Thanks to everyone who entered. More giveaways in the future, so be sure to follow us on Facebook to keep up with the latest. Gracias.
Congrats to Our Giveaway Winners
By Cynthia Garza
on May 05, 2012
With 0 comments
Congratulations to the four winners of our awesome giveaway: Maricela B., Rayetta T., Ada J. and Vanessa S. Your packages will be in the mail next week. Was hoping to send them off this week but I am waiting for an extra goodie that I wanted to include to be delivered to me before sending off. But you'll get them soon.
Gearing Up for Cinco de Mayo
By Cynthia Garza
on May 03, 2012
With 0 comments
Often mistaken for Mexican Independence Day (that's Sept. 16), Cinco de Mayo commemorates the 1862 Battle of Puebla between the victorious ragtag army of largely Mexican Indian soldiers against the invading French forces of Napoleon III. Mexican Americans, during the Chicano Movement of the 1970s, adopted the holiday for its David vs. Goliath storyline as motivation for civil rights struggles in Texas and California.
Often mistaken for Mexican Independence Day (that's Sept. 16), Cinco de Mayo commemorates the 1862 Battle of Puebla between the victorious ragtag army of largely Mexican Indian soldiers against the invading French forces of Napoleon III. Mexican Americans, during the Chicano Movement of the 1970s, adopted the holiday for its David vs. Goliath storyline as motivation for civil rights struggles in Texas and California.Si Se Puede! No wonder I like this holiday.
For my family, it's a chance to celebrate our Mexican-American culture through food, decorations and good music. I bought these mini-piñatas as table decorations. We'll be heading to my mom's house and I caught a glimpse of her stockpile of decorations the other day. Can't wait, especially for those tasty fajitas, guacamole, pico de gallo and margaritas! Oh, and playing Loteria will be a blast.
Cool Mom Picks features Dos Borreguitas "Latino Cool"
By Cynthia Garza
on April 13, 2012
With 1 comments
We were beyond thrilled to be featured on Cool Mom Picks this week. We love this website because they are THE arbiter of good taste in kids products. Their editors regularly appear on the national talk shows, and magazines like Martha Stewart, InStyle and Parents Magazine regularly look to what they're writing about for top trends in children's products. Needless to say, we are delighted that they liked our shirts. Here's what they had to say:
I love the t-shirts at Dos Borreguitas because they strike the perfect balance between all-American hipness and Latin tradition. The designs take advantage of the playfulness of the Spanish language and twist traditional sayings into clever designs.
They go on to say:
But the beauty of the onesies and t-shirts at Dos Borreguitas is that they're so cute and clever that you don't have to be Hispanic to appreciate them; after all, who doesn't fall in love at the sight of two books fighting it out on a Lucha Libros onesie? It's proof that nerdiness and good design transcend all cultures. ¡Wepa!
Indeed, a lot of our customers are not Hispanic, but just folks who love the language or want for their children to grow up with an appreciation of another culture. Or they just like our fun designs and the softness of our shirts. We like to think the wonder and whimsy of our designs are universal. We're glad Cool Mom Picks thinks so, too.
Cool Baby Onesie and Toddler T-shirts GIVEAWAY
By Cynthia Garza
on April 09, 2012
With 18 comments
We had so much fun with our last giveaway that we just couldn't wait to do another. And since we debuted four new designs (Chicle, Callejeros, Lucha Libros and Piñata Party) a few weeks ago, we thought it would be PERFECT to give away these awesome toddler shirts and cool infant onesies. Plus, we'll throw in a $5 gift certificate to use in our store.
And since we want to spread the love, we'll be picking FOUR winners. Yup, that's cuatro.
So, below are the giveaway rules, but basically just leave a comment below telling us which of our news T-shirts is your favorite and why, and you're entered. And again, although it's not required, we'd love it if you let your comadres and compadres (friends:) know about us on Facebook or Twitter.
The Giveaway
We're giving away our exclusive and original Dos Borreguitas T-shirts/Onesies and a $5 gift certificate to FOUR lucky winners.
All you have to do to enter is to leave a comment below telling us which new shirt is your favorite and why. That's it! NOTE: Only your name and comment will be visible, not your email address.
After that, if you want additional chances to win you can:
1. Follow Dos Borreguitas on Twitter and tweet about the giveaway. Be sure to link to @dosborreguitas. Let us know about the tweet by leaving the link to it in an additional, separate comment on this post. If you already follow us just let us know in a comment.
2. Follow us on Pinterest, and let us know about it in HERE ON THIS BLOG POST an additional, separate comment on this post. If you already follow us just let us know in a comment.
3. If you follow us on Facebook, let us know about it in a comment HERE ON THIS POST (not on FB). If not, follow us, and let us know.
This awesome DB giveaway ends Sunday, April 29 at 11:59 p.m. EST.
Here are some quick rules: Must enter a valid email address on comment. This is how we will notify you. Upon notification, winner will have 4 days to respond with a valid U.S. mailing address. If we don't hear back from you, we will send you a second email letting you know the time is up and we will choose another winner. We use random.org to pick a winner.
Dos Borreguitas Featured In Associated Press Article on Cascarones
By Cynthia Garza
on April 09, 2012
With 0 comments
We were beyond thrilled to get a call a few weeks ago from Associated Press reporter Jennifer Forker who was working on an Easter story about cascarones. She had read our blog posts about this awesome tradition of breaking confetti-filled eggs on people's heads during Easter, and wanted to chat a little about the tradition and how to make them. We had a great convo and afterwards I also sent her the pictures that ended up running alongside the story (Cascarones: Latin American tradition of confetti-filled eggs expands in US), including this one above of my daughter K playing with cascarones. That photo ended up running in the Sydney Morning Herald -- cool! I just think cascarones are one of the greatest things since sliced cake, so I'm glad the story got picked up by quite a few newspapers across the country. This is one tradition that will hopefully become as American during Easter as Peeps.
Jennifer spoke to us, and also with two of our favorite sites, SpanglishBaby and Tikitikiblog. Here's what we had to say:
Cynthia Leonor Garza’s family brings out the cascarones at weddings, graduations and anytime there’s a celebration.
“I have an aunt who’s notorious for carrying cascarones in her purse for graduations,” Garza says. “You look at my high school graduation pictures and there’s confetti all over my head because somebody cracked one over me.”
Garza lives in Washington, D.C., where she runs an online shop of Latino-inspired children’s clothes and toys, but she grew up in South Texas. Garza recalls crossing the border to Mexico to pick up a massive bag of 10 dozen cascarones.
“I grew up an hour from the border,” recalls Garza. “You’d haul that huge bag back with you home. You can imagine the big party you’d have with those cascarones.”
It’s that annual border crossing with her mother that Garza treasures most.
“I think of that every time this time of year rolls around,” she says. Meanwhile, “the (egg) breaking is one big blur.”
And here's a few of the papers that ran the story:
Side note: We had a BLAST this Easter Sunday with our stash of cascarones. Tons of laughs, tons of smiles, tons of surprises and tons of confetti in every single crevice of your backyard and inside your clothes and hair. Love it.
Tienes un Chicle Pegado?
By Cynthia Garza
on April 02, 2012
With 0 comments
We've been getting lots of awesome feedback about our T-shirt in Spanish that says Chicle: Pegado a Mamá. The translation is Gum: Stuck on Mom. It's a happy pink stick of gum holding the hand of her little chiclet (or Canel's chicletito).
For Latinos, to say someone is a chicle in Spanish is an affectionate way of calling someone a tag-along. As in the case of a little brother wanting to always hang out with his older brother and his friends. He's a chicle. In the case of babies and toddlers, it's literally stuck on mama's hip. But I've got to admit, I think it goes both ways. I might be getting more stuck to my little K. I stay at home with my daughter and every day I grow more and more attached to her. Maybe it's because I know that next Fall she'll be starting pre-school and I feel that since so much time will be spent in school, "our time" will be over. On the flip side, the older I get the more I've learned to really appreciate living in the present and savoring each day. And yup, when you have a small child a lot of that daily stuff if mundane. Meals, bath, playing, reading, bedtime, repeat. But by knowing it'll be gone in the blink of an eye, I can actually enjoy doing the small stuff. I know one day I'll wish I could just play and read with her and hug her as often as I do.
I've talked to a lot of customers who were looking for something unique and different to give as baby shower gift and ended up buying this fun Latino baby onesie. It's actually pretty spot-on for baby-wearing moms, or soon-to-be moms. Of course, I can attest that toddler-wearing is also fashionable, if not a little arm- and back-breaking :/
Need Egg Shells for Cascarones? Try these Egg Recipes
By Cynthia Garza
on March 29, 2012
With 0 comments
If you're like a lot of busy folks, you're not even thinking about Easter yet, much less preparing for it. Or maybe you've got an awesome Pinterest Easter board, but yeah, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but that's just virtual preparedness. Damn, I know. I, too, feel an immense sense of domestic accomplishment after spending hours on Pinterest or watching HGTV. But in the real world, we've gotta trek to the grocery store and spend time in the kitchen to make those pretty things.
Last week, I posted about how easy it was to make cascarones, or confetti-filled Easter eggs, which are a South Texas tradition at Easter. Let me just say once again, cascarones make Easter a million times more festive and fun and are totally worth the effort to make. And yes, they are easy. But the hardest part is remembering to save the egg shells when you're cooking in the weeks leading up to Easter. But never fear, even with just a week to go you can amass a nice little stockpile of empty egg shells for cascarones-making just by making a few egg-centric recipes. These are few recipes that use up a lot of eggs, or at least four each.
QUICHE
Two of my favorite quick quiche recipes are the Knorr Spring Vegetable Quiche and the Knorr Cheddar Broccoli Quiche recipes. I originally found these recipes from a former co-worker who used to bring them in to the office when we had potluck breakfasts. They are so easy to make, and taste delicious.
I didn't have any Knorr Leek recipe or Spring Vegetable packets on hand, so I just winged this quiche I made today with what I had in the frig and freezer. The result, a ham, cheese and broccoli quiche that took 5 minutes to prepare and was ready in about 45 minutes. Here's my recipe (I just tweaked the Knorr recipes.) These are great to make two at a time. Great for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups milk
4 eggs
1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped broccoli (thawed)
5 slices of ham, chopped small
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or any yellow cheese mix, I use Mexican blend)
salt and peper
1 frozen deep-dish pie crust
STEPS
Preheat oven to 375°. In a bowl, beat eggs, milk and salt and pepper until well blended. Add broccoli, shredded cheese and chopped ham bits and mix well. Pour into pie crust and bake around 45 minutes.
FLAN
I am a Facebook fan of Hispanic Kitchen and I love getting their daily updates of Latino-inspired recetas. Here you can find recipes for flans you couldn't even dream up: flan de cajeta, flan de coco, flan de maracuyá, flan de nance, flan de naranja y coco, flan napolitano, and on and on. You get the point. The recipe I've used since I was in junior high is from an old South Texas Rotary Club recipe book. It's a no frills recipe and it tastes divine, especially the second day.
TORTILLA ESPAÑOLA
Ah, when I think of the average corner bar that serves tapas in Madrid, I always think tortilla española. This is Spain's version of an omelette, but the olive oil gives it a nice and different texture. Most recipes for tortilla española call for olive oil, potatoes, eggs, onion, salt and pepper. Nothing more, nothing less. Simple and satisfying.
ANGEL FOOD CAKE
Okay, this is the mother ship of using of a ton of eggs in one fell swoop. This particular Betty crocker recipe for angel food cake calls for 12 eggs. And with just that, you've got yourself a good number of cascarones.
CREME BRULEE
If creme brulee got in a fight with flan, I'll be in the stands with a bull horn rooting for Team Flan. But I know there are plenty of people who think creme brulee is to-die-for and would kill for it. So if you're feeling adventurous in the kitchen, why not try this? Here's a recipe. It'll use up 10 eggs.
Any other suggestions? Happy cooking and baking!
Calling All Mamás-To-Be: MTV Tr3s Wants YOU!!!
By Cynthia Garza
on March 26, 2012
With 0 comments
When I first read this, my first thought turned to the high drama of Teen Mom and even Bridezilla. While stats show Latina moms tend to be younger, I know a lot of Latina women, myself included, who waited until they were more established their first child. I also know Latina moms who were younger when they had their first child and are now doing well: education, career, house and home included. My only point here is is to say that Latina moms come in all ages, from all backgrounds and relationship statuses, and I'd love to see that representation on this show, and on television in general. The casting director, Khadine Clarke, said they were in fact looking for more established couples, preferably engaged or married. I'd love to see Latino and bi-cultural families represented in a positive light, and for the show to focus on how our culture, language and family are a centerpiece in many of our lives. I think it's the little nuances in our hybrid lives that makes things interesting and enriching. I mean, that's the idea behind Dos Borreguitas, after all -- to celebrate the two sides in all of us, the black and white sheep, the fútbol and football aficionado, the bilingual and bicultural American-Latino.
I know there's some great candidates out there. I've heard from soooooo many amazing Latina and honorary Latina (married to a Latino) moms through my blog and shop and I know some of you would make us proud (and laugh and cry). If you're interested, the casting coordinator, Khadine Clarke, has asked that you contact her directly at Khadine.Clarke@mtvnmix.com to speed things up. Buena suerte!!
Do you have any thoughts on what you'd like to see on Quiero Mi Baby? Are you in a mixed-culture family? Share your story with us here or on Facebook.
CONTACT:
Horchatita for the Kiddos
By Cynthia Garza
on March 23, 2012
With 0 comments
Spring is here and we've been spending a lot of our afternoons outside - going to the playground, gardening or just hanging out on the porch. I'm an afternoon iced coffee drinker, so I like to sit on my rocking chair on the porch and relax with my cafecito. I found something at the grocery store today that I can give to K to enjoy on our porch-sitting afternoon: Horchatita! That means little horchata, which is a cinammon rice beverage that is just heavenly. I try to just drink it on occasion, otherwise I'd be drowning myself in the stuff every day. I usually don't buy juice boxes for the toddler, but opt for just filling up her sippy cups with milk, water or juice. But these are a special treat, and a good way to introduce her to the world of horchatas. And a good way to cool down as we welcome the warm afternoons.
I've never attempted to make homemade horchata, but this Horchata de Plátano recipe from Nibbles and Feasts blog looks easy enough, and delicious with the banana twist. I've got everything I need to make it, so gonna attempt this weekend. Can't wait to try it!
How to Make Cascarones, or Confetti-Filled Easter Eggs
By Cynthia Garza
on March 22, 2012
With 0 comments
Last year I wrote about how much I loved cascarones because they remind me of home and growing up in South Texas. But mostly, I like these confetti-filled eggs because they make this or any other holiday or celebration a million times more festive and fun. To me, cascarones equals laughter, and that's what brings so much joy in life.
My mom and I have been diligent about saving our egg shells for the past few months. Use white eggs, not brown eggs as those don't dye well. To make the hole, just tap gently on the top end of the egg when breaking it to let it out. The hole can be about an inch in diameter or so. Just wash and rinse the empty egg shell well and set aside until you've accumulated a decent amount. Yesterday my mom, my daughter and I finally got around to making a few dozen cascarones. I remembered to photograph so that I could write-up a how-to blog post.
Really, these are not difficult to make and my daughter loved the dyeing part. They do take a little time but, I just think that the whole process is fun, from making to breaking. Yeah, especially the breaking part.
So here are cascarones in four easy steps!
Step 1: Dye the Empty Egg Shells
We dyed some with non-toxic child-friendly spray paint, and colored the rest with Paas Easter egg dyes. Let them dry before filling with confetti.
Step 2: Fill with Confetti
Step 3: Seal Top of Egg with Tissue Paper
Cut circles of tissue paper big enough to fit just over the open hole of the egg. To affix them to the egg, you want to either use glue or make a homemade glue by mixing some flour and water until it's the consistency of glue (not too runny). That's what we use. Then we just brush it around the edge of the egg shell hole and push the tissue down to make sure there's no way for the confetti to escape.
Step 4: Save for the Easter Egg Hunt, or Make a Gift Bag to Give to Guests
We just thought these would also make great Easter celebration favors for guests who come over to your home. Just get some clear bags, fill the bottom with colorful crinkled paper or Easter grass, put in a half dozen eggs, slap a label or sticker on them, tie it up with a nice ribbon and voila, you've got an Easter your guests will never forget!
