Chicken Empanadas

I don't watch much TV during the day, but when I do I usually always see what's on the Food Network. I watched Paula's Home Cooking the other day and decided to try these chicken empanadas. They looked easy and were something new that I hadn't made before. I had a lot of chicken filling leftover in the end that JP used to make a burrito the next day that was very yummy. These work well for a Mexican dinner or are small enough they could be used as appetizers. (On the show, she also used an egg wash before baking even though it's not mentioned in the recipe).

Chicken Empanadas

Ingredients
3 cups chopped, cooked chicken
1 (8-ounce) package shredded Colby and Monterey Jack cheese blend
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper (I left this out)
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie crusts
Water

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Lightly grease a baking sheet. In a large bowl, combine the chicken and next 7 ingredients. Unroll 1 piecrust onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 15-inch circle. Cut out rounds, using a 3-inch cookie cutter. Re-roll dough as needed. Repeat procedure with remaining piecrusts, making 12 to 15 circles total. Arrange 1 round on a clean, flat surface. Lightly brush the edges of crust with water. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of chicken mixture in the center of the round. Fold the dough over the filling, pressing the edges with a fork to seal. Repeat with the remaining rounds and chicken mixture. (Up to this point, the recipe can be made ahead and frozen for up to 1 month). Arrange empanadas on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.

Halloween Fun

Here are some fun recipes and ideas if you want to get creative for Halloween! I didn't have time to try much this year, but Jack helped me make some cupcakes to take to his cousins. He devoured the candy topping, some icing and was done.

Beef Noodle Bowl

I originally got this recipe from Kraft Foods but I use the variation suggestion at the bottom of the recipe. My favorite part is adding the optional dry roasted peanuts on top.

Beef Noodle Bowl

8 oz linguine, uncooked

3 c broccoli florets

3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced (about 2 cups)

1/4 c Italian dressing

1 tsp ground ginger

2 tsp oil

1 lb beef sirloin, cut in strips (you can also use chicken like I did in this photo)

1/4 c teriyaki sauce

optional: dry roasted peanuts

Cook pasta; add veggies to cooking water last 2 minutes. Drain pasta mixture. Meanwhile, heat oil in large non-stick skillet. Add meat, cook until browned on all sides, stirring occasionally. Add dressing, teriyaki sauce, ginger and cook until sauce thickens. Toss pasta and meat in large serving bowl. Add dry roasted peanuts before serving if you wish. The only thing I might do different next time is cook more noodles. We had leftovers but it was mainly just veggies and meat.

Recipe Review

I tried this recipe for Blueberry Crumb Muffins tonight and I have to be honest, they are just okay. I did make one minor (?) mistake and put the cinnamonn in the batter instead of the crumb topping. I prefer blueberry muffin mixes I buy at the store so this recipe isn't worth the time and effort in my kitchen. This is the first time I've made blueberry muffins from scratch though and the fresh blueberries were delish and bursting with flavor. I'll keep looking for a better recipe for my family, or just keep buying them in a box!

Pizza Pasta Salad

I made this pasta salad for dinner last night. That's right, I'm off my weekly menu...get over it! Shelly told me about a pasta salad she makes with these ingredients but I've never actually seen it or tasted it so this recipe was sort of an experiment. And it was a hit in my house! Zach decided we should call it Pizza Pasta Salad because it has everything you put on a pizza. Shelly, you'll have to tell me what you do differently.

Pizza Pasta Salad

1 lb cooked pasta, drained and cooled
1 cucumber, seeded and diced
1 can diced tomatoes (I don't have fresh tomatoes from my garden yet)
pepperoni slices cut in fourths
1 can olives, cut in half lengthwise
shredded mozzarella cheese
Italian salad dressing (use as much or as little as you like)

Combine ingredients and chill in fridge.

Weekly Menu

Taking an idea from the website This Week For Dinner, I'm posting my weekly menu here to one, help get me organized for mealtime this week and two, give you guys ideas for your weekly menus. So, anybody reading this...Shelly? Mom? Betsy?...feel free to post your dinner ideas also!

Sunday:
Sweet and Sour Chicken
Creamy Cheesecake dessert
Monday:
Crockpot BBQ ribs
Shelly's Deli potato salad
Tuesday:
Blueberry Crumb Muffins
eggs, fruit
Wednesday:
Italian pasta salad
zucchini bread
Thursday:
Creamy Ranch Chicken
Zucchini cakes
Friday:
Pizza Rolls
salad
Saturday:
Chicken Quesadillas
corn on the cob

Okay, now let's see if I can stick to it!

Farfalle with Zucchini

I made a version of Farfalle with Zucchini for dinner last night. I pretty much followed this recipe from The Pioneer Woman but made a few changes...who has Arrowroot in their cupboard?! Again, no picture (sorry!) but here are some changes I made. I used two zucchini, not the four or five her recipe calls for. I didn't have any fresh tomatoes on hand so I used a can of diced tomatoes instead. I only used about one clove of garlic as I live with a bunch of garlic wimps. And I decided to add some grilled chicken which turned out to be the boys favorite part. I'm afraid I'll never quite remember how I made the sauce!? I whisked together some chicken broth, butter, cream, fresh ground black pepper and dried basil. It wasn't a thick sauce but coated everything perfectly and tasted great. This recipe is a great summer dinner idea. I loved it and so did my boys even though they could see onions in it! I will definitely be making this dish again.

Fresh Corn Casserole

I tried this recipe for Fresh Corn Casserole from the Pioneer Woman's website over the weekend. We've been buying fresh corn from Day's Farm here in Layton and I'm experimenting with other ways to prepare it besides just plain ol' corn on the cob. Sorry, no picture, but you can view the finished product and instructions on how to prepare by clicking on the link above. This corn is so yummy. I used six corn cobs in my casserole and it didn't last long...the boys and I loved it. Except for Brody. Brody is my picky eater and won't touch anything with "sauce." He thinks corn cobs are for sword-fighting with Zach, not for eating.

Creamy Cheesecake Dessert

I got this recipe from JP's aunt Dana. It's easy to make and I like it because it's not as rich as regular cheesecake. Plus it has raspberries on top which I can't get enough of right now. You could top with other berries though or whatever you like!

Creamy Cheesecake Dessert

8 oz. cream cheese

1/2 to 1/3 c. sugar

1 c. sour cream

2 tsp. vanilla

8 oz. Cool Whip

graham cracker pie crust

Mix the first four ingredients together well then fold in the Cool Whip. Spoon into graham cracker crust and refrigerate.

Ultimate Oven Fries

This is a quick and easy recipe for oven fries I got from Tyler's Ultimate (Tyler Florence, Food Network) and they are tasty. Great side dish for summer BBQ's. My boys loved 'em but who doesn't like a good french fry?!

Ultimate Oven Fries

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Preheat baking sheet in oven five minutes. Wash potatoes (any large baking potatoes), cut into lengthwise wedges. Leaving the skins on, cut each potato into eight wedges. Coat potato wedges in olive oil and season with kosher salt. Dump onto baking sheet in single layer. Roast 30-35 minutes, shaking or turning potatoes now and then during baking. Toss in a bowl with parmesan cheese and parsley.

Fresh Strawberry Tarts

I found this quick and easy recipe for Strawberry Tarts on Pillsbury.com. Oh, we loved 'em! A tasty way to use fresh strawberries this time of year.

Fresh Strawberry Tarts

1 Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust
3/4 tsp sugar

2 1/2 c sliced strawberries
strawberry glaze (I used strawberry Danish Dessert)
whipped topping

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place pie crust (softened at room temp) on flat surface. Sprinkle sugar over crust. Cut rounds from crust with cookie cutter or large glass.
2. Spray back of muffin pan with cooking spray. Fit rounds, sugared side up, over backs of muffin cups. Pinch pleats around side of each cup. Prick each pastry with fork.
3. Bake 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly browned. Carefully remove from muffin cups, cool completely.
4. Meanwhile, mix strawberries and glaze. Refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
5. Just before serving, spoon berry mixture into each shell. Garnish with whipped topping.

Deli Potato Salad

I worked at a deli for a few years through high school and learned to make this yummy potato salad. I don't really have exact measurements for everything since I was used to making it in bulk, but it's pretty easy to figure out as you go. Perfect as a side dish for your next summer BBQ!

Deli Potato Salad

6-8 red potatoes

2 eggs, hard-boiled

1 cucumber

mayo

mustard

salt, pepper, and dried parsley

Cut the potatoes in half (or more if they're big--just so they'll cook faster), and boil in water until fork tender. Drain and let cool, then peel the skins off using a knife. It's easier to take the skins off this way after they cook than using a peeler beforehand. Place all the peeled potatoes in a large mixing bowl and using a knife, cut through the potatoes chopping them into smaller pieces. Next stir in mayo and mustard to taste. I start with a couple big scoops of mayo, then add some mustard. Some people like their potato salad more runny; I prefer mine more dry so it's a matter of taste. Chop up the hard-boiled eggs and add. Peel and cut the cucumber in spears, then smaller chunks (sounds tasty, but that's the best way to describe it--you don't want the pieces too small)! Continue to add the remaining ingredients: salt, pepper, dried parsley, and more dressing as needed. Enjoy!