Delishytown

Cooking is fun. Eating is funner. I cook, photograph and write these recipes.
Everything I post on this blog I make from scratch using fresh wholesome ingredients.. I've been cooking since I was a little kid.

My recipes are based on trial and error, along with studying cookbooks, family recipes, blogs and cooking shows.

Some of the veggies and herbs I use are grown in my garden. Yay sustainability!
I'm working on making my yard into an edible landscape. It's really fun to go out in the garden and pick your veggies for dinner!

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6 posts tagged empanadas

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Organic Sweet Potato and Black Bean Empanadas Yum! I made these delicious vegetarian empanadas yesterday to take to my friend Rachel’s birthday party. They were a big hit! Empanadas make great party food because you can serve them at room temperature, no utensils required, and you can make a lot of empanadas for very little money. Also, the organic veggies inside are really healthy and delicious.  Heat a large skillet to medium high, add 2 tblsp olive oil, 1 large diced sweet potato, 1 small diced onion, 1 diced carrot, 2 diced celery stalks and salt & pepper. Saute until the veggies start to soften, about 6 - 7 minutes. Add 1 ear of organic corn, cut fresh off the cob, 2 minced garlic cloves and 1/2 red bell pepper, diced. Season with celery salt and pepper, 1/4 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp ancho chili powder, a sprinkle of red chili flakes, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, and a small bunch of fresh chopped cilantro. Cook all of this together for another 3 or 4 minutes and turn off the heat. Add 1 can rinsed and drained organic black beans and 1/4 cup golden raisins.  Transfer to a bowl and cool in the fridge for 20 minutes or more. For the pie crust, use your favorite pie crust recipe. I used frozen pie crust*. Roll and cut into large circles, add a teaspoon or so of the filling to the center of each pie crust circle, pinch and roll the edges and shape them into half moons. Place on a buttered cookie sheet. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes. * I used frozen pastry crust from TJ’s. They come in a box in two rolls and you just thaw them out on the counter for an hour or so, and roll them a little bigger on your counter or cutting board.  I usually like to make pastry crust from scratch, but I had a lot of work to do yesterday, so I just used frozen. 

Organic Sweet Potato and Black Bean Empanadas

Yum! I made these delicious vegetarian empanadas yesterday to take to my friend Rachel’s birthday party. They were a big hit! Empanadas make great party food because you can serve them at room temperature, no utensils required, and you can make a lot of empanadas for very little money. Also, the organic veggies inside are really healthy and delicious. 

Heat a large skillet to medium high, add 2 tblsp olive oil, 1 large diced sweet potato, 1 small diced onion, 1 diced carrot, 2 diced celery stalks and salt & pepper. Saute until the veggies start to soften, about 6 - 7 minutes. Add 1 ear of organic corn, cut fresh off the cob, 2 minced garlic cloves and 1/2 red bell pepper, diced. Season with celery salt and pepper, 1/4 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp ancho chili powder, a sprinkle of red chili flakes, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, and a small bunch of fresh chopped cilantro. Cook all of this together for another 3 or 4 minutes and turn off the heat. Add 1 can rinsed and drained organic black beans and 1/4 cup golden raisins.  Transfer to a bowl and cool in the fridge for 20 minutes or more.

For the pie crust, use your favorite pie crust recipe. I used frozen pie crust*. Roll and cut into large circles, add a teaspoon or so of the filling to the center of each pie crust circle, pinch and roll the edges and shape them into half moons.

Place on a buttered cookie sheet. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes.

* I used frozen pastry crust from TJ’s. They come in a box in two rolls and you just thaw them out on the counter for an hour or so, and roll them a little bigger on your counter or cutting board.  I usually like to make pastry crust from scratch, but I had a lot of work to do yesterday, so I just used frozen. 

Empanada filling Chopped Garlic and Apricots Empanadas

Black Bean, Soyrizo and Potato Empanadas

Yum! These are so delicious. I made these yesterday because I still had lots of cilantro and 1/2 package of Soyrizo leftover from making breakfast tacos.

I use coconut oil mixed with butter in the pastry crust because it adds tropical flavor. You can make these vegan by eliminating the butter, but it makes the dough more pliable and easier to work with. So I use both.

In a food processor, combine 3/4 cup coconut oil 1/2 cup butter and 1 1/2 cups sifted flour, (I used 1 c. whole wheat and 1/2 c. all purpose) and 1 tsp salt. Pulse until small bits form. Add 1/4 cup ice water, pulse until just combined and a dough ball starts to form. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead together forming the a disk. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or more.

The filling can be anything under the sun. Traditional empanadas usually have some kind of cooked potatoes or rice, some kind of cooked beans or meat, and aromatic vegetables. Some have olives, eggs or raisins. I used chopped dried apricots instead of raisins for a subtle sweetness. These come out different every time I make them depending on the ingredients I have on hand. 

Here’s the filling I made for the ones in these photos:

Chop 1 sweet onion, 1 or 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks and 5 or 6 small gold potatoes into small dice. Saute in olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Once it cooks for a minute, add 5 or 6 cloves chopped fresh garlic, 1/2 tsp ancho chili powder, 1/2 tsp ground coriander, sprinkle of celery salt & pepper. Cook until cooked and caramelized about 15 minutes should do it. Remove from the heat and add 1 can of rinsed and drained black beans, 5 or 6 chopped dried apricots, 1/4 to 1/2 package of Soyrizo, 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, and the juice of 1 tangerine or orange. Place this mixture in a bowl and refrigerate to cool it down.

So now your dough has rested and your filling is cooled. Heat the oven to 375. Roll out the pastry and cut it into circles. Place a bit of the filling into the center of each circle and pinch and fold the edge halfway around so it looks all pretty. Or just crimp with a fork. You can brush them with beaten eggs before baking if you like to make the pastry all golden and glisteny. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes till piping hot and golden brown.  Yum!


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Leftover Magic I made these Soyrizo Empanadas! They were so yummy and a bit spicy. I’m going to bring some to my friend Angela because her birthday is tomorrow. Happy Birthday Ang!! I was making Hungarian cream cheese cookies yesterday & got really hungry for something savory. I had a package of soyrizo, and some leftover rice and black beans from dinner the night before. I also had some carrots, celery onion and a part of a yellow bell pepper from a salad at lunch. So I decided to use those ingredients, and the second batch of pastry crust I’d just made, for some quickie Soyrizo Empananadas.  In a food processor, combine 8 oz cream cheese, 2 sticks (8 oz) butter and 1/2 tsp salt. Pulse until creamy. Add 2 cups sifted flour. I used a combo of whole wheat pastry flour and organic* unbleached all purpose flour. Once you add the flour, pulse until just combined and a dough ball starts to form. Then turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and knead it together a few times. Form the dough into a disk, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. While the dough rests, chop an onion, couple carrots, some celery, part of a yellow bell pepper, mince some garlic, and saute it all together in a pan with some olive oil. Add the leftover cooked rice and the package of Soyrizo and stir it all together. Season with salt and pepper and taste. If it’s too spicy for your taste add another 1/2 to 1 cup of ingredient to neutralize the heat, like maybe frozen corn, more rice or more beans. #  Place this mixture in a bowl and refrigerate to cool it down. When the filling is warm, it’s hard to work with the pastry, it gets all melty and you can’t make the empanadas easily. So now your dough has rested and your filling is cooled. Heat the oven to 375. Roll out the pastry and cut it into circles. Place a bit of the filling into the center of each circle and pinch and fold the edge halfway around so it looks all pretty. Or just crimp with a fork. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes till piping hot and golden brown. # Side note: I’m not giving specific amounts here because empanadas can be anything. Whatever you have on hand can go into them. That’s one of the reasons I make them all the time. I can use up what’s in the fridge.  Raisins, beans, leftover meat, soyrizo, squash, veggies, and rice or potatoes. Yum! *(I try to use all organic ingredients all the time, but occasionally I’ll leave it off the recipe since it’s redundant to keep saying it. ) 

Leftover Magic

I made these Soyrizo Empanadas! They were so yummy and a bit spicy. I’m going to bring some to my friend Angela because her birthday is tomorrow. Happy Birthday Ang!!

I was making Hungarian cream cheese cookies yesterday & got really hungry for something savory. I had a package of soyrizo, and some leftover rice and black beans from dinner the night before. I also had some carrots, celery onion and a part of a yellow bell pepper from a salad at lunch. So I decided to use those ingredients, and the second batch of pastry crust I’d just made, for some quickie Soyrizo Empananadas. 

In a food processor, combine 8 oz cream cheese, 2 sticks (8 oz) butter and 1/2 tsp salt. Pulse until creamy. Add 2 cups sifted flour. I used a combo of whole wheat pastry flour and organic* unbleached all purpose flour.

Once you add the flour, pulse until just combined and a dough ball starts to form. Then turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and knead it together a few times. Form the dough into a disk, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

While the dough rests, chop an onion, couple carrots, some celery, part of a yellow bell pepper, mince some garlic, and saute it all together in a pan with some olive oil. Add the leftover cooked rice and the package of Soyrizo and stir it all together. Season with salt and pepper and taste. If it’s too spicy for your taste add another 1/2 to 1 cup of ingredient to neutralize the heat, like maybe frozen corn, more rice or more beans. #

 Place this mixture in a bowl and refrigerate to cool it down. When the filling is warm, it’s hard to work with the pastry, it gets all melty and you can’t make the empanadas easily.

So now your dough has rested and your filling is cooled. Heat the oven to 375. Roll out the pastry and cut it into circles. Place a bit of the filling into the center of each circle and pinch and fold the edge halfway around so it looks all pretty. Or just crimp with a fork. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes till piping hot and golden brown.

# Side note: I’m not giving specific amounts here because empanadas can be anything. Whatever you have on hand can go into them. That’s one of the reasons I make them all the time. I can use up what’s in the fridge.  Raisins, beans, leftover meat, soyrizo, squash, veggies, and rice or potatoes. Yum!

*(I try to use all organic ingredients all the time, but occasionally I’ll leave it off the recipe since it’s redundant to keep saying it. ) 

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Cheap and Easy Homemade Empanadas When you think you don’t have anything to eat in the house, you most likely have all the ingredients you need to make empanadas. If you have some basics, flour, butter, carrots, onion, garlic, beans, and a potato, then you have all you need to make empanadas. You might also have some some ground turkey or beef in the freezer for a carnivore version, & maybe some fresh parsley or cilantro. If not, it’s ok to use dried herbs for these. I love making these, it’s fun. I especially like doing the fancy edging, it reminds me of being a kid and playing with play dough. Start with the pastry crust. In a bowl combine 1/2 stick butter, 1/2 tsp salt. Using your fingers cut in 2 cups whole wheat or all purpose flour.  For gluten free crust, use gluten free baking mix instead of flour, same amounts. For a vegan crust use a combo of Earth Balance buttery spread and Coconut oil in place of the butter, same amounts.   I made whole wheat crust with good old butter. Once the butter is cut into the flour, mix in 8 (or more) tblsp ice water and mix it all together with a fork, being careful not to overmix. Form the pastry dough into a disk, cover with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to rest while you make the filling. For the filling you can be as creative as you want. I made these by browning 1/2 lb. organic, grass fed ground beef. (Obviously, Skip this part and go right to the next step for vegetarian version) Once it’s cooked through, set aside and drain off the fat. Then add 2 tblsp olive oil to the pan and cook 1 large or 2 small organic potatoes, cut into small dice, salt and pepper, 1/2 chopped onion, 2 carrots, 2 stalks of celery, 2 crushed garlic cloves. Cook until the potatoes are cooked but not mushy, add back the meat along with the juice of 1/2 lemon, 1/2 cup raisins, a sprinkle of garlic powder, 1/2 tsp Ancho chili powder, a big pinch of dried basil, fresh chopped cilantro, and 1/4 cup beef stock or beer, a pinch of dried coriander powder, and a pinch of cumin. Stir the filling and put it in a bowl in the fridge to cool. One it’s cooled off, roll out half of your pastry dough ( I like to use two cookie sheets and work in 2 batches)  and cut it into 3 or 4 inch circles. Place a heaping tblsp of the filling in the center and fold over, pinching and folding the edge all the way around the half moon shaped pie. Place on a buttered cookie sheet and slice air holes in the top. Brush with scrambled egg. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes. That’s basically how I do it. I do it a little differently every time based on the ingredients I have in the house. You can add chopped bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, a cooked hard boiled egg chopped up, sun dried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, spinach, veggie crumbles, tempeh, chard, canned beans, or anything you have on hand that you think would make an awesome empanada filling. I also made a vegan / gluten free version for my niece by combining chopped sauteed sweet potato, onion, garlic, a can of black beans rinsed and drained, 1 cup chopped chard, 1/4 cup veggie stock, a pinch of cayenne, a pinch of coriander, a pinch of sweet basil, 1/4 tsp Ancho chili powder, cumin and the juice of 1/2 lemon. She loved them! Serve with hot sauce, guacamole, and plain yogurt or sour cream.

Cheap and Easy Homemade Empanadas

When you think you don’t have anything to eat in the house, you most likely have all the ingredients you need to make empanadas. If you have some basics, flour, butter, carrots, onion, garlic, beans, and a potato, then you have all you need to make empanadas. You might also have some some ground turkey or beef in the freezer for a carnivore version, & maybe some fresh parsley or cilantro. If not, it’s ok to use dried herbs for these.

I love making these, it’s fun. I especially like doing the fancy edging, it reminds me of being a kid and playing with play dough.

Start with the pastry crust. In a bowl combine 1/2 stick butter, 1/2 tsp salt. Using your fingers cut in 2 cups whole wheat or all purpose flour. 

For gluten free crust, use gluten free baking mix instead of flour, same amounts. For a vegan crust use a combo of Earth Balance buttery spread and Coconut oil in place of the butter, same amounts.  

I made whole wheat crust with good old butter. Once the butter is cut into the flour, mix in 8 (or more) tblsp ice water and mix it all together with a fork, being careful not to overmix. Form the pastry dough into a disk, cover with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to rest while you make the filling.

For the filling you can be as creative as you want. I made these by browning 1/2 lb. organic, grass fed ground beef. (Obviously, Skip this part and go right to the next step for vegetarian version) Once it’s cooked through, set aside and drain off the fat. Then add 2 tblsp olive oil to the pan and cook 1 large or 2 small organic potatoes, cut into small dice, salt and pepper, 1/2 chopped onion, 2 carrots, 2 stalks of celery, 2 crushed garlic cloves. Cook until the potatoes are cooked but not mushy, add back the meat along with the juice of 1/2 lemon, 1/2 cup raisins, a sprinkle of garlic powder, 1/2 tsp Ancho chili powder, a big pinch of dried basil, fresh chopped cilantro, and 1/4 cup beef stock or beer, a pinch of dried coriander powder, and a pinch of cumin. Stir the filling and put it in a bowl in the fridge to cool.

One it’s cooled off, roll out half of your pastry dough ( I like to use two cookie sheets and work in 2 batches)  and cut it into 3 or 4 inch circles. Place a heaping tblsp of the filling in the center and fold over, pinching and folding the edge all the way around the half moon shaped pie. Place on a buttered cookie sheet and slice air holes in the top. Brush with scrambled egg. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes.

That’s basically how I do it. I do it a little differently every time based on the ingredients I have in the house. You can add chopped bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, a cooked hard boiled egg chopped up, sun dried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, spinach, veggie crumbles, tempeh, chard, canned beans, or anything you have on hand that you think would make an awesome empanada filling.

I also made a vegan / gluten free version for my niece by combining chopped sauteed sweet potato, onion, garlic, a can of black beans rinsed and drained, 1 cup chopped chard, 1/4 cup veggie stock, a pinch of cayenne, a pinch of coriander, a pinch of sweet basil, 1/4 tsp Ancho chili powder, cumin and the juice of 1/2 lemon. She loved them!

Serve with hot sauce, guacamole, and plain yogurt or sour cream.

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Sweet Savory Empanadas with Chimichurri This was my first time making pie crust from scratch. I googled a few different recipes to see how it’s done. I found this basic recipe (below) on Epicurious and followed it using whole wheat pastry flour. It was good! (I think they tell you to use too much salt though. Next time I’ll use a bit less.) I’m going to try another pastry recipe on Serious Eats which includes cream cheese. I’m intrigued by that one because my Mom makes German cookies using cream cheese in the dough. And those cookies are So. Damn. Good.  I’ll post about that one soon.  Empanada Filling:  Chop 2 potatoes and 1 large carrot into small cubes. Saute in olive oil, add salt and pepper & 1 chopped onion. Cook them together till translucent. Meanwhile chop 1/2 bell pepper, 1/4 cup green olives with pimentos (optional), 2 crushed garlic cloves, and add those to the pan. Season with1/4 tsp oregano, 1/4 tsp basil, 1/4 tsp cumin, a pinch of celery salt, a pinch of red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp ancho chili powder. Add 1/4 cup raisins (optional) and some sundried tomato pieces (optional). By now the potatoes should be mostly cooked, but still al dente,  transfer them to a bowl and set aside. If you’re a meat eater, brown 1 lb grass fed organic ground beef in the pan adding salt and pepper. If you’re vegetarian, skip that, or use some Morningstar crumbles. I like Morningstar crumbles a lot! Once the meat is cooked, add the potato mixture back to the pan with the meat, (or not) and deglaze with 1/2 cup chicken, veggie or beef stock. I also added 2 tblsptomato paste, (the kind from Italy that comes in a tube, thanks Italy!) Now stir it all together and taste. If it’s bland, season with a bit more salt.  Now cool this mixture completely in the fridge. (This is so that when you fill the circles of dough, they don’t go all mushy and oooze empanada filling all over your cookie sheet) Empanada Dough:  4 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (I used 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour + 3 cups all-purpose)3 teaspoons salt2 sticks (1 cup or 8 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes2 large eggs2/3 cup ice water2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar Sift flour with salt into a large bowl and blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal with some (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Beat together egg, water, and vinegar in a small bowl with a fork. Add to flour mixture, stirring with fork until just incorporated. (Mixture will look shaggy.) Turn out mixture onto a lightly floured surface and gather together, then knead gently with heel of your hand once or twice, just enough to bring dough together. Form dough into two flat rectangles and chill them, each wrapped in plastic wrap, at least 1 hour. Dough can be chilled up to 6 hours total. Roll the dough on a floured work surface and cut big circles. Fill each circle with 1/4 cup or so of the filling and pinch the sides together, I like to pinch and then flip the pinches over to make a fancy edge. But like I said yesterday, I’m a geek, & get my jollies in very simplistic ways. Bake the empanadas on a cookie sheet, brushed with a scrambled egg wash,  at 375 for 20 -25 minutes till golden brown. Chimichurri Sauce In a food processor combine 1/2 cup fresh parsley, 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, 1/4 cup fresh basil, 1 tsp red wine vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt and pepper, red pepper flakes, and 1 tsp honey. Pulse to make a paste like sauce.  Yum!

Sweet Savory Empanadas with Chimichurri

This was my first time making pie crust from scratch. I googled a few different recipes to see how it’s done. I found this basic recipe (below) on Epicurious and followed it using whole wheat pastry flour. It was good! (I think they tell you to use too much salt though. Next time I’ll use a bit less.)

I’m going to try another pastry recipe on Serious Eats which includes cream cheese. I’m intrigued by that one because my Mom makes German cookies using cream cheese in the dough. And those cookies are So. Damn. Good.  I’ll post about that one soon. 

Empanada Filling:  Chop 2 potatoes and 1 large carrot into small cubes. Saute in olive oil, add salt and pepper & 1 chopped onion. Cook them together till translucent. Meanwhile chop 1/2 bell pepper, 1/4 cup green olives with pimentos (optional), 2 crushed garlic cloves, and add those to the pan.

Season with1/4 tsp oregano, 1/4 tsp basil, 1/4 tsp cumin, a pinch of celery salt, a pinch of red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp ancho chili powder. Add 1/4 cup raisins (optional) and some sundried tomato pieces (optional). By now the potatoes should be mostly cooked, but still al dente,  transfer them to a bowl and set aside.

If you’re a meat eater, brown 1 lb grass fed organic ground beef in the pan adding salt and pepper. If you’re vegetarian, skip that, or use some Morningstar crumbles. I like Morningstar crumbles a lot!

Once the meat is cooked, add the potato mixture back to the pan with the meat, (or not) and deglaze with 1/2 cup chicken, veggie or beef stock. I also added 2 tblsptomato paste, (the kind from Italy that comes in a tube, thanks Italy!) Now stir it all together and taste. If it’s bland, season with a bit more salt.

 Now cool this mixture completely in the fridge. (This is so that when you fill the circles of dough, they don’t go all mushy and oooze empanada filling all over your cookie sheet)

Empanada Dough: 

4 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (I used 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour + 3 cups all-purpose)
3 teaspoons salt
2 sticks (1 cup or 8 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 large eggs
2/3 cup ice water
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

Sift flour with salt into a large bowl and blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal with some (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Beat together egg, water, and vinegar in a small bowl with a fork. Add to flour mixture, stirring with fork until just incorporated. (Mixture will look shaggy.) Turn out mixture onto a lightly floured surface and gather together, then knead gently with heel of your hand once or twice, just enough to bring dough together. Form dough into two flat rectangles and chill them, each wrapped in plastic wrap, at least 1 hour. Dough can be chilled up to 6 hours total.

Roll the dough on a floured work surface and cut big circles. Fill each circle with 1/4 cup or so of the filling and pinch the sides together, I like to pinch and then flip the pinches over to make a fancy edge. But like I said yesterday, I’m a geek, & get my jollies in very simplistic ways.

Bake the empanadas on a cookie sheet, brushed with a scrambled egg wash,  at 375 for 20 -25 minutes till golden brown.

Chimichurri Sauce

In a food processor combine 1/2 cup fresh parsley, 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, 1/4 cup fresh basil, 1 tsp red wine vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt and pepper, red pepper flakes, and 1 tsp honey. Pulse to make a paste like sauce. 

Yum!

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