All Billowed Up

Buenas tardes. It is getting late in the afternoon. Almost every day we get these huge billowing clouds and then, poof, they are gone as fast as they billowed. Then the chipichipi comes in the night and a light rain, barely audible, covers us and leaves before the sun comes up.Now just how many times have I said that I would tell you tomorrow what we did last Friday night? Only now it has been two Friday nights. I got too wrapped up in the little birds and so now, I am going to tell you.

As you already know, many folks here have mango orchards. Below is one down the street.

Gorgeous, juicy sweet mangoes. You just peel the skin back and slurp it in. Each year the mangoes ripen anywhere between late July and mid to late August. To celebrate the mango season, a lovely little lady who lives in a lovely but not so little old colonial home in the historic district, hosts a 'Mango Fandango'. Everyone is invited, but to come one must bring a mango dish in one of three categories: main dish, salad or dessert, and then, whatever you want to drink.

She sets elaborate, beautiful tables with all of the dishes, and while guests mingle, appointed judges sit in secrecy and eat some of all the dishes and choose winners in all three categories.

This is where we were on Friday, the thirteenth, when a huge storm hit. It took out the power in the historic district, the river ran through the street and we spent most of the evening by candlelight. Wonderful!!!

And look!

That just happens to be a ribbon and I happen to be the owner of it! TA DA!

It says three because desserts were the third category and I won the category with my 'Warm Mango Pudding' recipe.

I was not even paying attention when they gave the prizes, I was talking with someone and Senor had to yell twice to me from across the room that I won. I don't think he exactly billowed but I think he was proud.

I have said many times, I am not a food blogger, so I never think to take photos of what I cook and seriously if you had told me I was going to win the PRIZE, I would have laughed, only because this has to be the simplest recipe in the world. You know how we cook: the asador, the electric burner hot plate, the little toaster oven, then there is the convection oven, which I still cannot figure out how to use and of course, the crock pot.

Admitting though that this is an excellent recipe, not just for mangoes, but any fruit, I am going to share it with you. I know that mangoes are pretty cheap right now up in the states and most of you who read this blog, HI MOM!!!!!! do not have your own mango orchard. So go to the market and buy mangoes for this. It will be worth it and no laughing when you read how simple this winning recipe is.

8 mangoes, sliced and squeezed to get a little juice (squeeze the pit and let the juice run)

3 T melted butter

1 1/2 cups yellow cake mix

Coat the inside of a crock pot with cooking spray. Lay the mangoes and the juice in the bottom. Sprinkle the cake mix over it and drizzle the butter on top. Cook on high for about 3 hours or until the top begins to brown and get all billowed up. Serve it warm, great with ice cream on top.

There you have it! You can play around and add more mangoes and all the cake mix if you want.

You can use blackberries, but add a little sugar, fresh peaches, add a little sugar also. If the fruit is real sweet, like the mango is, you will not need the sugar.

Simple and simply worth a winning ribbon!

The new canalis are going in. They were made somewhere here in town. In the photo below you can see the old canalis, above Senor's head. They were pretty much just metal pipes. This photo was taken in 2007, the first time we saw this little old casa. Senor is standing where now is the first section of the new portal.

Senor and Umberto are also finishing up the parapet wall there. The rocks hold the form and the canalis in place until the concrete dries. Wouldn't builders just love this little trick up in the states.......

Below, they are pouring the cement for the next extension of the portal. Five days for that one beam to get hard and cured. I cannot remember how many beams there are to go, too many.

In the 2007 photo above, Senor would be standing right about where the ladder on the right is, under the portal. We have come a long way. We have a long way to go.

All right, you knew I would not end this post without showing you what the babies are up to. I can no longer go out and stand on the ladder for photos. That mother is always somewhere, hidden in the trees, but watching every move I make. If I even begin walking toward the tree, from around the corner of the house, she comes at me. So, yesterday I took one hundred and four photos, all from the kitchentool room window. I got one good photo. I am not kidding you. One. And here it is.

They are testing their wings!!! When I watch them, they flutter up and their little chests are fluffed and all billowed up. The mother hovers higher and higher each feeding, forcing them to keep rising up. She is making sure they are ready to go.

Time to go see if mother is doing her job and giving them their late afternoon snack!

adios! linda lou