Sunday Dinner: Blueberry Empanadas

Last week I made this Empanada recipe featured in Cooking Light.  The whole family raved…they were tasty.  I was left with remaining frozen pie crust, so I searched the web for some inspiration.  It dawned on me that I had a bag of frozen blueberries in my freezer, leftover from a brief smoothie phase I experienced.  I found this recipe from an actual blueberry farm, with a few substitutions:

• Cut the Granny Smith apples
• I used a package of cranberries and walnuts (the kind used as salad toppings).
• Instead of regular butter, I used yogurt butter (Brummel and Brown).
• Serve warm with a side of ice cream!

Linbo’s Blueberries Recipe #36: Blueberry Empanadas Printer-friendly

2 cups blueberries
1 cup finely copped, pared tart apple (such as Granny Smith)
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
dash salt
12 each 4 1/2 inch pastry round
1 tablespoon butter
Cinnamon-sugar for dusting 

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine apple, walnuts, sugar, flour, cinnamon, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl and mix well. Gently fold in berries. Place 2 tablespoons berry filling on half of each

4 1/2” pastry round, leaving about 1/2 inch along edges. Fold the other half of pastry over filled half, moisten edges and seal by pressing with fork. Repeat this procedure until all rounds are folded and sealed. Combine 2 tablespoons sugar with 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Brush each empanada with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Bake on greased cookie sheet 18 – 20 Minutes or until golden brown.

Sunday Dinner: Oven Baked BBQ Ribs

I found this recipe online here.  It’s truly amazing!  I followed the recipe to a T!  Side dishes were Au Gratin Potatoes (Weight Watchers recipe), and leftover broccoli salad.   Since the ribs took 3 hours and you have to baby sit them, it’s the perfect recipe for a chores-type Sunday.  Next time I’ll invite family over, but wanted to give my first stab at making oven ribs a dress rehearsal first!  Enjoy!

Original Recipe Yield 4 to 8 servings

Ingredients

• 2 cups sliced onions
• 2 cups ketchup
• 2 cups water
• 4 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 4 teaspoons dry mustard
• 4 pounds pork spareribs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, combine onions, ketchup, water, salt, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, vinegar and mustard. Split ribs down the center between the bones.
3. Heat a large lightly oiled skillet over medium-high heat. Add ribs and sear until browned. This may have to be done in several batches.
4. Place ribs in a single layer in two baking pans or casserole dishes. Pour half of the sauce over the ribs, reserve remainder.
5. Bake ribs in preheated oven for 3 hours. Turn and baste meat every twenty minutes with remaining sauce, using all sauce by two hours. Continue turning and basting ribs using sauce in the pan during the last hour of baking.

Super Easy Easter Treats

I wish I could claim this idea as my own, but unfortunately I cannot.  I must give credit to Lauren at Hems and Herbs for this fun concept that I put my own Easter spin on!  Easter is one of my top three holidays, so any excuse to make treats I’ll take!

Here’s your list of ingredients/instructions:

• White chocolate chips.  I used Ghirardelli Classic White Chips.
• Pretzel sticks (the Rods…break them in half).

• Pastel colored sprinkles
• Wax paper

Heat the chocolate chips on the stovetop or microwave until melted.  Dip the sticks in the white chocolate.  Lay to dry on the wax paper.  Sprinkle with SPRINKLES!!!

And voila…you get this:

I think they are fun, cute…and did I mention EASY!  Thanks again to Lauren for the idea!