Saint Valentine

So, unlike the original plans, I had 8 valentines, yep. ..sorta
Well, a bunch of us singles decided to come together and enjoy a family meal, so that's exactly what we did. I make Puerto Rican food, real simple, and not so expensive. Bistec Encebollado (steak w/ onions) and arroz con habichuelas were on the menu. This was actually the first time I had ever made a dinner this large, besides thanksgiving!
Overall? success.

Recipes? Yes!

Bistec Encebollado:

• 2 lbs thin top cut steaks
• adobo, sazon packet
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 3 cloves of pressed garlic
• 1 cup oil
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced into strips
• 1 large spanish onion, sliced into strips
• 1/2 cup green olives (optional)
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. season meat with adobo and sazon, stab with fork or knife
2. combine the vinegar, 3/4 cup of oil, olives, and garlic into a seperate bowl and put on reserve
3. add oil to the pan, heat, and saute onions and peppers until soft
4. remove vegetables and fly meat in the pan's drippings
5. once steaks are browned, add onions, peppers, and vinegar mixture together and let simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes until meat is tender

For the Arroz y habichuelas: (easier, practical version!)

Ingredients:

• 1 can habichuelas coloradas (or you can get dry.. but that's for another day)
• 8 oz can of tomato SAUCE (nothing else!)
• 2 tablespoons SOFRITO (yes, it comes in a can, but make your own, it's easy, it lasts forever in the freezer, and it's a puerto rican cooking STAPLE!)
• 2 teaspoons of oil
• 2 oz diced lean cured ham (optional)
• 1 package of Sazon (whichever one you have is fine)
• 1/2 cup of olives, spanish, cut up
• medium potato or two, diced
• 1 can of water (from the tomato sauce)

How to make:

1. Add the oil to a deep sauce pan, heat and cook ham
2. add the sofrito and once incorporated add tomato sauce
3. add sazon and olives, stirring frequently
4. after two minutes, add beans and potatoes, and water
5. Stir all ingredients and incorporate well, turn heat to a medium/ high medium
6. bring to a boil.
7. cover with a top and bring heat to low, for about 20 minutes or until consistency to liking. the long you cook, the thicker it will be.
8. Serve over rice

My plate. Full, obviously.

Dave and Virag chillen' and enjoying the digs.

Fellow Boricua Sam, along with Emma & Jay-R (LA people!)

My lovely Nadia, who helped me cook! <3

¡Buen provecho! If there is one thing I've learned this valentines day, it's that V-Day is about genuine relationships. Although not romantic (hehe) I've found that the best part of valentines day was spending time with the people I care about! I hope you all did the same! Although many of the people I care most about are far anywhere from New York, another random state, or halfway around the world, it's just another day to celebrate the lives we live.

Now, go to CVS/DuaneReade/Walmart/Target and get some HEAVILY discounted valentines day sweets!

Sweet Cooking! Love.
-Brooke