Thursday, September 2, 2010

Some days I should not operate heavy machinery

Yesterday was hubs birthday but we really had his birthday dinner on Monday night because daughter1 was home. And he cooked it but that's okay because he loves to grill. And I didn't bake him anything because we didn't want to have a whole cake sitting around calling our name after the fact. Wow, I made his day special didn't I?

Daughter1 and I went to a local bakery and chose three cupcakes. Okay, four. In our defense we couldn't make up our minds so we ended up with one lemon mousse filled lemon cupcake, one red velvet with cream cheese icing, one chocolate with raspberry mousse icing, and one chocolate mocha fudge with peanut butter filling.


You understand why we couldn't choose, right?

On his actual birthday he wanted dinner at home because, have you noticed we are out a lot? I had been planning to make his absolute favorite dish in the whole wide world which is my mom's enchilada recipe. I make it only once in a blue moon because it literally takes
all day hours.

The first step is making a homemade sauce which went beautifully and I was feeling pretty proud of myself. I was so organized too...I arranged an assembly line process to put them together which involves frying the tortilla, draining it on a paper towel, dipping it in the sauce, laying it in the pan, adding the filling and rolling it up. I fried the first tortilla and thought, hmmm, something is not quite right but what? It's been well over a year since I have prepared this dish but I knew I'd made an error somewhere along the way. I continued frying and dipping and stuffing and rolling and it wasn't until the 4th enchilada was rolled up and tucked snugly in the pan that it dawned on me- I was using flour tortillas. These absolutely positively must be made with corn. Oh how annoying. When I do stuff like this I think, what in the world has happened to my brain??? And then I remember. Mid-life. Ugh. Ten years ago I would not have mistakenly bought flour. And five years ago I would have realized after making enchilada numero uno that I'd goofed. Sometimes I think women my age need a warning like you find on the side of a medicine bottle tattooed across our forehead.

Back to the store I went. I grabbed the one and only package of corn tortillas they had and started over. With slightly less enthusiasm.


On the bright side, hubs was surprised and oh so happy to walk in the house and see homemade guacamole and smell his favorite food. And I didn't even ask him to clean the stove top even though that has kind of become 'his' job around here. I mean, it was his birthday and I'm all about making it special.

17 comments:

  1. Don't you just hate it when you do something like that. We went out for Mexican Tuesday night. Son #1 is visiting from Denver, and he swears he can't get good Tex-Mex out there. He calls their brand of Mexican "Mountain Mex."

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  2. My brain does crazy stuff like that, too, and I keep talking myself into the fact that whatever the problem is at the moment, it will work itself out. Then it finally hits me that it is NOT! That's where the frustration comes in. Glad you worked those delicious looking enchiladas out for your hubs.

    Happy birthday to him!

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  3. Oh yes I do stuff like that too. Or cannot remember something like the name of a movie or a song that I used to love. And then when you quit trying to remember it, you remember it. What's that about? lol I am glad the enchiladas turned out wonderful. I am sure he felt very special!
    until next time... nel

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  4. Would it make you feel better if I told you that I try to talk my family into cupcakes on birthdays? It just makes sense, doesn't it? ;) Those look divine!

    Again, happy birthday to your hubs! Care to share his favorite recipe? :)

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  5. We do need a warning label! Caution, the woman you are approaching is in the throes of a hot-flash and is in danger of spontaneous combustion, approach at your own risk. Or caution: the woman you are approaching may or may not remember your name or why she is here.

    I hope your hubs had a great birthday.

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  6. Oh no, having to make it again was so sad but they must be corn. Those cupcakes sound delicious. Glad that he loved his birthday dinner.

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  7. Well, he and his day must be PRETTY special 'cause you DID go back to the store and get the right tortillas!! I just don't know if I would have had it in me to do so. *sigh* You're a good woman, Joyce! And the enchiladas do look delicious AND the cupcakes look divine! I think my husband just may get cupcakes on his birthday, which is just around the corner! :-)

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  8. Serendipitously, we enjoyed enchiladas for dinner the very same evening. Didn’t even know we were celebrating someone's birthday at the time or I would have served cupcakes, too!

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  9. Well all's well that ends well I always say, not to overlook the fact that someone had to work very hard to get it to the "ends well" part. I am glad it was appreciated.

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  10. Those cupcakes look and sound great...but I would've had to have 1 of each for each person!

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  11. Flour tortillas are of the devil.

    The end.

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  12. Where did you go to get such a variety of cupcakes?!!? I can't think of any place around here like that. L and I were just talking about how much we like cupcakes just the other day!

    What a great way to celebrate someone's birthday--going back to the store to get the right tortillas!

    Happy Birthday T!

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  13. Yes, I have that "brain death syndrome" myself! Those cupcakes looked delicious, as well as your enchiladas(and I don't even care for Mexican food) I celebrated a birthday this week as well. Happy B'day to your hubs...

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  14. Yes, I make lots of those mistakes here too. Just part of growing older, I guess. Your recipe looks delicious, even if you did have trouble with it. I know hubs had a great birthday, especially with one of your daughters there. Love & blessings from NC!

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  15. At least you didn't try to make do with the flour tortillas which is what a lot of people would have done.

    I like to make special meals for people on their big day too. Now who can I find to do it for me??

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  16. Your enchiladas look fabulous and so do the cupcakes! Don't worry.....I find myself making mistakes like that often. Love you blog header!

    Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
    Candace

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