When i first started working in housing, I had a tenant named Mrs. Alvarez. I remember her fondly, not just because she was a lovely person but also because she was the first tenant I ever got to practice speaking Spanish with on a regular basis. My Spanish back then was pretty awful, but we seemed to understand each other on some level and I got better with time. It was with them I graduated from stammering "I'm sorry, I don't understand" to confidently marching out "You have too much soap in the machine, that's why it's leaking."
Mrs. Alvarez and her husband were originally from Colombia, and enjoyed showing me pictures of their life there. She also made the BEST empanadas. She would bring them down to the office at 9:30 in the morning, and they would smell so good I would eat one right then and there. (I've always had the ability to eat pretty much anything at any hour) Eating these kinds of things has led me to a love of Hispanic foods.
When I saw a recipe for empanadas, I immediately remembered these little beef "pies" that she would bring down. Plus I am always game for something that is not your typical hamburger use. (i.e. meatloaf, meatballs or cheeseburgers) The recipe was spiced beef and cheese, baked in piecrust. They tasted pretty good, but obviously weren't the same. Mrs. Alvarez also used diced potatoes, and her empanadas were spicier and also fried. Still, they were pretty delicious, and now I have ideas on how to improve. I served them with home-fried potatoes and green beans. Next time I will use black beans. All in all, it was a nice visit to a memory.
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