TIME TO COOK MY TRADITIONAL FOODS. TODAY, EMPANADILLAS!

There’s nothing better in the whole world than to acknowledge who I am, where I came from, what I ate growing up and how proud I am of all of it. My food is amazing and my husband and I were successful in passing on these traditions and values to our 3 children and all our 9 grandchildren. Oh, and their spouses love it too, smile. BOOM!
 
Category:  Entrée/Hors d” oeuvres or a mere snack!
Approx. Prep and Cook Time:   30 Minutes
Approximate Cost:    $13.95 0r $1.40 per single serving
Difficulty Level:  Easy
Allergens, Other: I Hope that GOYA develop a Gluten Free Empanadilla Dough Disk! Soon!
Servings: 10 Empanadillas
 
Ingredients
1 lb. 95% lean ground beef ($8.15)
2 tsp. Angie’s Dry Seasonings (.30)
2 tsp. Angie’s Basting Olive Oil (.50)
3 large garlic cloves, chopped (.15)
½ red onion, chopped (.35)
2 Sofrito (frozen or fresh) disks (.50)
¼ c. Tomato sauce (.20)
1/3 c. Roasted red peppers (Pimentos) (.50)
1/3 c. capers, drained (.50)
1 pk. Goya Empanadilla Dough Disks ($2.80)
 
Directions
Briefly, sauté the red onion and garlic in a skillet with my basting olive oil over med-high.
Add the ground beef and break it apart until all the chunks disappear and looks smooth.
Add the tomato sauce, roasted peppers, Sofrito, capers and my dry seasoning. Stir and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside to cool down.
When the meat is almost at room temperature, open the Empanadilla disk packet, pick one, place it on your counter top and flatten it with a roller.
Add about a tbsp. of the meat on one side of the disk (remember that we are going to fold them) and not too close to the edge. (Also, you can add a slice of hardboiled egg.)
With your wet finger or a small brush, rub water on the whole edge of the disk, (that will work as your glue.)
Fold the other half of the dough on top of the meat and make sure that it is almost a perfect half-moon with no open space anywhere. (If you leave a space open, when you fry it, the oil will penetrate the disk and the empanadilla will become soggy.)
Finally, with a fork, press the dough all the way to double seal it.
Make sure that when you finish assembling your empanadilla, you stack them with protection in between with parchment or even the same plastic separators that comes in the disks packet.
At this point you can do any of these things:
 

1. Pack them with the wrapper separators and place them in a zip log bag to freeze them for a later day use. Or
2. Prepare a fryer or skillet over med-high, add at least 1 ½ inches of oil to deep fry them. They fry very quick and you will see how the crunch is formatting before your eyes, smile.

 
Enjoy these yummies!!!!
 
Angie’s Dry Seasonings: http://www.angieslifehacks.com/family-life/oven-roasted-bacon-chicken-and-angies-seasonings
Angie’s Basting Olive Oil:  www.angieslifehacks.com/cuisine/the-flavor-series-recipe-2-angies-basting-olive-oil