HoliDAZE! And Guineitos en escabeche (pickled green bananas)

Our Tree, 2010

This happens every year- I put off thinking about the holidays then feel like they pounced. I love the family gatherings but I hate the crowds, the clueless gift shopping, the MUSIC, the expectations... AAAARGH! I'm a scrooge at heart.

So this year- in order to break out of a particularly long introspective funk I put up our tree early. And I feel like I failed to take a good photo AGAIN.

Busy busy busy- all these trinkets to remove...
and DESTROY!

For every item I put up Lola took down 2 so it took 2 hours versus the usual 20 minutes- the tree is tiny just like our apartment. I've been ready for Lolster's tree shaking self for YEARS- all the ornaments are felt. I LOVE felt ornaments.

I KNOW Annalee is only for ladies with 3 cats but my Mom loves them so I get them when she repeat buys.

JC Penney was having a sale and I bought that awesome moving tree topper- the only thing more perfect would be if it was motorized and had lights.

The other thing I've been struggling with is my cook traditional Puerto Rican food 3 times a week vow. I barely cook ANYTHING twice a week so it's time to buckle down and DO THIS.

Here is my recipe for Thanksgiving:

Guineitos en Escabeche

Ingredients

• 4 pounds of true green bananas, not almost green, GREEN 
• 2/3 cup of rice vinegar (that's what I used- recipe calls for regular white vinegar)
• 1 2/3 cups of olive oil- (I probably used way more than that OOOPS
• 2 onions, peeled and cut into thin slices. I tried frying the first batch and BURNED IT- rookie mistake)
• 1/2 cup of alcaparrado (olives and capers mixed with red pepper)
• 4 bay leaves (I used like 6)
• black pepper to taste
• flakes sea salt to taste (I LOVE FLAKE salt- it's an EXPERIENCE)
• 2 pounds of chicken gizzards (yes you heard right)

Boil the GREEN bananas for 25 minutes- in salted water (I forgot to salt the water). Do not cut the skin before boiling or your pot will get this ICKY black ring that's almost impossible to remove- that is LA MANCHA DEL HIBARO!!! The hillbilly's spot. Anyway..

After your boil them babies, let them cool a bit, peel them and cut them into rounds. Add the other ingredients and let sit over night for best results. Boil the chicken gizzards for 30 minutes in salted water and add as well. I did not boil them- I sauteed them with garlic and onions- which was my classic mistake- DO NOT DO THE FOLLOWING...

Saute chicken gizzards in olive oil for like 15 minutes get distracted by Dancing With The Stars and add the onions and garlic too early using HIGH HEAT. They will inevitably burn and RUIN THE TASTE of those already iffy gizzards. 


DO THIS: Let the gizzards pan fry for at least an hour on low heat- this will make them soft. Repeat DO NOT add garlic and onions until the very end. Cut the gizzards down to bite size pieces and add to salad. CHOMP!

That's it- super easy animal entrail salad- if chicken gizzards make you wanna puke don't add them- try your chicken muscle of choice.

MuChOs SmOoChEs!!

M

NYC Marathon AND Frituras Puertorras!!!

WHOOO BABY! I am SO AWESOME!!!! Before you think I'm entirely too obnoxious please know that I never get so much done in one day so I feel like patting myself in the back. For today I have two things for you my dear reader (s). That "s" is MAD hopeful!!!
I have a pictorial on HOW TO MAKE BACALAITOS (Salted Cod Fritters)
AND a new page. WOOOOW!
First the page for those who hate reading and just wanna look (that's ME).

The NYC Marathon was today. Every year Dave and I go out to see it- this year we had MISS THING- it was nice to share that with her. We got to see that Chilean miner dude limp by- poor little dude- feel better chief. Apparently more people ran this year than ever before. I was especially inspired by the deaf and blind runners braving the crazy Brooklynites who insisted on playing chicken crossed the road in front of them. Dave insists he's going to start training for next year but he says that EVERY year!

I like how this page came together in 30 minutes flat. I was going to stitch it but decided to save that for another day. Broke out my magic mesh- LOVE THAT PRODUCT!!!!

And now... ONTO THE FOOD!!!
Bacalaitos are incredibly delicious and entirely UNnutritious. It's best to eat them with beer right after frying- so you get that extra bit of unhealthiness in. Here is a "sort of" recipe:

• 1 cup of boiled and crumbled salt cod (boil for a few hours then store in fridge till you remember a few days later)
• 1/2 cup of diced tomatoes AND sauteed (in olive oil) red pepper. (you can skip this if you want)
• 1/2 cup of the cod boiling water- this is better than adding salt later and you need that salt to make the masa (mix) taste good. OR you can whip out some canned chicken broth and try THAT.
• 1 teaspoon of Ms. Dash- I'm telling you you need that extra bit of "taste" with no extra salt.
• 3/4 cup of flour. I used white but next time I'm going to try wheat.
• canola oil for deep frying

Mix the veggies, crumbled cod and flour with the reserved cod water- add a little flour if you think the mix is too watery. Let stand for an hour of so to "set" (I watched Batman and fed Miss Thing)
It's important to get a mix that isn't too watery or to flouery (word?). You will spoon the fritters into the hot oil and you need something that won't stick to your spoon or flow off like snot (sorry). Fry the things till they are golden brown. Chomp away!!!
Here are some photos.

Tomato, red pepper & cod 

Add reserved cod water

Mix well 

Just about right consistency

Ignore THESE

Pay attention to baby that looks like THIS

EAT THESE

Ha ha. Did you see how nasty the apartment got? Yeah- never got around to THAT but whatevs- that's what mondays are for.

Muchos SmOoChEs!!! 

M