I am addicted to Empanadas. I had a friend that was able to make them sooo good. Lately I have been crazing them so I found this recipe to make myself. 


Score! They were awesome.

The only thing I would do differently would be to make less of the filling...I had about half of it left over after using ALL of the dough.
What you'll need [for the dough]

2 Sticks Unsalted Butter
1 (8-ounce) package of Cream Cheese
1/2 C Heavy Whipping Cream
3 1/4 C Flour
1 Tspn Salt

     *I cheated and used the salted butter we already had but left out the teaspoon of salt.
     **you also want to make sure your butter and cream cheese is at room temperature. 
What you'll need [for the filling]

1 Tblpn extra-virgin olive oil
1 C Onion, finely chopped
   *about 1 medium
1 C Green Bell Pepper, finely chopped
    *about 1 large
1 1/2 lbs Ground Beef 
1 1/2 Tspn Ground Cumin
    *I don't know if I'm allergic to this or just hate it
 but I don't use Cumin in anything. The recipe was still great!
1 C Pimento Green Olives, sliced
1 C Raisins
2 Tspns Honey
1 1/2 Tspn Salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dashes of hot sauce, to taste
3 Large Eggs, separated

Limes for serving
Start by throwing your cream cheese, butter and cream in an electric mixer or a bowl for a electric hand mixer. 
Mix it up on a low setting so your cream doesn't fly out everywhere!
Then keep your mixer on a low setting while you slowly add your salt and flour. Mix that up really good.
Divide the dough into three chucks. One at a time lay of a floured surface and flatten into disks, don't completely roll out. Wrap the three disks separately in plastic wrap and throw in the fridge to cool for 30 minutes.

While that that is cooling you can get your filling ready...
I started by finely chopping my onion and bell pepper
Saute your onion and green peppers until soft.
Next throw in your hamburger and cook until browned. If there is any excess liquid scoop it out now.
Add you olives, raisins, honey, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Cook until flavors are blended together and liquid evaporated.
Cool your mixture in the fridge; about 15 minutes. Your dough probably also has about another 15 minutes or so, depending on how speedy you are. Pre-heat your oven to 375 oF

You can just hang out for a bit while your mixture and dough finishes settling.
When you about ready to pull out your mixture separate out your eggs. Keep your three eggs whites in one bowl and 2 egg yokes in another (Yes, only 2 of the eggs yokes is needed).
Mix your egg whites into your cooled mixture.
Bring out your dough when cooled and roll out on a floured surface. You want to roll it thin but not transparent. Cut it into circles with a bowl turned upside down (using rim). The recipe suggested a four inch diameter, mine was a bit bigger.
Put some filling on half of your circle. Fill it well but you want to make sure you can still close it. To close wet the rim of your circle on the side with your meat [above] with your finger and a bowl of water.  

Fold over your dough on to your filling creating a semi-circle.
Press the edges shut with a fork and cover with egg wash made from your 2 egg yokes and 2 tblpn of water. Continue until you have used all of your dough.
Bake your Empanadas for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown. You will probably have to do at least two batches. 

Don't they look b-e-a-utiful?!
Cut some lime wedges to go with and serve!
 
Alright alright so this one doesn't actually have a particular recipe either, mostly because it is so simple. I make variations of this all the time. Enjoy!
What you'll need:

1 lb Meat 
*(You can use Chicken, Steak, Kalbalsa Sausage etc.)
1-2 Bell Peppers, chopped
1-2 Zucchini, sliced
1 Onion, chopped
1/2-1 C Carrots, chopped
1/4 C Soy Sauce
1 1/2 C Rice, prepared
Start by cooking your rice, I usually make about 1 1/2 C for Jake and I; I usually have enough left overs to make 4 complete servings.

Throw your meat in your pan and let it cook. Add you veggies and let them saute' in your meat juices.
Jake doesn't like soft zucchini or carrots so I throw those in at the very last...
Throw in your Soy Sauce and serve over rice.

Sometimes if I have a package stir fry mix I throw that in too. The packets are good if you want more of a sauce; the soy sauce just adds flavor not a thickness.
 
Okay so this isn't really a recipe...but I thought I would share one of my favorite meals. Who doesn't love a All-American burger? Plus, Utah does have some of the best sweet corn. Soooo good.
Some of my tricks:



For my hamburger I mix in some egg to keep my meat from separating. To season I just use a no-name brand of season salt.










I referenced my onion trick in my previous post. I actually have a picture this time! Cut off your onion butts (or ends). Next, cut down the side of the onion, one layer thick, and remove it. All the flaky layers go with it!









We love to melt swiss cheese on our burgers. Once our burgers are done I turn down the heat to low and set our cheese on to get nice and melty.










You need to be careful on how long you cook your corn. Get your water boiling, then pop in your corn for about 5 minutes.
 
I found this one on Pinterest. Again, I'm trying to gather more beef based meals. 
The original recipe is found on www.tastykitchen.com

I adapted it slightly... basically I like to add more bacon than they call for. I like bacon. 

Oh! and I don't have a skillet. 
I make this dinner in my large sauce pan which has worked our pretty good so far.

What you'll need:

1 lb Ground Beef
1/2 C Fresh Diced Onion
2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 lb Hash Brown Potatoes
4 C Shredded Cabbage
4-6 Slices of cooked Bacon
1 C Beef Broth
1/4 C Apple Juice
2 Tbsp White Vinegar
2 Tbsp Yellow Mustard
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Coarse Ground Black Pepper
Start out by cooking your hamburger, as it starts to brown you can throw in your chopped onions as well.
While your meat is browning mix your beef broth, apple juice, white vinegar, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. 

You'll need to whisk pretty rigorously to get the mustard to blend.
Once you have it good and mixed up set it to the side while you return back to your beef. You can drain out excess grease now if you want but I just keep trucking...

Add your vegetable oil and hash browns to your beef.
You'll want that to cook on medium until your hash browns are browned. Pay attention not to burn and stir often.

Once your potatoes are looking good add in your liquid mix, you might need to give it another couple of whisks before you add it since it has been sitting.



Add your cabbage & bacon and cook for another 5-10 minutes.

This will allow most of your moisture to evaporate.



Serve up and enjoy!

Its recommended to serve with Irish soda bread.

This is now one of Jake's favorite new meals.
I think it has something to do with him having Irish ancestry too.
 
I picked this recipe up from www.therecipecritic.com while looking or recipes that called for beef. 

Like I mentioned in earlier posts, Jake's family butchers a cow every year and we always end up getting some. 

I'm always looking for more beef recipes to shake things up. This recipe is extremely cheap, easy and delicious!
What you'll need:

1 lb ground beef
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 can Nacho Cheese Soup
2 cans Diced Tomatoes & Chilies
1 1/2 C Milk
3/4 C Sharp Cheddar

Optional:
Chips
Extra cheese
Sour cream
First start by cooking your hamburger
Then just throw everything else in!
Mix everything together well.
Let everything heat through fully.

Add some chips, extra chesse on top and enjoy! 
If you a wimp like me and need the "spicy level" to be decreased plop in a scoop of sour cream. 

Mmm-mm good!
 
Just tried this one tonight and I am glad to say it is Lindsay Approved! 

I found it on "Not So Perfect Mom" blog

The best part is its very easy.
What you’ll need:

1 1/2 lbs of flank steak, cut in strips
1/4 C cornstarch
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced 
          *I used “Spice World” pre-minced garlic
3/4 C Soy Sauce
3/4 C Water
3/4 C Brown Sugar
1/2 C Shredded Carrots
3 medium green onions, chopped

2 C Rice with 4 C Water

Serves: 4-6

Start by spraying your crock-pot with Pam or something similar.
Put your cornstarch in a bowl and dredge your each of your pieces of steak in that stuff. 

Your probably looking at my pictures and thinking, 

"Hey lady! don’t you know that difference between flank steak and ribs?!"

Yes. Yes I do.

 Jake’s family butchers a cow every year and we have been lucky enough to get the extras. 
I’m trying to use up my last bit from last year. 

Hence, the ribs.

P.S. They were freakn’ delish! I might consider using them again instead of the flank steak.


Onward!


Once you have covered you steak, lay your pieces in your crock pot



Everything else mixes together to make your sauce...


Combine, stir well
 & pour over your meat in the crock-pot

*I’m sure you can buy shredded carrots but the single ones were sooo cheap
 and I didn’t want to waste what I didn’t use. 

I also shredded fresh ginger; I had it from a previous recipe. It smells incredible freshly grated. 

I got my dinner ready at around 1:00 pm and set it to low (cooking for 6 hours)

About 45 minutes before 7:00 I started my rice. I use a rice cooker, which makes my life that much easier. 
You want to use double the amount of water to your rice. For Jake and I, I use 1 1/2 C of Rice to 3 C of Water.

If you get your timing right your rice should be finishing just as your meat is. 
Serve your meat over rice and dig in!
 
I snagged this one from Jake's Mom, Corina.

I'm going to go ahead and apologize up front; In this post you are going to encounter words like "scoop", "dollop", "shake" in the place of where most would put an actual measuring term, for example "cups".

But who needs "cups" anyways?! ... dollop is MUCH fun-ner to say,

right?

Well, regardless of your name preference, hang in there friends because this is a good one! 

Did I mention this is Jake's FAVORITE meal.


What you'll need:

1 lb Cube steak
1 pkg of Bowtie noodles
Milk
Sour Cream
Soy Sauce
1 10 oz can of Cream of Mushroom
8oz pkg of fresh Mushrooms 
       *not 100% necessary but so yummy!
1 medium onion
Start by boiling your water for your noodles.

*I always pour in a good amount of salt too. The salt causes your water to boil at a higher temperature which is better for your noodles.

Defrost & dice up your meat.

I don't know what possessed me to cut up my meat with a knife this time...

Honestly if you have culinary scissors use them. 
So much easier!

Dice up your meat into chunks and toss into your sauce pan. Yes, I cook it all in my large sauce pan so I don't have to transfer things later. 

I hate doing dishes!



Your water should be boiling by now so toss in your noodles!

Next, dice up your onion and throw in with your meat to saute as the meat browns.

I always throw in some dashes of season salt at this point for flavor.

I am married to a Brian, which basically translates to "Salt Addicts"

Love them!


Once your meat has browned all the way throw in your package of mushroom. Let them warm in your pan, about 3-5 minutes.
Make sure you are stiring and checking on your noodles ever so often folks!

Next your yummy sauce...

Ready for my ridiculous measurements?
Again, sorry!

Empty your 10 oz can of Cream of Mushroom in to your pan

Add 2-3 dollops of Sour Cream

1 good swig of Milk (if I could guess 1/8-1/4 C)

And quite a few shakes of Soy Sauce, like 6..ish. 
*Remember I am married to a "Salt Addict" and Soy Sauce is basically salt.

The more you make this the better you will get at your own amounts that you want to add of each.
Okay now stir all that good stuff around. Make sure you have it good and blended. When it starts to bubble turn it down to low.

When your noodles are done drain them and serve with your sauce on top.

Enjoy!