to rise a good 8 hours until the stretches and folds. 

I wasn’t sure if this recipe would turn out as I hoped. I am still pretty new to baking with sourdough and using a cast iron pot. Also it was hard to get the timing right wedged between the needs of my children. It’s never easy baking with children underfoot but I believe the struggle is always worth it. 

There were 15 minutes left for the loaf to bake but I had to rush to drop off Isaac at school in that exact moment. Thank goodness Salvador came to my rescue and took out the loaf when the timer beeped. I came home to the most delicious aroma filling our home and the much anticipated golden loaf cooling on top of the stove. It looked exactly how I imagined it should look - with that crunchy, crusty exterior. I couldn’t wait a second more, I just had to cut myself a slice! I felt a bit nervous - this would be the real test.

Upon the bread first touching of my taste buds, I immediately felt a mixture of relief and excitement as I automatically tasted that delicious tang of sourdough. The interior was soft and airy. The crumb perfectly crunchy. I couldn’t believe it actually turned out well, especially since I thought it would be much more complicated. We all devoured the bread within a few hours, slathering it with butter and jam. Mmmm, nothing better!

I can’t wait to bake more bread soon!

The Lemonade House

Welcome to The Lemonade House! My space to share all my cooking and baking endeavors, photos, insights, and stories from the kitchen.

I chose the name “The Lemonade House” because this is where all my cooking and baking takes place, in our little home on the avenue. More than just referencing the faded yellow paint color and the big lemon tree, it also represents possibility, hope, and making sour things sweet.

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I fumbled through my new role as family chef those first months of marriage. Though I knew my way around the kitchen, I often made mistakes when cooking - like adding too much salt or over-cooking the meat. Some recipes were turned out great and others were less than mediocre. Salvador was my supportive taste tester, always giving me honest feedback rating from 1-10. I made sure to save the recipes he loved and forget the others. 

As time has passed, being in the kitchen has evolved into a fun, creative outlet. I have grown to love the process of scouring my cookbooks to find new recipes, shop for the ingredients, and tasting the finished result. Being in the kitchen so much has given me space to flex and expand my skills. 

Since becoming a mother, I have had even more reason to be in the kitchen. My children anticipate something homemade on the regular and “what are we having for dinner” is the number one question I am guaranteed to hear daily. Luckily I am usually up to the task. 

I have found such comforts in the routines of lighting up the stove and pouring fresh made pancake batter onto the hot griddle. The wafting smells of baked goods never fails to delight. Bringing my children into these predictable routines of home life has brought me untold joy.

Though cooking is enjoyable, I have found that I naturally gravitate more towards baking. Something about it energizes and inspires me - it never gets old! The day (or night) could be a mess, sleep deprivation wreaking havoc, kids being extra demanding. But if there is bread dough rising on the counter or fresh cookies baking in the oven, the mood is shifted and everything feels lighter, better. The power of baking has pulled me through many such moments and I am so grateful for it. 

So cheers to this new endeavor (with a glass of fresh squeezed lemonade of course!)