I will be making empanada for a co-worker birthday party on Tuesday. Making empanada is very simple and once you get the hand of making it you won't be needing any measuring cups or spoons. Before I left the islands I wanted to buy empanadas and freeze them I never got that chance. I made my own empanada shell and the first ones broke into pieces once I dropped them in hot oil now I am getting better and I am ready to share my recipe
Empanada-shell
- 1 5 pound bag masa harina
- 1 1/2 c. salad oil
- 5 cups water
- 1 box corn starch
- achote seeds est. 2 oz more or less more for darker shell
- waxed paper (cut into pieces sized for your shell you need to give room for expansion)
Steps
- Soak achote seeds in water and rub to get a darker color strain and set aside
- Combine dry ingredients (corn starch/masa harina)
- Add achote water to dry ingredients
- Add oil
- Mix again
- Roll out small ball size pieces
- Use wax paper place a small ball in between. Press between a tortilla press roll out evenly with a rolling pin
Set aside. You could refrigerate any leftover or cover with damp cloth.
Empanada filling- 1 box of cream of rice (you can find this in the cereal isle)
- 1/4 t. hot pepper (local hot pepper works best)
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 4 slices bacon (thinly sliced)
- 1/4 c. achote seeds
- 3 c. chicken broth
- 1 c. water
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 T. oil
*you can add the following to the filling to suite your taste - this is optional
- crab meat
- tuna
- shredded meat of choice
- shrimp
- green onion
- garlic
Toast cream of rice in a hot frying pan until turns golden brown. Set aside. Saute bacon in oil & onion. Add achote seeds with water until the water changes to red color strain bring to a slow boil. Add chicken stock. Add toasted rice slowly to water and stir until you get the consistency of oatmeal. Use more or less water. Once thickened remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- Take your flatten tortilla
- Add 2-3 T. of filling into center of tortilla
- Close and pinch edges together
- Fry in hot oil approx. 2 min. on each side
- Drain & enjoy
- You can freeze any unused empanada
I read in foodblog that there was a contest for "Pomegranate" and my imagination went wild. This recipe is very simple
Capt. Ben's grilled turkey w/pomegranate sauce:
- Turkey thigh ( I did this experiment with one turkey thigh slice to desired thickness)
- 100% pomegranate juice (approx. 1/2 c. or less)
- salt & pepper (depending on size of turkey)
- liquid smoke (2 t. if you put too much your turkey will turn bitter)
- sesame oil (1 t. )
- fermented soybean paste (misu-this can be found in asian markets)
- chili sauce *optional
I wanted to stick to the main ingredient "pomegranate". You need to slice your turkey thigh thinly not paper thin. Salt & pepper the turkey. Place your turkey in a plastic bag add enough pomegranate juice to cover the meat add liquid smoke. Seal the bag and marinate over night. Grill
- Grill the turkey thigh to a medium rare and set on a cutting board to rest and continue cooking. Depending on how thin you slice your turkey you need to make sure you don't overcook your turkey or it will turn hard
- Slice your turkey meat across the grain and present on a serving platter. If you take a closer look this turkey was grilled to perfection
- Drizzle with reduced pomegranate sauce
*
How to make reduced sauce: Add approx. 1/4 cup to sauce pan and cook on high once boils reduce the heat to low until desired consistency I like to reduce it down enough for the sauce to stick on the back of a spoon somewhat like thin syrup.
My children like this without the sauce I like it with the sauce it is your preference with or without. Be patient when marinating & grilling. I normally use pomegranate in dessert or just eat them plain but I wanted to go outside the box with this recipe which by the way turned out great!
Its Thanksgiving and my birthday so what am I to do but cook...cook....and cook
The menu for today is:
- Turkey with a dry rub & fresh rosemary
- Prime rib with dry rub & fresh thyme
- Prime rib with dry rub & fresh rosemary
- Baked potato -plain baked
- Fresh green bean casserole & mushroom
- Mashed potato with bacon
- Dinner roll
- Dinner roll -Blessed
- White rice
- Pumpkin pie
- Apple pie
- Fresh fruits (bananas & apple)
My turkey, prime rib, potatoes & pies are all baking! I attended church service and brought home blessed breads to be served during dinner.
Blessed bread to be served during dinner
I love the vibrant color of the green beans & mushrooms
I took pictures of my turkey baking but the heat in the oven is making the picture blurry. I shall post more pictures once dinner is ready and table is set. I am so hungry!
Today after work it was too cold for me to go anywhere but home! I had plans to make chili but the weather and my lack of ingredients said otherwise. I looked into my pantry to see what I had and tried to make magic I really had plans on making chili. I had noodles, can corn, cauliflower, carrots. This was as creative as I can get surprisingly it turned out just fine and yummy. The presentation is not award winning but the taste was there!
This morning I forgot to thaw out turkey for dinner luckily there was a small bag left from the previous night. So I put my creativity together and made turkey wrap.
Turkey Wrap
- left over turkey shredded
- 1/2 onion sliced thinly
- 1/2 c. mushroom sliced
- lettuce
- carrots
- bbq sauce
- ranch sauce
- Flour tortilla
Step:
- Shred turkey set aside
- Saute onion & mushroom in butter
- Add turkey mix & turn off heat
- Place flour tortilla on cookie sheet
- Add saute turkey on flour tortilla
- Add cheese of choice
- Bake in 350 degree oven until cheese melts
- Remove from oven and add vegetables
- Add sauce of choice & enjoy!
This morning I was given a surprise party at work and my friend Bonnie baked me this cake from scratch! Batter icing & all. My friend Kimmie made me a jello poke cake that was gone before I can take a picture! They were all yummy!
It is Friday I get off work late and I was not in any mood to get fancy with dinner and fast food was not an option. I remembered I still had some shrimp & cilantro & lots of frozen turkey....Microwave here I come!LOL
Simple shrimp:
- shrimp ? estimate how many you will be eating
- seasoned salt
- chopped fresh cilantro
- cornstarch enough to coat the shrimp
- salad oil
- Make sure your shrimp is completely thawed
- Season shrimp
- Add chopped cilantro & 2-3 T. oil
- Fry in hot oil for 2-3 min. on each side depending on size of shrimp timing may vary
- Enjoy
Yummy! I love shrimp. Have you ever had kahlua pork? This is a simpler version since your turkey is already in the freezer. Kahlua pork is a hawaiian dishKahlua Turkey
- Frozen turkey
- liquid smoke
- Hawaiian salt
- Heat turkey in microwave until heated through
- Set aside & shred using fork
- Add seasoned salt & liquid smoke
- Enjoy!
I am so fortunate I am done with my cooking all I need to do is open the freezer check what I want to eat & get creative....Yummy...
Let me clarify my type of cheating. When I say I am cheating I am referring to my blog motto: single mom one pantry one month cooking. It also means I went elsewhere for food or coffee and in todays case I am in the mood to cheat for coffee. My coffee maker is still not working but that does not stop me from staying home I have been consuming instant coffee lately I cant complain I am on a budget. It is a wonderful winter morning. Cold foggy...beautiful. I have been busy with work and family that I have not posted pictures but I will tonight. I saw that there was a sale @ Winco for prime rib maybe I can use my children's perfect progress report as an excuse to buy a small rib. I love prime rib w/dry thyme rub. Yum!
For dinner tonight we will be having shrimp.
Capt. Ben's simple grilled shrimp
- shrimp -If you got this in the frozen isle make sure you completely thaw your shrimp. Estimate how many you will be eating
- seasoned salt of choice
- oil of choice (I use reg. vegetable oil it is in my budget)
- 2 T. -dried cilantro or 3 T. fresh chopped
- You do not need to marinate this overnight
- Just mix all your ingredients and heat up your grill once hot start grilling
- To prevent the shrimp to become rubbery grill to a medium or turns pink approx. 1-3 minutes on each side depending on the heat of your grill set aside to cool and continue cooking
*You could squeeze fresh lime juice to the shrimp and 2 t. chopped fresh cilantro to bring out the flavor
Enjoy!
I read in foodblog that there was a contest for "Pomegranate" and my imagination went wild. This recipe is very simple
Capt. Ben's grilled turkey w/pomegranate sauce:
- Turkey thigh ( I did this experiment with one turkey thigh slice to desired thickness)
- 100% pomegranate juice (approx. 1/2 c. or less)
- salt & pepper (depending on size of turkey)
- liquid smoke (2 t. if you put too much your turkey will turn bitter)
I wanted to stick to the main ingredient "pomegranate". You need to slice your turkey thigh thinly not paper thin. Salt & pepper the turkey. Place your turkey in a plastic bag add enough pomegranate juice to cover the meat add liquid smoke. Seal the bag and marinate over night. Grill
- Grill the turkey thigh to a medium rare and set on a cutting board to rest and continue cooking. Depending on how thin you slice your turkey you need to make sure you don't overcook your turkey or it will turn hard
- Slice your turkey meat across the grain and present on a serving platter. If you take a closer look this turkey was grilled to perfection
- Drizzle with reduced pomegranate sauce
*
How to make reduced sauce: Add approx. 1/4 cup to sauce pan and cook on high once boils reduce the heat to low until desired consistency I like to reduce it down enough for the sauce to stick on the back of a spoon somewhat like thin syrup.
My children like this without the sauce I like it with the sauce it is your preference with or without. Be patient when marinating & grilling. I normally use pomegranate in dessert or just eat them plain but I wanted to go outside the box with this recipe which by the way turned out great!
Yes I am still packing my turkey..tonight I am packing my turkey jerky.
Once your jerky is done it will be hard for you to stop eating the jerky it is so addictive. Since you will be making the jerky at home you know what you are putting into your body.
Yep...I am still working with Turkey..tonight my turkey recipe is simple...
Roast Turkey:
25 pound turkey
salt/pepper
fresh rosemary
Clean your turkey and make sure it is thawed out. Season to taste add fresh rosemary. Place your quarter pounder in: a roaster, bbq pit (crock pot) or in 350degree oven. Bake,roast,bbq for 3-4 hours. This is fairly simple you can add herb of choice such as thyme, add garlic get creative its you that will be consuming the turkey.
This turkey is getting there! I just need another 1hour or so...I love fresh rosemary and I can smell the aroma all over the house! I cant wait this will be one yummy dinner. I came to think about it will I even want to cook turkey on thanksgiving day?? Yeah..I will..
You must really commit if you are planning on cooking once a month. It is already 7:00 p.m. and I am still cooling, packing & freezing.
1. Pre-packed turkey. Fully cooked. Freeze. You could use this meat for sandwiches stir fry's & soups
2. Pre-packed turkey & veggies ready for the kids to pop in the microwave heat & serve.
3. Need to pre-pack fried turkey
4. Teriyaki turkey
5. Turkey curry (freeze cubed turkey separately from veggies)
6. Turkey jerky
Ok let's talk turkey. I am all turkeyed out! I have cut, cleaned, souped, fried, jerked a 25 pound turkey like there is no tomorrow and to make it worse I still have 5 more to go!. So please in a month or two NO MORE TURKEY! LOL..Can I take back my word when I said I liked turkey? My creativeness has hit neutral and I am in limbo.What did I get myself into? I am too turkeyed to remember.
I am craving to make buchi-buchi. My ex-mother in law made me buchi-buchi once and I regret not asking her for the recipe. If you know how to make buchi-buchi please blog me. I have the papaya filling but I don't know how to make the actual crust.
It is 11:00 p.m. and I am getting a little sleepy so I will postpone my cooking until tom. after church. I have de-boned that turkey down to its bare bones. Before I call it a night I will make turkey broth for soup tom.
you will need:
turkey bones, meat
onion
carrots
celery
salt pepper
Add turkey,carrots,celery, onion into crock pot pour cold water and set on low.
Overnight slow cooked broth. I just need to remove all those FAT!YUK! But this is one yummy broth since it is homemade you know what you put in it and it is fresh. Skim off all the fat, remove the meat from the bone and use on recipes that ask for chicken broth. If you have left overs like I do you can freeze the warm broth in baggies or use an ice cube tray.
It is that time of the month again. Clip coupons, shop on a budget and cook for a month. I bought my 25pound turkey on Thursday and it was ready for me to clean,cut,cook. I never knew that turkey had alot of fat!Yuk!As I was cleaning my gobble..gobble..I just could not believe of all that fat I threw away! For dinner I used 1/2 of a thigh meat and stir fried w/broccoli,carrots,celery. Here is how I distributed my 25pounder...
1/2 of one turkey thigh meat (cubed)
1 large bag of frozen broccoli
4 stalks celery (cleaned,sliced horizontally)
2 carrots (cleaned, sliced horizontally)
1/4 of an onion
1T. sesame oil
salt & pepper to taste
Heat your frying pan add 1T. salad oil and stir fry the onion,celery,1/2 bag of frozen broccoli until color changes and still crisp. Set aside. With the same pan add 1t. oil, dark turkey meat stir until color changes and cover. Let the steam cook the turkey. Cook for 5-10 minutes depending on the thickness of your turkey. Halfway thru add the remaining 1/2 frozen broccoli cover. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Season to taste and add 1T. sesame oil for flavor. Enjoy!
1. Stir fry your veggies (set aside)
2. Using the same pan stir fry your turkey
3. Enjoy!
Yesterday it was raining so hard that I did not want to go anywhere for lunch but stay at work and go over paperwork. This is what I ended up consuming. Not healthy but I needed to put some food in my body.
Manha means young coconut. Have you ever had coconut pie made of young coconut meat? I am fortunate to say that I have.It taste so good especially if it is made from fresh coconut. Last night I had that craving where I just wanted to make that coconut pie. I could even taste it! I have frozen young coconut meat from the islands that I have not used and need to use. It was a success! I made it!
this is how it looks, can you see all those coconut meat. This was a simple easy and yummy treat!
Last Sunday my children and I went to Turkey Bingo held at my church. This is our second year attending and we had a blast last year. Call me old-fashion but I enjoy playing bingo.There were 150 people that attended the bingo and 25 turkeys were given out. When my son said bingo I was happy we had our turkey. Then 5 minutes later my other son said bingo! and another..and another.There were door prizes too but we did not win any off the table I was already glowing with turkeys. They announced that they had a $25.00 Macy's gift card when I heard it, I did the sign of the cross prayed as fast as I could I can hear my heart beat and guess what? I won it! This will be a great stocking stuffer! I thanked god and my dad for helping
Winco does it again! For every $50.00 purchase when you shop at Winco this month you can get your turkey for .22 cents per pound. $50.00 purchase include the price of the turkey. I can't pass on that offer so I got myself a 25pounder.You cant go wrong with that! This will not be my thanksgiving turkey I have plans for this turkey. I will be making turkey jerky (breast portion) teriyaki (wings/legs) turkey pot pie (thigh) left over meat will be cubed bagged and the best part the bones will be slowly simmered with carrots,celery,parsley for a rich broth. This will all be cooked, pre-portioned, bagged, and frozen. I already have turkeys in the freezer that I won last weekend so I think my family and I will be all turkeyed up for another couple months or so. I know that usually a week before thanksgiving Winco will be dropping their prices down to .12cents per. I will get creative with turkey again this year!
I went to Goodwill in Beaverton only because Krispy Kreme was just around the corner. To my amazement I found a bakers rack. It was bake at first sight. I just had to grab it. To make my findings more sweeter I have exceeded my $200.00 purchase at Goodwill and every time you exceed you earn $10.00 customer credit! Yeah!The original price tag was $29.99 - $10.00 came to $19.99 x 25% Birthday discount...I bought this baby for the same price as buying Tupperware even cheaper. I am so ecstatic I will be selling my famous rum cakes again this year at the Christmas bazaar and this bakers rack not only gives me a more professional look at the same time ease me from carrying all those rum cakes! This will be my 3rd year and I donate 10% of all proceeds made that night to Doernbecher.
I was in the mood for Mussels. My intention was to cook the mussels in coconut milk but my taste buds stirred another direction when I began to start my cooking. My mussels in coconut milk became mussels with ginger and onion in spicy misu sauce.
- box mussels (fully cooked)
- ginger (thinly sliced)
- green onion (3-4 stalks thinly sliced)
- miso of choice (dark, mild)
- miso hot (fermented hot pepper paste)
- chili sauce of choice
This recipe just came to my head and I am not the measure type of cook I measure thru guessing. You can add more or less on this recipe. Since you will be using miso in this dish YOU DO NOT NEED TO USE SALT. This is a very simple dish. The mussels are fully cooked so basically all you need to do is:
- Using a frying pan heat 2-3 T. oil of choice (vegetable or olive)
- Add sliced ginger till fragrant
- Add green onion
- Add mussels
- Add both type of miso and cover the pan. Make the steam heat the mussels and dissolve the miso. Continue to stir. Taste. If the miso does not make the dish salty enough for you then add salt/pepper. Add chili sauce and serve.
Enjoy!
So Sorry:( I have yet to post any photo's. I am fully booked and tired lately. The holidays are getting closer and I am in a meeting, out a meeting, PTA, grading paper work helping with homework. I have been taking photo's it will just take me a little more time to post. So sorry I am a single mom and my children is my out most top priority.
Last night I got off work at a pretty decent time. I went and dropped my "ballot" yeah! I voted...did you? When I came home I looked into the pantry and I was not that satisfied with what I saw. Going to the store was not an option so I had to get creative! Let me see I have spaghetti noodles..OK..I have cream of mushroom..OK..I have frozen spinach..OK..my mind is already getting creative..
Pantry dinner
- spaghetti noodles - whatever noodles you have on hand would work
- cream of mushroom - or cream of choice
- frozen spinach - or any type vegetable fresh/frozen
- meat - meat of choice
- If using spaghetti noodles break noodles in half and boil. Boil noodles to desired tenderness. Drain cooked noodles and set aside.
- Saute meat of choice in butter and add frozen spinach cover and let the steam defrost the frozen spinach
- Open cream of mushroom and add to the meat/spinach mixture. If can ask for cup of water use 1/3 cup of milk instead. Bring to a slow boil.
- Add noodles to the meat and stir well
Enjoy! This meal turned out pretty well and even if my children did not enjoy eating spinach they ate this dish
