a couple of years ago taggart and i tried a late night experiment with plantains.  it was a disaster that involved a wide variety of condiments to try and make them taste better.  i believe everything from salsa to chocolate syrup was busted out of the fridge.  i described this experience to her co-worker Robinson who at the time was at our house making us a venezuelan meal of tamales, melon juice, and chicken.  he just laughed and told me how to make “real” plantains.

the most nerve racking part for me is letting the plantains go black.  i was convinced that i had actually let them go bad this time, but for the first time ever they were perfect.

blacken and beautiful

i was inspired to make plantains for dinner because a couple of weeks ago when i came back from the grocery store i discovered 2 containers of queso in my bags that i didn’t pick out or pay for.  my guess is the customer before pulled them from their food and the next bagger didn’t know they weren’t mine so vola i end of with 2 big containers of queso.  the solution to using it all up….plantains.

my free queso

if you have ever had plantains they were probably fried, which is excellent.  i however, via Robinson’s advice, bake my plantains with queso, butter, and salsa.  to go along with the meal i made a spanish rice that had black beans and shrimp in it.  and of course you got to have homemade guacamole.

mmmmmmmmm

since i was making plantains i knew i had to invite my friend justin over because it is his favorite food.  when he dug in he actually did a little happy dance in is chair.

alaina and justin ready to dig in

the meal was finished off with sherbert, rainbow of course and some ukulele playing, now that’s a meal.