Today is a somber day...

As we all take time from our lives to remember those that gave and give their lives everyday, but today especially being 9/11...I never thought 12 years later I would be married to a first responder, where you have that moment--at times--in the pit of your stomach wondering, will he be ok, is this the call that he doesn't return from.

I have been blessed lately to meet 2 recent widows (both of whom were married to first responders), meeting Alisa and Keri has shed some light on what they are now living with daily.  Thank you to our first responders all over the world.  Thank you to the military!  Thank you all for being the brave, the proud, and the free!

FOOD
So my best friend has a birthday this week. And I don't have her cake made...yet, I am honoring her by creating (re-creating) a dish she turned me on to.  They are called Patti's empanada's. Patti is a wonderful cook, who can take a recipe and turn it into gold. I changed her recipe by using carne-ascada in lieu
 of hamburger meat.  So it is simple really. Brown the meat, add in onion, tomato sauce, worchester sauce, hot sauce and garlic powder. I changed it by marinating my meat for several hours in cilantro, white wine, and a mild salad dressing just to loosen the fibers of the skirt steak.  I bought the empanada wrappers, they are now selling the larger sizes so YAY! and use an egg wash on top.  Bake them at 350 for about 15 mins.  Before I did the empanadas I made YUCCA, I chopped it up and turned the oven to 350, placed them on a cookie sheet, used olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper and baked them for about 45 mins.  That's the meal.