The Ultimate Empanada Cookbook

 Nothing beats a  homemade pastry filled with either savory or sweet fillings. empanadas are just this. The dense pastries can be filled with all sorts of yummy fillings from, meat to veggies to even fruit and chocolate They're perfect for lunch dinner and even picnics.  Now there's a new cookbook that has dozens of tasty recipes .

Donna Kelly is the author of a great cookbook titled Empanada (Smith Gibbs Publishing 2025). This is an exciting book.I love empanadas and have always wanted to create my own. Ms. Kelly begins the book with their history - starting in Spain around 700 AD. Most are fried , usually in a neutral oil however Americans tend to bake them. How they're prepared is up to you. She also has several dough recipes ranging from dough for baked or fried pastries along with one for shortcuts - tortillas and ones with traditional masa or corn dough.There are also helpful instructions on sealing them from the traditional rope to the pressed crimp edge.The recipes start off with a section dedicated to traditional Latin ones,The Mexican ones have a blend of potatoes and chorizo while Argentinian ones include the tangy green chimichurri sauce. A great way of using rotisserie chicken is the Venezualan Mojo chicken recipe, packed with the meat and a variety of fiery spices and honey. The Cuban style empanada is full of Havarti cheese, black beans, rice and diced ham. This is a whole meal in one pastry. Again all look so good  and it's a question of what to make first.

There are also North American recipes too that are just as delicious.I can;t decide which one to try.The spinach artichoke one is good for parties but also a great dinner one. The TexMex chili is another on the radar to try. The books also has international , dessert  and holiday recipes too.Pizza empanadas are so good and there is a a recipe for them.Imagine an everything pizza with two kinds of cheese in one empananda. There is also a caprese one stuffed with fresh basil mozzarella and tomatoes. The Korean bulgoki one is an interesting mix of sriracha, soy sauce and bok choi along with ground sirloin.The Halloween empanadas are a must bake for any holiday party. They have jack o'lantern eyes and mouth cut out to reveal a black bean and onion filling. There are even Thanks giving ones, perfect for the day after the holiday. The dessert ones are perfect not just for snacks but also for get togethers. The chocolate raspberry is a definite must bake as are the fruit ones, perfect for the peach and berry harvests going on now. Another plus is the section of dipping sauces from savory to sweet, The avocado sauce would work well with the chicken ones while the chocolate hazelnut one is perfect with the sweet.

Empanada lovers will go made for this cookbook.Empananda  has every kind of recipe from Latin to dessert, American to international and holiday. It 's a definite addition to any home chef's library.

The Perfect Cup Of Cocoa

Now that we're firmly entrenched in winter, it' time to enjoy a steaming cup of hot winter. This is the perfect cold weather pick me up. It not only is a sweet treat but a tummy warmer, taking away that frosty nip.

Thanks the Mayans for this chill chaser. They began enjoying it about 2,500 to 3,000 years ago. Theirs was a spicy brew being made with mashed cocoa seeds mixed with water, cornmeal, and chili peppers. It was poured back and forth in cups until a froth formed and drunk. The Spanish found it  bitter yet went mad for it. Thanks to it being part of the dowry for Iberian princesses. the drink was soon spread throughout Europe. The Spanish and English added sugar to make it more palatable and it was dr Hans Sloane wo added milk to the beverage when he had it during a visit to Jamaica. In 1828 dutch Coenraad  Johannes van Houten developed a process to turn chocolate into a powder. From there it was easy for anyone from any class to make a soothing cup. The best cocoa mix is still from Holland - Droste. It's this one that I recommend to make a rich European style hot cocoa. Take two tablespoons of the Droste powder and pour in a trickle of milk to make a paste. Here is where I vary it. I add light cream for a richer mouth feel. Heat a cup of milk over a low flame  for two or three minutes (not too long, or a skin will form on the milk's surface. Pour in, stir and add a tablespoon of sugar. Stir again and top with a blob of real whipped cream.

The above is more of a a liquid dessert , perfect after any meal (and maybe after a morning of shoveling the white stuff) however many Americans prefer a lighter - maybe a more watery(?) version. An American classic is Ovaltine. This Swiss (!) import has graced both British and American tables since the early 1900's. It used to have a malty flavor thanks to the addition of malt for added nutrition., however this is not so anymore. Another good mix is Nesquik cocoa powder. Generations have run to this instant mix , creating not just awesome hot cocoa but also glasses of icy cold chocolate milk. Nesquik also comes in syrup form  for a less messier version. What about those packets?.  Do they make a satisfying hot chocolate? To some purists the answer is no. Yet, they're perfect for those in a hurry, The same with those K-Pods, You won;t have the creamy mouth feel of the real thing yet they're just as delicious. Land O'Lakes has one of the best. Their hot cocoa is nicely rich and their chocolate mint is tasty. Their hazelnut hot cocoa, however, can be a bit too sweet. Swiss Miss is another popular brand and the dark cocoa flavor has a richness that's satisfying. The marshmallow lover's one is fun chock full of mini marshmallows , perfect for s movie night.

Hot cocoa is definitely the best chill chaser.Whether it's a rich Droste one or one from a packet, they''re perfect for keeping you warm/ Make it to take away the mid winter cold.

Advent Foods

Advent started on Saturday and it's a preclude to Christmas.With it comes the start of the holiday food season and all the goodies and treats that come with it. There are some interesting dishes as well, with religious origins, , reminding us of the holiness of the season.

One of the most fun items associated with the period is the advent calendar This is a fn way of also counting down the days until Christmas. every day is marked with a small chocolate candy , usually molded in holiday shapes like a wreath , elf or some times toys like a train or a doll.It is also celebrated with a variety of sweets and sweet breads as seen in Germany Austria and German Switzerland.Both Germans and Austrians bake a tasty buttery cookie called a vanillekipferin.This is also an excellent Christmas cookie to make for cookie swaps and tree trimming parties.What makes it's unusual is the ground hazelnuts however you can also use ground almonds or peanuts. Nusseken, mini nut cakes , a delicious blend of hazelnuts , and chocolate on a cake, made with apricot jam. It is usually washed down with a variation of eggnog that has the added kick of vodka

In many of the Orthodox  countries such as Greece, Advent is a fasting period starting from November 16 to Christmas Eve. All red meat , poultry and dairy are forbidden. Some areas also forbid eating fish even. It then becomes a period of purification where Greeks eat vegetables and vegetable broths as well as plain breads.Indian Christians also observe Advent. Their culinary traditions reflect their heritage with rice and fruit dishes.They make a cake called vattayappams.Rice powder is mixed with jaggery, a sugary  mix of date, cane sugar and palm sap>Raisins are added for decoration.

Advent can be a time of both joy and somberness. The foods and traditions reflectthese. It is a preclude to Christmas and reflects all the festivity and holiness of the season.

Yolato Gelati A Fat Foodie's Dream

I've discovered the Yolato stand at my local mall. For anyone this is a great treat, frozen yogurt in a variety of different flavors. For a fat foodie like me this is a dream come true. It's low in calorie and high in taste.

What this gelato is frozen yogurt done in the gelato style of ice cream making. The sorbets are great because they come in traditional flavors like raspberry and lemon but also come in punchier ones like pink grapefruit (a must try ) and watermelon. These are also low in calories with the first two being only 120 a cup while the latter is 140 a cup.

The yolatos themselves are anywhere from 150 to 170 calories. The flavors are amazing and have a richness about that. Try the hazelnut which tastes as good as any of the ones I've had in Italy. The chocolate is very good as well. There's also a tiramisu and the unusual green tea and seasonal pumpkin. At some Yolato stands you can also purchase yolato bars and cakes.

If you have a Yolato in your neighborhood , visit it. You'll get a premium gelato or sorbet without feeling guilty. It's the best treat our there for foodies watching their weight.