Given my recent personal budget crisis, I have been having to get very creative with food and making meals only with ingredients I have at home. The perfect storm for my very first made up recipe. As I have previously mentioned, I always have sweet potatoes on hand. And of course the basic spices, flour, etc. Cassandra’s Sweet potato empanadas are born.
Dough
- 3 c. flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 egg
- 1 egg white
- 1/2 c. cold water
- 1 tsp vinegar
- 4 tbsp cold butter
- 1 tbsp cream cheese
Filling
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 1/2 tbsp. butter
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- salt and pepper
Egg wash:
- In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in butter and cream cheese. In the middle of the flour mixture, create a well.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg and egg whites, water, and vinegar. Pour into the middle of the flour/butter mixture. Combine with a fork (or if you get sick of that, your hands).
- Roll into a ball, cover in saran wrap, and chill for 2 hours.
- Place the sweet potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Bring it to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until you can easily puncture the pieces with a fork.
- Drain water from the potatoes. Return to pot, add butter, and mash. Then add the spices. Allow to cool. When the dough is chilled, the filling will be ready to use as well.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Flour the table and roll the dough out until it is about 3 mm thick. Use a biscuit cutter or even just a large glass to cut out circles. Put a teaspoon or so of filling in the center, fold over, and pinch together with fingers and/or a fork. **it helps to stretch out the dough circle, then quickly add the filling and fold over so the filling does not ooze out and cause a mess.
- Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Place the empanadas on the tray and brush with egg wash. Using a kitchen scissors, cut a slit in the top of the empanada to let steam out.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Serve warm with honey for dipping.
Let me know what you think!
the original recipe :)
Well here I go. Beginning my very own blog despite the fact that I was a blog hater not too long ago. For this I apologize.
I’m pretty sure that if you are reading this you already know who I am, but if for some strange and wonderful reason you are reading this out of interest, welcome. My name is Cassandra and I am currently a senior at Biola University in California. I really like to cook and find ways to have fun and get what I want for free/cheap. I became slightly good at these things and decided to share them with you. To enrich your life or something like that.
When I make something pleasing to the palate, I will share the recipe with you. If I find a good deal I will tell you about it. I will also tell you things that have worked for me to graduate early, save money, and other things of the like.
(random picture of my sister, Sam, and I at the bean in Chicago)
Well, just to kick it off I’ll share a nice little recipe in the spirit of Fall.
The other day I was in quite the fall cooking mood. I made some chili that was a big hit amongst my housemates and our respective significant others. It sounds weird, but trust me, it was delicious.
CHILI
ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 onions, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 3/4 pound beef sirloin, cubed
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can peeled and diced tomatoes with juice
- 1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle dark beer
- 1 cup coffee brewed strong
- 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
- 1 (14 ounce) can beef broth
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 3 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2(15 ounce) cans kidney beans
- 2(15 ounce) cans black beans
- 4 fresh hot chile peppers, seeded and chopped (I used jalapenos)
directions
- Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onions, garlic, ground beef and cubed sirloin in oil for 10 minutes, or until the meat is well browned and the onions are tender.
- Mix in the diced tomatoes with juice, dark beer, coffee, tomato paste and beef broth. Season with brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, cocoa powder, oregano, cayenne pepper, coriander and salt. Stir in 2 cans of the beans and hot chile peppers. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
- Stir in the 2 remaining cans of beans, and simmer for another 30 minutes.
I actually did mine in a wok. It worked really well. I served mine the night I made it and it was good, but if you could make it the day before you want to serve it, it’s even better because all the flavors can come together in the fridge overnight. Anyway, make some cheddar cornbread or something and you will have a delicious and impressive autumn dinner.
<3 CW
