Empanadas

Make these.  Make these now.  I was skeptical about them, but Todd had wanted some Empanadas from this place down the street.  So I thought I was use the recipe in the Hungry Men book and it was a hit.  We made them Saturday night before I had to babysit and Todd had to cater.  They were perfect for some on the go dinner.  I made the pastry dough and the filling so here is the recipe for both!

Dough
Ingredients:
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter at room temp.
4 oz of cream cheese at room temp
1/4 cup of heavy cream
1 1/2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

Directions:
1. Process butter, cream cheese and cream with a mixer.
2. Add the flour and salt and make it into a ball.
3. Divide into 2 pieces and flatten between plastic wrap to chill for 30 minutes.
4. Roll it out and use a bowl 5 inches across to cut circles.  It should make around 10 circles for empanadas.

Filling
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, choppped
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
1 pound ground beef
1 teaspoon cumin
3/4 cup of pimiento-filled green olives, sliced
3/4 cup raisins
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Several dashes of hot sauce
2 large eggs, separated
Pastry rounds

Directions:
1. Cook your onions and peppers in your olive oil over medium high heat for 3-4 minutes.  Raise the heat to high and add your beef.  Cook until browned.
2. Add cumin and cook 1 more minute.
3. Stir in the olives, raisins, honey, salt, pepper, and hot sauce.  Cook until the meat is golden brown, the liquid has evaporated, about 4 more minutes.
4.  Cool the mixture completely and then stir in egg whites.
5. Preheat oven to 375 and line a baking sheet.
6. Place about 1/4 cup of the filling on one side of the dough circle.  Wet the edges and fold over.  Crimp with a fork and repeat until filling or dough is gone.
*If you want, freeze the empanadas at this point and you can make them in the future.
7. Place the empanadas in the fridge to chill for a few minutes.  Poke twice with a fork and then brush with the egg yolk.
8.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.  Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
*If you want to make appetizers, just use a 3 inch bowl for the circles and 2 teaspoons of the filling.

I would make these everyday if I had the time.  We each at 4 of them in about 15 minutes.

This has been the winner from this cookbook so far.  The dough was flaky and had that cream cheese kick to it.  The filling was delicious and spicy.  We did leave out the olives and raisins, but I made add the raisins next time.  (Don't even come knocking on my door, olives.  You are not welcome in this household.)  Like I said, we loved it and it was perfect for on the go dinner.  I may make some to freeze so we can have an easy dinner some night.  

Still to come, another chicken recipe from Hungry Men, and Chicken Satay from our Alton Brown cookbook.

Beef Kabobs

It's time for more food!  I was in New London, Wisconsin this last week with Teenserve.  It's a mission trip organization that sets you up with a team of people you don't know and sends you out to someones house everyday from 8-3 to do whatever work they need done.  I had a great group of 5 others and we painted a house for a single mom.  They were so sweet and we had a great time.  On Thursday, we had another group join us so we would have a better chance at finishing this huge project.  Sadly, we didn't.  But, we were close to finishing and they were very thankful.  I had a very fun week with my crew and with the 9 kids we brought from Mankato.  That said, I am quite happy I am back home.

My pretty sweet crew!

This recipe is one we made awhile ago, before I left.  We were on a Mediterranean kick, and a meat and veggies kick apparently, so we tried these.  I think you can figure out how to make kabobs yourself, but the marinade for the beef is something to focus on.  Again, it comes from the wonderful Alton Brown.  We really do love him at the Spieker house.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless beef sirloin
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Special equipment: 4 (12-inch) metal skewers

Directions

Cut the beef into 1 1/2 to 1 3/4-inch cubes and place into a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor combine the garlic, paprika, turmeric, cumin, salt, pepper and red wine vinegar. With the processor running drizzle in the olive oil.

Pour the marinade over the meat and toss to coat. Place in the refrigerator in an airtight container or a sealable plastic bag and allow to marinate for 2 to 4 hours.

Once you have your marinaded beef, add your cut up onions and peppers, pop them on the skewers, and grill them up.  We did it on the griddle.  You may want to try wrapping them in tin foil and then putting them on a fire grill, or let them get those pretty grill marks on them.  Any way is good.

Well, enjoy your summer grilling.  I was hoping our apartment next year would have a little back staircase so we could have a little charcoal grill.  No such luck.  We'll have to wait until we have a house, or just a nicer apartment.  But don't let that keep you from visiting us next year.  We'll still make you good food!

Chili in a Bread Bowl

Fellow RWHS graduates, tell me this was not your favorite meal the wonderful lunch ladies made.  My wonderful mom made me a lunch everyday, so I never ate it.  But, I remember begging Erin Ulrich for the top of her bowl if she didn't eat it.  Those bread bowls were to die for and the chili (although it's not my favorite) was so good according to those around me.  People waited patiently for Tuesday lunch to roll around so they could indulge in such a delicious lunch.

I attempted to make this lunch for dinner last night.  I wanted to use my new dutch oven while Jon and Faye were here, and show that I can take care of their son by giving him good food every night if I wanted to.  I do want to, I'm just lazy.  So I made the bread bowls, and found a 30 minute chili recipe online.  Bread bowls turned out great.  Chili was a let down, so I won't be making this exact recipe again.

Ingredients
1 yellow onion
4 cloves of garlic
1 lb. ground beef
1 can kidney beans, drained
chicken stock
salt, pepper, cumin, cinnamon

Directions
1. Heat some oil in your pot.  I used the dutch oven, but it could be a normal pot.
2. Dice the onions and mince the garlic.  (Check out my new. fancy cutting terms)
3. Saute your garlic and onions for 3-5 minutes, until tender.  Throw in some salt and pepper.
4. Add your ground beef and break apart with a fork or something.  Work around until browned.
5. Add the kidney beans and chicken stock.  Add enough stock until it's the amount of liquid you want.
6. Add some more salt and pepper, to taste.  Then, add a tiny dash of cinnamon.  Taste it and add cumin until it's the taste you want.
7. Scoop it into the bread bowl and sprinkle a tiny bit of cheese on top.

It was okay, but not great.  I liked Todd's vegetarian chili more.  I think I might do that one next time, which has peppers in it and you mash the beans a little to make it thicken up, but add some meat to it.  We're not hippies.  Jon and Faye liked it (or were polite and said they did), so it will have to do.

In other news, we are for sure moving to Chicago next year for Todd to finish Seminary.  It was always likely, but we found out last week he was awarded the Kern Scholarship, which pays his tuition for the next 3 years.  With that scholarship, and not having to worry about taking out loans, it's a definite yes to us moving there.  Our friend Greg also got the Kern, so they will take all their classes together and go on the retreats together.  That means girls' weekend for Stef and me! We also heard back from the housing people this week, saying they should have us placed in an apartment around June 1st.  We can then move in anytime during August.  So, praise God for providing and thank you for your prayers about all this.  Next, we need to find me a job and then we are good to go.  I just need to figure out what I want to do.  Someone told me culinary school.  I told them that doesn't make money, it makes me pay money.  Plus, no.

Anyway, enjoy your RWHS cafeteria meal.  It's super yummy. Also, I talk about Greg and Stef a lot so here is a photo, so you can have a visual.  She looks like Anne Hathaway and is way to good looking for Greg.  But, Greg may be the nicest guy in the world, so it balances out.  (Read into that what you will.)  Here they are at her brother's wedding last fall.

Sliders

Well, dinner was another small adventure last night. We had an extra 1/2 lb. of ground beef which did not turn into meatloaf or meatballs like we had anticipated. Instead, Todd turned it into sliders. We had some extra rolls left over from a few weeks ago, lettuce and cheese from last night, and potatoes to make some fries. The fries we kind of a flop, again, but the burgers were great. There were Sam burgers, Juicy Lucy, Mediterranean, and Asian. There is a basic mixture for all of them, and then they are individualized from there. A half pound of beef makes about 8-10 sliders.

Basic mixture:
1/2 lb. ground beef
1 egg
7 crackers

All of the mix-ins from here are to taste.

Sam Burgers:
Lawry's Salt
Worcestershire Sauce
Form into patties
Cook and top with lettuce and horseradish sauce
*These are an original Sam recipe which is super good. But top with some Horsey Sauce, and it takes them to could eat every week wonderful*

Juicy Lucy:
Crack in some pepper
Make a large, thin patty on your hand
Place a wad of cheese (we used provolone) in the middle of the patty
Roll the meat around the cheese into a burger patty
Cook

Mediterranean:
Mix in some balsamic vinegar and fennel seeds
Form into patties
Cook and top with lettuce and hummus

Asian:
Mix in Soy Sauce and Red Chilies
Form into patties
Cook and top with lettuce and hot mustard




These were so good! I have a hard time picking a favorite out of the group. We were one roll short, so one of the Asian burgers was made into a lettuce wrap and it was amazing. I would suggest trying that with all of them.

I'm in the process of making pizza for dinner tonight and noticed something unusual. We have 4 different kinds of flour at our house right now. That's right, 4: All-purpose, whole wheat, cake, and bread. We should start a bakery. Most of the whole wheat will get used up as Todd and I try to work whole wheat pita pockets into our daily menu. We still need to make some hummus to go with them.

Also, I will post the baked fries recipe soon. I think the recipe is good, I just didn't allow for enough time. We'll have to try those again soon.

$7 dinner? Yes, please!

Aunt Joy, I'm glad you made the Asian Orange Chicken. I should have noted that we will use less corn starch next time, so I hope you liked it and it was worth forgoing your asian takeout.

Well, in good money saving form, I checked what was on sale last week before making our grocery list and weekly menu. And to reward my good behavior, we had delicious bacon wrapped steak sirloins with garlic roasted asparagus for the two of us for less than $7. That's right, less than $7! It was a cheap, special Friday dinner. Plus, Todd made it for me. What a good habibi (It's something Scot McKnight used to call Adam and Eve. So instead of "What a good hubby." it's habibi.)

Todd made the steaks on our griddle and they were a perfect medium with a good char on the outside, seasoned with salt, pepper, and olive oil. The asparagus went into a 400 degree oven with salt, pepper, lots of chopped garlic, and a drizzle of oil until they were green and tender with a little snap to them. It was such a good dinner.

Next, we take on making lamb shanks. I know what you are thinking (Mom and Corrie probably) "What are you making those for? Who makes lamb?" We are having a Christian Seder Meal with our youth group August 1. It's a traditional Jewish meal to remember the plight from Egypt by the Israelites and God's faithfulness to them through the Passover. It's Christian because we also celebrate Jesus' faithfulness to us and the sacrifice he was. Todd and I had a chance to participate in a few while at North Park, but we never did, so we are excited to do this one. We need the lamb shank bone during the meal to symbolize and remember the lamb sacrificed for blood to put on the door frames so the Angel of Death would pass over their houses. Wow, that sounds way more grim when you type it out.

Anyway, I'm excited to host the meal and try to prepare lamb shanks, and to eat lamb for the first time. We may need to find a special meat market for those. Sounds like an adventure for the weekend!

Another word of praise and excitement. Todd got a call from North Park Seminary today saying his Kern Scholarship was recommended by North Park and passed onto the Kern people. We think it means that North Park Sem recommends him for the Kern Scholarship and now the final decision needs to be made as to if he will receive it. The Kern is full tuition for 3 years of Seminary, so we are hoping he gets it. He also applied for the Presidential Scholarship that is full tuition through the Covenant Church. We won't hear anything until at least May from either one, but I thought I would let you know of our excitement and thankfulness to get this far in one of the scholarships.

So, to sum up: deals, steaks, lamb, scholarships. We're all over the map these days. The photo above is not our steaks, but looks similar, if we had an all white apartment. Speaking of which, we are looking for one for next year, so if you hear of awesomely cheap apartments in Chicago, let me know.

Lasagna and Rapping

Last night, I made an okay lasagna. I followed the directions on the back of the no-bake noodles box and it was okay. Todd will be gone tonight for 30 Hour Famine at church, so I'm on my own for dinner. The lasagna was a plan ahead so I wouldn't have to make dinner again just for me.

So I make the lasagna, make some cheesy garlic bread (mozz, garlic butter from before, and an Italian loaf of bread), and a salad (Lettuce, carrot shavings, lemon juice and oil dressing) and we sit down and have a nice dinner. Except, we were both in a bit of a silly mood, so we continued to rap "Bust a Move" by Young MC throughout our nice dinner. It's fun to be married to your best friend.

Side note: I was going to curl up with my dinner and watch the opening ceremonies to the Olympic games tonight. But then I remembered that we don't get any tv channels. I want to know if Gretzky gets to light the torch! But it's a good thing we are not in Chicago this year. There was a channel there, NBC Sports, that is probably just doing Olympic coverage 24/7. Last year, I stayed up watching Iron Man triathlons on several occasions. What can I say, I'm a sap for an overcoming hardships story. (Thinking of mom on that last sentence.) But that channel would be the biggest time waster if I were to watch the Olympics in Chicago. I don't need to stay up and watch Women's Curling between Sweden and China (not that I haven't before. Go Sweden!)

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Thanks Jamie Oliver for some of the best food we have ever eaten. We have now made these meatballs twice and I love them. Neither Todd or I are huge fans of Italian food, but these seem to stick with us as a good recipe. So, I will now share it with you. This is the half recipe and it makes about 12 meatballs. Also, I'm really bad about taking pictures of the food we make. So everything on here is found on the internet, but I try to pick a photo that is closest to what ours looks like.

1/2 lb. of beef

Oregano

1 Egg

12 crackers (we used Club)

Parsley

Preparations:

Mix the beef, egg, and crackers together. If the mixture seems too sloppy, add more crackers.

Sprinkle the mixture with (we use dried) oregano and parsley.

Mix it all together.

Form tiny balls (you know how big a meatball should be) and line them up on a pan.

Put the pan in the fridge for about 15 minutes, so they firm up.

Cooking:

Heat a thin layer of oil in a pan on medium-high heat.

Place the meatballs in and let them brown on one side.

When they have browned on one side, flip them over (I know, who would have thought?).

Let them brown on the other side. By now, they should be done in the middle.

If not done, turn the heat down to medium and cover to cook the rest of the way.

Also during this time, you should be making enough spaghetti for the two or three of you.

Serving:

Drain the spaghetti when it is done, but save just a small cup of the water.

Heat up your sauce with a small amount of the noodle water you saved. This thins it out a bit.

Put your noodles in a pasta bowl, then the meatballs, and then the sauce over it all.

Top with Parmesan cheese and you are done!

Not rocket surgery and delicious.

Jamie Oliver Burgers

1/2 lb beef

1 egg

dijon mustard

parsley

12 crackers

Mix it all up, let it cool. Put the burger balls in the fridge and put the skillet on high for four minutes. Turn the burner down to medium and take out your burgers. Shape them into patties and drizzle a little olive oil on them. Cook on each side for about 3 minutes or until done on the inside. Clean the pan and toast the inside of the buns. Top with whatever you would like (chedder, lettuce and onion are the best) and enjoy.

Todd made these tonight and they were some of the best burgers I have had.