It's What's for Dinner...

I made my favorite Cuban dish for dinner.  Picadillo.  It's a beef hash served over rice.  It's probably the first dish I learned to make.  And it's the dish my mother makes for me everytime I come home to visit.  It's my comfort food.  Recipe?  I don't have it written down. I learned to cook by watching my mother and mi abuela in the kitchen.  But I'll give it a try...

Picadillo
*note: all measurements are estimations, if you think is needs a little more or a little less, go with it...
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp oregano
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup of red wine
1 lb. ground beef (tonight I used ground turkey)
1/4 to 1/2 cup raisins
1/4 to 1/2 cup pimento stuffed olives
salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat, add oil, onion, green pepper, and garlic.  Cook until softened.  Then add cumin, oregano, tomato sauce and paste.  Cook together for about 5 minutes.  Add red wine to deglaze pan.  Season beef with salt and pepper (sometimes I add a little garlic powder).  Add seasoned beef to tomato mixture and brown.  Add bay leaf, raisins, and olives.  Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes.  Serve over rice (I made brown rice tonight).  It's always better the next day.  Enjoy!

Here's a photo of mine...It was yummy!  Hope "my recipe" turns out just as good.  Let me know if you try it...