garlic – Bake & Be Well

This One-Skillet Beef & Veggie Empanada Filling is a must-try! The ingredient preparation is so darn simple and it’s all combined in a single skillet! You can use either a homemade or store-bought dough of your choosing to then bake the savory pastries. This recipe fills about 13 medium-sized empanadas making it a perfect choice for a group meal, or for easily reheated leftovers in a smaller household.

The flavors make salsas and guacamole natural toppings for serving, and the level of spice can be adjusted by adding more or less cayenne.

Servings: Filling For Approx. 13 Medium Empanadas

Ingredients:

1 Yellow/Sweet Onion, finely chopped

1 Large, Or 2 Small, Russet Potatoes, peeled and diced

2 Full Sized Carrots, peeled and finely diced

3 Garlic Cloves, minced or crushed

2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Cup Beef Broth

1 Lb Ground Beef

2 Tbsps Tomato Paste

2 Tsp Chili Powder

1/2 Tsp Cumin

1 Tsp Cayenne

Sea Salt And Black Pepper To Taste

Additionally:

2 Eggs + 1 Tbsp Cold Water For Egg Wash

Directions:

[If you are making a homemade dough, prep ahead of time, refrigerate, and bring back to room temperature accordingly. If using a premade/frozen dough, follow package instructions for thawing.]

Finely chop the onion

Peel and dice the potatoes

Peel and finely dice the carrots

Mince the garlic (or use a garlic press)

In a large skillet, add the olive oil and then all of the above (onions, carrots, potatoes, and garlic) and start cooking on medium heat

Stir veggies often, adding in splashes of water if they are getting dry

Once the veggies have softened significantly, add in 1/2 a cup of the beef broth, then once it cooks off, add in the other 1/2 cup

If additional softening of the veggies is still needed, continue to cook with splashes of water until cooked thoroughly

Add in the ground beef, disperse, and cook evenly among the veggie mix, continuing to add splashes of water if too dry

Lower the heat

Add in the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, salt, and pepper

Taste test and adjust the spices to your taste (I recommend a lot of salt and pepper)

The final consistency should be slightly mushy (see photos)

Remove the skillet from the heat

[From here:

Preheat the oven to the specific temperature required for your dough

Cut the dough into circular shapes

Fill the empanadas

Fold over

Seal by pressing with a fork

Brush with an egg wash if your dough requires it

Bake according to your dough instructions – For my dough it was around 30 minutes at 400º, but this is variable!]

Serve final empanadas with the salsa or guacamole (or both!) of your choice

Enjoy!

[Leftovers can be stored sealed in the refrigerator.]

This Egg & Sausage Carbonara is a long-time family favorite! Originally inspired by Rachael Ray’s 1998 version of her Spaghetti Carbonara: Pasta with Bacon and Eggs (found in the First printing of 30-Minute Meals), this easy pasta dish was made by my mom often when we were young, and still now when we all visit home. Doubling the ingredients can make it a perfect choice for feeding a crowd, and for the vegetarians, it’s an easy swap to use your favorite veggie sausages instead!

Servings: About 4

Ingredients:

4 Mild Or Spicy Italian Chicken Sausages Of Choice, such as Bilinski’s

(Traditional Italian sausage can be used if preferred over chicken)

1 Pound Spaghetti

4 Minced Garlic Cloves

3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Plus Extra For The Sausages

4 Eggs

Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, To Taste

1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Black Pepper And Sea Salt, To Taste

Directions:

Slice the sausages into 1/2 inch pieces, and cook them with olive oil over medium heat until browned and crispy. They can then be removed from the pan and set aside

Boil water for the pasta

Beat the eggs in a bowl and set aside

Cook the pasta according to the package instructions

While the pasta is cooking, in a large skillet, evenly pour in the 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and heat up the garlic on low heat (sprinkling in some red pepper flakes to taste)

Just before draining the finished pasta, take out about 3 spoonfuls of the boiling water and add it into your egg mixture

Drain and rinse the cooked pasta and add it to the skillet of garlic and olive olive, turning the heat up to medium

Coat the pasta evenly, then add in your cooked sausage pieces

Pour in the scrambled eggs, and toss it all together for about 1 minute, or until the eggs are cooked to your liking

Remove from heat, and mix in the parmesan and a generous amount of black pepper

Serve with extra cheese, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and salt to taste

Enjoy!

Ingredient recommendations linked!