Sunday, July 25, 2010

Buffalo Chicken Empanadas

INGREDIENTS:

1 Pack of Empanadas Disks (you can get them in the international isle or frozen food section)
1 lbs of chicken breast
2 cups grated Monterey-Jack Cheese
1 large Spanish onion diced
3 bulbs of garlic finely diced.
1 bell pepper diced
1 chili pepper diced
8 tablespoons of butter (a stick)
1 egg (beaten)
1 tablespoon of chili powder
2 tablespoons of salt
1 tablespoon of cumin
hot sauce
1 packet of Sazon seasoning

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the chili powder, salt, cumin, and some hot sauce. Shut off heat. Add chicken in hot water. Cover. Leave it alone for 35-40 minutes. The chicken will fall apart with a fork. Put it aside in a bowl.
2. Cook the onions until translucent in a large pan, then add the garlic, and after 2 minutes, add the papers. Once everything is cooked, add the shredded chicken. Clear some space in the middle, put the oven on low, and add 4 tablespoons of butter, once melted, add hot sauce (to your liking) and mix around. Put mixture aside.
3. Get the empanada disks and lay out of flat surface. Using a small ice cream scooper, add the filling to the disk shells and then folder the shell over in a half moon shape. Crimp the fold with your fingers and then seal with a fork (giving it a nice finish too).
4. Beat an egg and use it for an egg wash on the shells. Then melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter, add the Sazon seasoning to the butter and then brush on the shells as well.
5. Put the empanadas on a cooking tray lined with parchment paper, and place in over heated to 375 degrees for about 20 minutes (keep checking, you want brown and delicious).
6. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and then eat!

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Watermelon Salad

My friends mentioned how delicious watermelon tasted this year, and I found this recipe from Slashfood

Salad Ingredients

1 cup watermelon, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 cup yellow tomato, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
2 cups arugula, chopped
8 Basil leaves, torn
Pinch sea salt
8 coarse grinds black pepper
2 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs lemon juice

Toss all ingredients together.

Vinaigrette

6 oz. Catapano goat cheese feta, crumbled
½ cup olive oil
2 lemons, juiced
Zest of 1 lemon
2 Tbs snipped chives
Salt and pepper, to taste

Spoon vinaigrette over salad.
Read the whole article

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Broccoli Salad

INGREDIENTS:

1 head of broccoli (cut how you like it - I do mine small)
2 carrots (shredded)
2 cups of walnuts (chopped small)
1 red onion (diced)
honey

Dressing:
4 tablespoons of olive oil
3 tablespoons of white rice vinegar
2 tablespoons of spicy brown mustard
2 tablespoons of honey
2 tablespoons of low salt soy sauce
2 tablespoons of A1 (or any steak sauce you like - it's to bring out the meatier flavor to the walnuts)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Clean the vegetables, and cut everything up and put in a mixing bowl.
2. Chop the walnuts, put into a different mixing bowl, mix in honey (make sure to get everything covered)
3. Make the dressing
4. Add the walnuts to the dressing and mix it well (to prevent clusters in with the walnuts)
5. Add the dressing to the vegetables, mix, and serve.

Sunday, July 04, 2010

Fish House Punch

From Esquire

Celebrate the 4th of July like the founding fathers.... Drunk.

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups superfine sugar
2 quarts water
1 quart lemon juice
2 quarts dark rum
1 quart cognac
4 ounces peach brandy

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, first dissolve the sugar in enough of the water to do the trick, then incorporate the lemon juice.
2. Next, add the spirits and the rest of the water -- or as much of it as you wish to contribute (less in summer, to allow for meltage).
3. Slip in as large a block of ice as you can procure. (Use your imagination -- if worse comes to worst, a mixing bowl full of water that's been frozen overnight will do the trick; run a little hot water on the outside of the bowl to unmold.)
4. Let stand in a cool place for an hour or so before serving.

Do not garnish with fruit, herb, vegetable, or paper umbrella.