If you're an animal lover, I'm sure you'll love this slide show from webshots:

http://outdoors.webshots.com/slideshow/90463005sfOFNo?&track_pagetag=/page/album/outdoors/wildlife/&track_action=/ActionsBox/Slideshow&tag=nl.e203

Halloween

As Halloween draws near, I encourage those of you with children between the ages of 4 - 8 to buy my children's book entitled Halloween.

Just click onto this link to make your purchases online.



http://www.amazon.com/Halloween-Alma-Sanchez/dp/1419643681/ref=sr_11_1/002-4797730-1020851?ie=UTF8

Pastelón Dominicano

Growing up, my mother used to make a yummy pastelón with really ripe fried plantains, ground meat and eggs. While this was the pastelón I was introduced to early in life, I was completely blown away by my Dominican comadre's version of pastelón. If you enjoy sweet plantains, then you are sure to love this recipe.

Here's what you need:

• 1 Tbs of salt
• 9 ripe yellow plantains (just yellow ripe, not extremely ripe)
• About 4 tbs of corn oil
• About a pound of ground beef
• Sofrito (ground cilantro, sweet peppers, garlic cloves, onion, green pepper)
• Adobo seasoning
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1 Tbs of Tomato paste
• 1 pound of sliced mozzerella cheese

First:

• Take a large pot (large enough to fit the 9 plantains), fill it with water and add the salt
• Peel the plantains, cut them in half, and slice in the middle. (One plantain should render 4 slices.)
• Once the water comes to a boil, add the plantains

Second:

• Put the oil in a medium to large frying pan.
• Put the ground meat in a bowl and season with adobo and sofrito
• Place the ground meat mixture in the frying pan, stirring the whole time, while the meat browns under low heat. This allows the meat to separate and not clump together.
• Once the meat turns brown, add water, stir in the tomato paste, and cover the pan until the meat is thoroughly cooked. You'll know when it's cooked, because the the meat will develop a thick sauce.

Third:

• Once your plantains are cooked, remove them from the pot without draining the water.
• As you remove the plantains mash them with a potato masher, adding some of the boiled water to ensure that they come out smooth
• Once the plantains are mashed, line the baking pan with a layer of the mashed plantains. The next layer will be your ground meat, and the following layer will be your sliced mozzarella. You then seal this with another layer of mashed plantain, and top with your slices of mozzarella cheese.

Final Step:

Place your casserole in a 350 degree oven for about 35 minutes. You'll know when this is done, because the cheese will begin to bubble...yum.

Enjoy,

Alma

Please feel free to comment on my recipes, poetry etc.

Dismayed

I opened the door when I heard a knock and was dismayed because there was no one behind it.

I closed the door and vowed to keep it shut and was dismayed because no one could find me.

I opened the door and called out to my neighbor, and reached out my hand in friendship.

I took a deep breath, no longer dismayed, and reveled in my
initiative.

Alma Sánchez, 2006

Reach for the Stars

Reach for the stars and do not despair,
when least expected, our answers are there.
Reach for the stars and be not afraid.
The heavens are infinite,
and tomorrow, but a day away.

-Alma Sánchez, 2006

Sweet sweet baby

There is nothing sweeter than the soft scent of a baby's breath, nor a miracle greater than that of life -Alma Sánchez

picture provided by http://www.allbabypics.com/category-2.html

Puerto Rican "Poetisa"

For those of you who appreciate poetry in Spanish, particularly my fellow Puerto Ricans, this one is for you.

Río Grande de Loíza
Julia de Burgos (1914-1953)

¡Rio Grande de Loíza!... Alárgate en mi espíritu

y deja que mi alma se- pierda en- tus riachuelos

para buscar la fuente que te robó de niño

y en un ímpetu loco te devolvió al sendero.

Enróscate en mis labios y deja que te beba,

para sentirte mío por un breve momento,

y esconderte del mundo y en ti mismo esconderte,

y oír voces de asombro en la boca del viento.

Apéate un instante del lomo de la tierra,

y busca de mis ansias el íntimo secreto;

confúndete en el vuelo de mi ave fantasía,

y déjame una rosa de agua en mis ensueños.

¡Río Grande de Loíza!... Mi manantial, mi río,

desde que alzome al mundo el pétalo materno;

contigo se bajaron desde las rudas cuestas,

a buscar nuevos surcos, mis pálidos anhelos;

y mi niñez fue toda un poema en el río,

y un río en el poema de mis primeros sueños.

Llegó la adolescencia. Me sorprendió la vida

prendida en lo más ancho de tu viajar eterno;

y fui tuya mil veces, y en un bello romance

me despertaste el alma y me besaste el cuerpo.

¿A dónde te llevaste las aguas que bañaron

mis formas, en espiga de sol recién abierto?

¡Quién sabe en qué remoto país mediterráneo

algún fauno en la playa me estará poseyendo!

¡Quién sabe en qué aguacero de qué tierra lejana

me estaré derramando para abrir surcos nuevos;

me estaré congelando en cristales de hielo!

¡Río Grande de Loíza!... Azul. Moreno. Rojo.

Espejo azul, caído pedazo azul de cielo;

desnuda carne blanca que se te vuelve negra

cada vez que la noche se te mete en el lecho;

roja franja de sangre, cuando bajo la lluvia

a torrentes su barro te vomitan los cerros.

Río hombre, pero hombre con pureza de río,

porque das tu azul alma cuando das tu azul beso.

Muy señor río mío. Río hombre.

Unico hombreque ha besado mi alma al besar en mi cuerpo.

¡Río Grande de Loíza!... Río grande. Llanto grande.

El más grande de todos nuestros llantos isleños,

si no fuera más grande el que de mí se sale

por los ojos del alma para mi esclavo pueblo.

New Adage

You have the world in the palm of your hand. Just look into it and follow the life line. - Alma Sánchez