Our family celebrated together on Palm Sunday with Lucy and Scottie’s baptism so Easter was low key. Kalissa’s family and Karl were both here and we made a memorable day of it.  A few of us had gotten Easter things for Buck’s kids. Kelli had gotten Scottie bubbles and he LOVED them!! Buck and Lora took a video of him with them and sent it to us. Carver LOVED watching the video of Scottie playing with bubbles. He kept saying “Scottie, bubbles”.
The second the video played, Carver wanted to play it again.
For some technology, I am thankful for!!
Karl has been going on and on and on about tamales ever since he was student teaching in Texas. He’s begged me to make them so I started watching a couple videos…and then got nervous. I’ve never had a tamale. How am I suppose to know how they taste?! Then I remembered that we have to fail a few times to get it right so I started in…with Carver’s help.
Karl worked on the meat….
These two sillies helped me put the tamales together….
While they cooked we all hung out…. 
The boys love playing cards….I do too but Kalissa doesn’t so she took a nap and we played.
We had trouble getting the tamales steamed through as we didn’t have the best equipment. We learned a lot….we have WAY more to learn. They were good enough that I’ll try to make them again….I sure wish I had at least tasted a real one once in my life though. It was a great activity to work on as a group to keep everyone entertained. I like having projects like this when the kiddos come home. The food is the thing that a Karl missed the most from Texas.
We had a fun Easter…Can you believe I was so busy I never touched a sewing machine the entire weekend? That never happens…and the best part, I was so busy having fun that I didn’t miss it. I love our family!
Judy L. over at Patchwork Times makes a huge batch of tamales about once a year, then freezes them for future consumption. I just searched her site and I’m pretty sure she posted her recipe. She also mentioned that Pressure Cooking Today has an Instant Pot tamale recipe. I know you’ve got an IP! You (or Karl) might want to check it out.
What a great gift you have for making memories with your family! I made tamales with my MIL and another elderly relative years and years ago. What I remember most is how much cameraderie there was between us all even though the elderly woman couldn’t quite ever believe I understood her Spanish lol. I am hoping to have some delivered this June when our Texas family comes here for one son’s wedding. YAY!
Growing up in Arizona, tamales were plentiful. Tamales were often gifted by friends during the holidays and always appreciated knowing the love and time their families put into making them. A fond holiday memory.
Sounds like a PERFECT family Easter to me….
Tamales are traditionally made by gathering the family around to get them assembled since it’s quite a bit of work. Read up on tamales and your IP, that seems like the perfect vehicle for getting them cooked.
In our family, tamales are traditional Christmas fare. In the old days they would be steamed in huge pots which takes a long time. But my mom had a big pressure cooker which sped up the process.
We love tamales here in Kentucky. Our tamales are wrapped in corn shucks. Did you wrap yours? Back in the day we would buy 12 dozen and consume them in one night playing rook, the game usually lasted until 4 am. The elderly lady we purchased tamales from told us she would not be able to make anymore until she secured more corn shucks. We had horses at the time, so hubby went to the barn and shucked enough corn to fill a grass sack with shucks. Our tamale maker was beside herself with joy and we got to enjoy tamales again. It was definitely a Win Win.
I’m in South Texas and like all other comments, it’s a Christmas tradition to have Tamales during that time of year. I truly love them since I’m an original Iowa girl but I claim Texas as home now for going on some 30 plus years. The best advice I can give is to not use so much “maze” but a lot more Meat, and the corn husks are a must. We usually buy from individuals selling them out of their vehicles lol. But they just don’t ever seem Spivey enough for my taste. But so long as they have more Meat than Maze they are perfect with my homemade hot sauce . Best of luck with all your learning experiences.
Jeri
This is one of my favorite quilts that you have made. I have been anxious to see it done and you did not disappoint! I’m a beginner so not quite ready to tackle one on my own, but saved a picture of yours as inspiration.
Thanks for never disappointing!