my mami loves me!

Notice anything different?! Santa brought me a "care package" from Miami!!!! =)

it hurt. a lot.

Sometimes I wonder if I were really supposed to be born a blonde. Seriously. I mean, these things only happen to me. I am sure when you read this you will probably end up cracking up. I am used to it already. You will also think "AY ERIKA!" or ask "She did what?!" ... so yes, I did...I totally walked into a pole.

BADLY!

I was walking and talking to a student to the bus when all of a sudden my glasses went flying and I began to cry....I had just ran into a pole. And no, I didn't turn to look (there wasn't time). I just smacked my head right into it. When I called my mom she responded with "Pero que? You drove into a pole?" No. no. no. Believe it or not I walked and bumped right into it myself. When I called my dad he was concerned with "who I was voting for" and "which was my favorite baseball team", to which I responded with "OBAMA" AND "THE RED SOX", and therefore my dad concluded that I was "JUST FINE!" Yeah, yeah, yeah. I sure as hell should write a book called "All the Things that Can Happen to You as a First Year Teacher" and none of the advice would be about actually TEACHING the children.

Ronnie zoomed to the school to pick me up. I went to the closest clinic to get it checked out and x-rayed. Everything is fine. Thankfully. I have my big bottle of Tylenol next to me. And I have to go for a check up next week. I hope I sleep OK. So far, so good though.

There is the bump. On the top right side of my forehead. It's gone down a lot. But it's not pretty and it doesn't feel like it, either.

Black Beans a la "Lata"

Tonight I made the best black beans a la "lata". Yes! From the can. But with a twist. I always read My Big Fat Cuban Family -A Cuban American Blog and that is where I got the recipe from. I didn't have the garlic, but used garlic powder. Also, the recipe calls for 1 tsp sugar, but I added 2 for a little more sweetness. Overall, it was so easy and it gave the beans so much taste! We loved them. Please try this out for yourself. It will not disappoint.
You will need "una lata" de Goya black beans:

Make the sofrito:

Add the beans and the rest and the ingredients....simmer.....Full recipe below.


Here is the recipe courtesy of Babalu Blog
Frijoles Negros a la Latina
(Cuban-style Black Beans)

2 Tbsp. of olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
3 cloves of garlic, diced
1 large can of black beans (1 lb. 13 oz.)
1/4 cup of red wine (white works too, but red gives them a better flavor)
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. of sugar (but I will sometimes add extra, because I like ‘em sweet!)
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 packet of Goya seasoning with azafran
salt and pepper to taste


1. In a medium-sized frying pan (or a pot – either will work), sauté the onion, bell pepper, and garlic until onions are soft and clear. (You know, your basic “sofrito.”)
2. Now add the beans and then all other ingredients.



3. Cook on high for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the beans are the consistency you like best. In technical terms, you are “reducing” the beans - your goal is to boil-off some of the excess liquid.
4. Simmer for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

ENJOY!!!