This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #VivaLaMorena #CollectiveBias
Football season always brings back fond memories of my college years. Groups of students were welcomed into the homes of dedicated football fans (AKA our professors) for a big game day party! We used to have so much fun watching the game and making memories together! But just because I have graduated does not mean that there is no more football fun. I married a guy who is a huge football fan! And we have a group of friends who cannot allow a big game to go by without some sort of celebration. We typically celebrate game day by having a grand old time together. On a Sunday evening , after church and everyone is rested, we gather up our kids and head to the designated friend’s home. There we meet with them and some other friends to watch the game.
And of course, one cannot watch the big game without having something to eat! So we always have plenty of food to go around. We like foods that are quick, tasty, and that everyone will enjoy. These Beef Empanadas (meat pies) are definitely crowd pleasing – a perfect appetizer or finger food for the game day! They are delicious and are very easy to make. In addition, they remind me of living in Puerto Rico and watching football there.
Want to know my secret ingredient in this recipe? La Morena Sliced Green Pickled Jalapeno Peppers, of course! It gives the emapanadas a tasty little kick that the fans are sure to enjoy. That combined with the ground beef and a crunchy pastry dough is sure to be a big hit! I have a husband who cannot seem to eat enough of these. Hopefully, they will make it to our friend’s home before he devours them all!
To make these empanadas, I first take a little trip to Tony’s Finer Foods, which is only a mile down the street from my home. Then I head to the Hispanic isle and pick up some La Morena Jalapeno peppers.
I like these peppers because I do not find them super hot and over-powering. But of course, the more peppers added, the hotter the empanadas will be.
So I added a couple tablespoons to the ground beef to give it that little kick.
Once the meat was cooked through, I went ahead and added about a 1/4 cup of the mixture to rolled out pieces of unbaked pie crust. Then brushed the edges of the dough with a beaten egg before and after sealing. It really adds a nice color to the finished product.
Then I baked them at 400 degrees for 20 minutes and they were ready to serve. These taste better warm so no need to let them cool completely before eating. They can also be kept frozen and reheated for a few minutes when ready to serve.
And as you can see, the pickled peppers are really addicting. I had to have some more with the empanadas because
they really work great for this recipe. La Morena products are a great way to add some spice to game day recipes. Find lots of inspiring recipes here.
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 to 3 tablespoons La Morena Pickled Jalapeno Peppers, chopped
- 1 8oz can tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 box refrigerated pie crust, softened as directed on the box
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil, spray with cooking spray then set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add ground beef, onion powder, and garlic powder.
- Brown meat until no longer pink, stirring constantly.
- Add peppers, tomato sauce, cumin, and taco seasoning.
- Cook about 2 minutes until all the ingredients have been fully combined.
- Remove meat from heat. Set aside.
- Separate pie crust into 8 pieces of dough (for larger empanadas) or 16 tiny pieces (for smaller empanadas).
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece of dough into a circle.
- Add 1/4 cup ground beef in the middle of each circle for larger empanadas or 2 tablespoons for smaller ones.
- Brush the edges lightly with beaten egg, then press together. Seal with a fork.
- Brush each empanada with extra beaten egg.
- Place on baking sheet and bake 18-20 minutes or until done.
- Serve warm.
Do you celebrate game day with your family or friends? What is one of your favorite game day foods. I would love to know your thoughts in the comments.
I’m coming to your house for the big game! Jalapeno Peppers are my favorite peppers and your beef empanadas look so good. My family would love to have some for game day.
Come on over – I’ll make a big batch of these. Seriously, they are that delicious! Hope you can try them out!!!
Wow, do those empanadas look yummy! I bet they smelled wonderful as they cooked, and you crust looks amazing We are huge Mexican food fans around our house, so this recipe will definitely being hitting the table soon! Great idea for a game day party. 🙂
~Lorelai
Life With Lorelai
Oh, the smell, looks, and taste will have anyone coming back for more. I need to make a batch just for the hubby!
OMG, these look so good!We are huge football fans and as such, fans of football food! Pinning this to my Football board 🙂
LOL! They sure do taste good, too. I am considering making some more!! Thanks for pinning!!!