Sweet & Savory ~~ Chorizo Empanadas

Excellent empanadas!  After making the meat and potato variety, we want to try our hand at creating some dessert ones next time around.

EMPANADA DOUGH:

• 2 1/4 cups white wheat pastry flour
• 1 tsp salt, optional
• 1/2 cup cold, unsalted butter, diced into cubes
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup ice water
• 1 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Mix flour and salt together in a mixing bowl
• Blend in butter with fork or pastry blender
• Beat together egg, water and vinegar
• Add to flour mixture and mix with fork
• Turn onto lightly floured bread board or counter top
• Knead a few times to blend dough
• Form into a rectangle on a cookie sheet
• Cover with plastic wrap
• Chill dough in refrigerator

EMPANADA INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb. ground chorizos
• 1 large onion, diced
• 6-8 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 large red bell peppers, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 2 medium sized yellow potatoes
• 1 egg slightly beaten with 1 Tbsp. water

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Brown ground chorizos with onions and garlic
• Add red bell pepper and potatoes
• Add spices
• Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender
• Cool mixture to room temperature 
• Remove bay leaf

FILL EMPANADA DOUGH:

• Divide dough into equal pieces (depending upon the size of the empanada maker you have, this recipe will yield somewhere between 6-12 empanadas.
• Roll out piece of dough with a lightly floured rolling pin to about 1/8th inch thick
• Spoon approx. 2 Tbsp. filling into each one 
• Fold dough in half
• Press edges together to seal

• Place on baking sheet
• Lightly brush empanadas with some of the egg wash
• Bake in 400 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool on baking rack before serving

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

• Serve with fresh, sliced tomatoes and green olives
• Serve with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream
• These are tasty enough to be served without any condiments as the ground chorizos have enough kick of their own!

STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSE'S TROUGH

• This was a special treat for me as I was able to pick some tomatoes from my horse trough gardening method to serve with our empanadas.  
• Here's the link to order a copy of this 
• quick read e-book:

https://www.amazon.com/Straight-Horses-Trough-Gardening-Suburbanite-ebook/dp/B00C2YU5Z2

If you like Mexican food, you've got to try this recipe!  Give it a whirl, and let me know what you think.

Happy Cooking & Dining!

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Sweet & Savory ~~ Refried Bean Dip

With all of those football playoff games and the Super Bowl right around the corner, here's a great suggestion for your fans!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 - 16 oz. can refried beans
• 1 cup medium Picante sauce
• 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 - 4 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened to room temp.
• 1 tsp. cumin
• Tortilla chips, scoop variety; crackers; or artisan bread of your choice.

DIRECTIONS:

• Combine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl.
• Transfer to a medium sized slow cooker (crock pot).
• Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or until mixture is heated completely through, stirring occasionally. 
• Once the mixture is hot and melted together, turn to warm or low setting on your crock pot.
• Serve with chips, crackers, or bread.

Enjoy & may your favorite team win!

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Sweet & Savory Friday ~~ Luscious Enchiladas

Enchiladas are a great entree any night of the week!  Suffice it to say, there are umpteen recipes with variations of fillings. Since I prefer one with more of a creamy or moist filling, here's my latest creation that I would like to share with you. So, here goes ~~

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups diced cooked chicken
• 1 - 4 oz. can diced mild green chilies
• 1 - 4 oz. can sliced black olives
• 1 - tsp. cumin
• 1 - 10.5 oz. can Fat Free Cream of Chicken soup
• 1 1/2 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese
• 2 - 15.5 oz. cans mild, medium, or hot enchilada sauce, whichever you prefer
• Corn tortillas (I prefer the Don Pancho Golden Blend Brand)

DIRECTIONS:

• In a medium bowl, thoroughly mix the chicken, chilies, olives, cumin, soup, and 1 cup of the Cheddar cheese.
• In a medium sized frying or saute pan, warm one can of the Enchilada sauce.
• Thoroughly coat each of the tortillas with the Enchilada sauce.
• Fill each tortilla with filling, roll up, and place seam side down in a lightly greased 9 x 13 pan.
• Combine one can of Enchilada sauce with the remaining sauce in the frying pan and pour over enchiladas placed inside 9 x 13 pan.
• Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes or thoroughly heated.
• Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of Cheddar cheese.
• Return dish to oven until cheese has melted.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

• Serve with salsa, diced green onions, sour cream, guacamole, additional Cheddar cheese or variety of cheeses of your choice.

Please give this recipe a try and let me know how you like it. Also, please feel free to share variations of your enchilada recipes.  I am beyond confident blog readers all around the globe will benefit.

Happy cooking & dining!

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Sweet & Savory Thursday ~~ Mexi-Chili Casserole

Savoring the last of the tomato crop from another successful season of gardening, I decided to garnish one of my long standing casserole recipes which dishes up a most delightful combination.  So, here goes:

STEP ONE:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Brown 1 pound of hamburger in skillet with one Tbsp. minced garlic, drain.
• Rinse and drain one 15. oz. can of red kidney beans in colander.

STEP TWO:

• Stir together in large bowl:
• Drained and rinsed red kidney beans
• Browned and drained hamburger and minced garlic
• one 15 oz. can of enchilada sauce (either mild or hot)
• one 8 oz. can tomato sauce
• one Tbsp. dehydrated minced onion
• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup corn chips (I used the Chili Cheese Variety)
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream
• 1 Tbsp. hot sauce (I used Cajun Sunshine)

STEP THREE:

• Pour mixture into a two quart casserole baking dish.
• Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until mixture is bubbly.
• Remove from oven and sprinkle 1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese on top.
• Garnish with corn chips.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

• Place mixture inside tortillas and garnish with sour cream, diced green onions, guacamole, & fresh lime slices.
• Serve as a regular entree with rice and/or corn.

Happy Dining!

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