What a delicious class we had today at Beach Elementary!  The kids had been begging for something sweet so we traveled to Germany and made German Pancakes, a breakfast that knocked everyone's socks off both in terms of presentation and taste.  

After lots of egg-cracking, milk pouring, apple peeling, apple chopping, flour measuring, and oh-so-much whisking, we were ready to pour the batter into our pans and sprinkle the apple chunks in the middle.  Once our German Pancakes were in the oven we could start on the healthy part of the class, the carrot salad, which is more French than German, but a good way to sneak in some veggies nonetheless.  Half the kids got to work peeling carrots, soaking currants, and picking off parsley leaves while the other half got to work making the dressing.  I brought one of my fancy balsamic vinegars from home so the kids could taste the difference between a regular balsamic vinegar and one that has aged for 25 years.  The aging process makes the vinegar syrupy and sweet, and the kids picked up on the difference right away during our taste test.  The point was that different types of vinegars can really change the flavor of a dressing.  We ended up only using lemon juice as our "acid" in the dressing, however, many kids were excited to drizzle balsamic over their salads.  

While serving up the carrot salad, a few kids said, " I don't want any."  My response to this is always, " You have to at least try it, and then, if you don't like it that's okay, but tell me WHY you don't like it and what could make it better."  We discussed different words to use when describing the flavor of foods: salty, sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, etc.    

After baking in the oven for about 24 minutes, the German Pancakes had puffed up around the edges of the pan, leaving a basin of cooked apples in the middle.  When the oven opened, the kids gathered around to peer inside and behold the puffed-up wonder.  

While eating our "breakfast" for dessert, we talked about how countries around the world have different types of pancakes.  The French have crepes, Sweden has thin pancakes that sometimes get rolled up with jam, Americans have their hearty flapjacks, but Germany's pancakes are more custard-like (more similar in consistency to an omelet) due to the higher egg-to-flour ratio :)    

- Chef Christy Kovacs 


German Pancakes

Ingredients:

3 eggs

1/2 tsp salt

3 Tbsp sugar

1 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 Tbsp unsalted butter,

   melted

1 cup unbleached flour

2 tsp coconut oil or butter

1 apple, peeled and sliced

Directions:

Step 1:  Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

Step 2:  In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt, sugar, milk, vanilla, and butter. Whisk in the flour to make a smooth batter. Set aside.

Step 3:  Heat an oven-proof pan over medium heat on the stove and melt the 2 teaspoons of coconut oil or butter, tilting the pan to get the bottom and sides well coated.  Turn off the heat.  Pour in the batter, arrange apple slices in the middle, and bake for 12 minutes.

Step 4:  Lower the oven to 350 degrees and continue baking until puffed and golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes more.  You want the puffed up edges to be golden brown but not burned.  Remember, the pan is HOT from being in the oven.  When you take the pan out of the oven, keep an oven mit or towel on the handle so you don’t grab it by accident!

Step 5:  Cut into 8 slices and serve.  German pancakes taste wonderful as is, or feel free to sprinkle powdered sugar or drizzle with maple syrup.  


Carrot Salad

Ingredients:

1/4 cup currants

1 tablespoon lemon juice 


1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, crushed 


3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 pound carrots, peeled and

   shredded 


1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon(pinch) ground

   black pepper 


1/4 cup chopped fresh

   parsley

Directions:
 
Step 1: Add the currants to a small bowl and cover with water.  Soak for at least 10 min and strain when ready to use.

Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice, mustard, garlic, and olive oil together until the dressing is completely blended.

Step 3: Stir the dressing into the shredded carrots. Sprinkle the carrot salad with the salt, pepper, and parsley and mix well.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

We've now had three culinary arts classes and the kids have had a taste of foods from very different parts of the world.  In the first class, we prepared two dishes from Peru - Empanadas and a Peruvian quinoa stew.  You should have all received the recipes from that class.  The kids so much enjoyed rolling out the dough and making more empanadas that they barely wanted to stop to eat the ones that were already out of the oven, warm and tasty!

In the second class, we covered a few typical dishes ("comida tipica) from Spain.  As you all know, tapas is a common way to eat in Spain.  Small dishes are prepared and shared by friends and family at the table.  We made tapas dishes, the most popular Tortilla Espanola - a Spanish styled potato omelette.  In addition, we prepared stuffed little peppers (Pimentos Rellenos).  The peppers were stuffed with goat cheese and herbs.  The kids enjoyed preparing the peppers for stuffing and filling them with the gooey cheese.  Finally, we prepared a sauteed greens and white beans on toast.  These were scrumptious!  The youngest kids even whisked their own homemade aioli to spread on the bread before spooning on the topping.  

Admittedly, the third class was not as culinarily interesting as the first two - Switzerland!  I would love to hike the Alps there but I'd rather cross the border into Italy or France for dinner!  Raclettes is the most typical dish in Switzerland.  It consists of cooking vegetables (mostly boiling potatoes) and covering it with melted cheese.  We got a bit more sophisticated and roasted a number of veggies - including Brussels Sprouts, Portobello Mushrooms and purple potatoes.  The kids learned that Raclette is not only the meal itself but also the name of a Swiss cheese, which we used for this dish.  The word "Raclette" comes from the French word, "racler" which means "to scrape off."  Traditionally, this dish was prepared using a large wheel of raclette cheese.  The wheel was cut in 1/2 and the flat side of one half placed by an open fire.  When the cheese began to melt, it would be "scraped off" onto a plate to eat with the veggies.  Today, a fancy-dancy Raceltte machine is used to melt the cheese and roast the veggies.  Needless to say, that was one of our technical difficulties.  Though I have used other Raclette makers at events, the newly purchased Raclette maker I have does not appreciate U.S. voltage.  No matter, working in the kitchen always requires some improv.  The cheese was melted in a more traditional way (well, 21st century traditional - in a microwave) and all was good.  

In addition, the kids watched a vido from the documentary The Future of Food.  If you have not seen it, it is a must-see.  The segment that the kids watched discussed the hazard of today's monocultures (farming only one crop).  They learned about the devastation in Ireland in the mid-19th century (which came to be called the Great Potato Famine), due in part, to the blight of the potato crop.  It was startling to learn that at one time, the U.S. had over 6,000 varieties of apples.  Today, only a handful are grown large scale.  Heirloom apples do exist but you must look hard to find them.

Today, we will be going to France!  Back to the rolling pins!!!  The kids will make both sweet and savory galettes!  

Your kids are all a joy to work with.  Their enthusiasm in the kitchen is infectious!  Keep it going in your own kitchens!  Happy Cooking!  

We had a fun day on Monday making Black Bean, Kale, and Sweet Potato Empanadas.  We made two batches of the dough, which is easy as pie (actually, it's much easier than pie).  Simply put the butter, cream cheese, and flour in the food processor, and mix the dough until it forms a ball.  No kneading, no slowly adding ice-cold water, EASY.  

While one group was working on the dough, we had an assembly line of little chefs chopping mushrooms, ripping up kale leaves, peeling sweet potatoes, and mashing up black beans.  The dough cooled in the refrigerator for 10 minutes or so but could have used a full half hour at least since some of the dough ended up becoming a bit gummy and melty and hard to work with.  While an assistant helped me saute the filling at the stove, the kids started rolling out the dough into small discs.  They placed a tablespoon of filling in the middle, moistened the edged of the dough with water, folded it over, and crimped the edges together with a fork.  While the empanadas baked in the oven, the kids were surprisingly curious to taste the leftover filling on its own.  Nothing made me happier than watching them gobble up the pile of black beans, kale, mushrooms, and sweet potatoes on their plates ;)  When kids make things themselves, they are so much more likely to try it and enjoy it!

The empanadas were ready just in time for the kids to scarf one down before the busses arrived.  I hope some of you get the chance to make these fun treats at home.  You can fill them with whatever filling you like, or fill them with cooked apples and cinnamon to make mini apple turnovers!  The crust has a lot of butter and cream cheese in it (which is what makes it so flaky and delicious) so just make sure to limit consumption to 1-2 empanadas per person! 

Enjoy!
- Chef Christy Kovacs

Black Bean, Kale, and Sweet Potato EmpanadasINGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup butter

1 (4 oz) pkg of reduced fat cream cheese, softened

1 cup flour

FILLING:

1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed

olive oil, enough to coat the sweet potatoes

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

10 mushrooms, cut into small pieces

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp salt

6 kale leaves, torn into small pieces

1 can black beans, rinsed and mashed with a fork

DIRECTIONS FOR DOUGH & FILLING:

1. In a food processor, cream butter and cream cheese together until smoothly blended. Add flour into creamy mixture and pulse until it forms balls of dough.
2. Shape dough into a smooth ball and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. (Can be refrigerated for up to one week).
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
4. Spread the cubed sweet potato on a baking sheet, toss with enough olive oil to lightly coat the sweet potatoes, and a sprinkling of salt.  Bake for 20 minutes and set aside.
5. Heat a large pan and add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.  Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.
6. Add garlic and mushrooms and cook until mushrooms are soft, about 5 minutes.  When pan is a bit dry, add the balsamic vinegar, cumin, and salt and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan.
7. Add kale leaves and black beans and stir until kale is wilted.  Turn off the heat and mix in the baked sweet potato, stir to combine.

MAKING THE EMPANADAS

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Form golf ball sized balls with the dough.  On a lightly floured counter flatten the balls slightly with the palm of your hand.  Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a thin disc (about 1/8 inch thick). 
3. Place a tablespoon of filling in the middle of the dough.  Rub a bit of water around the edges of the dough. The water will act like glue helping the empanadas stick together.  Fold the dough in half and press the edges together.  Press the tines of a fork into the dough around the edges. 
4. Place empanadas on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes in the 375 degree oven until golden brown.  

We had a great class on Saturday at the Seneca Center.  

About 6 students attended the class, 2 girls and 4 boys, and we made Tropical Fish Tacos, Vegetarian Tacos, and Quesadillas.  For the Tropical Fish Tacos, the cod (best fish to use for tacos) was cut into small cubes, coated in coconut milk, rolled in bread crumbs, and baked (not fried) for a mere 15 minutes.  The result was golden brown, crispy, coconut-infused morsels of heaven.  The other group worked at the stove sauteeing garlic, cumin, olive oil, mashing in black beans, and then mixing in roasted sweet potato for the vegetarian filling.  We made a spicy Chipotle Mayo to drizzle over our tacos (the secret ingredient) and a Mango Salsa.  At one point I had two boys buzzing around me with their hands out waiting for scraps of mango and one of them was so eager to try the mango cutting technique (where you cut lines into the mango and invert it) that he was grabbing the slices out of my hand as I prepped them.  

One of the girls ended up being a quesadilla-making machine, improvising by adding a bit of lime juice and chili powder in with the cheese.  One boy took some initiative and grabbed two slices of bread out of the fridge and started making a grilled cheese sandwich in a frying pan which I thought was great.  While things were baking in the oven we kept busy by cutting up avocado, green onions, tomatoes, and cilantro to add to our tacos.  Between the coconut breaded fish, the mango salsa, black bean sweet potato filling, tomatoes, green onions, avocado, cilantro, chipotle mayo, and quesadilla wedges, we had quite a feast.

Not only did the kids "try" the food, but they ate A LOT of it.  I was skeptical about whether the kids would be open to eating mango in the salsa, but they loved it.  One boy said, " Well I'm stuffed, this food was off the hook."  It was probably the best class so far in terms of participation too.  I incorporated more stove-top activities to keep them more engaged, plus I think they liked being able to make their own tacos and choose what to put inside.  I suggested an Iron Chef quesadilla competition but only one student was excited about it.  I will continue encouraging improvisation in the kitchen though because it is an important life-skill and builds confidence in the kitchen.


Thanks!
 - Chef Christy Kovacs


Tropical Fish Tacos with Chipotle Mayo Ingredients:


1 pound of cod (or another type of white fish: halibut, mahi mahi, or talapia)


1 can coconut milk

2 cups bread crumbs

1 package small corn tortillas

Mango Salsa:

1 mango, cubed

1 avocado, cubed

2 tomatoes, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

1 lime, juiced

6 green onions, cut into thin rings

Chipotle Mayo:

1 cup mayonnaise or Greek yogurt

1-3 tablespoons adobo sauce (depending on how spicy you want it)

juice of 1 lime

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1.    Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2.    Cut the fish into small one-inch cubes.  Add the coconut milk to two separate bowls.  Dip the fish into the coconut milk, coat in the bread crumbs and place on a baking sheet.  Continue until all the fish has been coated.

3.    Bake for 15 minutes, or until fish is golden brown.

4.    While fish is baking, add the ingredients for Mango Salsa into a medium bowl and stir to mix well.  Set aside.

5.    Add the ingredients for the Chipotle Mayo into a medium-sized bowl and mix well with a whisk or fork.  Set aside.

6.    When the fish is done cooking, place 2-3 pieces of the fish into a tortilla.  Drizzle with the Chipotle Mayo and top with the mango salsa.

Makes 12 tacos

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos Ingredients:

2 sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 tablespoon olive oil

a few pinches of salt

2 cans black beans, strained and rinsed

2 tsp cumin

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tsp salt

2 packages small corn or flour tortillas

Sliced cabbage, tomatoes, cilantro, chopped onion, avocado, and shredded cheese for garnish

Chipotle Mayo:

1 cup mayonnaise or Greek yogurt

1-3 tablespoons adobo sauce (depending on how spicy you want it)

juice of 1 lime

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1.    Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

1. Spread the sweet potatoes out on 1-2 baking sheets.  Drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with a few pinches of salt, toss the sweet potatoes so they are well coated with the olive oil, and bake for 30 minutes. 
2. In a large bowl, add the black beans, cumin, garlic, and teaspoon of salt.  Stir well and mash slightly with a fork.  When the sweet potatoes are done cooking, add them to the black bean mixture and stir well.  Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, mix all the ingredients for the Chipotle Mayo with a fork or whisk until well blended.
4. Place a few spoonfuls of the black bean and sweet potato filling into a tortilla.  Drizzle with some of the chipotle mayo, and garnish with the cabbage, tomatoes, cilantro, onion, avocado, and cheese.

Makes 20 tacos

The cold weather on Monday begged for a warm, cozy recipe and our 3-Bean Vegetarian Chili and Cornbread Biscuits fit that bill perfectly.  This class focused on the American South and foods that the Native Americans cooked with.  I talked about the Three Sisters: corn, squash, and beans which work together in symbiosis both in the body and in the garden.  The Native Americans would plant the Three Sisters together since the corn stalk serves as a "bean pole" for the beans to climb up, the beans replenish the soil with nitrogen creating a natural fertilizer, and the squash provides ground cover keeping the soil moist for the corn and beans.  When the three sisters are eaten together, they also offer a complete meal and a complete protein.  

The kids honed their measuring skills making the Cornbread Biscuits and learned how to read the list ingredients and differentiate between a tablespoon and a teaspoon.  Putting the sticky globs of dough onto the baking sheet was very "yucky" and fun.  The biscuits were sprinkled with cheddar cheese and popped in the oven for a mere 12 minutes.  The kids developed their knife skills further while cutting the mushrooms, bell pepper, and zucchini for the chili.  There were lots of cans to open for the beans and tomatoes; we emphasized how the sharp lid of the can should never be touched and always handed to an adult after opening.  As a group, we all read the directions for the chili to determine what steps were involved in cooking the chili.  

The chili was served up with shredded cheese, cilantro, and a cornbread biscuit on top which, when crumbled into the chili, absorbed all the delicious flavors of the chili.

Enjoy these yummy recipes!

3 Bean Vegetarian Chili Ingredients:

olive oil, enough to coat bottom of pot

1 onion, chopped

2 bell peppers, chopped

2 zucchinis, cut into half circles

10 mushrooms, quartered

6 cloves garlic, diced or chopped

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 bag frozen corn

3 cans of different beans, strained and rinsed

3 cans crushed tomatoes

3 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1-2 teaspoons adobo sauce, to taste (optional)

1 teaspoon salt

cilantro and cheddar cheese to garnish

1.    Heat a large pot on medium heat and add enough olive oil to to coat the bottom of the pot.  Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.

2.    Add the bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, and garlic and cook until the veggies have softened up a bit.  When the pot gets a bit dry, add 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.


3.    Add corn, beans, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, oregano, adobo sauce and salt.  Simmer for 10 minutes and ladle into bowls with cilantro and cheddar cheese sprinkled on top.


Cornmeal Biscuits Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup fine-grind cornmeal

1 1/2 cup unbleached, all-purpose

    flour

1/4 cup sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

1 cup milk

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1.    Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2.    In a bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3.    Using your fingertips, rub the cubed, chilled butter into dry ingredients until mixture resembles a coarse meal.

4.    Add milk and stir until evenly moistened. Using 1/4 cup dough for each biscuit, drop biscuits onto baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart.

5.    Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and bake until biscuits are golden brown, about 12-15 minutes. Check after 12 minutes to see if done. Cool slightly and serve warm.

Makes 12 biscuits.

We kicked off our Chefs Around The World class last Monday by traveling to Greece and making a delicious hummus that was green due to the added parsley and cilantro.  The kids had fun cutting cucumbers into small sections and then using a spoon to scoop out some of the seeds to make little cups for the hummus.  They looked like real chefs as they garnished the hummus-filled cucumber cups with a sprig of parsley and a sprinkle of paprika!  We had fun peeling carrots, cutting bell peppers, and warming up pita bread to eat with the hummus.  For dessert we enjoyed Greek yogurt sprinkled with pomegranate seeds.  When I announced we were using a pomegranate in the class there were endless squeals of excitement.  

I'm looking forward to rest of the semester, we have lots of fun recipes ahead!  



Hummus in Cucumber Cups

 

INGREDIENTS:

1 can garbanzo beans
1/4 cup tahini
1 cup parsley leaves
1 cup cilantro leaves
1 clove of garlic
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup water
4 cucumbers, peeled


DIRECTIONS:
 
1.   Add all of the ingredients, except for the water, to a food processor and pulse until mixture is well blended and smooth.

2.   Slowly drizzle in the water while the food processor is running until the desired consistency is reached.  You may need to use a bit more or a bit less water. 

3.   To make the cucumber cups, cut the cucumbers into 1 1/2 inch segments.  Using a spoon, scoop out some of the seeds being careful not to scoop a hole in the bottom.  

4.   Spoon some hummus into the cucumber cups and garnish with a sprig of parsley and a pinch of paprika! 

A great and energized class today while we made tapas.  We made 3 types of tapas - tortillas españolas, pimientos rellenos and sautéed greens and white beans on toast with shaved Manchego cheese.  The kids worked with great focus and delightful energy.  After lightly frying the petit peppers, the kids filled them with soft goat cheese, herbs and lemon zest.  Then, we popped them in the oven for about 15 minutes until they were warmed through and the cheese melted somewhat.

The tortilla required that the kids chop lots of potatoes and onions.  We first cooked those stove-top.  Once tender, we mixed them with the egg mixture.  We cooked stove top until the bottom set.  Once set, we popped the whole pan in the oven and baked until golden.  You can also flip the tortilla and cook it all stove top but the way we did it in class is a bit safer and will guarantee that your tortilla doesn't end up on your kitchen floor.

Finally, the little toasts topped with Swiss chard and white beans were yummy.  The kids made an aioli to spread on the toast before spooning the greens and bean on top.  A quick drizzle of olive oil and a bit of shaved Manchego finished up the dish.

Sprouts kicked off 2012 with a private chef’s table dinner at the Slanted Door in San Francisco. Head chef Justine Kelly and sous chef Victor Harvey dazzled guests with a decadent 11-course Vietnamese feast and wine pairings from Slanted Door manager, Mayra. Before the dinner, Mayra trained some of the young chefs who had just taken Justine’s grilling class to serve the meal; they learned how to set the table, how to serve and clear plates, how to properly fill a water glass, and familiarized themselves with the menu so they could describe the dishes to guests. Dinner began with an appetizer course of classic shrimp and pork spring rolls, crunchy vegetarian imperial rolls, and crispy duck confit salad. During the appetizers, Sprouts’ founder and director, Karen Rogers, shared some exciting updates with our guests, including Sprouts' new partnership with Jamie Oliver, her upcoming trip to London to work with his team, and our latest nominated for the America Inspired competition because of our culinary classes with emotionally troubled youth. 

After the good news, the guests were served wonton soup to whet their appetite once more, and then dazzled by steaming platters of Prather Ranch ribeye, Chue Farm baby box choy, and Hodo Soy organic tofu. Dinner guests bravely continued to enjoy a five-spice organic pastured chicken, Rodoni Farm Brussels sprouts, and yuba “noodles” with pioppini mushrooms and escarole. The menu focused on locally sourced and seasonal ingredients to give diners a taste of the variety that Vietnamese cuisine offers. The evening also featured a silent auction for a private brunch with Tartine chef Laurie Ellen. Jacek Kozubek won, with a final bid/donation of $800.  The intimate, family-style dinner was a celebration of some of the best chefs and ingredients the Bay Area has to offer, as well as of Sprouts’ continued commitment to supporting young chefs and food education for kids. 

Thanks for supporting us and we hope to see you at our next Sprouts event!


Cheers,

Karen + Daisy

A box bursting with arugula was donated to the Sprouts class on Tuesday, and our students quickly made use of its’ versatility. Along with our regular farm box the students incorporated the arugula into a tasty salad with homemade croutons and parmesan, an orzo mushroom and cheddar dish, and also into a pesto for mini pizzas.  Demonstrating their impromptu cooking skills, the students also used some leftover pesto for a salad vinaigrette.  Other dressings concocted for our bountiful salads were a spicy honey mustard and a creamy blue cheese.  The lunch was also complimented with a cabbage stir-fry sautéed with onions, garlic, and chopped almonds served over white rice.   A quick and dirty marinating technique was also demonstrated with a kale salad.  Students used their hands to massage sesame oil, rice vinegar, and tamari converting crunchy kale into a tender and scrumptious Asian salad.  As usual, the Hub workers had a flurry of questions for how these young cooks produced such a delightful lunch!

Hello!

Today for our last class of the semester, your young chefs learned how to make empanadas!  While many of them had a hard time pronouncing the name, the technique was very similar to our apple hand pies.  Instead of filling the dough with apples, we went the savory route, and the young cooks were able to be creative with their fillings!  

Empanadas are a dish that you can find in many latin countries - each has their own distinct flavor and fillings!  Eaten as an appetizer or a snack, empanadas are half-moon shaped pastries.  While traditionally, empanadas are fried, we baked ours to keep the snack healthy.  

The class began with a group reading of the recipe and a short demo on how to mix the dough.  Working in pairs, the chefs carefully followed the recipe, very entertained with the dough sticking to their hands.  Once the dough was formed into a ball, we allowed the dough to rest wrapped in plastic wrap for ten minutes.  

The next step is to prepare the filling!  Traditionally, you would stew together ground meat with raisins and spices.  Today we kept all the ingredients separate, so that the kiddos could be creative with their fillings.  There were cherry tomatoes, cheddar cheese, ground turkey, black beans, cilantro, sauteed onions, and sliced green onions to choose from.  The key to filling the empanadas is to have a light hand on the amount you put in each pastry. While some children were a little overzealous with their filling, they quickly realized that you can't seal the edge if there is too much inside!  

Once all the empanadas were made, their edges crimped with a fork, we baked them in the oven and patiently waited for them to turn golden brown.  Once they are out of the oven, don't be tempted to jump in and take a bite - the insides are like molten lava! 

I really enjoyed cooking with your kids this semester, I hope that they continue to practice their culinary skills!  

Happy cooking!

Empanadas Recipe
Recipe adapted slightly from cooks.com

Shell:
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 tbsp salt
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup ice water
Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Cut the shortening into the flour as though you were making a pie crust by working it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
 
Sprinkle dough with just enough ice water so that it will just hold together. Knead together briefly and allow to rest, covered about 10 minutes.
 
Roll dough out on a lightly floured board to circles about 3-4 inches in diameter.
 
Place a spoonful of empanada filling of your choice on one side of the circle. Moisten the edges of the circle with a small amount of water and fold the dough over the filling to make a half circle. Press the edges together to seal.
 
Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

*While we did not prepare this filling, here is a more traditional filling that is very delicious!

Filling:
1 medium sized onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tomatoes, peeled
2 cups cooked beef, chopped
1/2 cup beef stock
1/4 cup raisins
1 tsp vinegar
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste
Saute onions and garlic in hot oil until translucent.
Add meat, sauté 5 more minutes. Stir in tomatoes, stock and remaining ingredients.
 
Simmer 30 minutes