Mexico may be more known for its antojitos, like tacos, tostadas, empanadas, and more, but we also have some tasty desserts! Today I am going to share with you one of my favorite desserts, which is mango gelatina, made with fresh mangoes and also includes cream cheese to give it an even creamier texture.

Making homemade gelatin is really pretty simple, and there are many different combinations and ways to do it. Of course you can just buy the pre-flavored packets at the store, but making everything from scratch is an even better way to do it. I personally prefer to make this tasty mango dessert and others from home, especially on a hot day where the whole family is craving something sweet and delicious.

What is Mango Gelatin?

Mango gelatin, or in Spanish, Gelatina de Mango, is creamy, sweet, and a favorite dessert in my family. It is best when you can use ripe mangoes since they tend to be sweeter which will result in a better end result for this recipe. Gelatin in general is a favorite among children, and my kids are no exception. Whenever I make any variety, they gobble it up as fast as they can, but the mango flavor is always one of their favorites.

This tasty dessert is easy to make and won’t cost a lot of money either, so it is a perfect option for any family.

How do you make Mango Gelatin?

Like I said above, this recipe is easy to make and uses simple ingredients. You will need the following to get started:

• Large, ripe mangoes (manila or ataulfo work great)
• Whole Milk
• Evaporated Milk
• Sweetened condensed milk
• Mexican crema
• Cream cheese
• Unflavored gelatin powder
• warm water

Once you have gathered the ingredients, you will need to follow the instructions below.

First, you will need to sprinkle gelatin in the water and mix well to dissolve the gelatin powder. Let sit for about 15 minutes.

Next, peel the mangoes and cut the mango into medium-sized mango cubes. Add them to your blender or food processor with the whole milk and blend until it reaches a somewhat thick consistency.

Add the above mixture to a medium sized pan and and heat over medium heat, stirring often and not allowing it to boil. After about 5 minutes, lower to the lowest heat possible.

The next step is to heat the previously prepared gelatin mixture in the microwave for about 30 seconds so that it returns to a liquid state. Add to the pan with the fresh mango purée and mix well until completely disssolved. Remove from heat and let cool.

The final step is to blend the cream cheese, evaporated milk, crema, and sweetended condensed milk in a blender, adding that mixture to the mango mixture and stirring well. Add this to the gelatin mold of your choice and refrigerate for a minimum of 3-4 hours.

Check out these other desserts!

• The Most Delicious and Authentic Chocoflan Recipe
• The Best (and easiest) Flan Napolitano Recipe
• Lemon Carlota 
• Authentic Mexican Buñuelos Recipe
• Delicious Mexican Mosaic Gelatin Recipe (Gelatina de Mosaico)
• The Best Churros Recipe with Sweet Piloncillo Dipping Sauce

Print

Creamy Mango Gelatin

This creamy mango gelatin is a perfect dessert for any time of year that will have you and your guests asking for more.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword dessert, gelatin, gelatina, mango, postre

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Refrigeration Time 4 hours hours

Total Time 4 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 10 Slices

Calories 246kcal

Author Charbel Barker

Ingredients

• 4 Ripe Mangoes
• 1/2 Cup Whole Milk
• 1 Can Evaporated Milk 14 oz
• 1 Can Condensed Milk 14 oz
• 1 Can Table Cream Crema Mexicana 8 oz
• 1 box Cream Cheese 8 oz
• 10 tsp Unflavored Gelatin
• 1/2 Cup water

Instructions

• Sprinkle the unflavored gelatin into the water in a bowl and stir well. Let rest for 15 minutes.
• Peel the mangoes and cut them into medium sized cubes.
• Add the mangoes to a blender with the whole milk and blend. The consistency will be a bit thick.
• Add the above mango mixture to a medium sized pan and heat over medium heat for about 5 minutes, not allowing it to boil. After 5 minutes have passed, lower heat to the lowest possible setting.
• Put the bowl with the unflavored gelatin mixture in the microwave for about 30 seconds to return it to a liquid state.
• Add the gelatin mixture to the mango mixture in the pan and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• Blend the cream cheese, evaporated milk, condensed milk, and table cream in a blender.
• Add the above mixture to the mango mixture and stir well. Place in a large bundt pan and refrigerate for a minimum of 3-4 hours.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Slice | Calories: 246kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 102mg | Potassium: 412mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 1108IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 232mg | Iron: 0.3mg

The post Creamy Mango Gelatin (Gelatina de Mango) appeared first on My Latina Table.

Para leer en español haz click aqui

Mexican food is well known for having a wide variety of delicious dishes, including many types of tacos, tamales, barbacoas, soups, and many more. You can see the influence of Mexican food in many other foods around the World including in the United States, Spain, Africa, and even Asia.

Mexican cuisine was designated an “intangible cultural heritage” by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2010. For those, and many other reasons, I am proud of my Mexican roots and always seek to show that through my recipes.

Of course in order to make these delicious recipes, not only do you have to have the traditional ingredients, but you also need to have specific cooking tools, or utensils in order to give the dishes that authentic taste. The products that are traditionally used in Mexican food have developed and changed throughout the past few centuries as technology has improved.

Today we are able to enjoy the best of both worlds as many of the tools we use today are similar to what was used in the past, but are a bit more efficient.

Here is a short list of a few of my favorite Mexican recipes that I have shared here on my site:

1. Guacamole Recipe Homemade Authentic Mexican Version
2. Horchata (Authentic Mexican Recipe)
3. Traditional Mexican Tostadas
4. Authentic Mexican Salsa Verde
5. Tacos Al Pastor Recipe Homemade Version

As I make these recipes, I am able to use the cooking utensils that I learned how to use from my abuelita and my mom, and this brings back so many wonderful memories from when I was a little girl.

Fortunately, today it is not too difficult to find these products even outside of Mexico, and so today I want to share 6 essential products for cooking Mexican food and where you can find them.

1. Molcajete (Mortar and Pestle)

This amazing little product is basically a stone in the form of a small bowl that is used to grind ingredients like garlic, chilies, seeds, pepper, cloves, fresh herbs and even soft fruits and vegetables like avocado!

I will always remember the delicious, fresh roasted pepper salsas that my grandma always used to make and that we always had on the table to go along with our meals. When I first arrived in the United States I had to learn how to live without my beloved molcajete, but eventually I found it here, and it is still one of my favorites!

2. Blender

It doesn’t matter what brand or how much it costs, having a good blender is absolutely essential to making great Mexican food. Whether you are using it to make your own salsa, preparing your own refried beans, or making fresh and delicious beverages like horchata, a blender is a great investment because you will definitely be using it!

I have used many different brands and types of blenders throughout my life, but the one that I have settled on is the Blendtec 725! It is absolutely amazing. It has touch buttons with preset times and cycles for different types of recipes, including salsas. I know it is expensive, but the quality justifies the price and it will last you a long time. Click here to check it out. 

3. Tortilla Press

This is a very basic tool that is used to make tortillas very quickly and which can be used by anyone to make tortillas, especially if you aren’t sure how to form them by hand. They are used very often in Mexico – especially in local restaurants and stores where they have to make a huge volume to keep up with the demand for delicious foods like pork rind filled gorditas, quesadillas, and of course for the internationally famous tacos, like these chorizo and potato tacos!

This product consists of two metal, circular plates, which are connected by a handle and which, when pushed together are able to form a perfectly flat and round tortilla when a small ball of tortilla dough is placed between them.

With this great product, you can have perfect homemade tortillas in just seconds and there is nothing better than homemade, recently cooked tortillas. I bought my tortilla press a few years ago when we were living in Phoenix at a local store, but fortunately you can buy them here as well. The price is worth it, because this product will last for many years (and many tortillas!).

4. Comal 

In order to cook those delicious homemade tortillas, you will also need a comal. A comal is smooth, flat griddle that can be used to cook tortillas, meat and more. Originally they were made of clay and I even remember seeing one of those that my great grandmother had. Today they are usually made of cast iron so that they are able to last longer – in fact a good comal can last for many generations! 

They are usually disc shaped so that you can easily cook the tortillas or toast seeds and roast chilies. I used to have a really good one, but in our many moves, I seem to have lost it and I am definitely missing it.

Fortunately I am planning on getting a new one and there are many great options here.

5. Wooden Spoons

One of the great things about Mexican food are the many delicious, homemade beverages that are served with it. In order to make these drinks, you have to do a lot of stirring. That is why it is important to have a good amount of wooden spoons on hand.

You will be surprised how often you use them and you will notice that they will protect your non-stick and stainless steel pots and pans as well!

6. Steamer

I have been familiar with steamers since I was a little girl, and it has always been one of my favorites. It is most famous for being used to make tamales, but it can also be used to make delicious esquite and corn. You will find one of these in every Mexican home, and because of their popularity, it is even easy to find them in the United States.

I have found lots of other uses for it as well, like for steaming vegetables like artichokes. It consists of a large pot with uniform holes placed inside of another large pot which allows for whatever is put inside to be perfectly steamed. You can find them for a good price and quality here. 

These are just a few of many cooking tools that you can take advantage of to make delicious Mexican food There are many more that you can use, but these ones are essential. As I have gone through this list, I can say with confidence that I use at least one or two of these products for almost every Mexican recipe that you will find on this site.

Whether you are an experienced chef, or are just starting to learn, these will definitely help you on your journey towards making delicious Mexican food.

For  more essential kitchen products, check out my kitchen essentials store page.

To summarize, Here are links to all of the products listed in this article. 

1. Molcajete
2. Blender
3. Tortilla Press
4. Wooden Spoons
5. Steamer

The post 6 Essential Products For Making Authentic Mexican Food appeared first on My Latina Table.

Background

Being from Mexico, the topic of immigration can be a sensitive one. Millions of people have immigrated in the past decade and like every decision that one makes, people immigrate to find happiness. I would like for my opinion today to go beyond the normal political talking points. Instead, I want to share my experience of adjusting to American culture so that I can help anyone else in similar circumstances.

Many people in Latin American countries and beyond have a strong desire to immigrate to the United States. There are infinite reasons why a person decides to immigrate – they may be political, cultural, educational, work-related, or, like me, to be with family.

Like I shared in my post about long-distance relationships, I came to the United States 8 months after marrying my husband in Mexico, all of which were spent waiting for the government to approve my visa.

Getting married to someone from another country didn’t only mean a change in my surroundings, it was also a change in the food I would eat, the culture, and the language. I didn’t know any English at that point, which made my ability to communicate with my extended family almost non-existent, or through hand signals. Of course my husband was always there to translate for me and everyone was so patient and kind to me. That said, those experiences caused me to feel insecure, depressed, and anxious – which made adjusting to American culture a somewhat difficult process.

So how did I overcome this difficult stage and learn to adjust? It definitely wasn’t easy, but I found that the following tips helped me to improve my situation and even to enjoy it!

Accept That You Will Have To Leave Things Behind: 

This is one of the first issues that you will face when you leave your country. You will have to learn to be away from your family members, your friends, your lifestyle, and even the weather that you are used to. You have to learn how to leave many things behind. Even though it is difficult to let go, it is an important part of the process that will help you to achieve even greater things – in my case, to start my own family. The first six months for me were terrible, as I had to learn the hard way how to leave things behind. On an almost daily basis I found myself crying and saying that I wanted to go back to Mexico. That went on until I realized that this was part of starting over, and I would still be able to visit my family, even if it wasn’t going to be the same as before. I definitely recommend that you stay in contact with everyone that you love.

See Change As A Good Thing

These changes can be overwhelming – especially in the beginning when you have just moved and are learning how to adapt. Let me tell you – change is a good thing because it helps us to evolve and improve as people. There is always something to learn from good and bad situations. The important thing is to maintain your own identity. A change of in my surroundings didn’t only help me to embrace a new culture, it also provided me with the opportunity to give my children more socio-economic stability. It also gave me the opportunity to have a stable, loving marriage, which is what I always dreamed of having since I was a little girl. Change can be tough, but it is worth it.

Force Yourself to Integrate

This starts by learning the language – this is a key step towards becoming integrated in society and not becoming an eternal immigrant. Even 7 years later I am still improving – it has been crucial in allowing me to find new friends and to show respect for the culture of the country where I now live. There are so many ways to learn – I never took formal classes, but just by watching the news, other TV show, and talking with people has helped me to be able to speak almost fluently.  No make the mistake of isolating yourself. I know many people that have lived here for more than 10 years and they still haven’t been able to “adapt” to the culture and who don’t speak any English. I know that it is not easy to learn another language, but there are so many tools that can help, including free classes in many libraries and schools. The best way to look at it is that we should try to adapt to the new culture, and not wait for the new culture to adapt to us.

Be Humble

Your values are must more precious and important than any title that you can achieve or obtain going to school or than your material possessions, because they (your values) are what will really set you apart from other people in your new home. You can be royalty in your own country, but once you leave its borders many will see you as just another immigrant. That is why it is important to work hard and take advantage of the opportunities that arise. It is very important to be gracious for the welcome that your new home is giving you.

Have An Open Mind

The change of culture and surroundings will be very drastic, but try not to be negative. Choosing not to judge will allow you to be an objective observer which will help you to develop a better, multicultural understanding. In the years since arriving, I have found out that many things that I thought I “knew” about this country were completely untrue, and I have tried to adopt all of the good things about it without losing my own identity. I have tried to leave behind bad habits that I brought from my home country, because being immigrants in another country means that we are representing our home. If a country brings you in, the least we can do is bring positive change with us. So, time to leave behind bad habits – what we all want is to improve anyway, right?

Be Willing To Laugh At Yourself As  You Adjust to American Culture 

Having a sense of humor can make all the difference! Being in new surroundings means learning new things and making mistakes in the process. For example, when I first arrived I noticed that a lot of people greet you saying, “How are you?” In Mexico, if someone says that to you, it has a lot of meaning and they are expecting a true answer. Here, people say it more informally and it is just like saying, “Hi,” it doesn’t mean that they actually want to know everything that is going on in your life. Many times I found myself talking to myself when people said it to me in passing, and other times people stared at me with confusion on their face because I was telling them all about my day! So – learn to laugh at yourself. Most people will admire your tenacity and efforts to adapt to their culture.

Conclusion

Whatever your situation or your reason for leaving your country might be, it is important to be sure that it is the right decision, to have clear goals, and to learn as much about the the place that you are going as possible. The most important thing is to do it for the right reasons and to be sure that this decision will bring you the happiness that you are looking for. It will be a very difficult process, but it will change your life for good. When you look back you will see the growth that you have achieved as a person. Don’t get discouraged and I wish you luck in the coming adventures.

The post How to Adjust to American Culture for Immigrants appeared first on My Latina Table.

Como mexicana hablar de inmigración es un tema delicado. Millones de personas han emigrado en la última década y como cada decisión que tomamos en la vida es para buscar felicidad. Es por eso que mi opinión más allá de un punto político, es una historia de adaptación que quiero compartir con todas aquellas personas que de una u otra manera están pasando por esta circunstancia.

Existe en la actualidad un aumento constante en el deseo de la emigración en varios países latinoamericanos.  Las razones son infinitas y van desde el desempleo, la inseguridad, razones políticas o culturales, la educación, el trabajo, o causas familiares la cual es mi caso.

Como conté en mi publicación de RELACIONES A DISTANCIA yo llegue a los Estados Unidos 8 meses después de casarme en México mientras esperaba la aprobación de mis documentos migratorios por el gobierno.

El casarme con alguien extranjero no solo implico un cambio de entorno, sino también de alimentación, cultura y de idioma. Yo no sabía nada de inglés, lo que hizo que mi comunicación con mi familia extendida fuera casi nula o a través de señas, por supuesto mi esposo siempre estaba ahí para traducir y ellos eran muy pacientes y amables conmigo. Pero este tipo de experiencias creó en mi un sentimiento de inseguridad, depresión y ansiedad lo que hizo de mi transición a mi nuevo entorno un proceso difícil.

¿Pero cómo superé esta difícil etapa? ¡Aunque no fue fácil a través de mi experiencia puedo compartirte algunos consejos que me ayudaron a mejorar mi situación y lo mejor a disfrutarla!

1. Acepta la Renuncia: Esta es una de las primeras cosas que deberás enfrentar cuando te vas de tu país. Tienes que aprender a estar sin tus familiares, tus amigos, tu estilo de vida, y hasta el clima. Tienes que aprender a renunciar a muchas cosas y aunque es una etapa muy grande de desprendimiento es parte de un proceso para lograr un objetivo mayor, en mi caso formar mi propia familia. Los primeros 6 meses fueron terribles para mí y tuve que aprender a renunciar por el    camino difícil, diariamente me encontraba llorando y diciendo que quería regresar a México, hasta que entendí que esto solo era parte del proceso y que aún podría seguir visitando y viendo a mi familia solo que en otro tipo de circunstancias. Te recomiendo que Mantengas todo tipo de contacto con las personas que amas.
2.  Ve los cambios como algo bueno: Aunque los cambios pueden ser abrumadores, sobre todo a principio de la adaptación, cuando te acabas de mudar y todo parece tan confuso o estas en esta etapa de desorientación como yo la pase. Déjame decirte que el cambio es algo bueno en la vida porque nos ayuda a evolucionar y a mejorar como seres humanos. Aprendes mucho de lo bueno y lo malo para tu propio bien. Lo importantes es que por mucho que cambies no olvides tu identidad. El cambiar de lugar no solo trajo para mí una oportunidad para desarrollarme en otra cultura, sino también para brindar a mis hijos una mejor estabilidad sociocultural. Así como un matrimonio estable y lleno de amor que era lo que había sonado desde que era niña. Los cambios aunque son difíciles valen la pena.
3. Intégrate: Empieza por aprender el idioma, esta es una clave para la integración a la sociedad y no ser el eterno inmigrante. Y aunque después de 7 años aún sigo mejorándolo ha sido una pieza clave para encontrar amistades y mostrar respeto por la cultura del lugar, hay tantas formas de aprender, en mi caso nunca estuve en clases de idioma, pero las noticias, los programas de televisión y el escuchar a las personas hablando me han ayudado a desarrollarlo casi fluidamente. No cometas el error de aislarte. Yo He conocido muchas personas que después de 10 años o más de vivir aquí no se han podido “adaptar” a la cultura, sin embargo, no hablan inglés y aunque no es fácil aprender otro idioma hay tantas herramientas que podemos aprovechar, incluso hay clases completamente gratuitas que se dan en algunas escuelas o bibliotecas, el punto es intentar adaptarnos nosotros a la cultura y no esperar que la cultura se adapte a nosotros.
4. Se humilde:  Tus valores son lo más preciado y valen mucho más que un título universitario o tus bienes materiales, son los que te diferenciaran de otras personas en este nuevo país. Aunque en tu país de origen pertenezcas a la realeza fuera de tu país eres otro inmigrante más, así que a trabajar duro y aprovechar las oportunidades que se te presentan. Lo más importante es apreciar el sitio que te está dando la bienvenida.
5. Se de mente abierta: El cambio de cultura y entorno será totalmente drástico así que no percibas nada como malo o negativo. No juzgar te permitirá ser un observador objetivo y facilitará el proceso del entendimiento multicultural. A lo largo de estos años he aprendido que muchas de las cosas que yo ‘conocía” acerca de este país eran completamente erróneas y he tratado de adoptar lo bueno que este país ofrece sin perder mi esencia e identidad. He tratado de dejar hábitos que traje conmigo de mi país de origen y que no eran buenos pues en otro país somos representación del nuestro. Y un país que te recibe lo que desea de ti es que aportes cosas positivas. Así que deja a un lado todos esos malos hábitos pues al final lo que estamos buscando es mejorar, ¿cierto?
6. Ríete de ti mismo: ¡O lo que es lo mismo ten sentido del humor! estar en un nuevo entorno implica aprender cosas nuevas desde cero y cometer muchos errores mientras aprendes. Por ejemplo, cuando yo llegue a este país las personas me saludaban diciendo ¿cómo estás?, En México esta pregunta tiene mucho significado y cuando la gente la hace es porque está esperando una respuesta real, aquí las personas la hacen de manera más informal y significa como un hola, no porque de verdad estén queriendo saber lo que paso en tu día.  ¡Muchas veces me quede con la palabra en la boca mientras las personas pasaban de largo cuando hacían la pregunta, o lo que es peor algunos se quedaban escuchando con cara de confusión acerca de mi respuesta tan larga! Así que aprende a reírte de ti mismo y otros se reirán contigo. Además, la mayoría de las personas admirarán tu tenacidad y esfuerzo por entender sus costumbres.

 Sea cual sea tu situación o razón por la que estas dejando tu país, lo primero que debes hacer es estar seguro de tu decisión, tener un objetivo claro y si puedes buscar información del lugar donde te vas a mudar. Lo más importante es que lo hagas por la razón adecuada y que esta decisión te traiga la felicidad anhelada. Sera un proceso de adaptación duro, pero te cambiara la vida para bien y cuando mires hacia tras te darás cuenta el crecimiento tan grande que como persona haz alcanzado, no te desanimes y mucha suerte en tu próxima aventura que esta por venir.

The post Estas Pensando Mudarte a los Estados Unidos? Mi Experiencia + Algunos Tips Para Que Funcione appeared first on My Latina Table.