Awesome Salsa, Empanadas And A Giveaway!
One of the things I love most about blogging is meeting and get to know other bloggers, I love visiting their sites, it’s a source of inspiration for me. One of the blogs I love and follow is Pretty Bitches Can Cook Too, the very pretty Tamara contacted me asking if I would like to do a guest post, and of course I jumped at the opportunity. Not only does Tamara have wonderful recipes on her site, she also is quite an entrepreneur and has a clothing line and makes and bottles her own salsa and hot sauce and is a philanthorpist. She sent me a jar of her Medium Serrano Salsa to try and I told her I would love to create a recipe using her salsa, she also generously offered to provide a lucky reader with a jar, if you love salsa you will LOVE this stuff!!
Salsa
Now, I am not an expert on food from South America or Mexico or even the Southwest US but Tamara’s salsa inspired me to make empanadas. Well, they are sort of empanadas they are not half moon shape but round like little hand pies, it’s my interpretation I guess you could say, I have never made them before and decided they are after all a turnover of a sort, so I used the recipe for galette dough. The tender flaky pastry goes so nicely with the spicy filling. The filling is so simple, ground beef, onion, garlic, black beans and salsa, this is topped off with some Manchego cheese. It’s a great combination and would make a great appetizer or snack, first thought was how great would these be while watching a football game!
Empanadas
The salsa is so good I can think of so many uses for it besides dipping chips or nacho’s. It would make a great base for chili or any dish with a south of the border or southwestern flavor profile. The medium serrano salsa has the just right amount of heat for a wimp like me, you know it’s there but it’s not uncomfortably hot. It’s fresh, and zingy and contains only good stuff, no preservatives or additives. It’s the real deal!
The empanada’s were wonderful served with some avocado (or guacamole), sour cream and some more salsa for dipping.
Spicy and flaky
See above for link to galette dough.
Makes 1 dozen small pies
Filling:
1 lb ground beef, 90% drained after cooking
1 small onion diced
1 clove garlic minced
1 cup black beans (I used canned)which I drained
1 1/2 cups Medium Serrano Salsa (Pretty Bitches Can Cook Too)
1 cup Manchego cheese grated (or grate as you need it, thats what I do) You can also use Monterey Jack or whatever kind of cheese you like
salt and pepper to taste
egg wash
Coat a fry pan with a little olive oil and saute the onions, when they are soft and translucent add the garlic and continue sauteing until completely cooked. Add the ground beef and brown, now add the salsa and black beans. Cook on medium/high for approximately 30 minutes, it will be nice and thick. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Pre heat oven to 400 degree’s. Roll out your dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Using 3 or 4 inch biscuit cutter cut out rounds, place a spoonful of the meat mixture in the middle top with a generous sprinkle of grated cheese, wet around the edge of the dough and place another round on top, press down and crimp edges with fork. Pierce the top with a fork, Place on parchment lined baking sheet, brush with egg wash and freeze for 15 minutes before baking.
Place directly from freezer to oven and bake for 25-35 minutes or until a beautiful golden brown.
Now for the giveaway:
To be entered in the contest you should:
– Leave comment here
– Follow Tamara on her blog “Pretty Bitches Can Cook Too“
– Like on Facebook
– Follow@prettycooks on Twitter
– Tweet about the giveaway to @prettycooks and @bklynpuggal
Winner will be announced on Oct. 31, 2013 and will be selected by Random.org. Good luck everyone. This salsa is amazing, you will love it!! Be sure to let me know that you were able to complete all the requirements. If you do not have a twitter or facebook account it’s ok, just let me know and you can just leave a comment here. Open to US residents only, sorry my dear friends abroad.
apuginthekitchen 
yum! thanks for the great recipe and the new blog- that I am now following! Your food always looks so beautiful!
Thank you so much, Tamara has great recipes and products.
Doesn’t Suzanne’s recipe look amazing! Thanks for following 🙂
The empanadas look delicious Suzanne, and what a great idea for a give-away! I’ll have to go check out Tamara’s sight for sure.
Thank you, they were really delicious, I love her salsa, I only had to add that to the ground meat and voila, perfectly spiced filling.
love the name of their website–fun! Your empanadas look so so good. Always wondering why people bother with fast food (Taco Bell etc) when it’s really not that hard to turn out really amazing food. Granted, you have to enjoy being in the kitchen, but don’t we deserve better than taco grandes or whatever? Totally have an empanada craving right now!
Also, made your creamy chicken tenders last night 🙂 Want to share photo (so you can see I really made it, lol)–what’s the best way to get it to you? I see a twitter on your page, but no fb. ??
Thanks, I guess because I like being in the kitchen a trip to taco bell is pretty much out of the question. I did try it once and yikes it was so salty I couldn’t eat it. I am so happy you made the tenders, I closed my fb account because of security issues but do have a twitter@bklynpuggal. I will also email you so you have my email address. Thank you so much.
You always make the most delicious food. Yum!
Thank you!
I never tried to make empanadas but by your pictures, I would like to eat 4 of them, all covered in salsa!
I hadn’t either and I am afraid these are not authentic but for lack of a better name I called them empanadas. Whatever they are in reality they really tasted great!! Thank you.
You could have fooled me about empanadas not being your areas of expertise because (and no exaggeration here) your empanads look glorious and can only imagine how delish they tasted with salsa.
LOL, thank you. I have never made them before but I thought they really are a turnover and that is what an empanada is. They were really delicious!
I LOVE EMPANADAS. Mostly because I love anything that goes into a crust. These look fantastic.
You and me both, love anything in pastry crust! Thank you so much.
Suzanne! These are so perfectly made. I have become very picky when it comes to empanadas. I have a very dear friend from Argentina who makes them for us and they are divine. I can see your empanadas are fantastic! Love this.
I have never had authentic empanada’s I don’t think, had one at a Cuban restaurant that wasn’t very good, the crust was pretty bad. I really love idea of any sort of veggie or meat pie or anything encased in pastry crust Thank you so much. Thank you so much. I like the crust very much that I used. Thank you so much.
Gosh that salsa and empanads look so delicious!! I want some of that salsa. Entering the giveaway now!! The name of her blog is so funny!!
Thanks Brandi, that salsa is delicious. Really, I love salsa and usually make my own but I would forego making it for this one. It is perfectly balanced.
Your little meat pastries look marvellous Suzanne and how lovely to be asked to create a recipe for one of your blogging friends – it really is such a wonderful community to be a part of! Have a great weekend! Margot
Thanks Margot, it was fun, I always love a challenge and really enjoyed this one. The salsa was delicious!
Tasty looking empanadas!
Thank you!!
So into the idea of meat pies right now. And yours looks so tempting! Shame I forgot to buy eggs last weekend for my chicken and bacon pie. Oh well, there’s time. All winter, in fact!
Chicken and bacon pie, now I really like the way that sounds. I am partial to savory pies especially in the cold weather months, something so comforting and warm. Go buy the eggs, I want to see that pie!!
Good Morning Suzanne! 🙂 Holy Cow these look AMAZING…DROOL! Wish you were my neighbor! Thanks for the share XO
http://www.prettybitchescancooktoo.com
Tamara, your fantastic salsa was the inspiration. I have to order another jar, I eat it on my eggs, dip chips honestly it’s the best salsa I’ve had in a VERY long time,
Nice! I love empanadas and yours look delicious, Suzanne! Plus, I can’t get enough guacamole, I tell you! 🙂
I feel the same way, LOVE guacamole, well avocado’s are my fave!! Thanks so much Stefano.
I LOVE empanadas, and cannot wait to try this!! Your pictures make me wish that I could just reach into my screen, grab one…. or two….or more…. and eat them!! Yum…. ❤
Thank you so much, they turned out really well. I love anything in pastry crust!!!
Oh Suzanne! Your empanadas are gorgeous! Bet they’re delicious too.
Thank you, I was quite pleased with how they came out. The salsa made for a quick and easy filling. Loved it!
Love love love empanadas!! Those look delicious
Thank you, I do too. They were really tasty.
You are so talented! These those scrumptious! Flakey pastry and yummy filling – great post and great recipe!
Thanks so much Cindy, they were really good. I loved how easy it was to make.
These really look good Suzanne! Very tasty!
Kenley
Thanks so much Kenley!
I love empanadas!!! They’re a perfect thing I can make with different stuffings – meat for Myles and veggies for me. And I love salsas – we’re in the spicy group. The spicier the better!
Thank you, me too and I would love to know what kind of vegetable stuffing you would do.
When I was in Oaxaca a couple of winters ago – there was a little bakery at the end of my street which sold divine empanadas that I kept buying for my lunch. I never thought to make them myself but I will now. And I’ll use your recipe. These look beautiful! I love that you posted this.
I hope they live up to your memory of the empanadas you had in Mexico, I have never had the real deal, The pastry crust (galette recipe) really was nice with these. I hope you like them, thank you so much.
I have to confess I have never heard of empanadas but yours look divine. Anything containing Manchego cheese served with sour cream and guacamole must be good. *fends off hunger pangs*
They are a Latin version of a meat pie, they are just wonderful. Thanks so much! Yes the cheese and guacamole and sour cream makes them even better!
Oh my gosh, Suzanne!!! Your empanadas look gorgeous and I’m sure they taste wonderfully! The salsa label is so cute. 🙂
Thank you Francesca, they were very good and yes that label is adorable!!
Oh my gosh, I want these!! I love empanadas- these look so good! And this salsa sounds yum 🙂
Oh yes the salsa is so yummy and made the empanadas even better. Thanks so much.
I love Mexican and these empanadas are right up my alley!
Thanks so much Katerina, I too love food from Mexico and the southwest.
Those empanadas look fantastic, so inviting, we love things like that!
Thank you, me too. I love portable meals!!
Suzanne, you are always inspiring! Your empanadas look scrumptious and this salsa sounds amazing.
Thank you, the salsa is really really good. My first time making an empanada and not so sure they were they way they should be but they were good.
SOO pretty! Next time I take an appetizer to friends house for dinner, these would be perfect– interesting and lots of flavor– hope mine come out as well as yours…
Thanks so much, they were very nice and so tasty. I loved using the salsa, it was quick and easy and perfectly spiced.
oh my ! I love empanadas and yours make my mouth watering as you always do with your simple but amazing food !
I love sala sauce and I think it would be perfect ! Ate some empanadas in NYC this summer and yours look better !
So much love xxx
You are just so sweet, thank you Sara. I thought the galette dough was perfect for empinadas, the small amount of cornmeal gives it a nice rustic quality and it’s very tender and flaky. Thank you again!
I adore empanadas!!! My Argentinean friends make them and they are so, so moreish. Yours look delicious, I love the fact that you’ve stuffed the half avocado with salsa in the centre too. Perfect accompaniment! Yum xx
I’m sure your friends are wonderfully authentic. I kind of winged it, but they were delicious. Thanks so much. The salsa in the avocado was simple but delicious!