Thursday, January 17, 2008

Texas Snowflakes

We don't get much cold weather around here, so whenever the temperature drops below freezing, it seems to be a newsworthy event. And by 'seems to be', what I mean is that every local news channel begins a three-day-hype-up of the coming 'Winter Blast 2008', and starts interviewing people on the street on how they are going to prepare for it. Last night, I saw a reporter hounding people who were pumping gas, and each interviewee, clad only in a sweatshirt or light jacket, exclaimed about how quickly and frostily the cold front is coming in. (Here's my suggestion to these people for how to prepare for it: WEAR A COAT.)

The arrival of cold weather, and the inevitable hype and disappointment of the possible -remotely possible- arrival of a particle of ice or two along with it, stirs something in my children. They begin to lament the fact that we moved to Texas where there is no snow.

Until three years ago, we lived in northern Virginia, where the snow is plentiful and beautiful, at least in their memories. I'm not sure that the younger two even remember the horror snow at all, but they have seen pictures and painted memories of themselves frolicking, making snow angels, and drinking hot chocolate.

But I know differently: snow is fun for the first day. Maybe even the second day. Then it's three months of brown slushy freezing cold torture, wet mittens, and icy water seeping into your socks. No thanks.

In honor of tonight's forecasted record-setting low temperature (26 F), the kids and I are going to be trying out this recipe that I found in the Dallas Morning News:

Texas Snowflakes
12 large flour tortillas
1/2 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup cinnamon sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Fold a large flour tortilla in fourths. Using clean kitchen scissors, cut shapes into the folded tortilla. Open the cut tortilla and place on a cookie sheet that has been coated with cooking spray. Using a pastry brush or a paper towel, brush the surface with melted butter. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the tortilla. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the tortilla is golden. Makes 12 tortillas.Don't you think these snowflakes are amazingly realistic? The color of them, I mean. They look just like the nastiness I had to trudge through to get from my townhouse to my car back in Virginia, while toting an infant car seat and two wiggly toddlers.

I'll take Texas any day.

7 comments:

  1. I like snow for Christmas and that is about it. Good thing I live in Wisconsin. HA!
    Those snowflakes look amazing! Thanks for the recipe!

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  2. I make snowman sloppy joes to mark our first snowfall every year!
    It's supposed to go to -35 this weekend. GOOD GRIEF.

    ReplyDelete
  3. "Winter Blast 2008"....that is so funny. Atlanta news was like that, too. Asheville is more laid-back about snow, it's just "winter weather" and nobody cleans out grocery stores of milk and bread.

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  4. But I know differently: snow is fun for the first day. Maybe even the second day. Then it's three months of brown slushy freezing cold torture, wet mittens, and icy water seeping into your socks. No thanks.

    As a Pennsylvania resident (read: lots and lots of snow; and then some more), I couldn't agree more.

    ReplyDelete
  5. omg... that recipe sounds delicious. my daughter and i moved to the south metro atlanta area in september. from central texas.

    snow fell her twice in one week. enough to see (a glimpse) of what real snow is (sticking to the ground). the snow we had in central texas melted the moment it touch the ground.

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  6. Those snowflakes are pretty cool looking!!

    I had to LOL at the "Snow Blast 2008". You know that do that here, too. Let me tell you though, northern VA has only had snow fall twice this year. First was 0.5 inches and next was about 2 inches. That's my kind of snowfall!! I was able to take the kids out and let them have a ball....then the next day or so it was all melted away!!

    I agree though, that when there is lots is turns to nasty brown slush!! I remember our first winter in the area was 2002/2003 and we got a TON of snow (especially considering we're from TX and northern CA). The piles in the parking lots didn't melt away until almost summer!!! And....my hubby was in the Army at that point and was walking to work. They had plowed the roads, but the sidewalks were not clear. He was walking in the street and some punk MP told him to get on the sidewalk....GRRR. Needless to say, he slipped and fell!! Ahhhh.....I don't miss the vast amounts of snow at all!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Remember the great storm of March 1993? That was my only real experience with snow. Until I went to the Grand Canyon. Here in AZ it's more like the news people go crazy when it rains. I've actually seen them focus the camera on a puddle, a small puddle in a parking lot and interview people about the "bad" weather!

    ReplyDelete

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