
Some call these empanada’s, some call these chebureki, either way these fried tortillas with a meat filling inside are a great appetizer and snack. Could also be eaten for dinner. I made a batch of these for a Super Bowl party this year and they were a big hit! These are convenient to bring to a get together/party, because they can be cooked in advance and you just pop them in the oven to preheat them. I do have another recipe for tortillas with meat filling on the blog, but this is my go to, easier version recipe. These are best served hot, and reheat very well in the oven. I actually like them best preheated in the oven on 300 degrees for about 10 mins as they get extra crispy this way!
Empanada’s (Fried tortillas with meat filling) {Yields 18}
Ingredients:
- 1 LB Ground Chicken or Turkey (I just use 2LB Ground Turkey now as we found it to be our favorite)
- 1 LB Ground Beef
- 1 Onion (pureed in food processor)
- 1 pack of Raw, Uncooked, Tortilla’s (Can be bought in refrigerator section in Costco, Walmart, a few other grocery stores) Should be about 18 tortillas
- Spices: 1 1/2 tsp Salt, 1/4 tsp Garlic Salt, 1/8 tsp Pepper, 1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash (Or any salt free seasoning of your choice)
Directions:
1) Put ground chicken and ground beef in a big bowl. Puree 1 Onion in the food processor (or shred it using a shredder) and add to the bowl of ground meat. Add the spices and mix thoroughly.

2) Set up an empanada making station. I set up a big sheet of foil on the counter with the tortillas, the bowl of meat filling, and a small cup with water and a brush (to stick the tortillas together).

3) Lay each tortilla out and fill with meat mixture, one by one. I add about 2 TBS of meat filling to each tortilla. Brush the outline circle of the tortilla with water using the brush. Stick both sides of the tortilla together and seal tightly by pressing on ends with a fork. This also makes a nice rigid design. Set the done emanada’s aside. Set a pan with enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan, on Medium heat (I did 5.5) and let the oil heat up.
4) Once oil heats up and starts fizzing a bit, add 2 empanada’s at a time to the pan. Fry on each side until golden (about 3 Minutes per side). Have a tray lined with paper towels or napkins to put the fried empanada’s on so the extra oil would drain off.

Serve hot. To reheat place in the oven for 10 minutes on 300 to 350 Degrees until hot and crispy!


This is a simple step by step recipe for how to cook lobster tails. Besides crab legs, this is my favorite thing to eat! I was very nervous cooking them myself the first time because I thought it must be some long and complicated process, however lobster tails are by far the easiest things to cook and so quick. I came up with this recipe myself, and the lobster tails turn out perfect every time! I like to pair these with cilantro garlic green beans and simple mashed potatoes (you can find both of these recipes on my blog). My husband and I cooked this meal together for a Valentine’s Day date at home! We had a wonderful evening cooking together, enjoying the meal and good conversation, a bottle of our favorite wine, and ending the night by cuddling and relaxing on the couch watching a romantic comedy. We had a great Valentine’s Day date for sure!!!
Directions:







This is hands down, the best home made Mac & Cheese that I have ever tried. I came up with this recipe in an attempt to make yummy home made Mac & Cheese because it’s currently my 5 year old’s favorite food and I didn’t want to keep making it from the box. I made some last week when our friends were over for dinner and it was a big hit! I have never seen anyone eat as much Mac & Cheese as my friend’s husband did! That is the best compliment a chef can get, when all the food gets devoured! They said it was the cheesiest and best Mac & Cheese they have ever eaten. Not oily, and extra cheesy. I wasn’t shy with the cheese that’s for sure and that is the secret behind this recipe, 2 blocks of a good sharp cheddar cheese, 1 small (4 oz) block Velveta cheese (optional) and a good brand of macaroni. This dish will be a big hit for sure and it’s so easy to make. I hope you love it, just as much as my family and friends do! I am posting now in time for Christmas, as it has been requested. I know this will definitely be a dish I have on all my Holiday tables from now on.









Borscht is a popular Ukrainian soup that I grew up eating. It seems that every family has adapted their own favorite recipes of this soup. I have the classic Borscht soup (with meat) recipe posted earlier but this vegetable version is a new recipe I got from my friend Lidiya. This is our new favorite recipe for this soup just because it’s so much lighter tasting with no meat and the veggies are finely chopped not shredded so they provide so much more flavor! I made a pig pot of this soup to last us a few days and it was so delicious and perfect healthy comfort food for this cold weather. Feel free to adapt this recipe to your preferences and add or omit anything you like. I enjoy hearing your feedback and ideas!
Directions:

This is the best Wonton soup that my hubby and I have ever tried. I have literally been making this for dinner 3 nights in a row now. It is so tasty I could probably eat it every single day lol. It took me a lot of experimenting and finally, through trial and error I came up with this wonderful recipe. Surprisingly, this Wonton soup is very easy and quick to make. Perfect for busy weekday evenings and great to make ahead as you can make and freeze the wonton’s and make the broth any time you are ready to cook the soup. This is the perfect comfort food for such cold evenings as now, delicious and nutritious! The best part is you can find all these ingredients at any grocery store, so no need to go to international or Asian stores. I am excited to share this recipe with you all!
Directions:









These mini baked appetizer sandwiches are loaded with cheese, and ham. These are quick and easy to make and one of the yummiest appetizers ever! I got the recipe from my friend Irina, when we were over their house for dinner and she made these. I couldn’t get enough! Of course I had to get the recipe to share with you guys! I wanted to post this recipe right on time before the Holidays, as we all need great appetizer recipes for entertaining. Enjoy!
Directions:















