Grande Beef Empanadas

Courtesy of The Beef Checkoff 4 Servings • 20 MIn. Prep Time • 20 MIn. Cook Time

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add ground beef; cook 8-10 min., breaking into small crumbles and stirring occasionally. Pour off drippings.

2. Stir in raisins, chili sauce, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook and stir 1 min. Remove from heat.

3. Unfold pie crust; place on baking sheet. Spoon beef mixture evenly over 1/2 of dough, leaving 1-1/2-in. border around edge. Moisten edge of dough with water; fold pastry over filling. Press edges of dough together with fork to seal. Prick center of dough with fork once or twice to form steam vents.

4. Bake in 400°F oven 16 to 18 min. or until pastry is golden brown. Serve with toppings, if desired.

* Cook's Tip: Beef Empanada Appetizers: Increase refrigerated pie crusts to 3 or 1-1/2 (15-oz.) pkgs. Prepare ground beef filling as above. Roll out each pie crust to a 14-in. circle on a lightly floured surface. Cut 10 circles from each crust with a 3-1/2-in. round cookie or biscuit cutter, spacing the cutouts closely. Spoon a generous Tbsp. beef filling in center of each circle, leaving 1/4-in. border around edge. Moisten edge of dough with water; fold pastry over filling to form half-circle. Press edges together with fork to seal. Place on baking sheet. Bake in 400°F oven 14-16 min. or until pastry is golden brown. Serve as above. Makes 30 appetizers.

* Cook's Tip: Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed ground beef. Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F. Color is not a reliable indicator of ground beef doneness.

* Recipe Courtesy of The Beef Checkoff

Nutrition:

Calories: 507; Total Fat: 27g; Saturated Fat: 11g; Cholesterol: 86mg; Total Carbs: 39g; Fiber: 0g; Protein: 26g; Sodium: 9mg;