Family that Cooks Together: Empanadas

EMPANADAS

Guess what? Until fairly recently, I had never had an empanada. For those who are not familiar, they are a corn dough filled pocket of goodness that is deep fried and a cousin of all the other hand-held pocket pies like pierogi, ravioli, and even dumplings. While some of the specifics may be different, the basic idea is quite similar.

For those who want to recreate the savory, meat and potato filled empanada at home - I am going to list a basic outline of what we did, as a family, but I have zero exact measurements. This is also another example of mixing and adding things until they look right, taste right, or feel right.

What you will need:

Ingredients

• 2-pound chuck or rump roast
• Garlic
• Onion
• Green onion
• Beef bouillon
• Salt
• 4 - 5 potatoes
• 1 fresh, diced tomato
• Goya Sazón
• Corn meal for the dough
• Vegetable oil
• Water

Tools

• Large pot or deep fryer
• Cookie sheet
• Spider or slotted spoon
• Thermometer for the oil
• Cooling rack
• Large mixing bowls
• Sandwich bag cut open or large piece of plastic wrap
• Small skillet

The steps

1. Cook the meat in a large pot on the stove in water with garlic, onion, green onion, beef bouillon, "a lot" of salt.
2. Remove meat and set aside.
3. Boil potatoes in the same water until soft.
4. Shred the beef.
5. Prepare hogao (sort of like sofrito) of diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, and some Goya Sazón in a small skillet. Once translucent and fragrant, transfer to the pot with the drained, soft potatoes, and add the meat back in.
6. Prepare the dough by mixing pre-cooked corn meal with some Goya Sazón, salt, vegetable oil, and water (this is where you need an expert who can look at it and decide if it needs to be wetter).
7. Set up battle stations for assembly line style. Press out dough into small circles, place 2 large tablespoons of filling, fold over and pinch to seal then create pretty scallop edge with the side of your thumb.
8. Fry in oil brought to 350 degrees until the dough feels firm and crisp.
9. Allow empanadas to drain on rack over cookie sheet.
10. Enjoy.

As you might imagine, the process takes time and is not something that can be rushed.

The four of us working together were able to make more than 70 crispy pockets of deliciousness. Some were given as thank you gifts to friends and others were simply gifted to appreciative family.

We created a memory together, created good food together, and in the end, were all Fed Well.

Beef Stew - Oven, Crock Pot, or Other?

 

Beef Stew

One of my earliest food memories and one of very few memories of my paternal grandmother are of beef stew. 

I was sitting at the kitchen table as my grandmother was transferring her beef stew from a large pot into a bowl or other container to store it in the refrigerator. I was coloring and looked up at the wet, suction sound the gravy made as it had become sort of a pudding like consistency. To four/five year old me, the sound was negative and a bit gross.

"Ew," I said.

"Oh, no," said my grandmother, "It's not ew at all. It's delicious."

And the memory fades like a wisp of smoke.

Beef Stew is a classic with as many variations as our grandmothers had for tomato sauce. Not just in ingredients, but in the cooking method as well.

For me, it's all about a ceramic lined cast iron dutch oven placed in the oven with the lid on for hours - slow and low.

I like to coat beef with flour and brown on the stove, then add onions, carrots, potatoes and celery. Season generously with salt and pepper. Then - here is another area of great variability - deglaze the pan and add the cooking liquid. Sometimes beef broth, with and without a generous scoop of tomato sauce, or a bit of red wine in addition to the beef broth. Yesterday, I tried a better than bouillon product with corresponding amount of water. 

Sometimes I leave the potatoes out and serve over mashed potatoes. Sometimes I serve over egg noodles.

Yesterday, I had my 18 month old grandson help me assemble the ingredients to create a beef stew. I thought of my grandmother and how luck I am to be able to see my grandchildren regularly. I felt a surge of memories, thankfulness, and that Fed Well vibe I love. It's not just about the food, is it? That's what I've been trying to say.

What's your beef stew story?

Tik Tok Hacks for the Kitchen

 

Tik Tok. I thought this app was just a world of young 20 somethings dancing their hearts out to music I have never heard.

Nope.

Like all social media platforms before it, Tik Tok is now being overrun with people of all ages and interests (but yes, I do see a lot of dance videos - not that they are bad).

And, the best part?  I am learning Tik Tok hacks, whether they are shortcuts or tricks both passed down through generations or just created by someone with a bit of visualization and ingenuity.

My first? The salami rose in the photo. Perfect for charcuterie boards! You line the salami inside the top of a wine glass or champagne flute, then turn it over to release the rose, and look at that! A pretty way to present salami.

Next up - cookie sheets. Do you have a bit of yuck on the edges of your cookie sheets or underneath that never seems to clean? The answer? Put them in your oven, turn the self-clean feature on and that's it. When you return - sparkling clean cookie sheets.

Another way to peel hard boiled eggs. Place an egg in a glass. Allow the egg to shake back and forth in the glass for a few seconds. Remove egg and when you start to remove the peel, it should come off in a big chunk.

There are a bazillion more but these are the ones I was most excited to share with you right away! This app is perfectly okay for those of us who just want to watch a few videos, a bit of light escape, and then resume our regularly scheduled life. I was/am a bit addicted as a new viewer but for now, I am finding lots of tips for feeling and being Fed Well! Special thanks to Karla for encouraging me to jump into the deep end of the pool.

Chaffles, Kale Chips, & Keto Friendly Snack Recipes

 

Want to know a secret? I am not on a keto diet but I do enjoy a wide variety of foods and snacks so I will often check out styles of eating and see if I find some new recipes. Guess what? Keto friendly does not mean you have to eat a pound of bacon. It's about low carb, low sugar (carb) and I have to say, I love kale chips. I've already written about that in my Cooking with Kids post. (Try swapping out thinly sliced zucchini for the kale).

In my blog post for Zulily (click here), I list 6 easy recipes. The first is for Chaffles.  

CHAFFLES 

Simply combine the words “cheese” and “waffle” – that is the definition of a chaffle. Try this basic 2– or 3–ingredient recipe to begin, or customize it with your own add–ins (bacon? chives? walnuts or pecans?)

INGREDIENTS: 

• 1 large egg 
• 1/2 cup of shredded cheese (mozzarella or cheddar are most popular) 
• 1 teaspoon of coconut or almond flour, if desired 

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Combine ingredients in a bowl. 
2. Pour mixture into a greased and warmed waffle maker. 
3. Cook approximately 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown. 
4. Allow to cool before eating. 

And, like all great food ideas, you can build on this idea and create a snack that suits your mood. A dessert version is also available in the link above.

The latest trend I have seen on Tik Tok is to place a layer of cheese in a waffle maker, cook, open the waffle maker and add sliced pickles, then another layer of cheese and cook some more. Hand held, crispy, salty, sour, savory - however you want it and FAST! That's the thing about snacks right? You need it - right now!

That is why these things:

are still around and making money!

What are some of your snack recipes? What keeps you going and feeling Fed Well between meals?

Spaghetti Squash Recipes and Ideas

Can you really substitute spaghetti squash for pasta? Why not? Who rights the rules anyway?

For all the details on how to prep the squash and for three easy recipes including Spaghetti Squash Sausage Boats and Spaghetti Squash Shrimp Scampi, check out my Zulily post here.

Some other ways to work this vegetable into your pre-existing recipes, try:

1. Sub for pasta layers in classic lasagna.

2. Try it with chicken parmesan.

3. Go ahead and work it in to your alfredo, marsala, and carbonara dinners.

4. Top it with chili.

5. Use it as a gluten-free pizza crust.

6. Mix in a casserole with sausage, peppers, and onions.

7. Combine with barbecue sauce and create meatless sliders.

8. Plate as a base for your favorite fish.

9. Toss with roasted kale leaves, olive oil, and garlic and a sprinkle of parmesan.

10. Use in addition to pasta in your favorite dishes.

I wonder if you could use it to make a fritter or pancake in the same way you would use shredded potato? Maybe mix with a little flour and egg and try it in the waffle maker? Hmmmm. 

It's nice to have choices and variety and spaghetti squash can certainly be worked in to your regularly plated meals. AND, when you belong to the clean plate club like I do, you will have absolutely no guilt while feeling Fed Well!

Brunch - Family and Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes

 

I am a very lucky woman and I know it. I have been able to see my family, with only a brief interruption, during most of the Covid-19 pandemic. We live very close to each other, have meals together throughout the week, and talk frequently.

I wouldn't trade it for the world!

I'm not here to brag, the issue is, since we see each often and two of us work from home, conversation is focused on the family and a smattering of current events. That's also lovely but I am uncomfortable with too much quiet - my mind races and anxiety starts to creep in. So, when we gathered for brunch recently, somehow we came across a great topic everyone could contribute to and I think it is good for sharing.

Where would you like to visit in the United States?

The answers often included explanations and specifics and sparked some great ideas as well as shared stories from those who may have already visited the dream destination. Fun!

Maybe you're here because you just want to know about the pancakes? Well, have you ever added ricotta to your pancake batter? Or, to your pancake batter pre-made mix?

This is not a sponsored post but I am linking it to the Krusteaz recipe because it is the easiest one I can find (click here). My grandson happens to love blueberries, and they were mixed in the batter as well as sprinkled on his plate and even though I spied his parents helping by tasting a bite or two, the pancakes were eaten to the last bite. Add a bit of luxurious creaminess to your pancakes and try adding ricotta.

Be grateful for the times you share with family and leave the table feeling Fed Well! I am.

Recipes or Guidelines?

 

Have you ever watched Good Eats? Host Alton Brown explains the science behind various cooking techniques and breaks down the reasons for performing particular steps in cooking. 

Have you ever watched Chopped or Beat Bobby Flay? Cooks are asked to highlight a particular ingredient(s) or create a specific dish and the meals are compared and judged.

Have you ever planned on cooking dinner, with a particular recipe in mind, only to find you are missing an ingredient?

What do you do? Do you scrap the entire idea of cooking? Switch to a completely different meal? Order pizza? Many times, I try to work through and around it.

Also, when I see a recipe, I often consider it a list of suggestions. Frequently, I have to adjust ingredients to find a combination of gluten-free and dairy-free, or simply omit items I know my family is unwilling to eat. (Took 30 years to find out my son doesn't care for baked potatoes - ah, but that's a story for another day.)

If I wrote you a list of ingredients, I bet you could figure out a way to make a spectacular dish. And maybe it would or wouldn't match the end result I had in mind. Have you ever cooked this way? Or do you need to know the details and measure precisely?  I understand the need for this behavior with baking and maybe that's part of the reason why I chose not to bake very much but for cooking - ah, I go by instinct.

So, this weekend, I will probably create one dish out of ingredients on hand and see what I come up with - fingers crossed it's delicious and leaves me feeling Fed Well.