Yolly's Empanadas

Filling Ingredients:

• Ground Beef
• Garlic (chopped)
• Onions (chopped)
• Tomatoes (chopped)
• Hard Boiled Egg
• Potatoes (cubed)
• Frozen Peas
• Soy Sauce
• Salt + Pepper

Crust Ingredients:
1 Batch

• 2.5 cups Flour
• 2 tbsp. Sugar
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/2 cup Crisco
• 1 Egg (beaten)
• 1/2 cup Water
• 1/4 cup Butter

3 Batches

• 7 cups Flour
• 1.5 cup Crisco
• 3 Eggs (beaten)
• 6 tbsp. Sugar
• 1.5 cup Water
• 3 tsp Salt

Filling Directions:

1. Saute onions and garlic. When translucent, add tomatoes and smash them for flavor and let simmer for 5 mins.
2. Add ground beef and mix. When beef is brown, add potatoes.
3. Add soy sauce, salt, and pepper to taste.
4. Add vegetables as desired (peas, carrots, corn, mushrooms, etc)

Crust Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees
2. Mix all ingredients except butter and combine
3. Add in butter and knead well

Finishing Directions:

1. Cut out 4 inch circles of dough, add some filling and pinch close.
2. Brush each empanada with an egg-wash.
3. Bake until golden brown.

Meat Loaf (Epicurious) altered

Ingredients:
1/2 cups Onion
3 cloves Garlic

1 lb. Ground Beef
1/3 cups Carrots
2 cups Bread Crumbs (made from toast)
1 tbsp  Worcestershire
1/4 cups Cream
1/4 cups Tomato Sauce
1 Egg (lightly beaten) 
1 tsp Olive Oil
2 tsp Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper

Sauce:
2 tbsp Brown Sugar
2.5 tsp Mustard
1 tsp. Tomato Sauce
1 tsp. Sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 Degrees F
2. Saute onions and garlic in olive oil on medium heat until slightly translucent, but not brown.
3. Put all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and fold together until all ingredients are combined well.
4. Place meatloaf into a pan lined with parchment paper or a greased glass dish. Set aside.
5. Combine all sauce ingredients and whisk.
6. Spread the sauce over the meatloaf and bake for 40-45 minutes

Boneless Shortribs (Food.com)

Ingredients:
2 lbs. Boneless Ribs
1 cup Dark Brown Sugar
1/3 cup Ketchup
1/2 cup Chili Sauce
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
1/4 cup wiskey
2 tbsp ground mustard
1 tbsp dried onion
pepper

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a slow boil. Simmer for 45 minutes.
2. Double wrap ribs in foil and place in a baking dish. Bake for 120 Minutes at 350 degrees F.
3. Remove ribs from foil. Place ribs and sauce in pan uncovered for 45 Minutes at 350 degrees F.

Beef Stuffed Bell Peppers (Emril Lagasse)

Ingredients
6 green bell peppers, tops cut away and seeds removed
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup finely chopped yellow onions
1/2 cup finely chopped green bell peppers
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Pinch red pepper flakes
8 ounces tomato sauce
Water

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large pot of boiling water, parboil the peppers until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and dry on paper towels.
3. In a large saute pan or skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and chopped bell peppers and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the beef, pork, garlic, parsley, salt, black pepper, and pepper flakes. Cook until the meat is browned, stirring with a heavy wooden spoon to break up the lumps, about 6 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and stir well. Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning, to taste.
4. Pour enough water into a baking dish to just cover the bottom, about 1/8-inch deep. Stuff the bell peppers with the beef mixture and place in the baking dish. Bake until the peppers are very tender and the filling is heated through, 25 to 30 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Beef Kaldereta (salu-salo)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs Stewing Beef (cubed)
1/2 cup Vinegar
6 Peppercorn (crushed)
4 Garlic Cloves (crushed)
4 tbsp. Vegetable oil
1 Onion (sliced)
1 cup Tomato Sauce
1 Bay Leaf
2 tsp Sea Salt
1 tsp Sugar
2 cups Water (plus more if needed)
1 Red Bell Pepper (cut into strips)
1 Medium Carrot (peeled and cut into large pieces)
1 Sm Potato (halved)
1 tsp Tabasco or any hot sauce
1/4 cup Liver Spread

1 1/2 cups Green Olives (pitted)

Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine vinegar, crushed peppercorns and garlic. Stir in the beef, cover with plastic wrap and let marinate in the fridge for 1 hour.
2. While the beef is marinating, prepare all the vegetables needed for this dish.
3. After an hour, remove the beef from the marinade and let it drain for few minutes.
4. Using a heavy pan, brown the beef in hot oil a few pieces at a time. Transfer into a plate and set aside.
5. Using the same pan, sauté the onion until translucent. Return the browned beef to the pan. Add tomato sauce, bay leaf, salt, sugar and water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until the beef is tender, stirring constantly and adding more water as needed.
6. Add the red pepper, potato, carrot and hot sauce. Cover and simmer for 10 more minutes.
7. Add the liver paste and olives. Stir and cook for another 5 minutes.
8. Transfer into a serving plate and top with grated cheese, if using.
9. Serve as is or with steamed rice.

Armenian Armen's Kofta

Ingredients:

4 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1 lbs. Ground Lamb
3 tbsp Grated Onion
3 tbsp Chopped Fresh Parsley
1 tbsp Coriander
1 tsp Cumin
1/2 tbsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp All-Spice
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/4 tsp Ground Ginger
1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper
28 Bamboo Skewers (soaked for 30 mins in water)

Directions:

1. Mash Garlic into paste with salt (in mortar and pestle)
2. Mix Garlic into lamb with onion, parsley, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, all-spice, cayenne pepper, ginger, and pepper in a mixing bowl until well blended.
3. Form mixture into 28 balls around the tip of a skewer, flatten into a 2 inch oval.
4. Place kebabs into a baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 mins or 12 hours at the most.
5. Pre-heat outdoor grill for medium OR broil in oven.
6. Cook skewers on grill turning occasionally until meat is cooked to your liking. (6 mins for medium)

Armenian Armen's Kibbi

Filling Ingredients:

1 medium Onion (finely chopped)
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 lb Ground Turkey
1/2 tsp Ground Allspice
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 cup Pine Nuts plus 2 tbsp for garnish
 
Crust Ingredients:

4 cups ice cold Water
2 cups fine Bulgur or crushed wheat
2 medium Onion (coarsely chopped)
1/4 cup Pine Nuts
2 lbs Ground Turkey
1/2 tsp Ground Allspice
1 1/2 tsp Salt or to taste
1/2 tsp Black Pepper  

Crust Directions:

1. Place crushed wheat in large mixing bowl and add water. Let it stand for 5-10 minutes, then drain, squeezing out water.
2. Process onions, spices and meat in the food processor and add  pine nuts when all are mixed well. 
3. Run until dough like consistency forms.

Filling Directions: 

1. Sauté pine nuts with butter (but I use olive oil) in a frying pan until golden brown (not burnt). Add meat, onions, and seasonings. Sauté until meat is browned and onions are limp. Cool slightly before using. 

Assembly Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter 9X12 inch cake pan.
2. Grease pan.
3. Spread half of the crust mixture on the bottom of the pan, patting evenly with wet hands.
4. Spread the filling over the crust layer.
5. Spread the other half of the crust over the filling.
6. Cut into 2 inch squares or any desired shape.
7. Pour about 4 table spoon of butter over the top.
8. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until cooked through (do not overcook).
9. Serve with yogurt, hummus, and salad

*tip: It may be easier to make small patties and lay them over the top of the filling, Patch up and smooth over with wet hands.

Munsayac Family's Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients:
 
1 ½ - 2 lbs Ground beef
1 bottle Spaghetti Sauce (plain)
½ cup Ketchup
2 tbsp White Sugar
¼ cup Pickle Relish
1/8 cup (2 tbsp) Sherry or Red Wine Vinegar
a big pinch of Dried Thyme
a big pinch of Dried Rosemary
a big pinch of Dried Oregano
a big pinch of Dried Parsley

Directions:

1. On medium heat, brown ground beef in a saucepan with olive oil
2. Drain excess oil
3. Add all dried spices and then add the pickle relish, sherry and sugar
4. Stir
5. Add ketchup, stir again and let it boil
6. As Soon as it starts boiling, add the spaghetti sauce and stir
7. Turn down the heat and let it simmer for 30 minutes

Turing's Arroz ala Cubana

Ingredients:

4 x yellow Plantine Bananas (soft and smells good on the outside)
1 sm can of Tomato Sauce
1/2 Onion (chopped)
2 cloves Garlic (diced)
Eggs (1 per person)

Directions:

1. Slice bananas into 3's (length wise)
2. Fry in oil that covers bananas 1/2 way (don't over cook, just warm them)
3. Saute onion and garlic in oil
4. Add ground beef
5. Add tomato sauce
6. Season with salt and pepper
7. Add raisens when meat is througly cooked
8. Fry eggs over easy 
9. Serve beef over fried rice and garnish with bananas and egg.

Yolly's Kare-Kare

Ingredients:

1 Ox Tail (quartered)
2 sm Eggplants (sliced)
2 bunches String Beans (Sitaw) (cut into 5 inch pieces)
1 pkg Bok Choi
1 tsp Mamasita's Achuete (mixed with broth)
3 heaping spoonfulls Peanut Butter
6 Cloves Garlic
1 Yellow Onion (chopped)
1/4 tsp Olive Oil

Directions:

1. Let ox tail simmer in water on med-high heat for 3 hrs (water should barely cover meat, keep broth for later use)
2. Saute oil, garlic, and onion in a large pot for 2-3 mins (until onion is translucent)
3. Add 1 cup of broth and all meat to pot
4. Add all vegetables and simmer until cooked.
5. Serve with rice.

Beef and Shallot Stew (Real Simple Magazine)

hands-on time: 25 mins total time: 2 hrs 25 mins serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

4 lbs Chuck Beef (cut into 3-4 inch pieces or 4 lbs precut stew meat)
1 tbsp Kosher Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 bottle Dry Red Wine
1 1/2 lbs Shallots (peeled)
1 cup Chicken Broth
8 sprigs Fresh Thyme

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 300 degrees
2. Season beef with salt and pepper
3. Heat oil in a dutch oven pot over med-high heat
4. Add some of the beef to the pot and brown all sides (transfer to plate)
5. Repeat with all beef
6. Spoon off and discard all but 1 tbsp of drippings
7. Add wime and cook for 3 mins (stir)
8. Return beef to pot along with the shallots and broth, bring to a boil
9. Skim off foam
10. Add thyme
11. Cover and transfer to oven for 2 hrs (beef should be tender)