Spicy Curried Potato Pockets

I've been wanting to try making Baked Samosas for quite a while. I LOVE samosas, but have been trying to eat a little healthier, hence making them baked. So while this isn't really my attempt at Baked Samosas, they really are kinda similar.

Again, I wanted some spicy tidbits to go with my January Wine Tasting ~ Riesling. I was kinda thinking Green Chicken Curry Pockets... I picked up some ground chicken and everything. Then when I was ready to start, I realized that I had a potato peeled from earlier in the week that was kind of slated for baked samosas and that I should use it. Then I decided to just scrap the chicken part.



I don't really have a recipe. I was just winging this as I went.

I boiled some potatoes and set them aside to cool.


When they were cooled... I cut them into bite-sized pieces.


Then I drained & rinsed a 16oz can of chickpeas and added half to the potatoes.


I mashed the other half with a fork


Then I put it all into a hot skillet


And added some frozen peas


I had some Coconut Curry Thai Chicken Broth in the fridge, so I poured some into a bowl.


Added some Green Curry Paste.


And some Garam Masala and stirred it all up.


Then I poured it over the potato mixture... I think I sprinkled in a little turmeric too.


Ok... I guess I don't have pics of the dough part. I used prepared pie dough and cut 3-4 inch circles.

Then put about a tablespoon of filling in the center of the circle and fold dough in half, crimping the edges to seal.



Then I brushed them with an egg wash.


And into a 400F oven for about 10 minutes or until they are golden.








YUM!!! Spicy Curry!!

Empanadas

I LOVE these spicy and sweet empanadas. I don't make them very often, but they are often requested.



I had a wine tasting gathering at my house on Saturday night. January's wine is Riesling. Since they say it pairs well with spicy foods, I thought these would be perfect.

Empanadas
Empanada Dough (or your own pie dough)
2 C flour
1/2 C lard
2 1/2 TBLS unsalted butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C ice water

EMPANADA FILLING
1 lb ground beef or ground pork (I used 1/2 & 1/2)
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 C almonds, toasted,chopped
1/3 C raisins
8 plum tomatoes
24 serrano peppers
2 limes, juiced
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp cinnamon
egg wash

FOR DOUGH:
Put flour and salt in food processor, pulse to combine.
Add cold lard and butter, pulse to form crumbs.
Add water and pulse until it just comes together.
Chill at least 30 minutes.
Roll out and cut out circles.
Preheat oven to 400F

FILLING:
Saute meat, drain fat.
Saute onions for 2 minutes, add garlic, almonds and raisins and saute for 2 minutes more.
Place tomato, chilies, lime juice, salt and pepper in blender.
Puree until smooth.
Add puree, cumin, cloves, cinnamon meat and onion to skillet.
Cook 5 minutes or until excess liquid evaporates.
Cool. Fill pastry circles, fold and crimp with fork.
Brush with egg wash.
On parchment lined baking sheets, bake 10 minutes or until golden at 400F.
After eggwash and before baking these can be frozen.
Bake frozen empanadas for 20 minutes at 400F.

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I used a combination of beef and pork


When that's all browned, add the onions and garlic




Then add the raisins and almonds and let it simmer


Next onto the veggies... you make kind of a salsa to mix with the meat.

I only used half the serranos and I seeded them, since I knew I had a guest that doesn't like it spicy. (actually they are still really spicy!)


I couldn't find any decent plum tomatoes, so I just used stem tomatoes because they looked nice.


Everything into the blender wit lime juice.


Yeah... I have an Oster Beehive Blender which totally liquefied the chili peppers & tomatoes.


I no longer have a food processor. When I got my Kitchen Aid last year for my birthday. I got rid of my sturdy reliable Oster Kitchen Center... and my food processor and blender were in that mix. I LOVE my new blender... but it's definitely for things you want smooth! Sooooo I guess I'm in the market for a new food processor now! Anyway....

I was afraid I'd killed the empanada stuff! Will this be marked FAIL? We'll see...

So I poured my chili/tomato/lime soup into the meat


And added the spices (cinnamon/cloves/cumin/salt/pepper)


I hoped to cook out the liquid...


It did cook out slowly...


And was finally not soupy anymore.


Now I can make up the empanadas!

I used prepared pie dough (I really hate making dough)
Cut out 3 - 4 in circles and put about a tablespoon of filling in the center.


Just fold it in half and crimp the edges shut.


Brush them with an egg wash (1 egg whisked with 1 TBLS water)


Bake at 400F for 10 minutes or until golden.








YUM!!! There is just enough sweet to balance out the spice!

An Award!! *blush*

I am totally surprised!! Melissa from Of Soup and Love gave me a Lemonade Award for a refreshing blog!!



Thank you so much Melissa!!!

Here are the rules...
- Add the logo in your blog.
- Add a link to the person who gave you the award.
- Nominate 10 other (refreshing...like lemonade) blogs of your choice.
- Don’t forget to add links to those blogs in yours.
- Also leave a message for your nominees in their blogs, informing them about the award.

I'm pretty new to this blog stuff... and I just hope one day my blog is half as cool as the blogs I'm nominating.

In no particular order....

run, play, cook..., Amber's Delectable Delights, Coconut & Lime, Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice, musings of a barefoot foodie..., Test Kitchen Recipes, My Italian Grandmother, Culinary Alchemist and Cooking Stuff.

Ok... I came up one short... but these, including Of Soup and Love are the blogs I really look forward to every day. I hope you check them out!

Hummus

Another football appetizer. Hummus is so quick and easy to make.



Hummus
1 16oz can chickpeas
1 - 1 1/2 TBLS Tahini (ground sesame seeds)
4 - 6 TBLS lemon juice
2 - 3 cloves of garlic
a good drizzle of olive oil
a pinch of salt
a little bit of cayenne
some fresh dill

Drain chickpeas and reserve about 1/4C of the liquid.

Put all ingredients, including reserved chickpea liquid, in the blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Serve with flatbread or pita chips.

Enjoy!

Cream Cheese Rollups

I love these. The first time I had them, a lady I worked with brought them in for a potluck. They're so simple to make, but I usually never think about them.

I made them a few weeks back... maybe for a football game... I don't remember!

Cream Cheese Rollups
6 large flour tortillas
2 8oz blocks of cream cheese, softened
1 packet ranch dressing/dip mix
1 4oz can diced green chilies
1 4oz jar pimentos
1 4oz can diced black olives
a couple of green onions

Combine all ingredients except flour tortillas. Evenly spread cream cheese mixture over each tortilla, leaving just a little tortilla edge all around.

Tightly roll up tortillas and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
Unwrap, slice into bite-sized pieces and enjoy!

For Christmas I've used red & green tortillas for a more festive look.

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Here's what you need


Mix everything together


Spread on tortillas












Wrap them up and put them in the fridge. (yeah...I was out of plastic wrap)




The next day... open them up and cut into bite-sized pieces


The end pieces are pretty scrawny and I usually eat them as I cut them off!




Enjoy!