Empanadas Anyone?

I just can't seem to help myself... when I see something fun and different, I really have to try it! So here it is, my 1st attempt at making Apple Cinnamon Empanadas! Delicious! Recipe to follow.

Let's start with the pastry. It was suggested that we use a 15 oz. package of refrigerated piecrust or packaged empanada dough, but I just can't bring myself to use processed foods. I found a recipe on Epicurious that had been review by several people and given a great rating, so I decided to use it. I made it in my Quick Chef and was really pleased with the results, but I will provide the original recipe for you just in case you haven't gotten your Quick Chef yet.

Both the dough and the filling makes enough for 12 pastries. Try them with savoury fillings too.

Empanada Dough

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large egg
1/3 cup ice water
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

Preparation

Sift flour with salt into a large bowl and blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal with some (roughly pea-size) butter lumps.
Beat together egg, water, and vinegar in a small bowl with a fork. Add to flour mixture, stirring with fork until just incorporated. (Mixture will look shaggy.)
Turn out mixture onto a lightly floured surface and gather together, then knead gently with heel of your hand once or twice, just enough to bring dough together. Form dough into a flat rectangle and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, at least 1 hour.

Apple Cinnamon Filling

Ingredients

4 apples peeled and cored
(or a 21 oz. can of sliced apples, drained)
1 lemon (use juice and zest)
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. Simple Indulgence Cinnamon & Vanilla Seasoning Blend
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup raisins

Place apples in Quick Chef (Ok, now you need the Quick Chef!)with blade attachment. Add remaining ingredients, cover and process until coarsely chopped. Melt butter over medium heat in Chef Series 9-1/2" Nonstick Fry Pan. Add apples and stir to coat. Lower heat and cook apple mixture 5 minutes until soft. Add raisins and cook until mixture has thickened. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Roll dough to a 12" circle on the Simply Perfect Pastry Sheet. Using the bottomside of the Empanada Maker, cut 4 rounds of pastry. Re-roll dough as needed. Place a cut round of pastry on the Empanada Maker; moisten edges with beaten egg or water.

Place heaping tbsp. of filling in center of Empanada Maker and close, pressing tightly to seal. Open and remove the sealed empanada and place on baking sheet lined with the Silicone Wonder Mat. Brush tops of empanadas with beaten egg. Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Trends for 2009

At this time of year it is interesting to project forward and imagine what the new year will bring. When a recent survey asked what's important to people, many answered with a common theme. That theme is HOME. HOME is an acronym for the following:

Health
Organization
Money
Environment

How can we improve our health and that of our families, increase our organization in kitchens and homes, save money, and take care of the environment? The answer can be found in a line of products... and those products are produced by Tupperware! You might ask how Tupperware can help in all of these areas?

Tupperware prevents the loss of vitamins and minerals from foods, that are stored in our refrigerators, freezers, and cupboards. Since we know "we are what we eat", there is one step towards maintaining and improving health.

Organization is a big challenge for all of us. Modular Mate containers in our kitchen cupboards, FridgeSmart containers in our fridges, along with Freezer Square Rounds in our fridges and freezers, go a long way in organizing the room that seems to be a collect all. When our kitchens are organized there is a feeling of organization throughout our homes.

With these challenging and uncertain economic times, everyone is concerned. Let's use Tupperware to extend and preserve the life of those expensive groceries, and save money big time. With FridgeSmart containers, we won't be dumping limp produce in the compost or garbage at the end of the week, and Modular Mates will keep our pantry items fresh and bug free. These are sure ways to save money.

And what about the environment? Can Tupperware help us go GREEN? Tupperware is 62 years old, and an original green company, that creates very high quality containers and tools, meant to be reused, last a lifetime, and not end up in the landfill.

On the topic of the environment, here are a couple of statistics for you: Did you know that 31 billion liters of water are produced every year in the US, so that people can take water with them? Those bottles require some 17 million barrels of oil for production, and many of them end up in landfills and in our waterways. Lots of those plastic bottles end up in mass on the floor of our oceans, and others negatively impact animal all around the world. Also consider that it takes more energy to recycle plastic bottles than to manufacture new ones, to realize that we must halt or at least reduce their use. Halting or reducing disposible water bottle use also decreases our dependence on foreign oil producers, a state that is good for all of us.

So where does Tupperware fit in? For starters Tupperware has many styles of beverage containers for both hot and cold drinks to choose from, that are reuseable and dishwasher safe. Let's all do what we can to reduce our impact on the environment, by doing something as simple as, taking our water with us in a reuseable container, and to choose containers that are meant to be reused whenever we can. That is better for both us and our environment.

So think about HOME and what it means to you... and when you start to think seriously about HOME... think Tupperware! Then give me a call to find out how you can get FREE Tupperware, another money saving idea!

Introducing Radiance by Tupperware

Check out the video showing Tupperware's gorgeous new Radiance line! The bowls looks like glass and the set is a beautiful addition for entertaining or family use.

Until the end of December 2008, earn this lovely collection FREE, by hosting your own Tupperware demonstration!

Sandy's Famous Jello Squares

Sandy hosted a Tupperware party recently and served these delightful Jello Squares. We were all impressed with the squares, and had a lot of fun decorating them with whipped cream using the new Squeeze It Decorator. It was fun for both kids and adults! Thanks Sandy for sharing your family recipe with us!

Sandy's Famous Jello Squares

4 small packages - different coloured Jello
1 can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
7 packets Knox Unflavoured Gelatin

Divide the condensed milk into 3 equal parts, 1/3 cup each.

Add 2/3 cup of boiling water and 1 pkg of gelatin to each 1/3 cup of milk, stirring well after addition.

To each pkg of Jello add 1 pkg of gelatin and 1 cup of boiling water. Stir well.

Pour one cooled Jello mixture into a 9" X 12" Tupperware Prep Essentials Cold Cut Keeper, and place in fridge on level shelf for 20 minutes.

Pour milk mixture onto set Jello layer and place back in fridge for 20 minute while this layer sets.

Repeat, alternating Jello with milk mixture and placing in fridge for 20 minutes in between.

Tip: Don't let the layers set too long or the Jello will become too hard and the layers will separate.

Also, be sure to use a Tupperware container to layer the Jello in, as the squares will stick to metal. You could substitute a glass 9" X 13" pan in a pinch.

Before serving place container in warm water for a few minutes for the edges to soften. Then cut with a wet knife into 1" squares or diamonds being careful not to cut your container. Serve on plate or in small decorative muffin cups.

Enjoy!

Note: This recipe might seem a little time consuming at first, but with practice you'll have it down pat... then you'll be famous just like Sandy!

Smart Savings are in the Bag!

Recent research shows that more people are eating out less in order to save money. By making and taking lunch to work, you can save serious dollars.

Let’s say you spend $7 a day or $35 a week for lunch, $5 a day or $25/week for coffee and/or breakfast, and around $8 a week for gas to travel to and from lunch. Your total expenditure is $68 a week or over $3500 a year! In many cases, that total can easily rise to between $3900 and $5200 a year!

With increased economic pressures, you have a great opportunity to save money with Tupperware® products. See how easy it is to create tasty, healthy and affordable lunches from leftovers or from your imagination. You can stock up on lunch tips by searching for “healthy lunch tips” on the internet.

Think about how much money you can save with Tupperware® products. And unlike storage bags and cheap imitations, Tupperware® products are designed to last so they won’t be tossed into landfills, creating a win, win situation!