Serves 12 - 3 or 4/pc each
Ingredients for the sandwich
1 loaf of Pepperidge Farm extra THIN bread (you can use regular white bread if the thin kind cannot be purchased, I suggest as thin as you can find)
3/4 lb deli sliced ham or turkey (or both if you want to be extra fancy!)
1-2 eggs beaten (add a splash of milk if desired)
3/4 lb slices of American, cheddar or Swiss cheese (your choice, I like Swiss or American)
1-2 tbsp butter for frying
Powdered sugar for dusting
Ingredients for the Raspberry-Chipotle Sauce
*This dipping sauce can either be purchased pre-made or made at home. We like the brand Fisher & Wieser Razzpotle Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce which can be purchased at most fine grocers or Costco/Sam's Club.
Raspberry-Chipotle Sauce from Scratch
1/3 cup raspberry fruit jam
2 tsp minced canned chipotle chilis in adobo sauce
1-3 tsp lemon juice
*In a sauce pan stir together the chipotle, fruit spread & 2 tbsp of water. Simmer on low heat for about 2 minutes until hot and saucy. Stir in 1 tsp lemon juice. Add more water if the sauce is too thick, add more lemon juice to taste.
Directions for Sandwiches
1. Slice crusts off of the bread using a long bread knife to make a square. Discard heels. I find stacking them and slicing many at once works just fine. Discard crusts of which a good use is bird feeding.
2. Add once slice of cheese--you may need to crop to fit inside the bread depending on how your deli slices them.
3. Top with meat, folding so meat fits inside the bread as well. Repeat until all sandwiches are prepped.
4. Beat egg and milk in a square tupperware, or other type container that the sandwiches can be dipped into.
5. Heat skillet on medium heat, add butter until melted and hot. Meanwhile dip your sandwiches in egg on all sides and fry in the skillet until golden brown (only a few minutes on each side). You can use a lid to ensure cheese melts if desired.
6. Remove and cut cross-wise into small triangles, getting 4 tiny sandwiches out of each. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Place on your serving plate and serve immediately. Sometimes we cook them as the party is going on, or you could pre-make them and place them in a very low temp oven (150 degrees) to keep them warmed slightly--you don't want the cheese getting too hot and runny.
*To serve: garnish serving platter with sliced high quality dill pickles, lettuce (not for eating!) & a bowl of raspberry sauce to dip.
**The raspberry chipotle sauce is particularly good on scrambled eggs-FYI if you make extra
Makes 22-24/pc
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion diced
1/2 lb ground beef or bison (80-85% lean)
1/3 cup golden raisins
2 tbsp ketchup
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
salt & pepper
2 store bought refrigerated rolled-pie crusts
1 large egg beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2-1 tbsp lime zest, and a little more for garnish
Directions
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Heat the oil in a large skillet, over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft, stirring occasionally 5-6 minutes. Add beef and cook, breaking it up into small crumbles with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink 4-5 minutes.
2. Stir in the raisins, cinnamon, 1/2 tsp salt & 1/4 tsp pepper.
3. Using a 2 1/2in. biscuit or cookie cutter cut out circles from the pie crusts. Divide the beef among the circles. Brush the edges with water and fold in half. Then press a fork to seal.
4. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet and brush with egg. Bake until golden about 20-25 minutes.
5. Put sour cream in a small bowl and sprinkle with lime zest, adding a little water to thin and mix. Transfer to serving dip bowl. Sprinkle a bit of zest on top to garnish.
Make-ahead: You can assemble and freeze the empanadas up to one month in advance. Freeze them unbaked on a parchment lined baking sheet until firm and transfer to a freezer proof Ziplock type bag. To cook, bake frozen at 375 degrees for 30-45 minutes. Keep warm at 250 degrees. You can make the sour cream mixture 1/2 before serving.
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