Apple Empanadas

A few weeks ago, I had a evening of different filling empanadas and capped the evening with an apple filled version of my own creation, here is the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

4 Granny-Smith Apples (skinned, cored, and diced into small pieces)
Empanadas shells (usually come in packs of 10)
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon normal sugar
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 dash nutmeg
1 dash salt
stick of unsalted butter
Optional: Honey or caramel sauce
1 egg

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Melt 1/2 butter on medium low heat. Add the apples and let them cook for a few minutes
2. Once the apples start to get soft, add the brown sugar. Mix and let simmer.
3. Add the white sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and a little bit of the honey or caramel if you are planning to use it. Cover the pan and let it simmer for another couple of minutes.
4. Once the apples are really soft, take them off the heat and start putting the filling in the empanadas. Put a tablespoon and a half of apple filling in the center of each disk and fold over to create a half moon shape. Crimp with a fork at the ends to seal.
5. Crack the egg and use as a wash on the outside of the pastry.
6. Optional: Melt the extra butter in a sauce pan and add brown sugar and cinnamon. Brush the mixture onto the pastry as well.
7. Place in over and cook for 20 minutes.

When done, let the empanadas cool for ten minutes. Serve with a scoop of ice cream and a drizzle of caramel or honey.

Joey's Meatloaf

( #meatloaf, #recipes )

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs lean ground beef
1/2 cup diced onions
2 cloves garlic minced
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 1/2 cups ketchup
2 tablespoons hot sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

NOTE: You should use a 9x5 Meatloaf pan if possible

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

1. Mix the ketchup, hot sauce, and apple cider vinegar in a bowl.
2. I like to mix all of my dry seasonings together ahead of time, so get the cheese, salt, pepper,thyme, paprika, garlic powder, bread crumbs, and cheese in a bowl and set aside.
3. Get the ground beef in a big bowl and add the egg, the Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 cup of the ketchup mix, the dry ingredients, the onions and the garlic. Mix it all up with you hand.
4. Put the mixture in the loaf pan and add the remaining ketchup on the top of the loaf.
5. Place in over for 60 minutes. TRICK: I add a pan of water under the loaf to keep it moist - total game changer.
6. Remove from over after 60 minutes and let rest for 10. Might want to drain off the excess fat/juices.

Enjoy!

Veggie Burger

Credit: Kitchen Daily

INGREDIENTS:

1 16-oz. can black beans, drained
1 16-oz. can kidney beans, drained
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 carrots, finely diced
1 large onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 package taco seasoning
1 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil for cooking

FOR GARNISH:
8 round pineapple slices, 1/8 -inch thick
1 avocado, thinly sliced
Cilantro leaves
8 whole grain hamburger buns, toasted
1/2 cup jalapeno ketchup*

DIRECTIONS:
1. Mash the black beans and kidney beans together in a large bowl and set aside.
2. In a large saute pan over medium heat, saute the carrots, onions, and peppers in the olive oil for about 6-8 minutes, or until softened. Add the corn and saute for one more minute.
3. Add the vegetables to the mashed beans and taco seasoning. Mix well, then add the beaten egg and breadcrumbs. Stir well to incorporate and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Using a 1/2 cup measuring cup, divide the mixture into 8 equal portions and form into patties. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the grilled pineapple and jalapeno ketchup. Grill the pineapple slices on a hot grill or grill pan for 1 minute per side, until grill marks appear. Set aside.
6. Heat a large nonstick saute pan over medium heat; remove the veggie burgers from the refrigerator. Drizzle 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in the pan and cook 4 of the veggie burgers for 3 minutes per side, until golden brown. Repeat with the remaining 4 burgers.
7. Serve the burgers on toasted buns with the grilled pineapple, sliced avocado, and jalapeno ketchup.

The Perfect Bloody Mary

#bloodymary | Credit: io9

This is a recipe that the American Chemical Society revealed as the PERFECT Bloody Mary mixture. Don't mess with scientists who drink!

1 oz vodka
5 oz tomato juice
1/2 oz lemon juice
pinch celery salt
2 shakes Worcestershire sauce
2 shakes Tobasco sauce
ground black pepper

Serve it over ice and garnish it with a celery stick and a lemon wedge.