it doesn't matter where you are, or where you are from, sometimes it's just FUN to play tourist for the day.

what better time to play tourist than when you have visitors!?!?

as i mentioned here, my mom came to visit last weekend!  and we played tourist all weekend... but a FUN kind of tourist.  we did the cheesy kind of tourist LAST time she was here (statue of liberty, times square, radio city, etc... cheesy but necessary for newcomers!!)

THURSDAY:

mr p picks up mom from laguardia

eat vietnamese food in jersey city

FRIDAY :

explore historic downtown, waterfront, and van vorst park areas of jersey city 

eat AMAZING food at made with love bakery

eat homemade tortellini for dinner when mr p comes home

SATURDAY :

explore brooklyn by going to the brooklyn flea, brooklyn botanic garden, and the transit museum

catch an early dinner at nook in hell's kitchen

SUNDAY :

weather decides to monsoon, so mom and i (naturally) go shopping

(target had all beach essentials on sale, so i couldn't pass up getting two beach chairs and a floppy beach hat!! saturday beach days, here we come!!)

mr p makes homemade sammich bread and herbed chicken and we eat delicious herbed chicken sammiches

i make ice cream, and we layer in homemade granola to the ice cream (ahhh so good!! kudos to mr p for the wonderful idea!)

MONDAY :

i decide i NEED a swimsuit from old navy (tried on earlier) for the summer, and for a atlantic city trip a few weekends from now, so mom and i drive hours through crazy traffic to find a mis-tagged suit in union city for $20 (paid only $16 after a 20% off coupon!! yaya! originally priced for $45)

mom helps me start a small mint and tomato potted garden for my fire escape

eat at bareburger in manhattan before dropping mom off at laguardia.

we walked A LOT , ate A LOT , shopped A LOT , and got to spend LOTS of quality mom and daughter time!!

a rather successful weekend if i do say so myself :D

can't wait for the next time she comes to visit!!

toodles.

what do you think of when you think of an impromptu late night snack?

i didn't get home from work until well after 9pm tonight.  to my surprise, mr p was in the last phase of making empanadas when i got home!!  even though i already had dinner, we had to bake at least one  (yes, just one) for a late night snack (before freezing the rest for LATER late night snacks, of course!)

he bought empanada disks from the hispanic grocery around the corner, but mr p made this filling himself:

1 lb 90/10 ground beef

1/2 medium onion, diced

2 green onions stalks, chopped

1 tbsp adobo seasoning

1 packet Goya sazon seasoning

1 tsp salt

freshly ground pepper

1 garlic clove

8 oz of cheddar (more or less, sliced, a few slices per empanada)

1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

heat oil in large pan over medium heat.  add onions and garlic and saute until onions are translucent. add beef and rest of the seasonings and saute until beef is thoroughly cooked.

add a few slices of cheese to 1/2 of an empanada disk, scoop the mixture into 1/2 of the disk, fold the disk in half, seal with a fork along the edges, then brush with the beaten egg for an egg wash.

score (cut slits in) the top of the empanadas with a knife and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until empanadas become golden and begin to brown.

(let rest for a few minutes so you don't burn your tongue!)  ...and serve!

easy peasy.

toodles.