매운치킨덮밥 Spicy Korean Chicken and Rice

I was just browsing Korean recipes one day and found this delicious chicken and rice recipe. I used chicken thighs but I think chicken breasts will also be very good. It's not overly spicy. It's got a kick but won't make you reach for a gallon of milk to cool down your burning mouth. Korean food is known to be very hot and spicy. They also say Korean food is very good for diet because the spice will make you sweat because it's so hot! :)

Spicy Korean Chicken and Rice
Adapted from Miznet.com

Ingredients:

4 chicken thighs or breasts
2 tbsp chili oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 potato, peeled and cut into bite sizes
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 Serrano chili, seeded and sliced (if you want the heat, go ahead and use some of the seeds)
1 red chili, seeded and sliced
2 green onions, sliced
1 cube chicken bullion + 1 cup water
1 1/2 tsp oyster sauce or fish sauce
2 tsp Korean crushed chili pepper or crushed chili pepper
1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp corn starch + 1 1/2 tsp water
sesame seeds

Directions:

In large saute pan, heat 2 tbsp chili oil over high heat. Add chicken and stir until the chicken begins to cook. Add the garlic, potato, onion, bell pepper, Serrano chili, and red chili. Stirring frequently, cook the meat and vegetables about 5 minutes.

Add the chicken bullion mixture to the pan. When it starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium, and add the oyster or fish sauce, crushed chili pepper, sesame oil, and green onions. Stir occasionally. Add the corn starch mixture to the pan, stirring frequently. Cook another 5-8 minutes. Sprinkle sesame seeds and serve with or over rice.

Enjoy!!

매운치킨덮밥 Spicy Korean Chicken and Rice

I was just browsing Korean recipes one day and found this delicious chicken and rice recipe. I used chicken thighs but I think chicken breasts will also be very good. It's not overly spicy. It's got a kick but won't make you reach for a gallon of milk to cool down your burning mouth. Korean food is known to be very hot and spicy. They also say Korean food is very good for diet because the spice will make you sweat because it's so hot! :)

Spicy Korean Chicken and Rice
Adapted from Miznet.com

Ingredients:

4 chicken thighs or breasts
2 tbsp chili oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 potato, peeled and cut into bite sizes
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 Serrano chili, seeded and sliced (if you want the heat, go ahead and use some of the seeds)
1 red chili, seeded and sliced
2 green onions, sliced
1 cube chicken bullion + 1 cup water
1 1/2 tsp oyster sauce or fish sauce
2 tsp Korean crushed chili pepper or crushed chili pepper
1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp corn starch + 1 1/2 tsp water
sesame seeds

Directions:

In large saute pan, heat 2 tbsp chili oil over high heat. Add chicken and stir until the chicken begins to cook. Add the garlic, potato, onion, bell pepper, Serrano chili, and red chili. Stirring frequently, cook the meat and vegetables about 5 minutes.

Add the chicken bullion mixture to the pan. When it starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium, and add the oyster or fish sauce, crushed chili pepper, sesame oil, and green onions. Stir occasionally. Add the corn starch mixture to the pan, stirring frequently. Cook another 5-8 minutes. Sprinkle sesame seeds and serve with or over rice.

Enjoy!!

매운치킨덮밥 Spicy Korean Chicken and Rice

I was just browsing Korean recipes one day and found this delicious chicken and rice recipe. I used chicken thighs but I think chicken breasts will also be very good. It's not overly spicy. It's got a kick but won't make you reach for a gallon of milk to cool down your burning mouth. Korean food is known to be very hot and spicy. They also say Korean food is very good for diet because the spice will make you sweat because it's so hot! :)

Spicy Korean Chicken and Rice
Adapted from Miznet.com

Ingredients:

4 chicken thighs or breasts
2 tbsp chili oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 potato, peeled and cut into bite sizes
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 Serrano chili, seeded and sliced (if you want the heat, go ahead and use some of the seeds)
1 red chili, seeded and sliced
2 green onions, sliced
1 cube chicken bullion + 1 cup water
1 1/2 tsp oyster sauce or fish sauce
2 tsp Korean crushed chili pepper or crushed chili pepper
1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp corn starch + 1 1/2 tsp water
sesame seeds

Directions:

In large saute pan, heat 2 tbsp chili oil over high heat. Add chicken and stir until the chicken begins to cook. Add the garlic, potato, onion, bell pepper, Serrano chili, and red chili. Stirring frequently, cook the meat and vegetables about 5 minutes.

Add the chicken bullion mixture to the pan. When it starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium, and add the oyster or fish sauce, crushed chili pepper, sesame oil, and green onions. Stir occasionally. Add the corn starch mixture to the pan, stirring frequently. Cook another 5-8 minutes. Sprinkle sesame seeds and serve with or over rice.

Enjoy!!

When Fish Met Ciabatta Bread..

Good morning! Today, I'm happier than ever. Why? Because it's Friday!! Thank goodness, it's Friday. It's not that I had a bad week, really, but every Friday, I just feel more relaxed and jolly. My husband is coming home earlier from work and we are all going to a birthday party to one of our favorite restaurants. We're excited! I hope you all have a fantastic weekend, too!

Well, today, I'm going to post a great ciabatta bread recipe that I came across just a couple of weeks ago. I had never made any homemade buns before so I was pretty anxious to try it. I had some fish in my freezer and thought I'd make some delicious fish sandwiches for dinner.

So I started baking ciabatta bread.. I added a tiny bit of rosemary into the dough and it added a very unique flavor to the dough. I really liked it. My husband, on the other hand, prefers it without rosemary. So please don't feel obligated to add rosemary if you prefer it plain and simple. Either way, it tastes wonderful.

So the fish... a lot of people say that they don't eat fish at home because they don't know how to cook it. It's really not that hard. I wish they sold more whole fish at grocery stores because my mom used to cook it perfectly seasoned and tasty back in Korea. But I'll admit. I don't like cleaning whole fish. It is a lot of work. I don't want to touch or see fish's guts and eyes and... You get what I mean. Thank goodness, America is so good with selling fish all gutted and skinned. Back in Korea, you'll never see fish already cleaned like that. (Well, there's pros and cons to either way, I guess.) Anyway, so go and buy your favorite kind of fish... (I recommend white fish. Salmon has a strong flavor and probably not a good choice for a sandwich. But that's just my opinion.) Then flour it, dip it in beaten eggs, bread it in panko or bread crumbs, then fry it in oil. Oh it's so so yummy. Mmm.... So give it a try. The unique flavor of ciabatta bread went great with breaded fish. I'll definitely try it again sometime soon.


Ciabatta Bread:
Inspired and slightly changed from All Recipes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups warm (not hot) water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 1/4 cups bread flour or all purpose flour
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons yeast
• small pinch of rosemary flakes

Directions:

In larger bowl, mix the warm water, salt, white sugar, and yeast until the yeast is dissolved in water. Let stand for a few minutes.

Add olive oil, flour, and rosemary to the liquid mixture and stir until the dough isn't sticky anymore. Take the dough and knead until the dough forms a ball, about 5-8 minutes.

Grease a large bowl with olive oil and turn the dough in the bowl until the dough is coated in oil. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let rise until the dough doubles in size, about 1-1 1/2 hours.

Lightly flour or use parchment lined baking sheets. Divide into 2 pieces, and form each into a 3x14 inch oval. Place loaves on prepared sheets, dimple surface, and lightly flour. Cover, and let rise in a draft free place for approximately 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

Dimple dough for a second time, and then place loaves in the oven, positioned on the middle rack. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. During baking, spritz loaves with water every 5 to 10 minutes for a crispier crust.

Fish Sandwich on Ciabatta Bread

Ingredients:

1 lb white fish (tilapia, cod, sole, etc)
1/3 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup bread crumbs or panko
salt and pepper or your favorite seasoning
1/3 cup oil

Directions:

Cut fish into 2-3 inches long pieces. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Dip it in flour, egg, then bread crumbs or panko.

Heat oil in large frying pan over high heat. Fry the breaded fish until the fish is cooked through and the breading turns golden brown, about 2 minutes each side.

Drain oil on paper toweled plate and serve on ciabatta bread as shown in the pictures above. Lettuce, sliced tomatoes, tarter sauce, or cocktail sauce go great with this sandwich.

Enjoy!!

When Fish Met Ciabatta Bread..

Good morning! Today, I'm happier than ever. Why? Because it's Friday!! Thank goodness, it's Friday. It's not that I had a bad week, really, but every Friday, I just feel more relaxed and jolly. My husband is coming home earlier from work and we are all going to a birthday party to one of our favorite restaurants. We're excited! I hope you all have a fantastic weekend, too!

Well, today, I'm going to post a great ciabatta bread recipe that I came across just a couple of weeks ago. I had never made any homemade buns before so I was pretty anxious to try it. I had some fish in my freezer and thought I'd make some delicious fish sandwiches for dinner.

So I started baking ciabatta bread.. I added a tiny bit of rosemary into the dough and it added a very unique flavor to the dough. I really liked it. My husband, on the other hand, prefers it without rosemary. So please don't feel obligated to add rosemary if you prefer it plain and simple. Either way, it tastes wonderful.

So the fish... a lot of people say that they don't eat fish at home because they don't know how to cook it. It's really not that hard. I wish they sold more whole fish at grocery stores because my mom used to cook it perfectly seasoned and tasty back in Korea. But I'll admit. I don't like cleaning whole fish. It is a lot of work. I don't want to touch or see fish's guts and eyes and... You get what I mean. Thank goodness, America is so good with selling fish all gutted and skinned. Back in Korea, you'll never see fish already cleaned like that. (Well, there's pros and cons to either way, I guess.) Anyway, so go and buy your favorite kind of fish... (I recommend white fish. Salmon has a strong flavor and probably not a good choice for a sandwich. But that's just my opinion.) Then flour it, dip it in beaten eggs, bread it in panko or bread crumbs, then fry it in oil. Oh it's so so yummy. Mmm.... So give it a try. The unique flavor of ciabatta bread went great with breaded fish. I'll definitely try it again sometime soon.


Ciabatta Bread:
Inspired and slightly changed from All Recipes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups warm (not hot) water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 1/4 cups bread flour or all purpose flour
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons yeast
• small pinch of rosemary flakes

Directions:

In larger bowl, mix the warm water, salt, white sugar, and yeast until the yeast is dissolved in water. Let stand for a few minutes.

Add olive oil, flour, and rosemary to the liquid mixture and stir until the dough isn't sticky anymore. Take the dough and knead until the dough forms a ball, about 5-8 minutes.

Grease a large bowl with olive oil and turn the dough in the bowl until the dough is coated in oil. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let rise until the dough doubles in size, about 1-1 1/2 hours.

Lightly flour or use parchment lined baking sheets. Divide into 2 pieces, and form each into a 3x14 inch oval. Place loaves on prepared sheets, dimple surface, and lightly flour. Cover, and let rise in a draft free place for approximately 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

Dimple dough for a second time, and then place loaves in the oven, positioned on the middle rack. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. During baking, spritz loaves with water every 5 to 10 minutes for a crispier crust.

Fish Sandwich on Ciabatta Bread

Ingredients:

1 lb white fish (tilapia, cod, sole, etc)
1/3 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup bread crumbs or panko
salt and pepper or your favorite seasoning
1/3 cup oil

Directions:

Cut fish into 2-3 inches long pieces. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Dip it in flour, egg, then bread crumbs or panko.

Heat oil in large frying pan over high heat. Fry the breaded fish until the fish is cooked through and the breading turns golden brown, about 2 minutes each side.

Drain oil on paper toweled plate and serve on ciabatta bread as shown in the pictures above. Lettuce, sliced tomatoes, tarter sauce, or cocktail sauce go great with this sandwich.

Enjoy!!

When Fish Met Ciabatta Bread..

Good morning! Today, I'm happier than ever. Why? Because it's Friday!! Thank goodness, it's Friday. It's not that I had a bad week, really, but every Friday, I just feel more relaxed and jolly. My husband is coming home earlier from work and we are all going to a birthday party to one of our favorite restaurants. We're excited! I hope you all have a fantastic weekend, too!

Well, today, I'm going to post a great ciabatta bread recipe that I came across just a couple of weeks ago. I had never made any homemade buns before so I was pretty anxious to try it. I had some fish in my freezer and thought I'd make some delicious fish sandwiches for dinner.

So I started baking ciabatta bread.. I added a tiny bit of rosemary into the dough and it added a very unique flavor to the dough. I really liked it. My husband, on the other hand, prefers it without rosemary. So please don't feel obligated to add rosemary if you prefer it plain and simple. Either way, it tastes wonderful.

So the fish... a lot of people say that they don't eat fish at home because they don't know how to cook it. It's really not that hard. I wish they sold more whole fish at grocery stores because my mom used to cook it perfectly seasoned and tasty back in Korea. But I'll admit. I don't like cleaning whole fish. It is a lot of work. I don't want to touch or see fish's guts and eyes and... You get what I mean. Thank goodness, America is so good with selling fish all gutted and skinned. Back in Korea, you'll never see fish already cleaned like that. (Well, there's pros and cons to either way, I guess.) Anyway, so go and buy your favorite kind of fish... (I recommend white fish. Salmon has a strong flavor and probably not a good choice for a sandwich. But that's just my opinion.) Then flour it, dip it in beaten eggs, bread it in panko or bread crumbs, then fry it in oil. Oh it's so so yummy. Mmm.... So give it a try. The unique flavor of ciabatta bread went great with breaded fish. I'll definitely try it again sometime soon.


Ciabatta Bread:
Inspired and slightly changed from All Recipes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups warm (not hot) water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 1/4 cups bread flour or all purpose flour
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons yeast
• small pinch of rosemary flakes

Directions:

In larger bowl, mix the warm water, salt, white sugar, and yeast until the yeast is dissolved in water. Let stand for a few minutes.

Add olive oil, flour, and rosemary to the liquid mixture and stir until the dough isn't sticky anymore. Take the dough and knead until the dough forms a ball, about 5-8 minutes.

Grease a large bowl with olive oil and turn the dough in the bowl until the dough is coated in oil. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let rise until the dough doubles in size, about 1-1 1/2 hours.

Lightly flour or use parchment lined baking sheets. Divide into 2 pieces, and form each into a 3x14 inch oval. Place loaves on prepared sheets, dimple surface, and lightly flour. Cover, and let rise in a draft free place for approximately 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

Dimple dough for a second time, and then place loaves in the oven, positioned on the middle rack. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. During baking, spritz loaves with water every 5 to 10 minutes for a crispier crust.

Fish Sandwich on Ciabatta Bread

Ingredients:

1 lb white fish (tilapia, cod, sole, etc)
1/3 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup bread crumbs or panko
salt and pepper or your favorite seasoning
1/3 cup oil

Directions:

Cut fish into 2-3 inches long pieces. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Dip it in flour, egg, then bread crumbs or panko.

Heat oil in large frying pan over high heat. Fry the breaded fish until the fish is cooked through and the breading turns golden brown, about 2 minutes each side.

Drain oil on paper toweled plate and serve on ciabatta bread as shown in the pictures above. Lettuce, sliced tomatoes, tarter sauce, or cocktail sauce go great with this sandwich.

Enjoy!!

To Die For Blueberry Muffins

I'm going to admit. I'm not a huge fan of blueberries... I don't like to eat them raw. I think they kind of taste like feet. (Sorry but it's true) So the only way I'd eat blueberries is if they were cooked in some kind of batter. I don't know why but when they are cooked, they turn really sweet and they don't taste like feet anymore. (Does anyone agree with me on that?) The other day, I made some really yummy blueberry yogurt bread... and the combination of lemon and blueberries... well, it was heavenly. Then the blueberry pancakes.... Oh I can't tell you enough how much I enjoy them. And now... I made the best blueberry muffins! I'm serious. You'll know what I mean when you try them. My father-in-law (who almost rarely complements on other people's food) said that it was even better than normal bakery muffins, because, one, it tasted so good, two, it had so much more blueberries in them. That's always a plus. And I'll bet the muffins would taste great with raspberries, too, if you like raspberries. (For some reason, I don't really like cooked raspberries much. Yeah, I'm weird that way.) The crumbs on top of the muffins are also so wonderful so don't skip it!

Blueberry Muffins
From All Recipes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.

To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

Enjoy!!

To Die For Blueberry Muffins

I'm going to admit. I'm not a huge fan of blueberries... I don't like to eat them raw. I think they kind of taste like feet. (Sorry but it's true) So the only way I'd eat blueberries is if they were cooked in some kind of batter. I don't know why but when they are cooked, they turn really sweet and they don't taste like feet anymore. (Does anyone agree with me on that?) The other day, I made some really yummy blueberry yogurt bread... and the combination of lemon and blueberries... well, it was heavenly. Then the blueberry pancakes.... Oh I can't tell you enough how much I enjoy them. And now... I made the best blueberry muffins! I'm serious. You'll know what I mean when you try them. My father-in-law (who almost rarely complements on other people's food) said that it was even better than normal bakery muffins, because, one, it tasted so good, two, it had so much more blueberries in them. That's always a plus. And I'll bet the muffins would taste great with raspberries, too, if you like raspberries. (For some reason, I don't really like cooked raspberries much. Yeah, I'm weird that way.) The crumbs on top of the muffins are also so wonderful so don't skip it!

Blueberry Muffins
From All Recipes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.

To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

Enjoy!!

To Die For Blueberry Muffins

I'm going to admit. I'm not a huge fan of blueberries... I don't like to eat them raw. I think they kind of taste like feet. (Sorry but it's true) So the only way I'd eat blueberries is if they were cooked in some kind of batter. I don't know why but when they are cooked, they turn really sweet and they don't taste like feet anymore. (Does anyone agree with me on that?) The other day, I made some really yummy blueberry yogurt bread... and the combination of lemon and blueberries... well, it was heavenly. Then the blueberry pancakes.... Oh I can't tell you enough how much I enjoy them. And now... I made the best blueberry muffins! I'm serious. You'll know what I mean when you try them. My father-in-law (who almost rarely complements on other people's food) said that it was even better than normal bakery muffins, because, one, it tasted so good, two, it had so much more blueberries in them. That's always a plus. And I'll bet the muffins would taste great with raspberries, too, if you like raspberries. (For some reason, I don't really like cooked raspberries much. Yeah, I'm weird that way.) The crumbs on top of the muffins are also so wonderful so don't skip it!

Blueberry Muffins
From All Recipes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.

To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

Enjoy!!

Cinnamon Pumpkin Empanadas

Hello, everyone! I feel like a slacker. I haven't posted a new recipe in a while.. I have an excuse, though. I'm on vacation. Well, I'm visiting my in-laws in Pismo Beach with my husband and our little boy. We have been having a ton of fun together, going to the beach, walking down and up a cardiac hill (my in-laws' house is on top of a very, very steep hill, so we call it a cardiac hill. I walked up the hill once and I thought my heart was going to stop), reading a book, and cooking. It's been really good to be able to relax a little.

So we are heading back home tomorrow but I just couldn't wait to share one of my favorite recipes with you. We tried this a couple of weeks ago when we had a dinner with my sister-in-law's family. I had never made empanadas before up until this point. These empanadas were perfectly sweet and delicious. The dough was soft, too. It was a huge hit with my nephews!! I will definitely make these again, maybe around Thanksgiving time. The mix of cinnamon and pumpkin was so wonderful!

Cinnamon-Pumpkin Empanadas
Adapted from Recipe Zaar

Ingredients:

Pumpkin filling-
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)

Empanada Dough-

1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 (1/2 oz) packages dry yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups flour, divided in half
3/4 cup vegetable shortening

Directions:

For the filling: Mix ingredients together and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine water, sugar, salt, yeast, baking powder, and cinnamon. Using an electric mixer, gradually blend in half of the flour. Add shortening and thoroughly mix, then gradually blend in remaining flour.

Divide dough into 4 equal parts, then shape each of those parts into 4 dough balls. Slap the dough balls between the palms of your well-floured hands until somewhat flattened, then roll out on a floured surface into circles approximately 4 inches in diameter and 1/8-inch thick. Put about 1 1/2 tablespoons of pumpkin filling in the center of each circle, fold over, and seal edges by moistening slightly and pressing lightly with a fork on both sides.

Bake on a greased cookie sheet until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes (watch carefully as they can burn quickly).

Cinnamon Pumpkin Empanadas

Hello, everyone! I feel like a slacker. I haven't posted a new recipe in a while.. I have an excuse, though. I'm on vacation. Well, I'm visiting my in-laws in Pismo Beach with my husband and our little boy. We have been having a ton of fun together, going to the beach, walking down and up a cardiac hill (my in-laws' house is on top of a very, very steep hill, so we call it a cardiac hill. I walked up the hill once and I thought my heart was going to stop), reading a book, and cooking. It's been really good to be able to relax a little.

So we are heading back home tomorrow but I just couldn't wait to share one of my favorite recipes with you. We tried this a couple of weeks ago when we had a dinner with my sister-in-law's family. I had never made empanadas before up until this point. These empanadas were perfectly sweet and delicious. The dough was soft, too. It was a huge hit with my nephews!! I will definitely make these again, maybe around Thanksgiving time. The mix of cinnamon and pumpkin was so wonderful!

Cinnamon-Pumpkin Empanadas
Adapted from Recipe Zaar

Ingredients:

Pumpkin filling-
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)

Empanada Dough-

1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 (1/2 oz) packages dry yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups flour, divided in half
3/4 cup vegetable shortening

Directions:

For the filling: Mix ingredients together and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine water, sugar, salt, yeast, baking powder, and cinnamon. Using an electric mixer, gradually blend in half of the flour. Add shortening and thoroughly mix, then gradually blend in remaining flour.

Divide dough into 4 equal parts, then shape each of those parts into 4 dough balls. Slap the dough balls between the palms of your well-floured hands until somewhat flattened, then roll out on a floured surface into circles approximately 4 inches in diameter and 1/8-inch thick. Put about 1 1/2 tablespoons of pumpkin filling in the center of each circle, fold over, and seal edges by moistening slightly and pressing lightly with a fork on both sides.

Bake on a greased cookie sheet until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes (watch carefully as they can burn quickly).

Cinnamon Pumpkin Empanadas

Hello, everyone! I feel like a slacker. I haven't posted a new recipe in a while.. I have an excuse, though. I'm on vacation. Well, I'm visiting my in-laws in Pismo Beach with my husband and our little boy. We have been having a ton of fun together, going to the beach, walking down and up a cardiac hill (my in-laws' house is on top of a very, very steep hill, so we call it a cardiac hill. I walked up the hill once and I thought my heart was going to stop), reading a book, and cooking. It's been really good to be able to relax a little.

So we are heading back home tomorrow but I just couldn't wait to share one of my favorite recipes with you. We tried this a couple of weeks ago when we had a dinner with my sister-in-law's family. I had never made empanadas before up until this point. These empanadas were perfectly sweet and delicious. The dough was soft, too. It was a huge hit with my nephews!! I will definitely make these again, maybe around Thanksgiving time. The mix of cinnamon and pumpkin was so wonderful!

Cinnamon-Pumpkin Empanadas
Adapted from Recipe Zaar

Ingredients:

Pumpkin filling-
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)

Empanada Dough-

1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 (1/2 oz) packages dry yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups flour, divided in half
3/4 cup vegetable shortening

Directions:

For the filling: Mix ingredients together and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine water, sugar, salt, yeast, baking powder, and cinnamon. Using an electric mixer, gradually blend in half of the flour. Add shortening and thoroughly mix, then gradually blend in remaining flour.

Divide dough into 4 equal parts, then shape each of those parts into 4 dough balls. Slap the dough balls between the palms of your well-floured hands until somewhat flattened, then roll out on a floured surface into circles approximately 4 inches in diameter and 1/8-inch thick. Put about 1 1/2 tablespoons of pumpkin filling in the center of each circle, fold over, and seal edges by moistening slightly and pressing lightly with a fork on both sides.

Bake on a greased cookie sheet until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes (watch carefully as they can burn quickly).

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancake

This wonderful blueberry buttermilk pancakes is our family's favorite breakfast. The pancakes are so flaky, they literally melt in your mouth. Substitute with raspberries or blackberries if desired. Oh, one more thing, if you're trying to avoid having too much sugar, try agave brand syrup. It's sugar free but still very tasty. It's become my favorite kind of syrup now.

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancake
Recipe from Arlyn

Ingredients:

1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons salad oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Blueberries, fresh or frozen

Direction:

Beat egg. Add remaining ingredients in order listed and beat with rotary beater until smooth.

Grease heated griddle if necessary. Pour batter from tip of large spoon or from pitcher onto hot griddle. Top the batter with 4-6 fresh or frozen blueberries. Turn panckaes as soon as they are puffed and full of bubbles but before bubbles break. Bake other side until golden brown.

Enjoy!!

Direction:

Beat egg. Add remaining ingredients in order listed and beat with rotary beater until smooth.

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancake

This wonderful blueberry buttermilk pancakes is our family's favorite breakfast. The pancakes are so flaky, they literally melt in your mouth. Substitute with raspberries or blackberries if desired. Oh, one more thing, if you're trying to avoid having too much sugar, try agave brand syrup. It's sugar free but still very tasty. It's become my favorite kind of syrup now.

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancake
Recipe from Arlyn

Ingredients:

1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons salad oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Blueberries, fresh or frozen

Direction:

Beat egg. Add remaining ingredients in order listed and beat with rotary beater until smooth.

Grease heated griddle if necessary. Pour batter from tip of large spoon or from pitcher onto hot griddle. Top the batter with 4-6 fresh or frozen blueberries. Turn panckaes as soon as they are puffed and full of bubbles but before bubbles break. Bake other side until golden brown.

Enjoy!!

Direction:

Beat egg. Add remaining ingredients in order listed and beat with rotary beater until smooth.

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancake

This wonderful blueberry buttermilk pancakes is our family's favorite breakfast. The pancakes are so flaky, they literally melt in your mouth. Substitute with raspberries or blackberries if desired. Oh, one more thing, if you're trying to avoid having too much sugar, try agave brand syrup. It's sugar free but still very tasty. It's become my favorite kind of syrup now.

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancake
Recipe from Arlyn

Ingredients:

1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons salad oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Blueberries, fresh or frozen

Direction:

Beat egg. Add remaining ingredients in order listed and beat with rotary beater until smooth.

Grease heated griddle if necessary. Pour batter from tip of large spoon or from pitcher onto hot griddle. Top the batter with 4-6 fresh or frozen blueberries. Turn panckaes as soon as they are puffed and full of bubbles but before bubbles break. Bake other side until golden brown.

Enjoy!!

Direction:

Beat egg. Add remaining ingredients in order listed and beat with rotary beater until smooth.