Chicken Empanada

Chicken Empanada is a type of pastry that is stuffed with chicken meat, potato, carrots, and sweet peas. This is made by placing the  filling in the middle of a flattened dough and sealing it by pinching and folding the edges. Similar types of Empanadas are also common in Spain and South America. In fact, the Cuban Picadillo almost resembles the Filipino Empanada in ingredients and taste.

Empanada can be fried or baked. This chicken empanada recipe is involves baking because it gives the crust more flaky texture. If you prefer your emapanada fried, you can always deep fry this chicken empanada.

Try this extra-ordinary Empanada recipe. Send us your feedback.

Ingredients

Filling

1 1/2 lb boneless chicken breast, cut into cubes
1 piece medium-sized onion, minced
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 cup potato, diced
1 cup carrot, diced
1 cup green peas
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp sugar
1/2 piece chicken cube
2 tbsp cooking oil

Dough

3 cups flour
4 tbsp sugar
6 tbsp water, cold
1 piece raw egg
1 cup butter, cold
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Cooking Procedure

Make the Filing by pouring the cooking oil in a pan and then allow it to heat-up

Once the oil is hot, saute the garlic and onions

Add the chicken breast then cook until color turns light brown (about 5 minutes)

Add water and chicken cube then simmer for 10 minutes

Put-in carrots and potatoes and simmer for 5 minutesAdd the green peas, raisins, and sugar then simmer for another 5 minutesSprinkle salt and pepper.

Turn off the heat, drain the excess liquid, and set aside.

Make the dough by combining the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl starting with the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix well using a wire whisk.

Cut the butter into small thin pieces place in the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients.(the butter should be cold and solid before doing this)

Add water gradually and mix all the ingredients thoroughly until a dough is formed.

You may use a pastry blender to easen the process.Divide the dough into individual pieces by grabbing a piece from the whole mixture and rolling it in your hand until a spherical shape is formed.

Do this until all the dough is consumed. Set aside in a cool place for at least 20 minutesFlatten the spherical dough py pressing it with your palm against a flat surface.

Use a rolling pin to flatten it fully while creating a round shape.Arrange about a quarter to half a cup of filling (the chicken that you cooked in the first few steps) at the middle of the flattened dough. Fold the dough so that opposite ends meet (you should have formed a half moon shaped dough)then press the edges and seal.

After all the fillings are consumed, crack the egg and separate the white from the yolk. Beat the egg white lightly and mix a little water.Glaze the crust by brushing the egg wash.

Put a wax paper on top of a baking tray or grease the baking tray then arranged the sealed doughs.Pre-heat oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.

Bake the sealed doughs for 25 minutes at the same temperature.

Remove from the oven.

Serve hot. Share and Enjoy!

Chocolate Marble Cake

Marble Cake I first learn when I search on Internet about cake types. There I find marble cake and then I start thinking why it called Marble Cake. It's  just one of  a stupid question I always ask to myself.
Today its tea time treat lets learn how it made. Truth to be told I really enjoy my first making of marble cake.

Ingredients:
225g butter, softened
225g caster sugar
4 eggs
225g self-raising flour
3 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp cocoa powder

Method:

1.Heat oven to 180C/gas 160C/gas 4. Grease a 20cm cake tin and line the bottom with a circle of greaseproof paper. If you want to make life easy, simply put all the ingredients (except the cocoa powder) into a food processor and whizz for 1-2 mins until smooth. If you prefer to mix by hand, beat the butter and sugar together, then add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Fold through the flour, milk and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth.

2.Divide the mixture between 2 bowls. Stir the cocoa powder into the mixture in one of the bowls. Take 2 spoons and use them to dollop the chocolate and vanilla cake mixes into the tin alternately. When all the mixture has been used up (and if young kids are doing this, you’ll need to ensure the base of the tin is fairly evenly covered), tap the bottom on your work surface to ensure that there aren’t any air bubbles. Take a skewer and swirl it around the mixture in the tin a few times to create a marbled effect.

3.Bake the cake for 45-55 mins until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Turn out onto a cooling rack and leave to cool. Will keep for 3 days in an airtight container or freeze for up to 3 months.

Vegetable Empanada

Empanadas pastry shell turnovers made by folding dough over a filling, sealing it, and cooking it, either by baking or frying. Just about every Caribbean island has a recipe for sweet or savory fillings.

Every tasty empanada starts with the dough. In Latin Caribbean cooking you'll come across two types of dough. One is simple flour dough much like a pie crust and the other is reddish yellow dough made with yucca. You can use either dough interchangeably, but for beginners, try the simple flour dough first.

Empanada Dough:

Ingredients

3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold water
1 egg
1 egg white
1 teaspoon vinegar
3 tablespoons shortening

Dough preparation:

In a bowl, beat the water, egg, egg white and vinegar together. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix together the 3 cups of flour and salt.

Cut the shortening into the flour mix with a pastry blender or two butter knives. Make a well in the center of the flour mix and pour the liquid ingredients from the first bowl into the center.

empanada filling ingredients:

Cabbage 1cup,chopped
Carrot 1 cup ,chopped
Spinach 2 cup,boiled
4 potatoes,boiled
2 eggs,boiled
Scallion half cup
Salt for taste
Red chilli powder 1 teaspoon
Black pepper 2 teaspoon
Chicken powder 2 tablespoon
Tomato chilli sauce 4 tablespoon

Filling preparation:

Sauté all the vegetables,then add black pepper,salt,red chilli powder,chicken powder and sauté for 3 minutes

Then add all sauté ingredients to bowl, add boiled mashed potatoes and tomato chilli sauce and in last add boiled eggs finely chopped,mix it well

Now take one tablespoon full of mixture and wrap it in empanada sheets and give them whatever shape you want to give.

Then preheat oven to 375F and bake them till 18-25 minutes. The Empanadas are ready once they are golden, serve them with your favourite sauce.

Chocolate Pound Cake

A Chocolate Pound Cake is moist and buttery with just the right amount of chocolate flavor. This is one cake that does not need a frosting. While my favorite way to eat this cake is plain, it makes a very nice dessert when served with fresh berries and a dollop of softly whipped cream.

This Chocolate Pound Cake gets its chocolate flavor from cocoa powder. When adding the cocoa powder to the cake batter, we first need to dissolve it in boiling water and this is done to bring out its full flavor. Now, there are two types of unsweetened cocoa powder: natural and Dutch-processed. For this recipe we are using Dutch-Processed or Alkalized Unsweetened Cocoa Powder which is treated with an alkali to neutralize its acids. Because it is neutral and does not react with baking soda, it is used in recipes that contain baking powder, unless there are other acidic ingredients in sufficient quantities used. It has a reddish-brown color, mild flavor, and is easy to dissolve in liquids. And remember, just like chocolate, each brand of Dutch processed cocoa powder has its own unique flavor which will affect the flavor of the cake.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup (25 grams) unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1/4 cup (60 ml) boiling hot water

1 1/2 cups (180 grams) cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Butter or spray with a non stick vegetable spray, a loaf pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.

In a bowl mix the cocoa powder into the boiling water until smooth. Let cool to room temperature.

In a separate bowl, sift the cake flour with the baking powder and salt.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until softened (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract and cooled cocoa mixture. With the mixer on low add the flour mixture and mix only until combined.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake for about 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan, re-invert, and cool completely on wire rack.

Will keep, well wrapped, several days at room temperature or it can be frozen for a month or two.

Makes one loaf.

Simple Pound Cake

 The name 'pound' was given to this cake because the original recipes contained one pound of butter, one pound of sugar, one pound of eggs, and one pound of flour. While the pound cakes we make today often have different proportions from the original, they are still wonderfully rich, moist, and buttery with a lovely golden brown crust.

Whether you enjoy a slice of this cake plain with just a dusting of powdered sugar or with whipped cream or ice cream, it is truly a king among cakes. You might also like to try toasting a slice or, an even better idea, is to make grilled pound cake. Jane Rodmell in her book 'Best Summer Weekends' tells us to beat an egg with two tablespoons each of milk and Grand Marnier and then dip each slice of cake into this mixture, as you would French Toast. Then place the slices of cake on the grill, browning each side. Serve for dessert along with fresh berries and whipped cream. Absolutely delicious.

ingredients:

3 large eggs, room temperature

3 tablespoons milk, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups (150 grams) sifted cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar

13 tablespoons (1/2 cup + 1/3 cup) (185 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

Method Pound Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) line the pan with butter paper

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and vanilla extract.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), place the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar) and mix on low speed for about 30 seconds or until blended. Add the butter and half of the egg mixture. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for about one minute to aerate and develop the cake's structure. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Gradually add the remaining egg mixture, in 2 additions, beating about 30 seconds after each addition to incorporate the egg and strengthen the cake's structure.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake for about 55 to 65 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you find the cake browning too much as it bakes, cover with a piece of lightly buttered aluminum foil after about 30 minutes.

Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and cool completely on a lightly buttered wire rack.

The Pound Cake can be covered and stored for several days at room temperature, for one week when refrigerated, or it can be frozen for two months.

Classic Banana Bread

Banana bread has been on our to-do list for quite some time now. It’s a classic and we knew we couldn’t miss the opportunity to share our own version with you. There are no surprises in our banana bread recipe — you’ll find mashed bananas, flour, butter, eggs and baking soda.

The Best Banana Bread Recipe Starts with the Best Bananas

No matter what recipe you use, remember this. There is no point in baking up a batch of banana bread without using ripe bananas. In fact if you can wait a day for browned, overripe and speckled bananas, it’s even better. If your bananas are still green, wait a day or two. You won’t regret it.
It’s the bananas that make banana bread so moist, sweet and flavorful.

nce you’re ready with your bananas, the rest of the recipe comes together quickly. You definitely don’t need a mixer to make banana bread — a fork or spatula works perfectly fine.

Treat the batter like muffin or pancake batter. Don’t over mix. You’re only looking to mix everything together until you no longer see streaks of flour. This way, the bread stays on the lighter, moister side instead of heavy and flat.

Prep time:15 minutes

Cook time:1 hour

Total time:1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups (210 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 medium bananas (heavily speckled or even black bananas are best)
1/2 cup (113 grams or 1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3/4 cup (150 grams) packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

Center a rack in the oven and heat to 350º F. Butter and flour an 8 1/2- x 4 1/2- x 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Place the pan on an insulated baking sheet or on two regular baking sheets stacked on top of the other.

Make Batter: Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together, set aside.In the bottom of a medium bowl, mash bananas into a chunky paste. Whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla into the bananas until blended.
Switch to a large rubber spatula. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, stirring gently until they disappear and the batter is smooth.

Bake Banana Bread: Pour batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake 55 to 75 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.After 30 minutes in the oven, check the bread for color. If it looks like it is browning too quickly, loosely cover with aluminum foil.When the bread is done, transfer it, in the pan, to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Unmold the bread and place right side up on the rack. Cool completely.

For Storing: It’s best to wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature overnight or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (Since it’s just the two of us, we store in the refrigerator then when we want a slice we’ll give it a couple minutes in our toaster oven to warm up).

3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

 I had a normal recipe ready for us to try, when she suggested that we make the “easy” version – 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies.

Eh?

Sure enough, they emerged as delicious little cookies!! Granted, they are definitely much crumblier than traditional peanut butter cookies. But the flavor is there, the look is pretty much identical, and sure enough they were just as irresistible to us cookie lovers as any yummy cookies. So if you are ever in a time crunch, or an ingredient crunch, or just want to try these little baking miracles for yourself, I highly recommend these 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies!

Prep Time: 4 minutes

Cook Time: 6 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 24-36 cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup peanut butter (crunchy or creamy)

1 cup sugar (plus extra for dipping if desired)

1 egg

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Using an electric mixer or a strong spoon, mix together the peanut butter, white sugar and egg until smooth.

Form dough into round tablespoon-fulls. Then roll in an extra bowl of sugar, if desired, to coat the outside of the dough ball. Place on the baking sheet at least 2 inches apart, and then use a fork to flatten and form a cross pattern.

Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cookies are just slightly browned on the botton, being careful not to over-bake. Remove and let cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.