Empanadas de pino (meat)

Empanadas de Pino • Empanada dough (see recipe below) • 2 large onions, chopped • 1 pound ground beef • 2 teaspoons cumin • 1 beef bouillon cube • 1/2 cup raisins • ½ cup olives • 4 hard boiled eggs, sliced • 1 egg , to brush • 1 teaspoon sugar Preparation: • Prepare empanada dough. 
 • Cook the onions and garlic in the vegetable oil Add the ground beef, cumin, beef • bouillon, and salt and pepper to taste. 
 • Cook the beef, stirring and crumbling the meat, until browned and continue to cook for • 5 or 10 minutes more. 
 • Remove the meat mixture and let cool. The beef mixture will keep up to 2 days in the • refrigerator. 
 • Shape the empanadas: Separate the dough into golf ball size pieces, and roll into • smooth balls. Let rest for 5 minutes. On a floured surface, roll each ball of dough into a • 6 inch diameter circle, about 1/4 inch thick. Add 1 tablespoon of the beef filling, a few • raisins and some chopped olives, and a slice of hard boiled egg to the middle of the • circle. 
 • Brush the edges with water and fold the pastry in half over the filling, to make a semi • circle. 
 • Seal the edges by pressing down with your fingers. Brush the sealed edge lightly with • water, then turn the edge toward the middle and press with your fingers to seal. • Make a hole with a toothpick in the middle of the empanada. • Mix the egg with and brush the empanadas with the mixture. 
 • Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Ingredients for the dough: • 4 cups flour • 1 teaspoons salt • 12 tablespoons lard or vegetable shortening, chilled • 1 cup hot water • 1 teaspoon sugar Preparation: • Sift the flour into a bowl. Stir in the salt
 • shortening (or lard) into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or with two knives, until fairly well blended. 
 • Add 1cup hot water., a little at a time until the dough starts to come together smoothly. Keep kneading the dough, adding more water/egg a little bit at a time as necessary (you made need a few tablespoons extra of water), until the dough is smooth. The dough • Dough should be soft and smooth, and elastic - if you poke a hole in it with your finger, the indentation should remain.
 • Turn dough out onto a floured surface, and roll into desired thickness.
 Makes enough dough for 10-12 large empanadas.

dreams...

Sometimes I think it's important to take a deep breath in and reflect. This blog post is one of those what I want in life posts. Someone had asked me where do I see myself in a few years from now? I thought about it and I had no answer. I mean all of my goals and ambitions were to go to college and to find a job/career. Those were some of my goals and I have completed them, but in a different way that I thought I would.

It is weird to think that I have gone through so many experiences in my life that have molded me into the person I am today. I always hear that trials make you stronger. Let me tell you when you feel like you are going to die and you over come that, you are stronger than ever! There were times in my life where I thought "I will never be able to do this." Or I would just simply say, "I can't." At the time I thought that my dreams or goals were impossible, but over time and with great effort I have succeeded.

Going back to the question of where I see myself in a few years. Your guess is as good as mine. My goals seems to change after I make them because sometimes the Lord has another plan in store. It makes life a little more interesting that way. If I was able to plan out the perfect life for me it wouldn't be perfect because I wouldn't have all of these other amazing experiences.

I have had dreams to pursue other careers and study other things, but sometimes those dreams weren't a reality. For example I always wanted to be a journalist. Newspapers and newspaper writers are basically non existent anymore. It is all going on the web. That was a choice of mine to change my topic of study so I could be successful in something else, even though writing is my thing.

To be honest if you had known me growing up you would not believe me if I told you I was working in the position I am now. Natalie to math is like water to oil. Accounting is so much fun though. I enjoy doing what I do and hope to learn as much as I can.

I'm living in the present and I think I did need to take some time to think about my future again. I still don't have my thoughts together on what I will do, but eventually I will get there. Just taking it day by day and trying to do my best is what my goal is right now. How can I improve myself each day? Will be the question I ask myself.

Of course I added a song to go with my post. One of my fav singers. Tyrone. :)

Music...

I like a wide variety of music, but i'm really diggin' these covers right now. Especially this Daddy Yankee Song. Its just chill, but I can also dance to it if I wanted to.

Where is the Love?

This has been a thought that has gone through my mind for awhile now. Not just the Love in relationships with boys, but the love of a friend and the Love from one to another. The end of that sounded like a primary song... haha. Really though, I just feel that as I get older I see people treating people so much more differently. Where are the kind smiles when you walk down the street and stare into that other persons eyes? Where is the person that helps the old woman with her groceries. I mean you see it once in awhile, but it seems that I see more people struggle throughout the day. Maybe we could all take the advice of choosing to Love and care for one another and be a friend instead of trying to be the most popular or to think oh they are fine. Having the do it yourself mentality. Take a risk or step out of your comfort zone. Just a thought...

My name is Natalie and I am a Mormon.

My name is Natalie Sutton. I am half Chilean and I like to cook empanadas. I live in Rexburg, Idaho where it snows 11 out of 12 months. Life is great. I enjoy long walks on the beach and get annoyed when people are rude. I used to want to be a famous newspaper writer, until I learned newspapers would disappear in the year 2012. Everyday of my life I listen to music because it makes me happy. My love life sucks all because of an Oreo back in middle school. I am doomed to become a cat lady forever. I am all of these things and more and I am a Mormon.


Jessica and Drew totally wrote this for me while I was making some empanadas one day. I just found it and wanted to post it.

seriously?

So this is just a post to talk about the video I made and a few other things. first of all the video is sped up and does not match up to my dance moves (aka facial gestures) So that is just way funny. Anywho. Its Sunday the 10th of july which means I only have a week until finals then I drive home after that WOOO HOO!!!! Im almost done with this place. :) can't wait!!

Best thing I never had- Lame music video.