[NFB-NM] NFBNM newsletter: Que Pasa, january 2019

[Tonia Trapp]

Happy New Year, everyone!!!

 

 

QUE PASA

January 2019

 

Quarterly newsletter of the National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico,
published on www.nfbnm.org, on New Mexico Newsline, and on NFB Newsline.

 

Adelmo Vigil

President, NFB of New Mexico

E-mail: nfbnewmexicopresident at gmail.com

(575) 921-5422

 

Tonia Trapp, Editor

E-mail: nfbnewmexicosecretary at gmail.com

(505) 856-5346

 

 

ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS

 

To submit an article or recipe for possible inclusion in this newsletter,
please email it to nfbnewmexicosecretary at gmail.com. By submitting your
article or other material, you are agreeing to the following:

 

*You assert that your article does not violate any confidentiality,
copyright, or other laws, and that it is not intended to slander, defame, or
mislead. 

 

*The NFB of New Mexico (NFBNM) has the discretion to publish and distribute
the article either in whole or in part.

 

*NFBNM is authorized to edit the article for formatting, length and content.


 

*NFBNM reserves the right to not publish submissions for any reason.

 

 

Contents

PREAMBLE <> . 2

2018 WHITE CANE BANQUET IS IN THE BOOKS <> . 3

THIS IS NOT A STICK <> . 5

MY LIFE-ENHANCING DISCOVERIES FROM 2018 <> . 6

OH, MY CANE <> . 9

NEW JAWS AND ZOOMTEXT ANNUAL HOME LICENSES NOW AVAILABLE THROUGH THE FREEDOM
SCIENTIFIC ESTORE <>   11

MOVERS  <> & SHAKERS. 12

NO MORE CASH, MAYBE <> . 15

GOOD EATING <> .. 16

HOMEMADE BEEF EMPANADAS <> . 16

PUMPKIN DUMP CAKE <> . 18

MOCHA NUT BUTTER BALLS <> . 19

USEFUL WEBSITES, APPS, AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS <> . 20

MEETINGS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS <> . 21

 

 

 


PREAMBLE


 

The National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico (NFBNM) is a 501(c)(3)
consumer organization comprised of blind and sighted people committed to
changing what it means to be blind. Though blindness is still all too often
a tragedy to those who face it, we know from our own personal experience
that with training and opportunity, it can be reduced to the level of a
physical nuisance. We work to see that blind people receive services and
training to which they are entitled and that parents of blind children
receive the advice and support they need to help their youngsters grow up to
be happy, productive adults. We believe that first-class citizenship means
that people have both rights and responsibilities, and we are determined to
see that blind people become first-class citizens of these United States,
enjoying their rights and fulfilling their responsibilities. The most
serious problems we face have less to do with our lack of vision than with
discrimination based on the public’s ignorance and misinformation about
blindness. Join us in educating New Mexicans about the abilities and
aspirations of New Mexico’s blind citizens.

 

(Adapted from NFB of Ohio newsletter.) 

 

 


2018 WHITE CANE BANQUET IS IN THE BOOKS


 

By Peggy Chong

 

The 2018 White Cane Banquet was held on Saturday, October 20, at the
Sheraton Uptown Hotel in Albuquerque and sponsored by the NFBNM Albuquerque
Chapter. Seventy-two persons signed up to attend this year’s event. 

 

Each year, as we have done for decades, we gather to celebrate the passage
of the New Mexico White Cane law. This is our civil rights law for the
blind, providing equal access to the programs and facilities where the
public is invited. It is also a time to remember that we cannot take such
laws for granted. Diligence on our part is essential if we are to maintain
our rights as blind people. This year, we had much to celebrate. 

 

Our main speaker was Dallas Thomas from the national headquarters of
Southwest Airlines. Mr. Thomas wears many hats, and he is responsible for
ensuring communication with Southwest employees about many platforms. One of
those platforms is the new accessible kiosks now located in our Sunport. 

 

Mr. Thomas addressed our group, explaining Southwest’s philosophy on
inclusion: inclusion for all, throughout the company. He said this means
that all of their new technologies are being designed and built for everyone
to use. Whether one is a customer or employee, blind, deaf, or just a very
infrequent flyer, Southwest wants to provide the best service for all of its
customers. 

 

Mr. Thomas told us how the accessible kiosks at the Sunport worked and how
we should all give them a try. To that end, before the banquet, he had
provided a step-by-step set of instructions in a timely manner that meant we
were able to have them in braille for participants at the banquet. All
copies were gone by the time the event was over. 

 

The Blind History Lady presented the story of an NFBNM past president
Barbara Innis, who despite the White Cane Law being passed in 1967, still
found barriers to employment. Not only so, but she also encountered barriers
when adopting her two sons. Nonetheless, she worked for the University of
New Mexico for 28 years and raised her two sons to become successful family
men, in spite of the State Department of Welfare’s predictions of doom. 

 

Curtis Chong and NFBNM President Adelmo Vigil encouraged everyone to get out
and vote, either at the polls or online, since our accessible portal for
online voting for the blind had been successfully tested in our primary last
June. There are still voting barriers out there, and if anyone had any
problems, either at the polls or online, they are to contact Adelmo with the
specifics. Both Curtis and Adelmo reaffirmed their belief that our Secretary
of State’s office is committed to making the process for blind voters in New
Mexico to be easy and uneventful.

 

After several door prizes, a stop at the sales table for bag holders and
braille greeting cards, including Christmas cards sold by the Albuquerque
Chapter, and a stop at the literature table to pick up Southwest handouts
and more, members said their farewells and headed off to participate in
other “Meet The Blind Month” activities. 

 

 


THIS IS NOT A STICK


 

By Nancy Burns

 

Long, long ago, in a land far away lived a young cave dweller. One morning
as he cautiously slipped out of the safety of his cave for his morning walk,
he unfortunately met up with a baby T-Rex and was knocked to the ground.
This adventurous cave dweller escaped with his life but had lost the sight
in both of his eyes. He managed to return to the security of his cave, but
he simply sat down and gave up all activities. While seated, his foot bumped
against a stick, which he picked up and used to explore the cave. He found
that his stick kept him from bumping into the cave walls and from tripping
over rocks. His stick gave him security. He regained equality with his
fellow cave dwellers and regained an opportunity to explore his
surroundings.

 

As the centuries rolled around to more modern times, the "stick" became
longer and a little more sophisticated. It became recognized as a useful
tool for "foot travel" for blind people during the 1800's. In 1944 long-cane
mobility techniques were taught at the Valley Forge Army Hospital.

 

During the 1900's several training centers sprang up throughout the United
States. Unfortunately, the belief was that only sighted people could teach
mobility techniques to blind travelers. However, over time it became more
common for blind people to teach others who were blind. Three NFB training
centers for the blind have been created in the United States, and the
administrators and the majority of staff members at these training centers
are highly qualified blind individuals. 

 

The long white cane became the preferred tool for use by active and mobile
blind people. Once a blind person learned the basics of cane travel, blind
travelers took these basic skills and began exploring unfamiliar
neighborhoods. The sense of hearing was recognized as extremely important as
the blind person listened for traffic and other sounds. Using additional
clues such as the location of the sun or wind direction, blind travelers
became more confident and competent as they used what is now known as the
Structured Discovery method. Although the method had been used for decades,
it was not officially recognized until approximately twenty years ago. 

 

As is often the case with the sighted public, some attitudes about blindness
remain back in the dark ages. The long white cane has far surpassed the
efficiency of the primitive stick, but some continue to call our cane a
"stick."

 

The National Federation of the Blind advances the philosophy that the long
white cane is a tool of independence, because it allows us to live the life
we want. But it is challenging to bring the attitudes of the public forward
and to encourage them to think of the cane in this manner. As
Federationists, we have come a long way, but we have a long way to go in the
education of the sighted public and in the eradication of misconceptions
that linger. In speaking with other friends who happen to be blind, it is
apparent that well-educated sighted individuals in such fields as education,
healthcare, law, and religion may not be educated in the fact that our white
cane is no longer called a stick.

 

The New Mexico legislature passed the White Cane Law in 1967. This law
protects the rights of blind citizens who use the long white cane or dog
guide. The passage of this legislation is a continuation of the efforts of
the Federation to protect the rights of blind pedestrians. The long white
cane has truly become a symbol of our independence and allows us to move
about and to live the life we want. 

 

 


MY LIFE-ENHANCING DISCOVERIES FROM 2018


 

By Tonia Trapp

 

There were several times last year when I was playing around with a new app
or other technology and thought to myself, "Maybe I should write a Que Pasa
article about this." But then I would talk myself out of it, because I felt
that there just wasn't enough to say about the particular thing I had
discovered at the time. But now that 2018 has passed, I have decided to
highlight various discoveries I made over the last year which, although
relatively insignificant, have made my life easier and more fun. Mostly I
will focus on technology-related finds, but I will also throw in one other
revelation that have nothing to do with computers or cell phones.

 

Blindfold Games: I have an iPhone, and last year I discovered several fun
games in the Blindfold Games series of apps. The word games are my
favorites, and I have found three of those so far that I really enjoy.
Blindfold Seven Words gives you seven clues and a grid of two- and
three-letter word fragments that you have to put together in order to come
up with the word that matches each clue. Blindfold Word Cookies gives you
four or five letters and asks you to create a certain number of words
comprised of three, four, or five letters, and the words have to match
exactly what the game wants. Word Cookies is fun to play when I want
something that is mildly mentally stimulating but not over-taxing, because
it is relatively easy compared to the other word games mentioned here. The
third and most recent word game I have discovered, much to my delight, is
called Blindfold Crossword, and it is exactly what it sounds like:
fully-accessible crossword puzzles! I had heard about crossword puzzles and
often thought how fun it would be to do one, but this is the first time I
have been able to try my hand at solving them. I admit that as a fledgling
puzzle-solver, I am taking the easier path at the moment by allowing the
game to tell me when I input an incorrect letter. But eventually I will get
up the courage to turn that feature off, thus making the puzzles much more
difficult for me. 

 

One of my other current favorite games is called Blindfold Invaders. Those
of you who are closer to my age may remember one of the first popular
videogame consoles, which carried the brand of Atari. Way back then, there
was a game for the Atari system called Space Invaders, and I remember
sitting on the floor at my aunt and uncle's house in Connecticut doing my
best to play Space Invaders as a totally-blind person. Basically I would
move the joystick rapidly from side to side and up and down while feverishly
pressing the button to fire the gun at the ships, on the theory that I would
eventually hit some of them. Using this method, I was sometimes able to get
past level 1 and occasionally past level 2, but I couldn't get any further
than that. Now I can play the game for real using my iPhone, moving the
phone from side to side across my body to position my gun, then using a
single tap to fire. I have graduated from the "easy" to the "harder" version
of the game, but so far I have not conquered that setting, so I will just
have to keep at it. It really feels to me like the game has some built-in
intelligence and adjusts itself in subtle ways to become harder as I
continue to play it. Is this explanation logical, rational, or sensible?
Probably not. But does it help me feel better about my ineptitude as a
game-player? Absolutely. So I am sticking to my theory.

 

Seeing AI: This little app really comes in handy for quickly identifying
items such as pieces of mail, pill bottles, and packaged food items such as
cans and boxes. I typically use the "short text" setting on this app, and it
works quite well. Recently though, I experimented just for fun with one of
the demo options in the app that claims to be able to read handwriting. Much
to my amazement, I found that at least in some cases, the app is able to do
exactly what it says! I experimented with this by using a document I had
received at work that contained a lot of handwriting. First I had one of our
staff at our front desk read me the document as I typically do, and then I
used Seeing AI on it. The app was able to read virtually all of the
handwriting on one of these documents, but very little of the handwriting on
another document written by a different person. So although I would not want
to rely on this app to read handwriting, it may turn out to be a useful tool
in some situations when no other help is available.

 

Over There: This little gem of an app has been very helpful to me when
walking around the University of new Mexico campus. The app scans your
surroundings for Google map pins, which are like electronic signs. As you
point your phone in different directions, the app will tell you what sign it
sees and how far away it is. To my great delight, the app is able to detect
most of the buildings on campus, and it has really come in handy on some
occasions when I wasn't exactly sure where I was and needed to find my way
back to a familiar landmark. Unfortunately, Over There does not currently
work with Android devices--sorry about that.

 

Google Chrome: I had avoided using this browser until very recently,
studiously ignoring the frequent messages that would pop up on my computer
inviting me to download it. But then I ran into a website that neither
Firefox nor Internet Explorer would read, so on a whim, I decided to
download Google Chrome to see if it would fare any better. This is how I
came to realize that Google Chrome is in fact able to decipher some websites
that are indecipherable using other browsers. Then I was chatting with a
very good friend about technology matters, and she told me that she uses
Google Chrome all the time and finds that it works a lot better than the
other browsers in general. Taking this information to heart, I imported all
my Firefox bookmarks into Chrome and have been using Chrome pretty steadily
for several weeks. I am pleased to report that overall, I am having a very
good experience with Chrome and have found that it does generally seem to
work more efficiently than my other two browsers. I was beginning to feel a
great deal of frustration navigating websites such as eBay with Firefox, and
I had started to wonder if my computer was going bad, but that was not the
case: I simply needed a new technology tool in the form of Google Chrome.
Now to be fair, I will admit that there are some websites that Chrome cannot
decipher, and in those cases I continue to use either Firefox or Internet
Explorer. Therefore, it is still very helpful for me to have all three
browsers on my computer so that I can use the one that is best suited to the
task at hand.

 

UberEATS and Grubhub.com: Now I will talk about revelations that have come
to me regarding one of my favorite things: food. UberEATS is an app that
allows you to order food from particular restaurants and have it delivered
directly to your door. I have used it several times, and the service was
excellent. (Greg has used a similar app called Postmates that he likes.) But
they do not have all the restaurants that I like; for example, Dion's is one
of my favorites, and that is not one of the options on UberEATS or
Postmates. 

 

A few weeks ago, I needed to order some wings to take to an office potluck,
and I wanted to get them from Buffalo Wild Wings, which I could not find on
either app. So I turned to my old standby: I did a Google search, which led
me to grubhub.com, where I was able to place an order with Buffalo Wild
Wings and have the wings delivered to me. I haven't looked much more in
depth at Grubhub, but I had a good experience with my first order, and
doubtless I will check them out and use them again in the future, especially
knowing that they have some restaurants that UberEATS does not have.

 

Cookies for breakfast: No, your eyes are not playing tricks on you. As silly
as it sounds, I enjoyed making this delicious discovery during the last few
weeks in December. You see, my office had a cookie exchange, so I came home
from work on a Monday with a plate of about a dozen wonderful cookies to
sample. I thought about freezing them, but that did not appeal to me. I
really wanted to eat them right away and savor them while they were fresh.
So I had to think of a way to do that over the course of a few days, using a
method that would minimize both my guilt and any other undesirable
consequences such as gaining weight. My solution? Cookies for breakfast. For
about three days, I ate three or four cookies for breakfast, and it was
absolutely wonderful. I figure it like this: eating cookies for breakfast is
really not that much different from eating other types of pastries, such as
doughnuts or turnovers. And furthermore, I am convinced that the cookies
contained some of the same ingredients that are used to make the breakfast
cereals I typically eat, such as flour, eggs, sugar, milk, and nuts. This is
how I rationalized my behavior, and I have no regrets. I was able to enjoy
all of the cookies while they were still fresh. And even better, my
breakfast adventure gave me an amusing way to conclude this article about my
discoveries from 2018.

 

 


OH, MY CANE


 

By Pat Munson

 

I was living in San Francisco and was practicing getting to the school where
I would student teach. This was my first dry-run at trying this route. As I
approached the corner, I thought I had never heard so much traffic going in
both directions, and the streets seemed very, very wide. The city is old, so
most of the streets are narrow; horses and wagons did not need much space!
But this corner was certainly unusual. I got to the curb and prepared to
cross. I swept my cane down the deep curb. The cane almost went down the
drain. I grabbed it just in time but almost had a heart attack.

 

Then there was the day I was using a folding cane. Again, I was crossing a
very wide street. Halfway across, the cane tip caught in a manhole cover. As
I pulled and nearly had that heart attack, I was holding one-fourth of a
cane. I heard the other pieces rolling away. I made it to the other side,
but it was a very long, slow shuffle to where I was going. That was the very
last trip with a folding cane.

 

Then the day came when I was minding my own business on the way to the bus
stop when the cane stopped moving smoothly from side to side. I stopped and
turned it upside down to find the metal tip gone. Again, it was a very slow
journey to the bus. From that day forward, I carried at least one extra cane
tip in my bag.

 

One day at work, I stayed late to complete some lessons. I put on my coat
and went to the classroom corner where the cane always stood. My hand found
nothing. I looked all over the room, but no luck. Luckily, I had a broom in
the closet. You guessed it: it served as a long white cane, but was not very
long. From then on, I locked a spare cane in the closet. Perhaps you are
wondering about the first cane ... somehow it was resting under the piano.
Raise your hand if you have an idea about how it got there!

 

Then there was the time I heard about the new light-weight cane which would
move easily and would not tire the arm. I proudly took it to our cabin in
the forest. The car stopped by the cabin, and I could not wait to open the
door so I could smell the lovely trees. I had one foot out the door when I
heard a very bad sound. Yes, the car door had come back toward me and had
snapped that lovely cane into two broken parts. I was not about to toss it
out; I found a very narrow tree branch and heavy tape and made the cane a
very nice cast. I did use it for the duration of our stay. From the next
visit on, I had spare canes in the cabin. A tree branch will do as a cane,
but it is heavy and has no good tip.

 

One year at the NFB Convention, I was rushing to a meeting and felt the long
white cane get caught on something. At that point I had two very short
canes. When the exhibit hall opened, another poor broken-cane user and I
were at the door. That was when I decided I would use a solid cane. I do not
think a truck running over this model could do any damage.

 

At this writing I have a rather large collection of canes. If I am going out
on my own, I use the heavy, solid model with a folding model in my bag. If I
am going to dinner with friends and am concerned about putting it in a safe
place, I reluctantly grab a folding model. A real danger area is a bleacher
arrangement, so I keep my foot firmly on my cane: I do not want to hear that
sound that might give me yet another heart attack.

 

I have had scores of experience with my trusty long white cane, and I assure
you that I never leave home without it. It has been everywhere from the
forest to the opera. I am always proud to have such a useful tool! 

 

 


NEW JAWS AND ZOOMTEXT ANNUAL HOME LICENSES NOW AVAILABLE THROUGH THE FREEDOM
SCIENTIFIC ESTORE


 

By Curtis Chong

 

I am pleased to pass along some exciting information about new annual
licenses for JAWS and ZoomText. With these new annual licenses, blind or
low-vision computer users in the United States can now purchase ZoomText
Magnifier/Reader or JAWS for as little as $80 or $90 (respectively) per year
without paying hundreds of dollars upfront. Instead of spending $400 for
ZoomText, $600 for ZoomText Reader/Magnifier, or $900 for JAWS, you can now
shop online and pay as little as $80 a year for ZoomText Magnifier with
Speech or $90 a year for JAWS. You have the option of purchasing upgrades
for one, three, or five years, and as long as your license is current, you
will always receive the most up-to-date version. You will not have to pay
any more to obtain new versions of ZoomText Reader/Magnifier or JAWS as they
are released. Moreover, you will be able to run these programs on up to
three of the computers you use, and if needed, you can temporarily remove
the license from one computer and activate it on the computer of a friend or
family member whom you may happen to be visiting.

 

Admittedly, this is not that significant for those of us who have already
spent the money to purchase ZoomText or JAWS licenses. However, for folks
who have not purchased these programs because of the hundreds of dollars
that they cannot afford to spend, or for folks who have avoided paying
maintenance charges to keep their software current, this is a really big
deal.

 

The ZoomText or JAWS annual home licenses are currently available only
through the Freedom Scientific eStore at
https://store.freedomscientific.com. Here, you can search either for "JAWS
Home Annual License" or "ZoomText Magnifier/Reader Home Annual License."

 

 


MOVERS & SHAKERS


 

By Karen Santiago

Karen at TheBlindPerspective.com 

 

(Reprinted from the following newsletter: The Blind Perspective, November
2018, Volume 4, Issue 11)

 

Once upon a time there were three blind mice, Mic, Bart B Cue, and Whitey.
One day they all went shopping to find a gift for their friend. While
walking through the mall, they got a whiff of Hickory Farms. The smell was
so good, it lured them into the store. The farmer's wife was working there
since things were a bit slow on the farm. And so, you know the story, she
whacked off their tails with a carving knife. The three mice sued, and they
won. They decided to use the settlement money to start up a mall where the
blind could shop, without fear of getting their tails cut off! Blind Mice
Mega Mall was completed and they all lived happily ever after! Of course,
this is not the real story.

 

Actually, the real story is Blind Mice got started by three blind guys who
just decided to give it a try. They felt that blind people needed more
products than just a talking watch, a low vision clock, or other similar
items. They made the decision to go for it in 2003, and they opened up the
doors to the Blind Mice Mart in 2004. They began with two vendors: the
braille cookbooks, and an old company, SMC who offered a variety of
products. From there, they started to build up a customer base.

 

They initially began as one website with different suppliers. Then they
began getting calls from other people wanting to sell their own stuff. They
didn't have the means to take on others. So, Blind Mice Mart revamped and
had a new website built. This change was in 2011, and it was at that time
they changed the name to Blind Mice Megamall. They started under this new
name with an additional four stores.

 

Currently they have a dozen stores, with additional ones popping up based on
the seasons. Dale says he is most proud of having four individual store
owners. He added that these blind store owners are running their stores,
making a difference, and generating an income for themselves. Having your
own store within the Blind Mice Mega Mall allows the owner to access, edit,
add and/or remove products, change prices, and basically do everything
needed to run their own store.

 

The Blind Mice Mega Mall is a place to provide merchants an avenue to list
their products. Dale says that they are always looking for new stores to
incorporate into the mall. Some products he would like to see offered in the
mall include windchimes, candles, and clothing, just to name a few.

 

When you visit the mall at www.BlindMiceMegamall.com, you can browse by
either the stores or by products. No matter how many stores you visit and
products you purchase, it's a convenient one step checkout process. Be sure
to register, as there are some discounts for registered members, as opposed
to the regular price.

 

Here is a list of some of the stores you can find in the Blind Mice
Megamall:

E Z 2See Products: weekly planner

A Stitch in Time: sewing supplies

Blind Bookstop: braille & electronic books

Blind Mice Mart: items for blind & visually impaired individuals

Body Scentz: bath & body, perfumes & cologne

En-Vision Inc.: assistive technology

J&J Trading: vast supply of products

Journeys: sprays, crystals, & jewelry

Custom Canes: mobility & walking canes

On The Go: guide & service dog products

 

Relax, stay in your pajamas, grab a cup of coffee, don't worry about the
weather outside, or finding a parking spot, when going to the blind Mice
Mega Mall. Check out the site for all of your holiday shopping needs:

www.BlindMiceMegamall.com 

 

Proceeds from every purchase at Blind Mice Mega Mall help fund the Mouse
Hole Scholarships. These scholarships are awarded to sighted high school
students with a visually impaired parent and to visually impaired and blind
high school students! The Cooking in the Dark Show is also funded by your
purchases!

 

The principle of Blind Mice is "Make It Count Every day!" So, as the Mice at
BlindMiceMegaMall.com say "Have a MICE day!"

 

 


NO MORE CASH, MAYBE


 

By Pat Munson

 

The first time I went to the bank and found a flat screen, I asked what was
up. The teller said she would read the data to me. Of course, I asked why
the thing did not talk. She did not know. I was not happy.

 

Then there was the first time I went to check out at a store with no human.
This time there was a scanner. I was to run each item by it and then do
something with the screen in order to pay. Of course, the thing did not
talk. Another customer ahead of me was having problems, so I knew I was at
the wrong checkout stand.

 

My most recent encounter with an inaccessible touch-screen was at a parking
garage. Each parking space has a print number on the wall. One must go to a
machine, insert a credit card, and finally receive a receipt. Oh, and one
must type in the parking space number. I still do not know what happens if
one does not use the machine at all. Maybe Diablo punctures the tires. 

 

The blind have been trying to keep up with machines which should talk, but
it appears we are facing new problems each day. Two very bad features of
some of these machines are that they are putting humans out of jobs, and
they are making it harder for the blind to transact business.

 

Newspaper articles have appeared stating that whole countries want to go
cashless. One article did mention that some folks will not be able to use
machines for a variety of reasons, so other methods of accomplishing the
task will have to be found.

 

In the meantime in the USA, we have the National Federation of the Blind.
Touch-screens abound, so we will have to devise alternative methods to
accomplish what we need to do. We live the life we want, and we want the
same access in this cashless age, if it is to be!

 

 


GOOD EATING


 


HOMEMADE BEEF EMPANADAS


 

Submitted by Ernie Esquibel

 

I would like to share this family recipe. It was a staple in our home for
the holidays.

 

Ingredients

 

Homemade empanada dough:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt

6 ounces unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks)

1 egg

1/4 to 1/2 cup water, adjust as needed

 

Beef empanada filling:

4 tablespoons butter or oil

1 white onion, diced

2-3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tablespoon dry oregano

2-3 teaspoons ground cumin powder

1 lb ground beef

Salt and pepper to taste

1 egg, whisked, to be used as egg wash

 

Instructions 

 

Homemade empanada dough preparation:

Cut the butter into small chunks. Mix the flour and salt. Add the butter.
Mix until it resembles pea-size. Add the egg and the water in small
increments.

 

Beef empanada filling preparation:

Heat the butter in a large frying pan, add the diced onions and crushed
garlic. Cook until the onions are soft. Add the oregano, ground cumin, and
salt/pepper. Add the ground beef, stir and cook until the meat is fully
cooked. Taste and adjust salt/pepper and any seasonings to your personal
preference. Let the beef filling cool down completely before using to fill
the empanadas. My mom adds diced apples and raisins. 

 

Beef empanada assembly:

Place a generous amount of the beef filling on the center of each empanada
dough. Fold the empanada dough and gently seal the edges with your fingers.
Then twist and fold the edges of the empanadas with your fingers. For extra
sealing you can use a fork to press down on the edges.

 

If you have time, refrigerate the empanadas for 30 minutes to an hour; this
will help them seal better and prevent them from leaking. You can also
prepare them the day before and bake them right before serving.

 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F for medium-sized empanadas, or 375 degrees
F for smaller empanadas. Place the empanadas on baking sheet, lightly
greased or lined with parchment paper. Brush the empanadas with the whisked
egg mix; this will give a nice golden glow when baked. Bake the empanadas at
400F for 20 minutes, or until golden on top.

 

 


PUMPKIN DUMP CAKE


 

Submitted by Veronica Smith

 

Ingredients:

1 box yellow cake mix

3 eggs

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 sticks melted butter

1 cup chopped pecans

1 12-ounce can evaporated milk

1 15-ounce can solid pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) 

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie seasonings

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 13-by-9-inch
baking pan. Mix the eggs, seasonings, brown sugar, milk and pumpkin until
well blended. Pour the mixture into prepared baking pan. Sprinkle yellow
cake mix over mixture. Then sprinkle pecans over yellow cake mix. Pour
melted butter over all of it. Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until a knife
inserted in center comes out clean. (Our oven at school took one hour.)

 

I hope you all love this cake as much as I did. Also, a word to the wise: if
you are planning on picking up the pieces with your hands, make sure and
flip the cake over and use the bottom as the crust. 

 

 


MOCHA NUT BUTTER BALLS


 

Submitted by Tonia Trapp

 

I got this recipe from a book by Joanne Fluke, who has written a murder
mystery series in which the protagonist and crime-solver is a baker who owns
a cookie shop. The author includes different dessert recipes in each book. I
love these cookies!!

 

1 cup softened butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon instant coffee powder (not crystals)

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups flour 

1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans

Powdered sugar to coat the cookies

 

Set oven to 325 degrees F. Soften the butter. Mix the butter with the sugar,
vanilla, coffee, cocoa and salt. (I found this difficult to do with just a
spoon because of the consistency of the dough, so I did the mixing with my
hands, which worked quite well.) Add flour in 1/2 cup increments, mixing
after each. Mix in the nuts.

 

Form dough into 1-inch balls. Flatten them slightly so they won't roll off
the cookie sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes. Let the cookies cool completely. Then
coat them with powdered sugar.

 

 


USEFUL WEBSITES, APPS, AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS


 

By Jim Babb

 

www.esighteyewear.com 

Very high-tech and expensive eyewear. A couple of residents at our
retirement center purchased this eyewear. ESight uses an intelligent mix of
optical and computer technology to stimulate the remaining photoreceptors in
your eyes, sending more information to the brain and enhancing your ability
to see clearly. 

 

https://irisvision.com

Another high-tech pair of glasses with similar optical and computer
technology, less expensive than the one listed above. Check out both online.


 

www.brandless.com 

Every item on this website is $3 or less, and free shipping if you purchase
$25 or more. 

 

www.camelcamelcamel.com 

This is a very useful price tracker to get the lowest price on Amazon.

 

1-866-322-8228 

Call this number to get your up-to-date credit reports from the three credit
bureaus. You will have the choice of getting these three reports in braille,
large print or recording. These reports are used by landlords, insurance
companies, etc. to determine how much you will pay for same. 

 

 


MEETINGS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS


 

January 28, 2019: Great Gathering-In at Washington Seminar, Washington, DC

 

March 31, 2019: 2019 NFB National Scholarship application period ends

 

April 4-7, 2019: NFB of New Mexico State Convention, Embassy Suites by
Hilton, Albuquerque, NM

 

 

 

 

 

Tonia Trapp, secretary

National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico

nfbnewmexicosecretary at gmail.com

www.nfbnm.org

 

Live the life you want.

 

The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends
who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every day we work
together to help blind people live the lives they want.

 

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