Use a turnover maker to make empanadas. To keep it simple, use 2 cans of 10 count buttermilk biscuits. Just roll them out slightly to make a circle that will fit your press. But puff pastry makes for a more impressive crust if serving for a function. The fillings is when the fun starts. Make 3 or 4 fillings each time. Here are some faves:

Chinese Chicken
cooked cubed chicken
water chestnuts
any left over veggies in the fridge
House of Tsang Stir Fry sauce
Mix well and place 1 -2 tablespoons of filling on dough and press til sealed. Brush top with butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

BarBQ
any type of beef--cooked hamburger, brisket, etc (have used leftover ribs also)
Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce
finely diced onions
Cheddar or American cheese
Mix well and place 1 -2 tablespoons of filling on dough and press til sealed. Brush top with butter and sprinkle with dried onions.

Pizza
cooked hamburger, pepperoni, sausage, etc
finely diced onions, bell peppers, and/or mushrooms
store bought pizza sauce
mozzarella cheese
Mix well and place 1 -2 tablespoons of filling on dough and press til sealed. Brush top with butter and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and parsley

Cheeseburger
cooked hamburger, crumbled bacon if desired
ketchup
mustard
finely diced onion
American or cheddar cheese
Mix well and place 1 -2 tablespoons of filling on dough and press til sealed. Brush top with butter and sprinkle with crumbled bacon.

Ham And Cheese
cubed ham
cubed American cheese
a squirt of honey mustard or dijon
Mix well and place 1 -2 tablespoons of filling on dough and press til sealed. Brush top with butter and sprinkle with poppy seeds.

Chicken Cordon Bleu
cooked cubed chicken
cubed ham
Swiss cheese
light squirt of dijon
Mix well and place 1 -2 tablespoons of filling on dough and press til sealed. Brush top with butter and sprinkle with Swiss cheese.

Cheesesteak
Shredded deli roast beef or SteakUm's
cooked onions and green peppers
shredded provolone or Cheez Whiz
Mix well and place 1 -2 tablespoons of filling on dough and press til sealed. Brush top with butter and sprinkle with onions.

Mexican
Cooked chicken or hamburger
shredded Mexican cheese blend
frozen corn
kidney or pinto beans
salsa
Mix well and place 1 -2 tablespoons of filling on dough and press til sealed. Brush top with butter and sprinkle with cheese.

This is a fun dinner for the family when served with a salad.

Do you bake them or do you fry them?

I fry them, but I guess you could bake them too.

When I make empanadas, I use my pie crust recipe. If I'm using a meat filling I just put a little bit of sugar in the crust recipe. It compliments the meat very well. Then I bake them like cookies, on a cookie sheet. They make a great appetizer at parties.

M

My son and his friend had homework for Spanish class today. They had to do a 5 course meal of Hispanic food. One of the courses was empanadas. Here's how beautiful they were. They did a great job!

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1...d/P4270118.jpg

Yummmmmmmm! I love pie crust Empanadas. I sometimes put meat in them but most of the time i just use mashed potatoes. My husband LOVES these and so does everyone else to whom we have served them. I hadn't thought of using them for an appetizer but I'm sure they would be great. Thanks for sharing and thanks for the picture. The kids did a GREAT JOB on them.