Copitas: Little Cups

Copitas are my version of Gorditas. Ah, gorditas. I remember when we were haggling with our editor during the prep time before our cookbook came out. She (no, not you Priti, your predecessor) wanted all recipe titles translated literally into English. OMG. So how do you translate Gorditas – “Little Fat Girls”? My husband and I still laugh about that one. Once we told her, she made the decision to call them “Fried Masa Pockets”. We left it at that. I suppose we will always encounter people that cannot accept that there are some things like words, customs, and traditions that cannot be translated or explained from one culture to another. We must simply accept, respect and appreciate our differences.

Anyway, I wanted to share this recipe with you and hope you enjoy it.

Copitas

8 -10 tablespoons masa harina
3 tablespoons flour
Pinch of baking soda
1-cup warm water
shortening for frying

Mix the masa harina with the flour and baking soda in a bowl. Add enough warm water (slowly) to make a firm but moist dough. You might not need the whole cup of water. Pinch off a heaping tablespoon of dough. Flatten dough and carefully bend the edges upwards to form a small cup, "copita".

Repeat the process with the remaining dough. Heat the shortening in a deep frying pan to medium-high heat. Add a batch of the copitas to the frying pan and spoon the hot shortening to the tops of the copitas. Flip the copitas over once to ensure even browning.

This process goes very quickly. Be careful not to fry too long or copas will burn. Remove from hot pan with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Makes about 1 dozen.

Fill with your favorite filling: chile verde, mole, beans and chorizo, whatever you and your family enjoy. Mine were filled with shredded pork and topped with tomatoes, jalapeños, and queso fresco.


Thought it was time to let you guys know what Bob and I look like, so I’m attaching this picture of us. Don’t laugh too hard now. Remember, we all get old! For me, 58 and counting (my blessings).
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Mexican Word of the Day: Wheelchair
My homie was downing a 40 and I said, hey where's mine?
He says don't worry, wheel-chair!

El Premio Arte Y Pico

Boy is my face red! Not only did I get an award from Elle, I also got the Brilliant Weblog award from Tina at Mommy's kitchen. Then I find out Meryl, Inspired Bites, had also bequeathed to me the El Premio Arte y Pico Award. I am feeling so humbled. So, now to share this beautiful gift with five other creative bloggers. And the award goes to...............

Nikki at Nik Snaks.

Nikki is so cool. She can't sit still. She cooks, she teaches, she writes, she's very creative and down to earth. So, my wonderful Nikki, this goes to you.

Esi at Dishing Up Delights.

Esi's blog is artfully done with very tasty dishes.

Deb at Kahakai Kitchen.

I love her site..and I’m especially jealous of the fact that she’s in Hawaii. How wonderful.

Gloria at Cookbook Cuisine.

From one author to another, I have great respect for all the trials and tribulations that we go through in getting published or self publishing. Kudos to you.

Cyndi at Cookin’ with Cyndi.

Looking over Cookin’ with Cyndi, I realized that she is a woman of many talents. First, she’s a stickler for proper grammar, she loves to cook, and she loves to stitch. My cross stitching days are over (arthritis), but I still crotchet for short periods of time. So any cook who also has a passion for stitching is allright in my book.

Please, everyone, go these wonderful bloggers' sites and congratulate them on a job well done.

Now it's your turn award recipients. You must each pick five blog sites that you would like to award the El Premio Arte y Pico. Congratulations everyone.

I Got An Award!

Tina, my fellow Texan, from Mommys Kitchen bequeathed me with an award. I'm so overjoyed, I can't begin to tell you. Thank you Tina, you really are a sweetheart. So, as with this new tradition (new for me), I in turn have awarded 5 more people. Please log onto their sites and congratulate them. They are as follows.

Sara, , Sweets by Sarah. Sarah, I love your site because it's not only delicious, but more importantly, healthy. Zucchini Chocolate Chip cookies...to die for.

Vanessa, 3R's Cake and Cupcakes. Vanessa I fell in love with your princess cake. I do plan on making a Sleeping Beauty version for my daughter.

Katie, Salt and Chocolate. The sweet and spicy concept has always had an appeal for me. Thank you for sharing that idea with us.

Meryl, Inspired Bites. Meryl, I've always loved your wonderful photography. You are such a pro.
And I will not be accused of being a female sexist. There is a man on the list.

Adam, Baking with Dynamite. What can I say about Adam...he's a chiropractic, body-building man who loves to cook. Does it get any better than that?

Congratulations everyone. You all deserve it. There are so many more I would love to award this to, but I guess everyone takes a turn. Remember! You guys in turn need to award this to five other wonderful sites of your choosing. I love this. Foodies are the best people in the whole world.

My First Book Review, "If I Die In Juarez"

Everyone who has read my blog knows I love my city, El Paso, and it's fine food and customs. I was born and raised here. Even though I've traveled to other parts, here is where my heart resides. I've always associated food with family, culture, and all the wonderful things that surround our everyday lives. But sometimes we come across circumstances in our communities that need to be brought to the forefront regardless of how bad or how sad they makes us feel. With this in mind, I hope all of you reading this blog today will indulge me the transgression of steering away from my typical food posting and understand why I felt compelled to bring this review (my first ever) to this readership. I will post my customary food article in another day or two...I promise.

Book Review: If I Die In Juarez, by Stella Pope Duarte

I finished reading this book last night and it filled me with a sense of dread knowing that my 18-year-old daughter sometimes goes to Juarez with her friends. It also left me with a feeling of wanting to put up my dukes and go to Juarez to seek out every murderous scumbag I could lay my hands on and give him a taste of his own medicine.

Stella Pope Duarte tells a riveting tale. It is a work of fiction based on real-life circumstances of three young girls in Juarez – the big city. Evita comes from a broken home from the prostitute area of the city. Petra comes from a small village near the mountains and ends up working in a maquiladora. Mayela is a young Tarahumara Indian girl with natural born artistic talent. She was called Niñita Frida.

The lives of these three young girls, and their families, are affected by the feminicide murders occurring in Juarez. The book brings the reader into the horrific details of what is expected of young maquiladora working women, of young girls growing up in the red light district trying to survive, and how these young women are exploited for money.

They try to survive everyday life while living in fear. Fear of the murderous women-haters, fear of the police who often take bribes, mordidas, to look away, and fear of God, praying that they be forgiven for doing whatever it takes to feed and protect their families.

All young women in Juarez dream of a better life, but they are often expected to pay for these dreams with their lives. Stella Pope Duarte describes their strengths, weaknesses, beliefs, hopes, and disappointments in vivid detail.

Prepare yourself for a disturbing ride along the Juarez / El Paso Border as you read the heartbreaking tales of three young girls growing up in Juarez during the Maquiladora murders.

Note:
[The Juarez feminicide murders continue to this day. Hundreds of women continue to be found raped, tortured, and murdered in the desert area outside Juarez. Women’s groups from Juarez, Mexico City, Los Angeles and El Paso work hard to protest the lack of interest and lack of investigation by Mexican federal and judicial officials. Though the recent drug cartel wars and assassinations in and around Juarez have caused the media to switch their reporting focus, they will never overshadow the Maquiladora Murders. Feminicide must come to an end.]

Teresa Cordero Cordell
© 2008

If you would like to read more about the maquiladora murders and about the brave women fighting to put a stop to feminicide , click on the links below. Thank you.
http://www.amigosdemujeres.org/
http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p_mla_apa_research_citation/1/1/3/9/9/p113991_index.html
http://www.stellapopeduarte.com/juarez.htm

Hatch Green Chiles

It’s almost harvest time at the Hatch Green Chile Farms in Hatch, New Mexico. That means every time you go grocery shopping, there will be a giant roaster set up in front of the store churning, turning and roasting up those magnificent green chiles straight from the farm. Heck, even Wal-Mart sets up a roaster for its’ customers convenience. And if you get the green chiles and the store doesn’t have a roaster up front, just set up your barbecue grill and do it yourself. I love the aroma of roasting chile. It makes you hungry. So with that in mind, here’s a recipe for Chiles Rellenos that I hope you will enjoy. (Of course you can’t have Rellenos without Mexican Rice and Refried Beans, so they’re included too. OOOhh, also Piña Coladas!)
Chiles Rellenos


8 - 10 (7 inch) green chiles (Anaheim’s, Poblanos, or Big Jims), roasted, peeled, seeded, and the stems left attached
¾ pound grated mild Cheddar, about 3 cups
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable shortening for frying
4 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
4 large egg whites, beaten until foamy
¼ pound grated sharp Cheddar, about 1 cup

Preheat broiler.Carefully cut a lengthwise slit in each chile and stuff with some Cheddar. Combine flour, salt, and pepper and dredge chiles.In a large skillet, heat ½ inch shortening to 375º F. on a deep-fat thermometer. Fold yolks into egg whites. Working with 2 chiles at a time, using a slotted spoon, dip chiles into eggs and fry, turning occasionally, until golden, no more than a couple of minutes, with a slotted spoon, transfer chiles (careful - they are delicate) to paper towels to drain. Arrange chiles on a flameproof plate and sprinkle with sharp Cheddar. Broil chiles just long enough to melt cheese and serve immediately, accompanied by salsa if desired.

Chiles Rellenos Salsa

1 can whole tomatoes (unseasoned), mashed or 2 to 3 fresh tomatoes, chopped
3 tablespoons minced cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
1 medium onion, cut in long thin slices
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 teaspoons oregano

Mash canned tomatoes and combine with the remaining ingredients. Chill 2 hours before serving.

Mexican Rice
serves 6-8

½ pound long-grain rice
3 tablespoons shortening
½ small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
4 to 5 cups chicken broth (fresh or canned)
½ cup frozen (thawed) peas
3 to 4 stewed tomatoes chopped
1 small green pepper, diced
1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
½ teaspoon salt

Chop onions, prepare broth, thaw peas, chop tomatoes, and dice peppers. Heat shortening in a skillet and fry rice over medium heat until golden brown. Add onion and cook until fairly softened. Add minced garlic clove and chicken broth. Cook to a boil, reduce heat to simmer. Add cilantro and salt. Blend in diced pepper and chopped tomatoes. Cover and cook for 40 minutes stirring frequently to prevent from sticking. Add peas and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Refried Beans
makes 3 to 4 servings

1/3 cup bacon drippings (or vegetable oil)
½ cup finely chopped onion
1 large garlic clove, minced
3 cups cooked pinto beans
¾ cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, Longhorn cheddar, or Mozzarella

Heat drippings in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic until soft. Reduce heat, add 1 cup partially drained beans; mash until smooth. Gradually add 2 more cups mashing to desired consistency. Cook until crusty on the bottom. Turn bean mixture with a large spatula; cook until another crusty layer forms. Top with cheese. Serve hot once cheese is melted through. Makes 3 to 4 servings.

Piña Colada

3 ounces light rum
3 tablespoons coconut milk
5 tablespoons crushed pineapple
2 cups ice

Blend at high speed until smooth. Strain into a glass and serve with a straw. Top with a pineapple wedge and a cherry.

Piña Colada Smoothie

1 eight-ounce can crushed pineapple, chilled
1 medium banana, cut up
¾ cups skim milk
½ cup orange juice
2 tablespoons bottled or canned piña colada mix, chilled
ice cubes

In a blender, combine the undrained pineapple, banana, milk, orange juice, and piña colada mix. Cover and blend until nearly smooth. Serve over ice. Makes 2 servings.

SW Surf and Turf

We got a little break with the heat, so Bob and I decided to barbecue again. It's still hot and humid, but at least it's overcast and the El Paso sun isn't blaring down on us. We're used to the sun, this is the Sun City after all. But our backyard faces west in direct line of the setting sun. We have no shelter or shade. The heat is one thing, but we El Pasoans are used to dry heat. With the so-called monsoon season upon us, we almost can't even breathe unless we've got the fan blowing and the swamp cooler on full blast. No dessert this time, not unless you consider the watermelon margaritas dessert! Enjoy.
Southwestern Surf 'n Turf
1 pound Sirloin
1 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined (leave tails in tact)
1 Bell Pepper
1 large Onion
Enough rice for four servings

This is the basic recipe. Cut sirloin into bit-sized pieces. Cut bell peppers and onion into slices that will fit on to a skewer. Place all ingredients on to the skewers, any order will do. I like onion so I put the onion slices two to one over the bell pepper. Prepare your barbeque grill, I get mine up to about 300 degrees. Put the skewers on the grill and cover for five minutes. Turn the kabobs and cook, covered, another five minutes. With kabobs now uncovered, put Bob's BBQ sauce on with a brush. I like to put it on each side twice, grilling for two minutes after each brushing. Remove from grill and place over rice.

You can add or delete kabob ingredients as you please. Use mushrooms, tomatoes, thin cuts of potato or whatever you like. The nice thing is that each family member can add or delete ingredients to taste on their individual kabobs. Also, use whatever rice you like. Make fried rice, regular white rice or any packaged rice product you like. Nothing is wrong, nothing is right, just so you like it!

Bob's BBQ Sauce
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 jalapeños, minced
¾ cup tomato sauce
¼ cup ketchup
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
½ tablespoon vinegar
½ tablespoon apple cider
¼ cup water
Dash of pepper
3 tablespoons pineapple juice
1 tablespoon pineapple bits
Juice from ½ a lemon
2 teaspoons mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Sauté onion in unsalted butter until soft but not brown, about 5 minutes on low medium heat. Add remaining ingredients one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes. Prepare the night before barbecue and allow to thicken overnight in refrigerator.

Watermelon Margaritas
3 tablespoons coarse salt
1 lime wedge
1-cup watermelon puree*
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 cup tequila
2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur
1 cup ice

Chill a margarita glass in the freezer for 30 minutes. Place the coarse salt in a shallow dish or saucer. Wet the rim of the glass with a lime wedge and dip the glass into the salt, coating the top edge. In a cocktail shaker, combine watermelon puree, lime juice, tequila, orange-flavored liqueur, and ice. Shake until frothy and well chilled, at least 1 minute. Strain into the prepared glass and garnish with a lime wedge.

* To make the watermelon puree, remove seeds from fresh watermelon and cut into large chunks. Place in a blender and process until smooth and well pureed.
(c)2008
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Mexican Word of the Day: Injure
Me and my homies were playing poker and
When I won, I yelled in-jure face

Picnic in a Box

A box, or a container, or a mason jar; anything with a lid or cover. If you’re going to eat outside and you don’t want flies or mosquitoes buzzing around your food, keep it covered. It’s been so hot and humid here in El Paso after our storms last week that we just wanted to sit outside for a nice and cool weekend meal. But, it was still too hot to BBQ. What to do? I decided to cook a small pork roast I had in the fridge in the crock-pot overnight. After checking to see what would go with it, I saw I sill had some of the red chile BBQ sauce I had made for the brisket last weekend. Hm? Shredded BBQ Pork, some cold Pineapple Coleslaw and Borracho Baked Beans with a little Pico de Gallo. Ok, that was settled. Dessert. I had bananas I was saving for some Buttermilk Banana Bread I was planning to make during the week. When I saw there was more than enough for the bread I decided on our picnic dessert…Banana Pudding. So there you go, our picnic in a box, El Paso style.

BBQ Pork
1 (3-pound) Pork Rib Eye Roast
1 cup of water
2 tablespoons BBQ seasoning

Combine in slow cooker and cook on low for 12 hours. Allow to cool and shred, using two forks. Combine shredded pork, 1-cup red chile BBQ sauce, and ½ cup beef broth in a large pot. Stir to combine. Heat thoroughly.

Borracho Baked Beans
1 large can of BBQ Baked beans
1 12-ounce can beer

Combine beans and beer in sauce pan and heat over low heat. Simmer over low for 15 minutes.

Pineapple Cole Slaw
1 package pre-shredded cabbage and carrots
1 (8 ounce) can of crushed pineapple
½ cup mayonnaise
1-teaspoon cider vinegar
1-tablespoon sugar

Combine cole slaw mix and pineapple in a bowl. In a smaller bowl combine mayo, vinegar and sugar. Whisk to combine. Stir into slaw mix. Cover and chill.

Now put your picnic box together. Layer beans, pico de gallo, cole slaw, and pork in your container. Provide covers for the containers to keep the pests away and off your food.























Make your Banana Pudding. Everyone has a favorite recipe for this delicious dessert. I’m no different. The only thing I do a little differently is I add 1 tablespoon of vanilla vodka to the pudding along with the sweetened condensed milk. I also add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the cool whip before folding it into the pudding. Layer in your container and refrigerate until ready to serve. Ah, summer nights can be so cool when hot.

Deliciosas Sopaipillas!

These delicious little puffs of dough drizzling with honey or sprinkled with cinnamon sugar are a must dessert at any Mexican food restaurant. I admit that they can be a pain to fry up, especially when you’re making a whole slew of them for a party or get-together, but the results are worth it. My son can probably eat a half dozen of them at one sitting, so can my daughter come to think of it. Bob, my hubby, and I are a little more reserved and will eat two (or three).

They aren’t difficult to make BUT you must make sure that the oil temperature is at the required 370 to 380 º F or they will not puff up. You have to get them to bulge in order to open them and drizzle the honey! Your mouth will jump for joy at the taste of warm honey flavored sopaipillas. Hope you get the chance to make these at your next fiesta. Everyone will applaud you.

Sopaipillas

4 cups flour
1 ¼ teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons shortening
Milk
Oil for frying

Sift flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. Cut in shortening and add just enough milk (about a quarter cup) to make a soft dough, just firm enough to roll. Cover bowl and let dough rest 30 to 60 minutes. Roll ¼ inch thick on lightly floured board and cut in diamond-shaped pieces. Heat one-inch of oil in a deep frying pan to approximately 370 to 380 º F. Add a few pieces at a time. Turn once so they will puff evenly on both sides; then turn back to brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar, or serve with honey. Makes about 30 - 40 sopaipillas, depending on the size.


This is picture of the Mexican Chocolate Kahlua Cheesecake featured in my ebook -
Mi Chita's. I'm adding this picture because my daughter is actually the one who developed this recipe and was rather perturbed that I didn't included it in my previous post. So my Angel Lily, here you go!

To buy the
Mi Chita's Mexican Chocolate ebook go here.






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Mexican Word of the Day: Juarez
Mi vieja slapped me and I said Juarez your problem?!

Mexican Chocolate Ecookbook

The history of chocolate is full of amazing stories surrounding its’ origins. The cacao plant, the Theobroma (Greek word for food of the Gods), was originally used by the Mayan culture as an alcoholic beverage. It was fermented and mixed with cornmeal, vanilla beans and chiles. The taste was bitter and the beverage was used mainly for religious ceremonies.

From the Mayans to the Aztecs. From the Aztecs to the Spaniards. From the Spaniards to the Europeans. Then finally to the US. Long road for the “food of the Gods” to travel.

Once reaching Europe, after the 1600’s, additions were made to chocolate, like adding milk and vanilla and sugar to make it desirable to a greater portion of the population. In the 1900’s, chocolate became even more popular. Chocolate bars were created that touted the health advantages of eating chocolate. Chocolate contains flavonoids that are a source of antioxidants and can help the body keep the arteries from clogging thus creating a healthy blood flow and lowered blood pressure. Read this article to get the lowdown on the nutritious and healthful effects of chocolate.

Check out my Mexican Chocolate Dessert Ecookbook-
Mi Chitas. I guarantee you'll love the luscious dessert and drink recipes. Decide for yourself if history was correct in naming chocolate the "food of the Gods."


Treat yourself to a new taste experience and try some Mexican Chocolate. Taste it, cook with it, and maybe you can even trade with it like the Mayans once did. Here is a recipe made with Mexican Chocolate to tempt your taste buds. It’s been around since 1400 BC so it must be good!
©2008

Mexican Chocolate-Rum Mousse
6 to 6 ½ ounces (about 2 round disks) Mexican Chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 ½ cups whipping cream
3 tablespoons rum
1 teaspoon vanilla
Additional whipped cream and ground cinnamon for garnish

Combine chocolate and 3 tablespoons whipping cream in top of double boiler. Heat over simmering water until smooth, stirring occasionally. Gradually stir in rum. Remove top pan from heat. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes to cool slightly.Combine remaining whipping cream and vanilla in a chilled bowl. Beat with mixer at low speed, then gradually increase speed until stiff but not dry peaks form.Gently fold whipped cream into cooled chocolate mixture until uniform in color. Spoon mousse on to individual dessert dishes. Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours until firm. Garnish with additional whipped cream and a sprinkling of cinnamon if desired.Makes 4 servings.

Brisket

Everyone loves brisket. I like making mine LOW AND SLOW. That means I roast it in a 200-degree oven for 12 to 14 hours. Overnight is best. There really is no secret to roasting a brisket, though different people will prepare this delicious cut of meat in their own favorite style. Some folks will marinate it, others will use a dry rub on it, and some will grill it.

This is how I cooked my brisket this weekend.

1 (6 to 7 lb.) brisket
Your favorite BBQ sauce
2 cups red chile sauce
2 cups beef broth
Salt and pepper
Fresh sliced fruit, optional

Rinse and pat dry the brisket. Lay over a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, fat side up. Season it with salt and pepper. Smother it with your BBQ sauce. Wrap up the brisket tightly with the aluminum foil. Place in a large roasting pan and fill the pan half way with water. Now slow cook it overnight. Say about 12 to 14 hours at 200 degrees.

Half an hour before taking the brisket out of the oven, prepare your sauce. 2 cups BBQ sauce, 2 cups red chile sauce, and 2 cups beef broth. Whisk to combine well and simmer on low until ready to serve. Take your brisket out of the oven and allow it rest for half an hour to allow the juices to reincorporate into the meat.

Slice against the grain in thin slices and serve with the BBQ Red Chile sauce. I like to add some chilled fresh fruit with this to take the bite out of the sauce. Of course you could always serve some Sangria or Agua Fresca. It’s your choice. Now get some flour tortillas, heat them up and make a ton of burritos for the family. Enjoy.
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Mexican Word for the day is : LIVER AND CHEESE
Some vato tried to hit on my ruca, I told him “orale
loco LIVER alone CHEESE mine!”

The Heat is On/Off/ON

After numerous days of 100+ degree weather, we finally got some rain. Not much, but just enough for me to go into my backyard and dance around like a giddy schoolgirl. Some people get too much rain, like the folks out in the Midwest. Then there are those of us who live in a perpetual draught. All we had received was 1/3 inch of rain since the first of January. This week we gloriously got some much-needed water.



Anyway, to celebrate, I decided to make this wonderful pie – a Banana Split Pie. Oh boy is it good. I love it because it’s cool, full of fruit, and it doesn’t have any ice cream in it. (I’m lactose intolerant!) So I wanted to share it with you. You can make this for a dessert after a cookout, a light summer meal, or like with me, a midnight snack.


My husband and I love to sit outside in the evenings during the summer. It’s a nice way to stay cool and not run the cooling bill up too high. He has his usual glass of Corona and I have my glass of white Zinfandel. Last night I surprised him with a pitcher of Hibiscus Wine Coolers.
Te de Jamaica, Hibiscus Tea, was a special, cooling drink my family always had during the hot summer months of my youth. My mom didn’t buy very many sodas. But between the Jamaica and making Kool-Aid ice cubes, we always fended off the heat. Enjoy the summer, but Stay Cool Fool!

Banana Split Pie
1 cup crushed graham crackers
3 tablespoons melted butter
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
8 ounce tub of prepared whipped topping
3/4 cup crushed pineapple
6 strawberries, hulled and sliced
3 medium bananas, peeled and sliced

Combine cracker crumbs and melted butter. Pat the mixture into the bottom a 9 inch pie plate and set aside.In a large mixing bowl, mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and milk until smooth. Fold in most of the whipped topping, leave some out to swirl on top of the pie right before serving.Spread 1/3 the cream cheese mixture over the crumb crust in pie plate. Layer half the crushed pineapple, sliced bananas, and strawberries over the that. Repeat layers and end with the last third of the cream cheese mixture.Chill pie in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours. Top with swirls of left over whipped topping and garnish (if you like) with additional sliced bananas and sliced strawberries. Enjoy.

Jamaica Winecoolers
Jamaica Tea has long been know as a favorite "Agua Fresca" in Mexico. Jamaica Tea is made from the petals of the Hibicus flower. It's a deep red/burgandy color, rich in it's distinctive flavor. Here I've combined a picher of Jamaica tea with a ½ bottle of white zinfandel and 3 cups of gingerale. The taste is rather unique. You must remember to sweeten the tea before mixing in the other ingredients. Top with a sprig of mint and some ice and you're ready to go.
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Mexican Word of the Day: JULY
You told me you were going to the store and JULY”
to me! Julyer!