Rice, Tortillas & Avocado

Spiced Rice, Tortillas & Avocados
Vegan Meals Under $10 for 4 people
Time it takes to make - Approximately 30 minutes

RICE
Saute in a deep Pan -
- 1 yellow onion $.50
- 1 garlic clove $.25
- 1 shredded carrot $.50
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1/2 tsp. paprika

Once onion has browned just a little - ADD
- 2 cups Parboiled Goya Rice $2 (a bag with about 4 cups is around $3.99)
(Parboiled rice is a little more firm and great to cook when mixed with Veggies because it stays more together and makes for nice consistency when mixed with chopped carrots or peas) 
- 4 cups water

Cook at Medium to Low heat until all water has evaporated and rice is soft.

TORTILLAS

So... you can either buy a pack of Corn Tortillas - Will run you about $1.99 or you can make your own tortillas out of MASECA (a mix you can buy at grocery stores in Bushwick in the latin products section or at most latin bodegas in NYC) they are around $3.99 and will make soooooo many tortillas!

ON THE SIDE -
- 4 Avocados $4 (usually around $1 each)
I prefer the Hass Avocados, they are a little bit creamier than the Florida ones but if you prefer a lighter avocado then you may like the Florida ones better.

VEGAN LUNCH OR DINNER :)

VEGAN LUNCH OR DINNER :)
SAUTED PEPPERS/TOMATOES/ONIONS & RICE
(UNDER $10 - SERVES 4)
TOTAL COST : Approximately $7.00

SAUTE FOR 10 MINUTES IN 1 TBSP. OLIVE OIL
- 1 Red Pepper $1
- 1 Yellow Onion $.50
- 1 Purple Onion $.50
- 2 Green Onions $1.09 (for a pack of about 8)
- 3 Roma Tomatoes $1
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper

IN ANOTHER POT - RICE
(Boil at medium to low heat until all the water has evaporated and rice is soft)

- 1 Cup Basmati Rice $1.50 (Pack with about 3 cups is usually around $3.50)
- 2 Cups Water
- 1/4 tsp. salt

GARNISH WITH CHOPPED BASIL

- 2 tbsp. $.99

MEALS UNDER $10 - Pasta with Italian Sausage Tomato Sauce!

PASTA WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE TOMATO SAUCE - 
Total Cost - $7.81 + approx. $2 for seasonings = $9.81)
(makes approximately 4 large servings)
TOTAL TIME : 30 Minutes

INGREDIENTS & DIRECTIONS

SAUTE at medium heat with 1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 lb. Italian Sausage Gianelli Turkey Sausages (1lb. pack for $3.99 on freshdirect.com)  $1.99
1/2 onion - $.50
2 garlic cloves - $.25 (.99 for a whole bunch)

ADD TO MIX - Seasonings
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 red pepper
1 tbsp. dry oregano (if you have fresh, even better)
1/2 cup fresh parsley - $.99 (for a whole pack which is around 6 cups)

ADD TO POT - Once sausage is browned but not to brown

1 large can of tomato sauce - $2.29 
Let it cook at low heat for 20 minutes

At this point you should start heating your water for your pasta (always add a little salt to your pasta water and once you drain your pasta make sure to add a little olive oil or butter so that it does not stick together)

1 box Ronzoni Fettuccine - $1.79


















VEGETABLE 
(Adds another 4 bucks to the mix but in case you want some salad to go with your meal :)

Green Salad
(total cost - $3.99)

1 tbsp. fresh parmesan cheese $.50 (Andrew & Everett Fancy Shredded Italian Blend 7 oz pack for $3.99
1 tsp. Olive Oil
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 (5oz) pack Baby Romaine (Satur Farms Baby Romaine Pack 5oz pack $3.49)

Guatemalan Icing!!!

The easiest icing you will ever make! And so delicious! In Guatemala it is traditional to put a scoop in a little pastry holder, like a cupcake holder and sprinkle some cinnamon! Yummy! But here I used it for a two layer cake :)

TURRON (Guatemalan Icing - made  out of eggwhites and sugar :)
(Serving - enough to frost a two layer cake 8 inches in diameter)

WHISK ALL THESE INGREDIENTS OVER HOT WATER FOR ABOUT 3 MINUTES IN A STAINLESS STEEL BOWL.
(whisk constantly - don't stop or your eggs will cook!)
this dissolves sugar and makes mixture hot
4 eggwhites
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey or light corn syrup
1/8 tsp. salt

WITH A HANDHELD BEATER OR STANDING MIXER - PUT ON AND BEAT AT HIGH SPEED - UNTIL IT TURNS WHITE AND THEN ADD 1 TSP. VANILLA

CAKE!!!

We made this cake today for my grandfathers 90th birthday! He loved it! It is vanilla with a little almond extract and turron!

BEST AND EASIEST BROWNIES

My sisters favorite brownie recipe! She makes these for people all the time and it is an instant love affair! It is the simplest love affair you will ever have!

COCOA BROWNIES
(makes 16 brownies, of course depends on what size you cut them :)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 6x14 inch, approximately, baking pan.

IN A SMALL BOWL - STIR TOGETHER

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

IN ANOTHER BOWL - MIX TOGETHER

1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
(an electric mixer is best, but I don't have one and I just mix it really really well :)
INTO THIS - MIX IN
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla extract (I like the fake vanilla because I don't like the alcohol flavor in the pure vanilla extract but this is really just depending on what you prefer)
1/4 tsp. almond extract (optional)

THEN TAKE THE FLOUR MIXTURE AND MIX INTO THE SUGAR MIXTURE UNTIL WELL MIXED.

OPTIONAL - 3/4 cups chopped walnuts (I like mine plain)

RECIPE FROM -
My mom's super old recipe book, "Wild About Brownies" by Barbara Albright and Leslie Weiner 

This is how your greased baking pan should look - a little oil and flour!























Brownie mix consistency before baking.

This is how they look once they are done - Cook for approximately 15 minutes. Poke them with a fork in the middle and make sure the middle is no longer liquid, it should have a chewy consistency.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy!

Bushwick Bars

It is freezing and snowing outside...

You should go get a drink at one of these bars if you live in Bushwick or find yourself in Bushwick. 

I went to this bar yesterday and they have a $1 off all their drafts from 5-8pm and it is so cute and cozy inside, great place to have a drink on these cold winter days!

THE BODEGA
24 St. Nicholas Ave.
between Scott Avenue and Troutman Street
Brooklyn, NY 11237
www.thebodegabk.com

HAPPY HOUR - $1 OFF DRAFTS FROM 5-8PM

And then there is Skytown, a cute, super cozy and friendly cafe/bar right off of the Myrtle Avenue JMZ stop.

Look how cold it looks outside! And inside it looks so warm and comfortable ;) I just walked by there right now and if it wasnt that I have a million things to do I would have stopped for a coffee, it was looking very inviting!

SKYTOWN
921 Broadway
between Melrose Street and Stockton Street
Brooklyn, New York 11206
www.skytownbk.com

Meals Under $10 - Guatemalan Black Beans & Rice

I was born and raised in Guatemala, in a cloud forrest to be extra specific! It is about 20 minutes from the center of the city (without traffic) and its, I believe 6,000 feet above sea level. The air smells really good there! In my refrigerator, as in pretty much most Guatemalans refrigerators there is one thing you will always find... Black beans and rice! Mmmm, delicious! 

In these cold winter days here in NYC all I ever crave is warm comforting dishes. And black beans and rice happens to be delicious and so incredibly cheap! And did I mention, soooo easy to make! 

Here goes my recipe - 

PREP TIME - 25 minutes 
COOK TIME - 
(no including soak time for beans, soak overnight or while working on something a few hours before you plan to cook them) 
COST - $5.50 (4 large servings) 

INGREDIENTS & PROCESS

BEANS
SOAK FOR 3 HOURS TO OVERNIGHT - 
(not totally necessary but good to avoid what we politely like to call flatulence ;)
1 bag of dried black beans $1.99 (goya brand)

IN A BIG POT - SAUTE THESE THREE INGREDIENTS UNTIL A LITTLE BROWNED
1/2 yellow onion $.50
1 tbsp. olive oil $.50 approximately
2 garlic cloves $.25 approximately 

ADD SOAKED BEANS AND MIX

THEN ADD 3 CUPS WATER AND MIX AGAIN

ADD THESE INGREDIENTS, MIX AND LET BEANS COOK FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS AT MEDIUM HEAT. 
(Mix every 15 minutes, after 30 minutes add two more cups water, after an hour add one more cup of water, after the two hours add two more cups of water so you have a nice soup consistency) 
1 1/2 tsp. salt 
1 tsp. pepper 
1 tsp. garlic powder

 
RICE 

SAUTE AT LOW HEAT - DO NOT LET BROWN
1/4 Onion $.25 (I used purple onions because I had a left over 1/4 onion in the fridge but the tradional for guatemalan rice is yellow onion)
1 tbsp. butter $.25

ADD TO SAUTEED ONION AND COOK AT LOW HEAT UNTIL ALL THE WATER HAS EVAPORATED  
(if you are using basmati rice it should be about 30 minutes, but follow the directions on the packaging of the rice to make sure)
2 cups white rice $1.50 (varies depending on the rice, I am using Basmati rice because I love the light and flaky texture it has but traditionally you would use a white long grain rice, which is just as good but a little heavier)  
DONE! 
*If you want to add a little kick, throw about two tablespoons of cilantro to cook with the rice. Mmm! 

Art Supply Store -- Bushwick!!

I had been meaning to pop into this store a while ago but I never knew their hours, I wanted to see what they had, an art supply store in Bushwick is soooo needed! Well, now there is one!

Bushwick Art and Shipping Inc., opened this past February and is pretty awesome if your looking for some quick art supplies in the neighborhood. There are silk screening supplies, markers, lots of different ink pens (I heart these), watercolors, a decent amount of paper to choose from and they also ship things!

Anyways, pretty cool place!

Bushwick Art and Shipping Inc.
1053 Flushing Avenue (corner of Flushing Avenue and Vandervoort Place)
Brooklyn, New York 11237

Hours - Monday-Friday 10-7pm and Saturday 10-6pm

Petland Discounts - Bushwick

So... I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving Holiday!

I had a really nice and relaxing holiday... did not get as much done I would have liked but isn't that always the case during the holidays. I am happy to say I worked on three buildings in the neighborhood and am working on some yummy, cheap recipes to post soon.

However, for now, here is my favorite pet shop in the neighborhood. I have three little kitties that eat and poop a lot so I am here quiet often! Everyone is so friendly and I find they have the best prices of all the other pet shops I have been to in the neighborhood.

Petland Discounts
92 Graham Avenue (between Seigel Street and Moore Street) 
Brooklyn, New York 

Also, check out Princesa Bakery & Restaurant, right next to Petland, they have some really amazing fresh juices! On top of a ton of other stuff and they have great prices!

Princesa Bakery & Restaurant 
94 Graham Avenue 
Brooklyn, New York 

Selena Mix

So I just found this mix of Selena music on YouTube and am officially obsessed. I love love love Selena, and if you do too then you should listen to this incredible mix --- you will want to start dancing!

One Stop Beer Shop

And here is One Stop Beer Shop ---

One of my favorite brunches in the city... and if you go for their $18 brunch which includes food and unlimited beer... you may want to add a bloody mary, just a little extra something, they make it with their bacon vodka ;) yum!

Tandem Bar Illustration

So... since I love this place so much I figured I had to make an illustration of it... here goes...

Don't forget they have great food and awesome happy hour!

Also... the last time I went there they convinced me to try their grits.... fyi I have never liked grits.... Oh goodness the grits at Tandem changed my mind! They are amazing!

Some good Happy Hours...

Hello!

So.... it is not quiet Friday yet... but in New York City you have happy hour on a few week days not just one. Anyways, it is the best time to get drinks because they are actually affordable at this time!

I remember going to New Orleans and going to a bar where drinks were a dollar all night long on a Friday! What?! Yes! Well, this deal does not exist in New York but we do have some pretty decent happy hours.

Here are a few of my favorite -

Lower East Side 

Lolita Bar, I love this place! First of all because they have a daily happy hour of $3 wells and drafts, and they have Brooklyn Lager, my favorite! (I know, I know... totally cliche but I don't care, it is my favorite on draft!) Anyways, back to Lolita, and second because even on Friday and Saturday during the happy hour there is always somewhere to sit! And there is always some pretty interesting art on the walls.

Address -
266 Broome Street (corner of Allen and Broome)
New York, NY
www.lolitabar.net

HAPPY HOUR DETAILS -
Weekly Happy Hour 5-8pm $3 wells and drafts

Bushwick 

Tandem 

So... on Thursday and Friday Tandem's happy hour is from 4-8pm and this includes $3 wells and some drafts, and $3 PBR with a shot and $4 tecate with a shot! Yum! I love PBR and Tecate... because they are tasty and cheap!

Address -
236 Troutman (between Wilson and Knickerbocker)
Brooklyn, New York
www.tandembar.net

HAPPY HOUR DETAILS -
Mon - Wednesday and Sunday - 6-8pm  and Thursday and Friday - 4-8pm - $3 wells and some drafts, $3 PBR and shot, and $4 Tecate and shot.

Greenpoint 

T.B.D. Beer Garden 

This place has the sweetest and biggest outdoor space... and since the weather has been pretty mild considering we are getting close to December you can still take advantage of the outside area. And eventhough their happy hour does end at 7pm... it starts at 3pm, so thats pretty cool if you are a lucky New Yorker who gets out of work on time ;)

Address -
224 Franklin Avenue (Corner of Franklin Street and Greene Street)
Brooklyn, NY
www.tbdbrooklyn.com

HAPPY HOUR DETAILS -
Weekly Happy Hour 3-7pm $3 drafts and wells



Hopefully none of these change anytime soon but they might so to be sure you may want to call before heading out.

Blissville, Long Island City, Queens

And this is the second building I have illustrated for the week, a building in Blissville a very quiet section of Long Island City, Queens, right off of the John Jay Bridge. Well, quiet on the weekends, during the week it is a very industrial section of Queens and there are mostly just warehouses and 9-5pm businesses. Anyways, here is the building, right on Greenpoint Avenue.

Little Skips Coffee Shop - Bushwick

So this week I decided to draw two places that are very close to my heart, one because I love their coffee and chai's and sandwiches and pretty much everything and the other because it is just a building I spent a lot of time in in Long Island City, Queens.

So the first one is, Little Skips, one of my favorite coffee shops in Bushwick, they make the most delicious sandwiches EVER! And all their ingredients are really fresh and tasty! If your looking for a cute and very friendly place to hang out or to just drop in and pick up some food or coffee or both, then this is it!

Address -
Little Skips
941 Willoughby Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11221

www.littleskips.com

It's Friday... (CHEAP (DELICIOUS) BRUNCH NORTH BROOKLYN)

Which means tomorrow is Saturday, and one of my favorite things to do on Saturday and Sunday... if I am not working... Boooo to working on the weekends! But anyways, BRUNCH!!!

All New Yorkers love brunch!

And if your looking for a great place to get some delicious and VERY AFFORDABLE food and drinks! Because what is brunch without a drink!

One Stop Beer Shop!!!

For $18 you get food and unlimited beer! Yum! All this from 11am to 3pm
The food is fantastic, the beer selection you can't go wrong with and the service is very friendly and welcoming.

They are located on - Kingsland Avenue and Beadel Street in Williamsburg borderline East Williamsburg and Greenpoint.

134 Kingsland Avenue
Brooklyn, New York
(718) 599 - 0128

www.onestopbeershopny.com

A drawing of this building is in the works ;)

Building Illustrations Wednesday 11/13/2013 and Thursday 11/14/2013

On Tuesday I decided to draw one of my favorite restaurants in Bushwick, Arepera Guacuco.
It is soooooo delicious and their prices are very fair :)

My favorite on the menu -
Drink - Papelon con Limon (a mollases drink with lemon) $3
Arepa - Vegetariana (Vegetarian - avocado, cheese, tomato and plantains) $6.50

And if your really hungry and want an appetizer -
Tequeños - Venezuelan white cheese wrapped in flour dough and fried... mmmm $6.50 (for a good amount)

I also really love the atmospher inside, very laid back and chill, always some good latin music playing too!

Arepera Guacuco
44 Irving Avenue
Brooklyn, New York
11237

PH : 347-305-3300

Wednesday, I decided to draw a building I photographed a few weeks ago while on my way to work... It is in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn and I have never been to this restaurant but it looks very cute! I have a huge crush on the two story buildings with a business on the first floor and an apartment on the top floor. I dream of having a little building with my business downstairs and my cute little apartment upstairs :)

So here it is... My goal for the next year...

I will attempt to illustrate 5 NYC buildings a week.

Here is the first one... as a dedication to Bushwick and some of my favorite stores here, 99 cent stores ;) I have illustrated the 99 cent store on Flushing Avenue and Beaver Street. They have EVERYTHING there!

A little bit about me...

Ok, so not sure if you read the short about on the top of the blog... but anything missing in there will hopefully be covered here...

Let me back track... A little about myself and why I chose to name this blog, brooklyn broke girl.

Well, I moved to New York City in 2009 and well I was pretty broke... moved here to go to Grad. School and become broker because now I would be broke and in debt! Hurray! Anyways, I lived in Manhattan in a box... with a loft bed, everytime I sat on my desk I hit my head with the loft bed. I had a mini fridge for a fridge and a stove that was also tiny and had an oven that never worked. My bathroom was pretty cool and it was pink... which was not my favorite at first but I learned to love it after a while.

Anyways, but before all this, let me go back just a little bit more... I grew up in the mountains of Guatemala, 20 minutes from the city center, that is if there is no traffic :/ This relates because after living in Manhattan for a bit, I moved to Bushwick. A friend of mine lived in Bushwick and I seemed to be spending more and more time there. So I decided to move there. In Bushwick I can buy Maseca at any of the supermarkets in the neighborhood. If you don't know what Maseca is then you should, it is what we use to make Masa (tortilla dough), well if your in a small town in Guatemala they actually make fresh Masa, but most everywhere else you will get Maseca which is pretty awesome because all you have too do is add water, salt, mix it up and shape it into a tortilla, grill it and there you go! Yummy fresh tortillas, no corn picking, drying or grinding required. Well, since moving to Bushwick I have never really looked back. Which is better? The never ending debate now that Brooklyn has become the in thing... Brooklyn versus Manhattan? Hmmm... It really just depends on the person. What I love about Bushwick is it is more laid back and the pace feels a little bit slower and I need this.

Fiuf! Well that's a lot and not even all of it... but going back to why I am writing this blog.

I want a place where I can share cheap recipes with people, easy and cheap recipes, good deals, fun events (that are affordable), fun things to do in the 5 boroughs, great happy hours, cool bars and places to hang out, etc. And I want a place where I can archive some of the art work that I do and art work that I love being made by other people. I have a desire and goal to illustrate as many things as possible, therefore you will probably find those here, and who knows it may just be the brownstone you live in or the store you work in ;)

Well, I will end it here.

Enjoy!