Socks and Sandals wha Wha wha??!?!

Yesterday on Twitter, the topics Puertorican Problems and Dominican Problems was trending in Los Angeles.
For those who do not know, I am half Dominican and half Puertorican.  Which makes me a Dominiqueña.  Which also means I was able to connect with so many Dominicanas and Boricuas in Los Angeles.  I also had the misfortune to come across some racist creeps.  They could not bring me down.  There are SO MANY OF US. Everything from:
no more platanos in the house #DominicanProblem
to
out of sazon #PuertoricanProblem
and everything from chancletas to using Fabuloso.
Two Boricuas from the East Coast live nearby which is also so very amazing.
I enjoyed reading all the Twitter messages and laughed so hard that my homeschooler peered over gigantic history book saying, "glad someone´s having fun".  WHOOPS!
Two Boricuas from the East Coast live nearby which is also so very amazing.
I might even venture out the next time there is a Puertorican Festival in SoCal.


The other day I made this so delicious Vegan Sancocho.
Westcoasters, you can find everything you need in your local Cuban Market.  When I lived in Culver City, I used to go to El Camaguey on Venice Boulevard. Here in Glendale, I found El Mambi.  Very nice people all around.

1 lb. seitan cut in 2 inch rectangles (think short ribs)
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
4 quarts vegetable stock
1/2 cup recaito
1 cup tomato sauce
1 lb each of calabaza, yautia, ñame, and yuca, peeled and diced in 1 inch cubes (you can find this in the store already peeled in the freezer aisle in the Cuban store. Saves ALOT of time since peeling is a bit of work since the root vegetables are not smooth like a potato)
2 medium green platanos, peeled and cut in 2 inch pieces
3 ears of corn cut into 1 inch pieces (or however small you can find them)
1 packet of sazon
adobo for taste
1 quart of water

in a HUGE soup pot, combine the first 6 ingredients, including ALL of the root vegetables
cover and bring to a boil.
reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer, for 30 minutes.
add the remaining ingredients and bring to another boil.
lower the heat and simmer, covered for 45 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked.
adjust the seasonings.

My house was warm and smelled so yummy when all was said and done.
Yummy with garlic bread.

missing home

Just the other day I was reminiscing the good ole NY days living in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. When I can go to the Koreanos and buy platanos on sale 10 for $1. When buying sofrito down the street and not having to worry about it not readily available because they were sold out. Now I have to buy platanos 69-99 cents a pound which is maybe 2 or 3. Sofrito is sold 3 miles away and if they are sold out I can't buy ingredients to make them from scratch because it is just not sold anywhere. Substitutions are great but not wonderful. I also miss my abuela who is in Santo Domingo enjoying her last days. She used to make mofongo for me whenever I visited her in the Bronx when I was a kid. Yesterday I made a much healthier version and the only fat is what is in the oil for frying the platanos (plantains).

makes 6 mofongos

3 large green plantains
3 cups water mixed with 1/2 tbsp salt
1/2 lbs of veggie bacon (I used Morningstar Farms because they are the most delish. It is not vegan because there are traces of dairy and eggs)
3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and minced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
adobo to taste
1/4 cup corn oil or EVOO

peel the plantains and cut them into 1/2 inch slices, dropping them into the salted water.
saute the bacon and chop coursely then put them to the side.
mix the garlic, bell pepper, and olive oil and season with adobo.
heat the corn oil or olive oil and fry the plantain slices until golden brown.
put a few tsps of the garlic-oil mix in a mortar or a bowl if you don't have.
add 1/6 of the bacon and 5 or 6 slices of plantain.
mash and press firmly into the mortar (if using a bowl get something like a heavy spoon not a potato masher since it is tougher than a cooked potato.
invert onto a plate.
repeat 5 more times

Enjoy!
I had this with the leftover asopao but you can have it with any rice dish you desire.

Buen Provecho!

unplugged for 24 hours

So I read on the Huffington Post about taking a tech break for 24 hours.
Often accused of spending too much time online, I decided to take this challenge.
Saturdays we usually just stay home and watch movies or go to the local library or museum for a fun activity.
Saturday was the end of a week long celebration honoring Dr. Seuss so the kids did that while I sat there with a book.
I did not take out my smart phone.
I read and helped.
That was an excruciating hour.
The rest of the day was good.
As the day progressed, I hung out with my girls watching movies and reading.
Not bad at all for 24 hours.
On Sunday, I sat down and downloaded my email and hung out on Facebook for a bit.
Then the weirdest thing happened.
On the way to Kairos I realized that I left my smart phone on my bed.
I didn't panic.  I just shrugged my shoulders and said oh well.

What did I learn during my 24 hours of no Internet?
           1. the Internet does not rule my day
           2. a lot of my time is not wasted on the Internet.  I do not Facebook/Twitter stalk people.  I just feel                                        connected with my family and long-time friends and that is not a bad thing.
           3.  being disconnected to the things outside of my walls (worldly and local news) made me reflect on  what's important to me and my family (sorry Charlie Sheen and Qaddafi).

Will I do this again?
ABSOLUTELY
I might even go beyond 24 hours on a weekend.

Sauteed Yellow Plantains with Parmesan Cheese

4 tbsps olive oil
3 very ripe plantains peeled and cut into 1/2 inch slices
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

heat the oil in a skillet.
saute the plantains slices over medium heat until golden brown.
drain on paper towels and sprinkle the cheese on top.

YUM