Quick and Delicious Chicken Empanadas

My daughter needed 15 culture points for Spanish and asked for ideas.  I said I had always wanted to try making empanadas.  What did she think?  She loved the idea.  I wanted to find a recipe that would be super simple as we didn't have a lot of time to really cook from scratch... after school... after track practice and before bedtime on a school night.  It had to be good though.

I found a recipe from "Semi-Homemade" Sandra Lee.  It really seemed very easy and I had all the ingredients but the pie crust.

I went one step further than Sandra Lee and I bought premade pie crusts from Pillsbury.  My folks use them at Thanksgiving for their pies and they always tastes just fine.  I didn't have time to mix and roll out pie crusts

This recipe was surprisingly SO delicious we are definitely going to make them again.  It was a great mother/daughter cooking project seeing as my daughter doesn't like to cook. 

We had an assembly line.  She worked on making the filling.  While she was doing that I cut out the pie dough.  After the filling cooled I would fill the pie dough.  It was a messy affair that took finding a technique to keep the filling in as I pressed it closed.  After wetting the edge of dough using my teaspoon cookie scoop I would plop the filling on the dough.  Then I would fold the piece in mid air with the fold facing the ground.  That way I used gravity to keep the filling in the empanada as I pinch it closed.  I would first pinch the dough closest to the fold on each side.  This made a cup like structure that made all the difference in the world in keeping the filling in.  I then gently pressed up to the top of the half circle evenly on both sides.  I handed the empanada off to my daughter who then pressed the edge with a fork and forked the top of the little pastry.  She lined them on on a cookie sheets and baked them.  Using 2 packages of Pillsbury pie crust and my 2 1/2 inch cutter I got about 64 empanadas.

They were a big hit at school.  She got 25 points for her Spanish sentences about making empanadas and the class got to eat them.

Chicken Mini Empanadas (with my tweaks)

Ingredients

• 2 Pillsbury Pie Crusts
• 1 11-ounce can white chicken meat, drained
• 1 cup chunky salsa
• 1 3-ounce can sliced ripe olives
• 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
• All-purpose flour, for dusting

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium saucepan, combine the chicken, salsa and olives. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese. Cool slightly.

On a lightly flour-dusted surface, unroll the dough that has been brought up to about room temperature. Using a 3-inch-round cutter (my cutter was about 2 1/2 inches), cut out 36 circles, rerolling the scraps as needed. Place about 1 teaspoon of chicken mixture in the center of each circle. Moisten the edges with water. Fold the circles in half and pinch to seal. Pierce the tops with a fork.

Place the empanadas on a baking sheet and bake 10-12 minutes, or until golden. Serve hot.

Lynne's note:  A couple of the empanadas didn't seal despite wetting the edge, pinching close and pressing edge with a fork.  It worked out OK as none of the filling came out.  We used these "ugly ones" to taste test.

Menu Planning Continues

This is month number 2.  Decided to do it again.  It worked out fairly well.  Having nearly all ingredients readily at hand was such a time saver.  Having all the meals written out and on the fridge made for a great work sheet for the month.  No wondering what's for dinner tonight.  Check the list.  When the kids would ask what's for dinner I had have them refer to the list.  If I hadn't picked out something I'd have them choose.  Once something was made I found it handy to write the date next to it and cross it out.  This worked out well for leftover questions.  Is this still good?  Check the date next to the recipe.  "Why yes it is still good, but today's the last day for it better eat it."

As the list was getting many crossed out items I found it more handy to highlight them.  I knew what was done and what wasn't at a quick glance.  It turned into a great work sheet.  Some things added.  A thing or 2 not made.  Some meals tweaked a little different, but all in all a big help to my daily cooking duty.  Next month's list will be further down from top of page as the magnetic clip covered a few meals and for some reason it really bothered me. 

We still used the same rules as last month.  One meal veto.  Can't veto the same meal 2 months in a row.  Chicken Curry seems to be my son's least favorite meal.  He vetoed it last month and couldn't this month.  So, he paid his sister $1 dollar to veto it this month.  She took him up on the offer.  Dear Hubby laughingly said, "That's not right!"  It's his favorite meal.  I told him I'd sneak it in some night when both kids are off doing their own thing.  It will be our special "parents only" meal.  No kids allowed.

This month's menu plan as worked on by the whole family is...

Turkey and Trimmings
Hot Turkey Sandwiches
Turkey and Dumplings
Beanpot Pizza (attached)
Beanpot Enchiladas (attached)
*Beef & Barley Soup
*Chinese Simmered Chicken
*Deviled Short Ribs
Burgers & Mac Salad
*Slow Cooker Meatball Subs
*Artichoke, Spinach & Feta Shells
*Bierox Casserole
*DeAnn's Basil Sauce and Meatballs
Steak with *Cheddar Potato slices (hot links)
*Polka Dotted Macaroni and Cheese
Country Fried Steak
Eggplant Parmesan
Nachos w/Refried Crack
*Western Meal In One
*Biram Ruzz
Chicken Delish
*The Best White Chicken Chili
*Hidden Valley Ranch Chicken
Paninis and Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup
Tipsy Chicken with rice pilaf
Make your own pizza night
*Cheddar Waffles w/scrambled eggs & bacon

The star before the meal reminds me that I already have the recipe written down in the recipe box.

Here is one of the recipes from this month's plan.  It's been a family favorite for many years.  Please see the notes at the end as I make it slightly different for our tastes.

HIDDEN VALLEY RANCH CHICKEN

1/2 c. butter
3/4 c. corn flake crumbs
3/4 c. Parmesan cheese
1 pkg. of Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing mix (powder)

Combine corn flake crumbs, Parmesan cheese and dressing mix, set aside. Melt butter. Dip chicken in melted butter and then coat chicken with crumb mixture. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Lynne's note:  I did not like the flavor of the corn flake crumbs.  They has a strong distinct flavor of their own.  I use bread crumbs, cracker crumbs, Panko crumbs anything on hand instead.  This way the great flavor of the ranch and Parmesan shines through.  I also use half as much butter.  I brush it on and then roll in dry mixture.   Otherwise... err I never thought I'd hear myself say this ... it becomes too buttery.

Curry The Easy Way

I don't like curry.  I don't like the spice.  I don't like the smell or the taste unless in very small quantities.  If a recipe I have calls for it I won't avoid it, but I'll reduce the amount by about 1/3 to 1/4 depending on my mood.  I've been known to just add a pinch.

That's why many years ago about 25 I was very surprised to find I really liked this curry dish.  A friend had made it and I just happened to come over for a visit.  She invited me to sit down for dinner.  I hate curry, but when someone is being so thoughtful and generous I put my juvenile dislikes aside and partake.  (That's how I ended up eating a tuna fish sandwich 30 years ago.  Another story.)

I took the smallest serving I could without hurting any one's feelings.  Then I began to eat.  To my great surprise it was good.  Even great!  It didn't taste like the curry spice I loathe and despise.  It tasted like it had a pinch of curry the way I would season a curry dish.  It was savory and delicious.  I asked my friend for the recipe and she snickered and held up the Vermont Curry Sauce Mix box.  "I just buy it at the grocery store and follow the directions," she said.  Even better how easy can that be.  I knew some day I'd make some at my house.  Being single at the time though I really didn't do any big cooking.

Shortly there after I got a boyfriend.  Wanting to impress him I invited him over for dinner and made the curry dish.  He loved it and to this day he's my husband.  Not saying making this dish will get you a husband, but hey it wouldn't hurt to try.

Over the years I've found it hard to find Vermont Curry.  The grocery stores generally carry the S&B Golden Curry Sauce Mix.  It's not bad and I'd even say it's good, BUT the Vermont Curry is REALLY GOOD.  I have found if you can find an Asian Market you will find Vermont Curry Sauce Mix.  The Asian market I frequent is about 30 miles away.  I really need to find one closer.  So, I actually don't go much.  I'll buy 3 sauce mixes and sometimes I'll just throw them in the freezer if I'm not going to use them any time soon.

It's simple to make the recipe it is right on the back of the box. 

1 box Vermont Curry Sauce Mix
Meat (beef or pork) or chicken (1 1/8 lbs.)
4 Medium onions (1 3/4 lbs.)
4 Medium potatoes (1 1/2 lbs.)
1 Medium carrot (1/2 lb.)
5 3/4 cups water

I have made a few small changes over the years.  I always use chicken breast.  That's our favorite, but beef is good too.  Recipe asks for 1 carrot, but we like almost as much carrots as potatoes.  I usually use 4 or more carrots.  Also when it calls for water I put in chicken broth.  I use to make my own chicken broth, but I use canned now days and it's still great.  Also the recipe calls for  4 med. onions.  That seemed like an awful lot from the very beginning.  I've always used 1 to 2 onions.  This recipe is for the 8.8 ounce bar which makes 12 servings.  The package does talk about using half for 6 servings.  The curry bar as I like to call it, because it looks just like a large chocolate bar.  The curry bar in the 8.8 ounce size comes sealed in 2 packages if you only want to use half.  I make the 12 servings, because I have teenagers right now and a hubby who likes to take leftovers for lunch.

The curry bars come in mild, med.hot and hot.  My husband likes hot food.  I do not.  So, I've been pretty cautious using the other bars.  What I've found is that the med. hot isn't that hot.  I haven't had the courage to use it exclusively though.  I buy a mild and a med. hot.  I use half of each for one batch.  I don't find it to be hot at all.   Last night I got a bit braver.  I used half of a mild bar, 1/4 of the med. hot and 1/4 of the hot .  This did give it a slight zing.  I still wouldn't have even called it hot by my standards.  Next time I'll try 1/2 a mild bar and half a hot.  I think though I'll only do a 6 serving batch in case it's too hot and hubby has to eat the whole thing by himself.

Karen's Thai Chicken Soup

This recipe was created by my friend Karen Hawkins. She was telling me years ago about a restaurant (La Bou) that had a delicious Thai Chicken Soup. So, we went to lunch there and had the soup. She was right it was so good and when the weather gets cold it more than hits the spot. It's smooth tomato broth slides down your throat and warms you from the inside out. She decided that day she'd try and recreate it. This recipe is SO close that I don't think I could tell the difference. Although I probably could as the restaurant version is so spicy hot I almost couldn't eat it. That's how good the soup was... I was willing to endure pain to eat it. Mine is a lot cooler in the spice department.

Karen's Thai Chicken Soup

2 celery sticks, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp olive oil
1 large chicken breast, cut in bite sized pieces
1 - 14 oz. can low fat coconut milk
1 - 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 - 8 oz. can tomato sauce
2 - 14 oz. cans chicken broth
1/2 cup uncooked rice
Thai Chili Paste to taste

Saute' celery, onion and garlic in olive oil until onion is soft. Add chicken breast and cook until done. Add coconut milk, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and chicken broth. After bringing to a boil add rice and Thai chili paste to taste depending on the amount of heat you like. Simmer until rice is cooked.


Lynne's note: I like to low fat coconut milk I'm sure the full fat version would be fine. I also like to use the petite cut canned tomatoes. I don't like the large chunks of tomato in this soup. In last night's version of the soup I had 4 chicken thighs that needed to be used. After the celery/onion/garlic was sauteed I added the chicken broth only. I then added the 4 chicken thighs without their skin. I simmered the thighs until cooked through. I removed them let them cool and cut into bite sized piece. I added the chopped chicken back to broth along with other ingredients of the recipe. I used reduced sodium chicken broth and the soup needed some added salt in my opinion.

As for the heat in this soup it does need some zing so don't skip it. I had this odd hot sauce in the fridge that my husband and daughter like to use to season food. My son and I have tender tongues and don't add hot sauce to anything. For the recipe though I do like a little heat. I've used chili oil in the past as I usually have some on hand. Last night I thought I'd try above sauce I had purchase for DH at the grocery store. It was recommended on the Food Network as being very flavorful. I just take DH's word for it. After quizzing him on exactly how hot was it I started by stirring in 1/2 teaspoon. Then I tasted. I ended up adding 3 teaspoons all together. I probably could have stopped at 2 1/2 as my nose was running quite a bit. BUT the soup was good! Didn't slow me down a bit.

Note: Dh hubby and I had leftover soup for lunch. As I ate mine I got to thinking it was so much better than the night before if that is possible. I wondered would I ever make a batch of soup and then save it for the next day before eating? The soup still had the wonderful tomato broth that feels so good going down one's throat, but it was thicker more like a stew. The rice in the soup had really absorbed the broth and thicken the soup. I was a little worried that the soup might be spicier since I used a new hot sauce, but it was just right.

DH called me from work and asked me if I had eaten my soup. He then went on to say it seemed so much better the next day and would I consider making the soup and waiting a day to eat it. I laughed as I had just visited that idea when I ate my soup.

Chicken.... errrrr Turkey and Dumplings

This family favorite began as a way to use up leftover turkey at Thanksgiving. I'm not even sure where I got the recipe any more, but it's SO good. I use to make it only at Thanksgiving time. Now I occasionally use leftover chicken and make it another time or 2 during the year.


I have kind of a funny story regarding this recipe. Believe it or not there is usually leftovers of this recipe. Since my husband is not a cold lunch person I usually send all dinner leftovers with him for his lunches. One year about 8 years ago I sent an unusually large serving with him to lunch. My husband was on his way to lunch when a friend of his didn't bring lunch and was going to buy a cafeteria lunch. Dear hubby told him to never mind and he'd give him half of his wonderful Turkey and Dumplings. They both enjoyed their lunch. Life went on. About one year later and around Thanksgiving hubby's friend comes up to him and asks, "Do you think you're wife is going to have any leftovers of Turkey and Dumplings she could send my way?" He then laughed and said, "Just kidding." In way that dear hubby said meant "I'm really not kidding, but don't want to sound presumptuous." So, I sent each guy their own serving of Turkey and Dumplings. Dear Hubby came home with rave reviews again. I had no idea the work friend loved my Turkey and Dumplings that much.

Year 3 rolls around and I asked my husband if he wanted Turkey and Dumplings for his friend. He said, "Yes." This year though his friend wasn't working that day. Being the weekend my husband just popped the container into the work freezer until he saw his friend again. A few days went by and the friend came by and said he had taken a few days off. Said his only regret was he missed out on my Turkey and Dumplings. Dear hubby reached into the freezer and handed him his container of Turkey and Dumplings. My husband said he never saw a grown man do a bigger happy dance than that. Said it was almost embarrassing. We both laughed. His friend had brown bagged it that day and hubby told him he could take the Turkey and Dumplings home if he wanted. He said, "NO WAY! My sandwich can wait until tomorrow."

So, here we are years later and hubby says his friends still starts getting excited a few days before Thanksgiving. Coming by his office and licking his chops and patting his belly making sure dear hubby knows he's greatly looking forward to Turkey and Dumplings.

Chicken (Turkey) and Dumplings

4 cups of cubed cooked chicken (or turkey)
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped onion
1 sprinkle of garlic powder
8 T butter (one cube) 10 T flour
5 cups water
5 tsp chicken flavored instant bouillon
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 cup frozen peas
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in large pan. Sauté celery, onion and carrots in butter. When onion is clear sprinkle garlic powder and flour over vegetables. Cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.



Stir bouillon into 5 cups of water and slowly pour into pan. Add chicken and stir in egg yolks. Bring mixture to a boil over low heat. Check thickness of sauce and adjust if needed. Stir in frozen peas. Reduce heat to low boil for dumplings as you don’t want to burn the bottom of your sauce. Top with one recipe of Bisquick dumplings. 6 servings

(Nothing fancy just good ole simple Bisquick Dumplings)

Bisquick Dumplings
2 ¼ cup Bisquick
2/3 cup milk

(I like to use a large cookie scoop to measure out the dumplings)

Mix together. Drop into boiling liquid by the spoonful (size 40 cookie scoop works great for this.) Cook 10 minutes uncovered. Then cook 10 minutes covered. For slightly bigger dumplings 3 1/3 cups Bisquick, 1 cup milk and cook 15 minutes uncovered and 15-20 minutes covered. Use size 16 cookie scoop to measure and drop the larger dumplings into liquid.
(This is the dumplings prior to cooking. Sorry the feeding frenzy after they were done prevented me from taking an "after" shot.)

Dead Man's Chicken

Remember when you were a kid and your parents laughed at you for doing something completely out of your realm of knowledge. You were a little offended that they laughed, because you didn't know any better. Then your parents saw that you were offended and realized it was a bit unkind of them to laugh at you. Realizing that you just didn't know. A bit of knowledge that you hadn't received yet in your young years. So, they try and smooth it over, but they still can't stop snickering. You are still a little miffed!

Well, the shoe was on the other foot a few weeks ago. I was the snickering parent. I saw things from the other side.

One evening my daughter had soccer practice and my day hadn't gone exactly as planned. I didn't get the chicken in the oven before I had to take her. So, I asked my 17 year old son, who does cook, to get the chicken baking. I didn't want us to be eating dinner at 9 O'clock at night. Baked chicken seemed pretty easy to me. No he had never baked a chicken, but how hard can it be. I went over the cleaning, seasoning and temperature for baking. He said he'd call me if he had any other questions. Even he said, "I've had baked chicken mom how hard can it be."

I arrived home from Soccer practice to a home smelling deliciously of baked chicken. Even better news according to my son and the meat thermometer it was done. Yeah! I rounded the corner to the kitchen and to my surprise there it was... doing what looked like to me the "dead man's float." A technique that the kids learned in swimming practice. Now that I think about it why would one learn the "dead man's float" in swimming practice? That's for another day. Back to the chicken... I couldn't help myself I laughed. My son asked why? I asked, "Why is the chicken doing the "dead man's float?" Thinking he'd think it was funny too. Now he's offend and says, "Well, I didn't know which way to put it?!" Then I'm realizing he honestly has hurt feelings and that was one detail I obviously left out of our 5 minute Baked Chicken 101. Now I'm back pedaling... he thinks the chicken is ruined. I say, "No the chicken is just fine. In fact some people like to bake their chickens and turkeys this way thinking it makes the breast moister. It's OK. I just don't bake them this way, so the sight of it made me laugh. It reminded me of the dead man's float."

He is less offended and even jokes along with me. He says in a deep authoritative voice, "Why yes mother, this is my special chicken baking technique called 'Dead Man's Chicken'."

"Homemade" Contradiction

The contradiction is a recipe for a certain food has the food already prepared as one of it's ingredients. This contradiction came up again today. Over the years I've encountered the contradiction several times and it just puzzles me and makes me laugh at the same time. I love to cook no secret there. Making something "homemade" or "from scratch" has never scared me in fact I relish it. I love knowing where the ingredients have come from and having control over what goes into a recipe. Over the years it has served me well as I make a great many fabulous foods that get raves. I love to spoil my friends and family with good food. I love to share my good recipes and I love to ask for and receive good recipes.

A few years ago I was at a friends house and she had the best baked beans I had ever eaten. Knowing she loved to cook as much as me I asked if she made them. We all know there are some pretty good canned versions of baked beans, but to make my own would be great. A resounding yes came back. I asked if I could have the recipe. She said, "Of course." This is what she gave me...

Baked Beans

4 (16-ounce) cans baked beans
1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup molasses
1 cup BBQ sauce
2 tablespoon yellow or brown mustard
5 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1 (6-ounce) can french-fried onions, crushed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In large bowl, mix together beans, pineapple, molasses, BBQ sauce, mustard, bacon, and a third of the onions. Add some salt and pepper, to taste. Pour beans in 9 by 13-inch casserole dish and sprinkle remaining crushed onions and bacon on top. Cook in oven for 1 hour or until beans brown and bubble. Serve warm. Serves: 12 servings

First open 4 cans of baked beans?! Where does the homemade come from? I've never made this recipe. We so seldom eat baked beans that if I'm going to open a can we're going to eat it as is.

The next homemade contradiction came a few years later when at a friends house for BBQ Ribs I found the sauce to be the best I'd ever eaten. Again a friend that loves to cook I was hoping she had made the sauce.... and she did. She said she'd love to share the recipe for it, but that she didn't have it written down. So, I picked her brain.

Kim's BBQ Sauce

1 bottle of BBQ sauce, (any flavor will do)
1/4 cup Sweet pickle relish
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup onion, finely diced
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar
Add lemon if you want, add molasses if you want. Simmer all day.

Again with the bottle of BBQ sauce. Usually if I open a bottle of BBQ sauce it's going straight on the meat, but I actually have made this several times. Not exactly as above. It's something I taste as the day goes on and add a little of this and a little of that until it tastes good. The one thing that's odd, but I think is the most important is the pickle relish.

Today's "Homemade" contradiction really made me laugh only because of where the recipe came from. My daughter had pneumonia right now and she asked for homemade chicken soup for dinner. Not something I've made before. I knew I'd need a good chicken stock with which to start. So, I went straight to the Martha Stewart Website and got the below recipe.

Homemade Chicken Stock
This recipe makes more than you'll need for many recipes, but the stock can be frozen for up to four months. The gelatin from the chicken bones is released during the long cooking time yielding a rich, flavorful stock.
Ingredients
Makes 5 quarts.
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
6 sprigs fresh dill, or 2 teaspoons dried dill
6 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 dried bay leaves
2 leeks, washed, white and pale-green parts only, cut into thirds
2 carrots, scrubbed, cut into thirds
2 stalks celery, cut into thirds
1 four-pound chicken, cut into 6 pieces
1 1/2 pounds chicken wings
1 1/2 pounds chicken backs
12 cups (two 48-ounce cans) canned low-sodium chicken broth
Directions
Place peppercorns, dill, parsley, bay leaves, leeks, carrots, celery, chicken, wings, and backs into a large stockpot. Add stock and 6 cups cold water. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a very gentle simmer, and cook for 45 minutes. Liquid should just bubble up to the surface. A skin will form on the surface of the liquid; skim this off with a slotted spoon, and discard. Repeat as needed. After 45 minutes, remove chicken from the pot, and set aside until it is cool enough to handle.
Remove the meat from the bones, set the meat aside, and return the bones to the pot. Shred the chicken, and set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use. Continue to simmer the stock, on the lowest heat possible, for 3 hours, skimming as needed. The chicken bones will begin to disintegrate. Strain the stock through a fine sieve into a very large bowl. Discard the solids. Place the bowl in an ice bath, and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to airtight containers. Stock may be refrigerated for three days or frozen for four months. Refrigerate for at least eight hours, or overnight. If storing, leave fat layer intact to the seal the stock. Before using, remove the layer of fat that has collected on the surface.

I'm reading the recipe. It's sounding very good. I have all the ingredients except leeks I'll substitute yellow onions. I prefer thyme to dill and I have fresh thyme in the garden. I get to the end of the recipe for "Homemade" Chicken Stock and it says "add 12 cups (two 48-ounce cans) canned low-sodium chicken broth." If I'm going to open canned chicken broth I may as well not bother with the rest of the recipe right?! It says to make chicken broth start with chicken broth. That just really confuses me. Why go to the extra trouble.

Well, when you're a mom and your child with pneumonia asks you to make her Chicken Noodle Soup from scratch you go ahead and follow the recipe. I'll report back as to how it was in the end.

How we liked it... I've made equally great chicken stock from using plain water to start. Add the other ingredients and you can't go wrong. I'd save your money and not add 12 cups of chicken broth and use 12 cups of water. The soup turned out great. Everyone including my "soup is not a meal" teenage son liked it. He did think it needed more chicken; where as, I thought it had too much chicken in it. My daughter had requested spaghetti noodles instead of the thicker egg noodles. I knew it wouldn't be bad with the change, but thought I wouldn't like it. I had broken the vermicelli up in 1 inch lengths and cooked them in the soup right along with the carrots. The vermicelli was fine and I liked it. Kind of reminded me of the little noodles in Lipton's Chicken Noodle soup that I loved as a child.