Small Miracles

This photo is of Hugo and a certain tow truck. Hugo really likes to play with this tow truck at his Vovo's house. I believe I have even mentioned this tow truck before. It is kept in a basket full of toys near the television in the living room. I have picked up this truck and tossed it into the basket full of toys numerous times. So has Cesar. Hugo hauls it out of the basket and plays with it. When he moves on to his next favorite toy at Vovo's house Cesar or I pick up the tow truck and toss it back into the basket full of toys near the family television.

You may be asking yourself right about now - What is all this fuss about a tow truck? Well. The fuss about this tow truck in the basket full of toys near the family television is huge business to me, the Momma.

A few months back, on Easter Sunday to be exact, I/Hugo lost my favorite ring. I was dressing for Easter Sunday service at a cathedral with Cesar's parents, his brother Raphael and his children. Hugo was pestering me. He wanted this and that and I kept saying no over and over. Finally he asked to wear my ring, a special ring given to me by Cesar. He raised up his pointer finger and said, "Ungh, ungh, ungh!" I gave in and placed my special ring on his finger. He heard Cesar on the stairs calling for me and took off running, ring still on finger, or so I thought. I hollered to Cesar that Hugo had my ring and to take it from him please. A few minutes later down the stairs I went and there waiting for me were Cesar and Hugo. I casually asked Cesar for my ring as we walked to the door. He said something like, "What are you talking about? " Oh boy. My heart sank down to my tippy toes lickety split.

We searched and searched the house. We looked under couches, beneath tables, inside of urns, flower pots and the bathroom garbage, and under the beds. No ring anywhere. I asked Hugo where was Momma's ring?? He blinked his long lashes at me, blink, blink, blink. The ring is kinda big. It should have stood out if it had been casually dropped on the floor or stairs or in the couch cushions or into Hugo's pockets. . . No ring. It was sad, sad, sad to drive away from Providence without the weight of my special ring on my finger.

Fast forward to the evening of July 4th - Hugo was playing with his trusty tow truck in the next room at the feet of his Tio and our new friend Kelly. I was bouncing around from room to room at the time, unsure what to do with myself. Then my ears heard Hugo say some magical words, "Momma's ring, Momma's ring!" At first I thought that he was commenting on something pretty which Kelly might be wearing. I had never heard him say the word ring before. I went to investigate further out of curiosity. Then I saw it! My ring! My ring! I swear I thought I'd never see it again! I snatched it off of Kelly or Raphael's finger, I'm really not sure which and I apologize for my rudeness here. I simply could not believe that I was looking at my ring again!

Raphael explained to me that when Hugo said "Momma's ring" he was pointing to the tow truck. He lifted it up for his Tio and showed him that Momma's ring was nestled inside the crane part of the tow truck and he needed help to get it out. My ring, Momma's ring had been before our eyes all this time. I had picked it up surrounded by its hiding place and tossed it with little care into a basket full of toys over and over and over without ever knowing.


This is a super yummy Portuguese desert called Molotof. My mother-in-law makes it all the time for the family and I eat as much of it as I can! I finally paid attention as to how it is made this past weekend. I stood behind my mother-in-law and peered over her shoulder as she very quickly whipped it up! I took a chance and whipped it up myself today. All went well until I flipped it upside down and out of the bundt pan. Half slipped out neatly onto the serving dish and half remained for a minute more in the pan. Oh well, I smooshed the two sides together and dressed the molotof with more sauce and called it good.

Ingredients:

Egg Whites
Sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a bundt pan on the stove. Cook 6-7 tablespoons of sugar into a syrup. Twist pan so that the sauce coats sides of pan.

Beat 7 egg whites with 7 tbls of sugar as you would for a meringue. Scoop into sugared bundt pan, don't smooth the meringue too much. Bake for 15 minutes or until the meringue peaks are a light brown.

Allow to cool a bit. Flip pan upside down onto serving dish. Place bundt pan back on stove top. Add another tbls of sugar or so and a bit of water to soften and melt remaining sugar in pan. Pour over the molotof. Can also add a prepared caramel sauce between layers of burnt sugar.

Serve at room temperature and watch it disappear!