End Zone Empanadas with Roasted Red Pepper - Poblano Dip

WHY...it's the Ultimate Football Recipe Challenge By Swanson! How bout' bite size Empanadas? Do you think it could be the total touchdown recipe? I do!  Check out my
End Zone Empanadas and tell me what you think of my recipe, leave a comment.


Hey Readers, it's me Cathy. I love, love this month of holidays and football season, so exciting! And what's even more exciting then that you ask? Well, I have been invited to partake in creating an original recipe to compete against other Bloggers for the best Football/Tailgate recipe using Swanson Premium Chunk Chicken. This contest is all about fab food created for Football Foodie Mania Season.

So what the next step, whats the prize you say?-- An all-inclusive trip to visit the Campbell’s Kitchen and a chance to be featured on Campbell’s Kitchen.com. Three Bloggers will be chosen based on creativity, use of the ingredients and reader engagement to travel to the Campbell’s Test Kitchen, meet the chefs, tour the facilities and prepare their winning recipes for a select panel of Campbell’s judges {now that's cool}. Then one winner will be chosen and featured on Campbell’s Kitchen.com, one of the premier recipe sites with tons and tons of visitors per month. Plus given the title “Ultimate Swanson Football Recipe Champion 2011. Exciting - Wow-za!! And here's some more Wow-za news- that's about YOU the Reader.  Let's just say-- I am one of the selected Finalist who visit Campbell’s Kitchen, I also win a $250 shopping spree in the exclusive Campbell’s Kitchen store for you my Readers! YEA! My shopping bags will be chock full of wonderful kitchen tools and gadgets and wild yummy Campbell's memorabilia to come home with me and give to you my Readers as a major mother load giveaway!!!


So Readers "GET YOUR GAME ON", the more comments and conversation about my original recipe End Zone Empanadas we have, the better chance you gain to WIN that $250 shopping bag  of clever kitchened collections! Do you like my combo of ingredients? Would YOU add or minus something from the recipe? Have you already conjure up your own Football Fantasy Food with Swanson Premium Chicken Chunk? Talk to me!! I love hearing from you all, it's so much fun and you can benefit from the fun - we have until January 3rd so lets get chatting once you have checked out my recipe below!


END ZONE EMPANADAS a killer recipe for Football & Foodie Fans, or get your Tailgate on!

The Recipe:  Break out the savory, spicy favorites for your Super Bowl Gathering!    I’m talking big bites of tasty Swanson chicken breast, captured in the baked crisp crust of a Mini Empanada, just oozing melted cheese and goodness. Now dip this Mini in the cool Roasted Red Pepper Crème for the ultimate Touch Down Taste!  W H A T?  You don’t want to be missing the game or the fabulous Super Bowl commercials getting stuck in the kitchen?   No Problem, try this power play!   Make the Empanadas in advance and freeze them.  Thaw at room temperature day of game, and bake just before ready to serve.  Plus, the Dipping Creme can be made in a few days in advance.  You are now a Free Agent to watch the big game, it’s a guaranteed score.

 

End Zone Empanadas with Roasted Red Pepper - Poblano Dip

Prep Time: 15 minutes    -    Baking Time: 10 minutes     -    Quantity: 24 Mini Empanadas

Pre Heat Oven: 400 degrees

Empanada Recipe

1 – 18 oz. package frozen Empanada Wraps {disc’s}  - thawed

½ cup canned yellow corn – drained

1 – 12 oz. can Swanson White Premium Chunk Chicken Breast - drained

1 - 7 oz. can {1 cup} Verde Salsa  {green salsa-canned}

2 cups Mexican style Shredded Cheese

1 Egg White + 1 Tblsp. water

2 Scallions {green tops chopped}

Cooking Spray Oil

Note to self:  I prefer the Corn Empanada Wraps vs. the Flour Empanada Wraps.  Both are tasty but the Corn Wrap offers more texture and color. 

Roasted Red Pepper - Poblano Dip Recipe

1 cup Roasted Red Peppers {jar variety} rough chopped

½  of a fresh lime – juice squeezed

1 cup Reduced Fat Sour Cream

2 Tblsp. Poblano Peppers, finely diced

 2 Tblsp. finely chopped Cilantro  

Preparation for Empanada Filling:  In a large mixing bowl blend together drained corn, chicken chunks, verde salsa, chopped scallions and shredded cheese.  Set aside.  In small bowl whisk together egg white and water and set aside.

Preparation for Roasted Red Pepper Poblano Dip: You can do this in a food processor or in a bowl.  My preference is the processor, it helps the dip obtain a light pink color when blending in the red peppers.  If you choose to hand mix, then cut red peppers into finely chopped pieces and mix all ingredients together .

*In a food processor quick pulse the lime juice and sour cream together for a second. Add the red peppers and poblano peppers to the sour cream mixture. Pulsing for a few seconds until the red peppers are finely chopped {not puree’d} and the mixture has turned a soft pink color. Place mixture into a bowl and blend in most of your chopped cilantro.  Cover bowl with foil or clear wrap and refrigerate. P.S. I like to garnish my plate with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro… so save a touch of your chopped cilantro for the final touch.

Place a thawed Empanada disc on a cutting board. Take 2 rounded tablespoons full of the Filling mix and place each mound of the mix about a ¼ of an inch from the edge of the disc, but leaving a good inch separating each mound horizontally on the disc.  Brush edge of disc lightly with water.  Fold dough over filling to form a pocket. Now slice the pocket in half vertically which creates 2 cute little Empanada's {pictures!  Use a fork or a pastry wheel, crimp edges of pastry to seal.   Place Empanada’s on a foil lined cookie sheet that has been lightly sprayed with cooking oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper onto the sprayed foil liner.  Brush each Empanada with the egg wash {water-egg mixture}.

Bake in center of oven for 10 minutes or until puffy and golden. Serve warm with Dipping Sauce, garnish plate with whole peppers and finely chopped cilantro.  Touch Down!