Empanadas

Empanadas
Things to get...
Pork butt or a nice flavorful piece of beef such as a chuck roast or something similar.
2 bunches of cilantro
2 poblano peppers
2 large Jalapeño’s
3 very large tomatoes
3 bunches green onions
2 med yellow onion
3 packages (couple of ozs. each) of GOYA Sazon con azafran seasoning
Salt
Pepper
Pepper flakes
Cumin
2 tomatillos (for dipping salsa only)
1 large head of garlic
P.A.N. precooked Corn meal

You might want to make the dipping salsa first the day before because it gets better with time.

Dipping Salsa
In a large food processor bowl add:
2 large cloves garlic
½ med onion
2 tomatillos
1 large tomato
1 poblano
1 jalapeño
All the leaves from one bunch of cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
½ tsp cumin
Process till smooth
Taste for seasoning
Place in fridge

Put meat in oven
Place meat in a baking dish cover with 1 cup of water
Season with 1 package of the Goya Sazon Con Azafran ,
Salt, Pepper, and pepper flakes.
Coarsely chop 1 ½ med onions and place on top
Add 1 large clove of garlic minced
Let the meat cook till very tender and falling apart. Set aside to cool

****Put 3 med peeled potatoes on the stove and cook till tender

Hogao or Tomato sauce for filling

This is part of the filling for the pies
Put a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a fry pan
Put the following ingredients into the pan and fry till the water has all evaporated.

2 bunches of chopped green onions
2 minced large cloves of garlic
1 finely chopped Poblano
1 finely chopped Jalapeño
2 large tomatoes chopped
½ tsp cumin
1 package of the Goya Sazon Con Azafran
Salt and pepper and pepper flakes to taste

Mix the Hogao and the potatoes and slightly mash together leaving the potatoes very lumpy
Let the meat cool and drain the meat juices and set aside to use to make the masa dough later.
using a food processor or knife shred the meat with the onion and garlic that it cooked. Add the meat to the potato mixture and let cool completely. Set aside

Using P.A.N. precooked white corn meal (this is dry not a wet product and is normally on the flour isle of your grocery or in the Spanish section)

Using the directions on the back of the P.A.N. and using the meat juices that your reserved and enough water to so that you have the two cups of liquid needed for the recipe on the back of the package and 1 package of the Goya Sazon Con Azafran. Mix as directed so that you have a smooth masa dough.

The best Chili Con Queso Ever

I'm giving directions for using 1/2 each of the cheeses using the large boxes of the cheeses. But you can make a large batch if you have a large double boiler.

1/2 of a large box of Kraft american cheese
Velveeta cheese
1 large onion sliced into long strips
1 and 1/2 large bell peppers seeded and ribs removed and cut into thin strips.
1 fresh jalapeño seeded and ribs removed and cut into thin strips.
3 table spoons of a picante sauce.. this was not part of the recipe but I found it makes is delicious.


Purchase equal amounts of Velveeta cheese and Kraft american cheese... don't spare expense here buy these cheese the plain sort. Kraft american is in a blue box. it doesn't matter how much you use as long as it is equal amounts and if fits in the double boiler with enough room to add the veggies and whole milk.
I purchase the large ones and cut each in half for making the queso two times.
Prepare a double boiler by placing enough water in the bottom but not to touch the bottom of the pan make sure the pan is large enough for the amount of queso your making.
Cut both cheeses into 1 inch cubes and place into the double boiler, add the onions and the jalapeño and Bell pepper and SIMMER ON LOW for several hours until onions and bell pepper are very soft and making sure to stir often and add milk as necessary. NEVER let it boil or it will be grainy.
Once the peppers and onion are soft add the picante at this time. Do not let cook much longer after the picante addition as it will curdle the sauce if not careful.
If your sauce is starting to curdle add more milk to the cheese and water to the double boiler pan and turn down the heat.

Bourban Pecan Pumpkin Butter Pie

Ingredients:
4 eggs
2 cups (about 1 1/3 jars) pecan pumpkin butter (the recipe for this is on my blog or you can get this at Williams Sonoma)
1 3/4 cups plus 1 Tbs. evaporated milk
3 Tbs. bourbon
1 prebaked and cooled deep-dish piecrust (see related recipe at left)
Whipped cream for serving
Directions:
Position a rack in the lower third of an oven. Place a cookie sheet on the rack. Preheat the oven to 325°F. (The pie dish will sit on the cookie sheet, which will help the bottom of the crust to brown.)

In a large bowl, gently whisk the eggs. Add the pecan pumpkin butter, evaporated milk and bourbon and whisk until well combined. Pour the filling into the prebaked piecrust and bake until the center of the pie is just set, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Check the crust after 30 minutes; if the edges begin to brown too quickly, cover them with aluminum foil.

Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool for at least 4 hours before serving. If making in advance, cover the cooled pie with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to overnight.

To serve, cut the pie into slices and serve with whipped cream. Serves 8 to 10.

Pumpkin butter just in time for the Holiday's

Pecan Pumpkin Butter

Zest (outer peel only, no white pith) of 1 orange, or zest of 1/2 orange and 1/2 lemon, removed in wide strips with a swivel peeler
1 large can (29 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin plus 1/2 cup water, or 3-1/2 to 4 cups pumpkin puree prepared from scratch (see the headnote)
2 cups (packed) light brown sugar or
1-1/2 cups (packed) light brown sugar plus 1/2 cup mild honey or light corn syrup
3 tablespoons strained fresh orange juice
3 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of ground cloves
1/3 cup pecans or walnuts, lightly toasted and grated or very finely chopped
Makes about 5 cups
1. Simmer the orange zest in 2 cups water in a sauce pan for 10 minutes, then drain it and mince it to a fine pulp. Measure out 1 tablespoon and reserve.
2. Combine in a heavy-bottomed stainless-steel or other nonreactive saucepan the pumpkin (and water, if canned pumpkin is used), orange zest, sugar, orange juice, lemon juice, cinnamon, salt, allspice ginger, and cloves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly; lower the heat and simmer the mixture, stirring it very often with a wooden spatula, until it has become very thick, about 15 minutes. Sample the butter and add a little more of any or all of the spices, if you like (remember, the flavors will blossom in storage). Add more sweetening if your tastebuds request it.
3. Stir in the nuts and continue to cook for another 2 or 3 minutes. Ladle the boiling-hot pumpkin butter into clean, hot half-pint canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Seal the jars with new 2-piece canning lids according to manufacturer's instructions. Process the jars for 10 minutes in a boiling-water bath. Cool, label, and store for up to a year a cool cupboard. [Note: Instead of canning refrigerate or freeze for long-term storage.]

69 Years of Marriage and still in love.

I think we all aspire to having loved and being loved by someone till the end and if it lasts 69 years well then we can say that we truly were.  Here sit the Hunters, now in a retirement home together taking a cat nap after breakfast.  Do you see Mr. Hunters hand....even asleep he wants to make sure his wife is right next to him...this is a picture of what true love is...I couldn't help but snap the picture of this precious moment as I too aspire to having lifetime of lasting love such as this..