Spinach Empanadas

Makes 60 empanadas

Pastry:
Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 C butter or margarine, softened
2 1/2 C flour
1/2 tsp salt

Filling:
1/4 C finely chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 to 5 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (reserve 1 T bacon drippings)
One 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
One 8-ounce container cottage cheese (1 C)
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 egg, beaten

To make the pastry:
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and the butter or margarine with an electric mixer until smooth.  Gradually beat in the flour and salt.  Knead the dough lightly by hand.  Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours.

To make the filling:
In a medium skillet, cook the onion and garlic in the reserved bacon dripping for 3 to 4 minutes or until the onion is tender but not brown.  Stir in the crumbled bacon, the spinach, cottage cheese, pepper, and nutmeg.  Let the mixture cool.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry until it is 1/8" thick.  Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter, cut out as many pastry circles as possible.  Place 1 teaspoon of the filling on one half of each pastry circle.  Moisten the edges of the circle with the egg and fold the other half of the circle over the filling.

Place the pastries on ungreased baking sheets.  Gently seal the edges of the empanadas with the tines of a fork.  Brush the empanadas with the egg.  Use the tines of a fork to prick a small vent in each.  Bake in the 450 deg. oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until the empanadas are golden.

**Can use any filling you like!

Fold-overs

Use any basic bread dough recipe.  Place on an oiled or floured baking sheet.  Do NOT proof.  Bake right away at 350 deg. for 30 - 35 minutes.

Bottom layer:  veggies, tomato slices, sauce, herbs

Apple slices, fruits

Top layer:  cheese, nuts, spices

Form a rectangle.  Score lines with dividing the rectangle into fourths.  In the center half, put the bottom layer filling of your choice.  Fold over one of the "fourth" sides onto the center layer.  Put a spoonful of the top layer filling.  Fold again to form a pocket.  Bake.

Herb Crescent Rolls

1 tsp basil                                                                     1/2 tsp dill seed
1/8 tsp garlic powder                                                    8 ounce cream cheese
1 tsp chives                                                                   1 egg
1 tsp parsley                                                                  Poppy seed

Mix together basil, garlic powder, chives, parsley, dill and cream cheese.  Spoon 1 tsp on the end of a crescent roll and roll up.  Brush with egg wash if desired and sprinkle with poppy seeds.  Bake according to crescent roll package.

French toast (King's Bakery)

4 eggs                                                                     1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 C sugar                                                             1/8 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp cinnamon                                                    1/2 C evaporated milk (diluted)
1/2 tsp vanilla                                                         1 T liquid shortening

Slice bread.  Allow to dry.  Blend all ingredients well.  Stir ingredients each time to keep the spices blended before dipping each slice rapidly on both sides.  DO NOT SOAK.  Place dipped bread into a heated skillet.  Turn when golden brown.

For a special treat, add grated orange rind to ingredients before blended.

Pancakes

1 C flour                                                     1 egg, slightly beaten
2 T sugar                                                    1 C milk
2 tsp baking powder                                   2 T butter, melted
1/2 tsp salt                                                  1 tsp vanilla

Combine dry ingredients.  In another bowl, combine remaining ingredients.  Add dry ones and stir until just combined.  Preheat griddle.  Cook pancakes!

Bacon and Corn Muffins

1 1/2 C flour                                         1/2 C each milk and honey
1/2 C yellow cornmeal                         1/2 C margarine, melted
1 T baking powder                                8 ounce bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 tsp salt                                             1/2 C corn
2 eggs

In large bowl, mix flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.  In small bowl, beat eggs with fork; beat in milk, honey, and butter.  Add to flour mixture.  Stir just until blended.  Fold in bacon and corn.  Fill greased muffin pans 2/3 full (or use cupcake liners).  Bake in preheated 400 deg. oven until pick inserted in center comes out clean.  15 to 20 minutes for muffins, 30 to 35 minutes or 9" square corn bread.

Welsh Cakes (from Cindy Bell)

2 C flour                                           1/2 C margarine
1/2 C sugar                                       1/2 C currants
2 tsp baking powder                         1/4 C mixed peel, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt                                        1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 tsp nutmeg                                 1/3 C milk
1/4 tsp cinnamon

In large bowl, put flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.  Cut in butter until crumbly.  Stir in currants and peel.  Add eggs and milk.  Stir to form ball of dough.  Roll 1/4" thick on floured surface.  Cut into 2" or 3" rounds.  Fry in frying pan over medium heat browning both sides.  Pan should be lower temperature than for frying pancakes.  Serve cold.  Makes 2 to 3 dozen.

Good with raisins but better with currants.
I made this on May 24, 2018.  I could not find currants or mixed peel so I used raisins and other dried fruit.  Perhaps this is what made it sweeter than I'd like.  Not sure I'd make it again.  :(