You are welcome Dawn. I forgot to post a sweet Pastellito for you. Here's a really easy one I do for a quick and easy dessert.

Dough Options:

- Prepared packaged Filo Dough (find this in the Freezer section of any supermarket)
- Prepared packaged Filo squares (usually 6" x 6") found in packages of 6 to 8 in most Middle Eastern Market Freezers
- Pillsbury Crescent Roll Dough (this is the easiest to find in the US)

Open up the Filo Sheet Dough on a board dusted very lightly with flour or granulated sugar. Roll with a Rolling Pin to flatten and seal the broken folds. Cut into the size squares you desire. I like 6 or 8 inch squares. Dock one half of each square two or three times. Do this so that side does not puff up when baking. That will be the bottom side of the pastry. The top part should puff up.

Filling:

- 1 brick Cream Cheese cut into 1/2 inch slices.
- Guava (Guayaba) Paste Brick (found in the Latin section of most supermarkets)
- BEST SUBSTITUTE - any thick Fruit Jam, NOT JELLY, you like


Put a slice of Cream Cheese on the docked side of the dough square. On top of the Cream Cheese add a slightly smaller slice (about a rounded teaspoon full) of Guava Paste.

Make an egg wash: Wisk one egg and a tiny bit of water together.

Brush a little egg wash on two outer edges of the dough squares. This will help when you seal the dough together. Keep the left over Egg Wash for later in this recipe.

Fold the opposite side of the dough square over the filling to make the corners meet. You will have a Triangle shape. If you want to make Rectangles, then fill and fold lengthwise. Make sure all the dough edges meet. Crimp the two outer edges of the dough with fork tines. This will seal the dough and give a pretty edge to your pastry. Take extra care not to pierce the filled section. Now lightly brush the left over Egg Wash on top of the entire pastry. Put the filled squares on a baking tray topped with parchment paper that you sprayed lightly with Bakers Spray.

Bake in a 325 degree oven for 12 to 18 minutes. This will depend on your oven.

You'll have delicious puffy turnovers in a jiffy!

enjoy!!

Yes they are the same KIND of thing. They are called Pastellitos in Cuba and Puerto Rico and parts of Central America. The name Empanada is used in Spain, South America and parts of the Pacific. Cornish Pasties and Meat Pies/Patties are what they are called in the United Kingdom and Australia. Italians have the Calzone. Granted the dough and filling is more of a folded Pizza than a Pastele/Pastellito or Empananda. I've had the good fortune to live or travel to these places and love discovering food similarities and differences. Yes, I'm a Foodie!

Pastellitos (Little Pasteles) are just a small or mini version of the popular appetizer. The larger Pasteles are like the size of Hot Pockets and therefore great for a meal. Mini's or Pastellitos are great for small kids and party appetizers. Check out this site for a really detailed 'How To' on Pasteles.
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/5217/pasteles.htm

Lots of recipies can be found for both savory and sweet varieties. All varietes can be fried or baked. Most savory ones have raisins and green olives and some kind of peppers. Omit those things if your family doesn't like them. Have fun and just put in whatever your family likes. Check other food sites (gourmet, etc) for other recipes.

I've collected several of both types. Here's a recipe found on supermarketguru.com (a great resource site on the food industry). You can substitute water or stock for the prepared coffee in this recipe.

Savory Empanadas
January 1, 2007
Empanadas are pastry turnovers that can be made savory or sweet. They're enormously popular all through Latin and South America and are so ubiquitous that there are as many recipes as there are cooks. Fruit Compote can be used as a filling for sweet empanadas, or use this delicious version of savory fillings. A terrific way to use up leftovers, too. To reduce the fat, use low fat margarine or olive oil instead of butter; and we suggest 7% fat ground beef.

Savory Empanadas


Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
2 onions, peeled and finely minced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
1 red pepper, seeded and finely minced
2-4 canned whole jalapeño peppers, seeded, drained, and minced
1/2 cup chopped black olives
1 cup prepared coffee
1 1/2 pounds ground beef (7%)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:
Brew the coffee and set aside. Mince the garlic, onions, red and jalapeño peppers, and olives.

In a large skillet, melt the butter and sauté the onions, garlic, and red pepper over very low heat only until they are limp, not brown. Add the jalapeño peppers, olives, and the coffee to the pan and continue to cook over a low heat until ingredients are incorporated. Add the ground beef and separate with a fork, so that it will be lightly browned along with the vegetables. Add salt and pepper and continue to cook until the liquid is nearly all evaporated.

Preheat oven to 400°F. and prepare empanada dough (see recipe below).

Cut the dough into rounds and add two tablespoons of the cooked mixture on one side and fold the plain size over, seal edges with fork tines and repeat, until the dough and mixture are used up.

Place them on several ungreased baking sheets and bake for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 300°F. and bake an additional 15 minutes.

Serve hot - plain or with salsa, chutney, or yogurt.

YIELD: 18 appetizer size or 8 large entrée size empanadas


Empanada Dough

This recipe can be used to wrap around either a fruity or savory filling.

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup shortening
6 tablespoons water

Directions:
Use a medium-size mixing bowl to combine flour and salt. Cut in the shortening until the the mixture is in small pieces, the size of peas. Add a little water to moisten just slightly and form the dough into a ball. Roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch thick and cut into 4 inch circles (or smaller if making appetizer sized empanadas) Lightly flour both sides of circles, then add filling and proceed to bake as described above.


Savory Empanadas
Calculated for a serving size of 1 (3.76 oz.)

Recipe yields 18 servings
Nutrient Name Amount per Serving % Daily Value
Calories 210 N/A
Calories from Fat 120 N/A
Total Fat 14 g 21%
Saturated Fat 4.5 g 22%
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 30 mg 10%
Sodium 255 mg 11%
Total Carbohydrates 13 g 5%
Dietary Fiber < 1 g 2%
Sugars < 1 g
Protein 9 g
Vitamin A 6%
Vitamin C 25%
Calcium 2%
Iron 6%
Nutritional information for the recipe provided by CookedApple.com. The nutritional information supplied is to be used as a guideline only and will vary depending on the amount and variety of each ingredient used. This nutritional analysis assumes usage of 2.5 oz of canned jalapeño peppers.

For more recipes, go to www.archive.supermarketguru.com

If this one looks good try it.

Aren't we all a bit like that, confused, some of the time? Wolf, you or another, just take the risk already!

Amathyst2, so true. Well said.

I don't know. I wonder that myself. I'm trying to keep it Friends Only in word and deed. He keeps changing it to romance, flirt, suggestion, wishing his life was different. Then he seems to give himself a does of reality and pulls back to Friendship Only. It's hard for him right now. I'm trying to be patient and be a True Friend because he needs it and I could use a good friend also. Truthfully, sometimes I think maybe within time (a long shot really) he will decide to man up and take the risk. I really don't see that happening in the next year or two. He's only been divorced for one year and separated for two. I am just enough of a realist that I keep myself available for the "Right Man" to find me. I figure people need people and he can be a good source of friendship if nothing more. Time will tell.

Why I certainly believe I am. Almost got caught a few times, but they weren't the Right Fisherman. I'm not saying I'm perfect. No way! My physique is not perfect, but I am working on it. Everything else is pretty darn fabulous! They say Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Then I will be the Great Catch to the Great Fisherman!

Cheers to us all! We have to keep believing!!

I'm trying to now, so I sure hope so!

I agree. I get them from both extremes. Sometimes they email me. I think most are just curious about my pic (when I posted my real face and body). Can't fault them for trying. I just think of it as a nice compliment. It's nice to get those sometimes.

This happened to me also. In his pic he had shades on so I did not see his face very well. When we met he looked like he had had a stroke. I thought maybe he was so lonely to have someone to go to dinner with that he had to do this. I felt sorry for him. He had brought me a nice box of Godiva Chocolates. How could I refuse.

"mentally raped...nearly destroyed..." - OMG! So true! That's it exactly!! Good phrase.

So true! It took me a long time to figure that out that it was not me. It happened to me with every guy since Kindergarten. In my early 30's I gave up on relationships with men. Well, at least nothing more than a friendship.

Now after many years I have more hope that someone great will come into my life. In the meantime I've been online for a while and the quality does seem to be improving.

Then I had a recent set back. I suspect my recent Interest is cheating on me. I recognize the signs, and I recognize all the same hurts. I know I don't need a person that treats me this way.

All of this just means I am still learning what I want and need in my life and learning how to take better care of my heart. I guess that is a good thing since I am not dead yet. hahaha!

Yes, I have noticed the same with men also. Just wrote about the women's side for Babycakes question. Those women I know were real mad and decided it was okay to finally come out I guess. Or, they just wanted to really piss off the Old Man and after trying the Venus decided that was their preference.

If you get along, don't think of the diferences.
If you find love, don't think about the numbers.

Loving well is learned behavior. It does not happen when you let fear get in the way.

Ignore what anyone else says or thinks, me included. Live your own life.

Enjoy your time with him and don't count the time in numbers.

I've noticed quite a few women who got out of bad or unfulfilling marriages trade sides. Just makes me wonder if they always were Lesbians but something held them back from being their true self. You know, like family and societal expectations were so heavy that they just went along with the majority. Oh, and this seems to happen to women in their later years, like after 45. They were really mad at their husbands and un-satisfied with their life, and really did a big change! Seems like they are saying I’m done with putting up with the Mars crap and would rather be with someone that speaks the same emotional language. Think about it. Look around and see if you don't find that also. It's pretty interesting.

I love this stage in relationships that is called Limmerance. Makes me so crazy in love, even if it's still too early to know what is happening! I want to tell my guy this:

Baby, I feel like how an addict must feel. I can't get enough of you. Thinking about you consumes my whole day and yes even my nights. I don't want to sleep because then I can direct my thoughts about you. I don't want to wake up because my dreams are so real. I have with you something I have never had from any other man, and I'm not talking about sex. If we can have this kind of communication without sex can you imagine what it will actually be like to be so intimate with each other physically? Out of this world. Call me now!

Will this be the first time you meet? I'm excited for you! Did he ever explain what the problem was for holding off/back that made you give up?

Distance can be a big deterrant to both men and women. No quickies, no daily interraction on a physical in-person level. I like to ask up front if they are willing or interested in relocating, or would they be open to me relocating if that was in our future.

Sure, constant communication over the phone, email or IM's allow you to get a sense of a person's thought processes. But do you really know a person if you never spend time with them in person doing things and doing nothing? If you are not willing to go check it out in person then why waste anyone's time contacting someone that states on their profile that they want a relationship.

Take the "person with kids example." How do you know if you can agree with how they are raising their kids if you don't see it in action? How do they know if you have habits or preferences that may conflict with their child rearing beliefs if they don't see how you live your daily life? Only so much can come up in conversations to reveal details. One really never knows all this stuff unless you can spend lots of time with them in person. Long distance make it very difficult to have this practical information.

Now, if you say 'blow the practical and just give me emotional', I would have to agree that distance does not matter. You can have a great and strong connection with someone you never meet in person just by communicating over the info waves revealing your hopes, dreams, past, present, and daily funnies. It just feels good to share your life with someone even if it's virtual. You then will just have something more akin to a spiritual/soulful connection, which can be very addicting and intoxicating.

If and when you meet in person after all of this it could go two ways. One, you meet and it's like you are meeting your long lost friend. It feels good and safe. Or two, you meet and it's like "I'm not sure who this person is." The illusion is not the same as the one you have built up over the phone or net for the last several months/years. The bottom drops out of your feelings and you wonder why she/he does not call as often or you are the one not calling.

I have no problem with long distance relationships. The time apart allows me more time to work on my personal goals, but it can be trying when you want to feel the closeness of a certain LD Someone. So, for me I really prefer to meet sometime in person within the first two to 3 months of a LD thing. If either one of us do not like the outer looks enough (come on now - this happens to most people!) to remember the inner person presented to us those many months before, or, if we find we can't stand someone's annoying habit/s for a long term relationship, then choices will be made.

It's all a gamble whether you can see them in person often or hardly ever. I'm willing to take that risk so I cast a wide range over the net. Just hope I can still keep going the distance.

Al and Bobby Unser, former Nasa Administrator Dan Goldin, Jimmy Stewart, Debbie Allen, Norm Nixon (her husband), Richard Pryor, Richard Simmons, Connie Sellecka and John Tesh, Jessica Simpson, George Hamilton 3 times!, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, the actor who plays Ron in Harry Potter, Mickey Rourke, Jean Claude Van Damme, Roseanne Barr, Bo Didley, Chubbie Checkker (hey, i'm old! ) Mel Gibson, Hugh Grant, and more I cannot think of right now. Living in LA you get to see famous people often and even get to meet them. These are only the folks I have actually talked to in person. I would have loved to have met and sung for Beverly Sills

That was nicely written Alan.

I agree with ArtGurl. It doesn't have to be tough. It just is though, no matter how you look at it. Both have to have the same level of interest to pursure it. Then you need mutual committment to sustain it. Not easy, but if two want the same thing, then I know it can work. It did for me once upon a time.

Best to you!
Dee

Great! Somebody at court was paying attention!
I'm really happy for you!

Today was a good day! Thank God!!