Tarta de Zapallitos

My dad is here which is great for two reasons: one, I have a killer cold and I need someone to take care of me :3 and two he is vegetarian so I have to eat healthy and good, good meaning best quality products, since I'm a student, I have to make ends meet so I'm not used to buy those every day.

I'm not really into vegetables, I should, but I get puzzled when trying to cook them properly, except for potatoes, onions and tomatoes (not a vegetable but oh well), the rest is a "?" in my head, specially green vegetables. Once I tried to make a onion/carrot pie and it turned out way too sweet for me, my brother liked it though. So cooking for my dad was a challenge, good thing he also cooks so he always helps me.*

So I called my mom and ask for her assistance, went to the market and then with my dad's help here we have, squash pie or tarta de zapallitos.**

Making it was really easy, we just dice 2 onions and about 4 squashes (plural?) and then put them in a pan and let them cook.
At the same time, I prepared the dough, which is light, put some slices of low fat cheese because my mom told me the squashes would give off (? I will have to look that up) a lot of water and would make everything a mess, so I kind of isolate (or insulate? wow this college break is killing my English) the base with the cheese.

Then when the stuffing is cool, I added it to the dough with some more slices of low fat cheese again and some blue cheese and finally a beaten egg with a pinch of salt, pepper and little bit of grated cheese... I love cheese.
Finally we covered it with the other dough and to the oven!
I almost forgot, my mom always tells me to paint (?) the pie before going to the oven with milk or egg.
It tasted really good, it's not something I'd crave to eat but it is a start.


* Before I went back home for Christmas and New Years last year, my dad came and helped me bake some sweet things, pan dulce and a rosca. He was a great help, I'm surprised we share this, we always bond in intellectual matters. I might make pan dulce and rosca again, it was my first time, the rosca turned out great, unlike the pan dulce which was kind of a disappointment but I'll make it up this year.
** This was interesting in the matter of language, I couldn't find in English the type of squash we have here. This was helpful but even so, I still don't know how to translate it for future uses.

Denim-Polka Hexagon basket /ˈheksəɡən ˈbɑːskɪt/

/ðə ˈplætɪnəm blɒnd ˈsekrətri wəz ˈweərɪŋ taɪt ˈneɪvi bluː ˈtraʊzəz/

/wɒk ˈkʌlə wʊdʒu ˈlaɪk miː tə peɪnt ðə ˈbɑːθruːm wɔːl ˈdɑːlɪŋ/

This is what I've been doing, studying for exams, most of these days I've spent my time in phonetics adjustments and stress patterns and in grammar and adverbial clauses and catenatives... they look so simple but yet I didn't know that the verb  recollect is followed by a gerund and didn't even realised that react is followed by to. Anyways, there are 3 more exams to go but I think the worst has passed.

I finally had time to finish this hexagon basket I was longing for, I saw a great-crystal clear tutorial and pattern at CraftPassion a while ago and I knew I HAD to make it.
I started it by cutting the hexagon in cardboard before I started my exams... and on Friday night I was finally able to finish it in no time.
I chose blue and green again, I had some denim in my stash and in my mind I pictured it would look great with some apple green polka dot fabric, found it, bought it, the dots didn't pop out as I hoped for though but I still like how it looks. I have some coasters in mind, I have all the materials but they will have to wait a little bit (or not).

The pics are a bit dark since it's winter and... I took them at night.
In the photos there are the "2 sided" placemats I made last year, never took pics of them since I didn't like my old table and I was waiting the new table... and also I wanted it decorated... well, I'm a perfectionist *sigh, I want things to really pop and pics to do justice (as much as possible).

Wood+Wool+Gems+Glass = Happy Creative Space

 A month ago or so, we bought a new table and I chose this one because I can change whatever is inside anytime.
Usually people put cereals like corn, lentils, beans.. hence the name mesa cerealera, I've seen some with dry flowers also. So I thought, why not gems and crochet flowers?... that's more like me. So I tried and tried many many patterns and colors, none worked until one day my Reader showed me this post of whip up
and I loved the picot flower from Skamama. Made them in no time, they are very simple and beautiful, then added some white stones (the ones for fishtanks) so the gems pop, and it was done. I'm very happy with the results...

 

I'm playing along at Our Creative Spaces today, sooo many great stuff to see, specially this one which reminds me of the time I used to play with wire and make jewelry :)