Empanadas and Fillings

Yes, I make empanadas and because of soy allergy problems, I make them in big batches for the freezer.  They are amazingly helpful for lunches and times we go anywhere that we need to have something in case there isn't anything soy-free when we are out.  I used to have to reserve most of them for my daughter with the allergy or they would dissapear too quickly to replace.  Recently a new restaurant called the "Gauchito Grill" has opened near San Marcos Civic Center and has amazing empanadas and Milanesas so I can enjoy them for myself without the work.  $2.00 per empanada for myself and wife is fine to have the variety without the work.  It is a little too much to pay to put 60+ of them in my freezer though so I will continue making them at home.  We tried making peanut butter and jelly versions and its just not worth it. 

The recipe makes about 32 of them if you roll the dough out thick like my wife likes them or about 64 of them if you roll them out thin.  I like them both ways but usually make somewhere between 32 and 60 of them.  I will make a double batch occasionally but usually wind up giving up near the end and turn the last of the dough into pizza blanks or pitas to dip in tzatziki sauce for a greek meal later.

Below is a copy of the menu from the Gauchitos Grill to give ideas on other fillings and also to drool over if you are too far away to visit it.

Carrot Cake

I used to have a Carrot Cake recipe that I adapted from this one but eventually adapted it too much by cutting oil and adding applesauce and other things to cut the fat and up the veggie content until it wasn't good any more.  So I'm back to the original recipe but do replace about half the oil with applesauce and sometimes double the carrots and usually make one sheet cake pan of it with pecans for nuts and one sheet cake pan with no nuts.  One recipe works for one sheet cake pan which I cut and freeze without frosting and keep in gallon ziplock bags for lunches and after school treats.

Banana Bread - Not My Favorite

YUCK!!!! Just pulled out a frozen pack of ripe bananas from the freezer looking for chicken.  NO! Banana Bread is not my favorite and I only occassionaly tolerate it but my family likes it so here is the recipe we've used.  If you're making it for me, please add nuts and NEVER add chocolate chips.  Something about chocolate chips in banana bread makes my stomach turn when I bite into it and I've heard the same from some others when its been served at church potlucks too.  OK now that I've offended every person that loves the chocolate chips in it and has given it to us as gifts or served it to us, there are enough people in our family that like it that way that it is always eaten and enjoyed. 

Please mash, smash, pulverize the banana enough so it doesn't have chunks of slime throughout.  I think the chunks of slime bit is what has turned me off from banana bread in general.  Its the surprise in a bite I just don't want to find.  Kind of like the instant slime rehydration of seaweed in California Roll sushi that makes me stay away but not to the slime factor of Sea Urchin in sushi.

5th Day of Christmas, Pumpkin Ginger Bread

This is one of our favorites!  Basically Pumkin Bread with crystalized ginger throughout it.  Besides baking in long loaf pans, it works great as muffins and is great to make a batch and pull out of the freezer when you need it.

2nd Day of Christmas, Rice Krispies Treats Recipe

Why do so many people make Rice Krispies Treats that just don't work out any more?  They still do the recipe from the box.  Have the Rice Krispies changed or have marshmallows changed?  What's up?  Well, thanks to Suzanne cutting out the side of a box years ago before all the nutrition label "healthy for you" comparisons, she still uses the recipe from the box, BUT the recipe from the box from years ago.  YES, it has more fat but that's what makes them work!

Another secret to making them just right is to use miniature marshmallows and not the generic brands.  Some brands have different amounts of gelatin and other ingredients that just don't work.  Saving 25 cents on a bag isn't worth it for these.  Why miniature marshmallows?  Well, it must be something to do with the time it takes to melt them that changes the heating temperature or cooks them too long.  Suzanne just found this out a month or so ago when trying to figure out why one or two batches didn't work out as perfectly.  Sure enough, the ones that didn't work were the ones with large marshmallows.  Maybe cutting up large ones to miniature size might work but I'm not going to go through that effort.

Anyway, Here's the recipe!  Please remember to only use butter and not margarine or cooking spray if you want to have them Soy-free.

Lunch Ideas

HELP!!!  I started rethinking lunches and need suggestions for lunches to send to school and maybe to mom every so often at work.

Ok, so PBJ and Peanut Butter and Honey are the start but have been the end also when we run out of homemade pizza pockets.  Please post other favorites that do alright in a lunch bag!  Thanks