Empanadas

The first few times we tried to make empanadas, we found the dough was a lot of work to make, and then baking them instead of frying them took away most of the goodness anyway. But then we discovered that the filling, which is easy and the main flavor anyway, works great just as a topping for noodles or rice. So here's our favorite recipe for the filling (courtesy of those little recipe cards they hand out at Walmart!)

Ingredients

2 Tbsp oil
1 onion, minced
1/2 bell pepper (preferably red), minced
1 Tbsp garlic
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup olives (optional)
1 tsp tomato paste, or 3 tsp diced tomatoes
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp red pepper flakes, or 1 small jalapeno, minced
2 tsp cumin
2 hard-boiled eggs, coarsely chopped
salt and pepper

Directions

• Heat oil in skillet and fry onion until translucent
• Add peppers and garlic, cook until soft
• Add beef and cook until lightly browned
• Add 2 Tbsp water and remaining ingredients except for eggs.
• Cook on low heat for 20 minutes, stirring often
• Remove from heat and lightly stir in eggs
• Season to taste with salt and pepper
• Serve over brown rice, noodles, or in fried or baked empanada dough
  

Strawberry Pinwheel Cake

We first found this recipe in a magazine while waiting at the doctor's office right after our first child was born. We quickly scribbled it down, tried it at home, and loved it. We've made it many times since. I finally decided to add it to the blog, and within five minutes found the original recipe, along with the original picture, at the website for Taste of Home Magazine. What's that? June 2005 issue? Yep, that's it. Gotta love the Internet.

Ingredients

Cake:
4 egg yolks
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
4-1/2 teaspoons water
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Confectioners' sugar

Filling:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons lemon curd (We use lemon juice and strawberry or lemon yogurt)
2 cups chopped fresh strawberries

Directions

• In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks, eggs and sugar until thick and lemon-colored. Beat in the water, oil and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to egg mixture. Grease a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan and line with waxed paper; grease and flour the paper. Spread batter into pan.
• Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 5 minutes. Turn cake onto a kitchen towel dusted with confectioners' sugar. Peel off waxed paper. Roll up cake in towel jelly-roll style, starting with a short side. Cool on a wire rack.
• In a large bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form; gradually add sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold in lemon curd; gradually fold in strawberries.
• Unroll cake; spread filling evenly to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up again; dust with confectioners' sugar. Cover and chill for 1 hour before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.