Friday, April 08, 2011

New Recipe of the week 14-Empanadas

I love to eat homemade empanadas but hate how long it takes to make each and everyone of those yummy pieces of goodness.  My friend Mika gave me a Lattice Pocket Pie Mold from Williams-Sonoma and now it's going to be easy peasy to make my empanadas. Oh, before I forget you need to head over to Mika's Pantry she has a giveaway and it's a pocket pie mold (just like mine) plus a mini dicer and she's posted 5 easy weeknight dinners...I LOVE the loose meat sandwiches they are totally yummy!







Photobucket

Notice how I stole some pics from Mika's blog...they have her watermark on them. You should never do this unless it's one of your BFF's and you are SURE she will forgive you plus I fessed up and totally linked back to her!  Isn't her button cute?  She's a cartoon cooking princess now!

Anyway, back to the empanada recipe...
I used to use this recipe to make the dough like this

3 c. flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tbsp. shortening
1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. milk

Mix dough ingredients well.


But now I use this
 or this 




when I can find it!  They are both quick and simple to use.







Next I cut out circles with a round cookie cutter or a glass, I do this until all the dough is gone.


Then add your filling (filling recipes are at bottom of the page), a spoonful will do if your circle is small like mine is.



Get a small bowl of water and using clean hands dip your finger in the water and then run it all the way around your dough circle then fold in half.

Now use a fork to seal the dough together


Place on an oven stone or on a greased cookie sheet, I then add an egg to a cup of water to make an egg wash and brush the egg wash over each empanada, pop them into a pre-heated 400 degree oven and bake for 12-15 minutes.  You can also fry them but our family tries not to make very much fried food.





They turn out golden brown! 

Fillings

The possibilities are endless, you can make meat fillings or fruit fillings no matter which one you decide on they are all yummy!
I usually make a batch of chicken for the kids and myself (Kevin is allergic to chicken) and a beef batch for all of us.

1 lb. browned ground beef or cooked shredded chicken
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1/8 c. chopped fresh cilantro
1/8 c. sliced green olives
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4-1/2 jalapeno, minced (optional)
1 tbsp. tomato paste
and some people like to put raisins in theirs but my family doesn't really like it.






For fruit empanadas just add any type of fruit filling like apple, pineapple, or pumpkin.






24 comments:

Angelina Fong Designs said...

Yum!! Thanks for sharing your empanada recipe! I'm going to have to save that one for when I feel ambitious enough to try it. Looks delicious!

Cranberry Morning said...

Thanks for posting this recipe. I saw the word 'Saltena' and my heart did a little flip. I haven't had a saltena since I lived in Bolivia. They were amazing! Your empanada recipe looks great, and now I'm on the search for the Bolivian saltena. LOL

Unknown said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog! I am loving exploring yours! Definitely following!

:) Tina

Brittany said...

Looks delicous!

Renee Ann said...

Thanks for following me at Doorkeeper, Jennifer. I'm already following you. (Perhaps you were featured in a blog hop or something . . . ) Love your blog--I just too often lurk without leaving comments! Blessings!

Lorie said...

These look wonderful! I will try making them this week.

thanks for stopping by my blog. I'm following you now :)

Tina Hollenbeck said...

Hi, Jennifer. I'm glad you found me on the UBP - and I'm really glad I made the journey over here today, too. I also use My Father's World and MUS...and we'll be using Apologia as it meshes with MFW. I'm going to follow you right back; I look forward to getting to know you. :^)

Lisa Stone said...

Yum! Those look wonderful! I'm going to file this away for when I have a day at home to cook!

Mika said...

Great post girlfriend!
I LOVE empanadas!! Thanks for
mentioning Mika's Pantry!
See you next weekend!!!!!
Love you bunches!!!!!!! xxxooo!

Nancy Grossi ~ Churned In Cali ~ The Wife of a Dairyman said...

Oooh, those look so yummy!

Brandi said...

YUM! I didn't know you could use pie crust though I just usually make my own, maybe thats why I havn't done it in almost a year.

Stopping by from UBP, thanks for already visiting me at Flip Flop Mama! (now following you as well!)

Our Family said...

Hey Jennifer!
Well let me just say that a life like yours is exactly what my heart desires! haha just kidding. I love my life and know that God has us on our own amazing path! but I would love to homeschool my son. We would LOVE to adopt from Korea..I am pretty bummed that they have lowered the number of children to be adopted from families in the US..But so so so looking forward to the day that we are able to adopt!! I love arts and crafts and cooking!
Now tell me that isn't a little nutty! :)

Anyway, Totally looking forward to following your blog! Thank you for finding me on the UBP!

The Suburban Princess said...

Thanks for visiting my blog! I am now following you back and I can't wait to try out this recipe! It looks so yummy!

Hen Jen said...

you make this look so easy, I think I will have to try it. We had a friend make something similar for us, but they were from Brazil I think- diff. name..but they were sooo good! I was thinking to myself that one of those pie molders would make it simple...thanks for the filling recipe! :)

Amy said...

Thank you for coming by my blog and for this great recipe!

mylittlegems said...

yummy! Can I share/link this? You have some great stuff on here :)

Olivia said...

Sounds very yummy! Thanks for visiting Of Such is the Kingdom!
suchakingdom.blogspot.com

Russo said...

Oh, I love Mika's pantry, I frequent there alot. Thank you so much for theheads up on this empanada helper. Yours turned out amazing. I really enjoy your blog.

Russo @ www.threegnomes.blogspot.com

Heather M said...

This sounds Heavenly!!! Im book marking this!!! Thanks so much for stopping by and for leaving me such a sweet comment! Im sooo excited to follow you!

Charlotte | Life's a Charm! said...

I grew up eating empanada as a child, but we usually get the ready made kinds from a cafeteria. Because, it takes so long to make these goodies...

MommyOnTheMove said...

mmmm looks delish!!!
Nicky
Mommy on the Move!!

ThisGirlBlogs said...

Hiya!
Thanks for hopping over and following :)
Great recipe! I've never made any myself before, my grandmother has made them loads of times and she usually puts in coconut filling. Might try making some myself :)
Look forward to read lots more!

Paula Jo @ Outdoor Garden Decor said...

Sounds delicious! I will have to try and make them when I have a little more time. Thanks for the recipe.

Sennie said...

These sound so delish, thanks for the recipe and visual instructions too!
And thanks for visiting my blog!

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About the authors:  Lisa Jacobson  is an author, a podcaster, and the founder of Club31Women.com, an online community of Christian women aut...