The First Recipe of Many

Here we go… the first recipe post. One of my many passions is cooking. I am by no means a chef but I have learned some tips and tricks and yummy recipes along the way. I find cooking and baking therapeutic. After working on business all day, going into my kitchen is sometimes the best way to take my mind off things. I love trying new ways of making dishes and exploring recipes. The first recipe I will be sharing is not one I created all on my own but one I tweaked along the way. This recipe is Empanadas. It is a family staple in our household and I find it worth the steps to make it. Now don’t be scared off when you see the prep time. I promise you it is not that long. The easiest way to get this recipe done quickly is to prep all the ingredients first. That means chopping the vegetables, pulling together the spices and rolling the pie crust out too. Trust me, this is worth the steps, in the end.

CHEESY GROUND BEEF EMPANADAS

Cheesy ground beef empanadas are the perfect hand held dinner or lunch. Serve this with rice, a side of sour cream and salsa for a family friendly weeknight meal.

yield: 10

prep time: 45 MINUTES

cook time: 20 MINUTES

total time: 1 HOUR 5 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced (optional)
• 1/2 bell pepper, diced
• 8 ounces tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese
• 2 refrigerated pie crusts (roll and cut approx. 4″ circles)
• 1 egg

Shopping list @ HEB

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the beef and cook until browned, crumbling the beef as you go. Add the garlic, onion, jalapeno, and pepper and saute until softened. Drain off any excess oil, then season the beef with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Stir in the tomato sauce, oregano, paprika, and chili powder and cook until mixture is slightly thickened and heated through, 2-3 minutes. Add additional salt if necessary, then remove from heat.
4. Roll the pie crusts out on a lightly floured surface or piece of wax paper so that they’re slightly larger and thinner than the traditional pie crust. Use a bowl that’s about 4-5 inches in diameter to cut circles out of the pie dough. Put about 1-2 heaping Tablespoons of the beef mixture on one-half of each of the circles. Sprinkle with a small handful of cheese. Fold the other half over the beef, then use a fork or crimp to seal the edges. If you’re having trouble getting them to stick, put a little water along the edge with your finger.
5. Gather up any scraps and re-roll and cut circles until no dough remains. You should be able to get 10-11 empanadas. Place all of the empanadas on the sheet pan. Whisk together the egg with a Tablespoon of water and brush the tops of the empanadas. Place in the oven and bake for 18-22 minutes or until golden and crisp on the edges.

Nutrition Information:

 YIELD: 10 SERVING SIZE: 1
Amount Per Serving: CALORIES: 367 TOTAL FAT: 23g SATURATED FAT: 9g TRANS FAT: 1g UNSATURATED FAT: 11g CHOLESTEROL: 116mg SODIUM: 387mg CARBOHYDRATES: 12g FIBER: 2g SUGAR: 6g PROTEIN: 27g

Please note nutritional information for my recipes is calculated by a third party service and provided as a courtesy to my readers. For the most accurate calculation, I always recommend running the numbers yourself with the specific products you use.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

• Prep is key in making this a smooth flow. I find putting together all the ingredients first and then do the steps you will be successful with this recipe.
• When cutting the dough into 4″ circles, I use a small white souffle dish that is almost the size of 4″ in depth. Here is what I use dish flip the dish facing down so that it cuts the dough. Trust me it works.
• To make ahead of time, assemble the empanadas completely, omitting the egg wash. Place on the prepared baking sheet and cover with saran wrap. They can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking.
• To freeze, bake the empanadas, then allow to cool. Wrap in saran wrap then place in a ziplock bag. Reheat from frozen at 400 degrees, for about 20 minutes.