(ARA) – Just because grocery budgets are tight, doesn’t mean flavor needs to suffer. Preparing dishes inspired by traditional cuisine from around the world is an easy way to add excitement to everyday meals, without breaking the bank or buying an expensive plane ticket. Try exploring the flavors of the world right in your own kitchen, by using key ingredients from your pantry for authentic flavor.

One pantry staple that easily transitions from wholesome snack to versatile ingredient is California Raisins. Raisins are found in traditional fare from as far away as Africa and lend a scrumptious sweetness to many Latin and South American dishes, as well. Just 1/4 cup is a serving of fruit, which make raisins a convenient and affordable way to add flavorful fruit to any recipe.

Start discovering world flavors with these recipes for Sweet and Savory Argentine Empanadas and North African Braised Chicken. For more recipes featuring California Raisins and flavors from around the world, visit www.LoveYourRaisins.com.

Sweet and Savory Argentine Empanadas with California Raisins

Sweet and Savory Argentine Empanadas with California Raisins

Cost per serving: $.35
Makes about 24 empanadas

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes

1/2 pound very lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup California Raisins
1/2 cup chopped pimento-stuffed green olives
1/2 cup salsa
1 1/2 teaspoons Mexican seasoning blend
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
16 sheets (14×9 inches) fillo dough, thawed
Olive oil or butter-flavored nonstick cooking spray
1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and set aside.

Cook ground beef and onion over medium heat in a nonstick skillet for 10 minutes or until onion is very soft, breaking up beef with a wooden spoon. Stir in raisins, olives, salsa and seasonings. Unroll fillo sheets and cover with a damp cloth. Place one sheet on a cutting board. Spray with cooking spray and top with another sheet. Repeat to layer four sheets. Cut into six equal pieces and brush edges with beaten egg. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling in the center of each and fold over to enclose filling, making triangular shapes. Press tightly to seal edges, then cut away points to make semi-circle shapes. Repeat with remaining fillo sheets and filling. Brush with beaten egg and place on baking sheet.

Bake for about 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. May be made ahead and reheated in a 350 F oven until crisp.

North African Braised Chicken

North African Braised Chicken

Cost per serving: $3.30
Makes four servings

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 medium onions, thinly sliced and separated into rings
1 cup California Raisins
1/2 teaspoon each: curry powder, ground ginger and ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon each: ground cinnamon and ground cayenne pepper
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
Hot cooked couscous

Heat oil in a large, deep skillet or pot with a tight-fitting lid. Season chicken with salt and add to skillet; cook over medium-high heat for about five minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove from skillet and set aside. Add onion to skillet; cook, stirring frequently, for five to 10 minutes to soften. Stir in raisins and seasonings. Return chicken to skillet and arrange onions on top. Add stock and wine; cover and simmer over low heat for one hour. Uncover and simmer for 15 minutes more. Serve chicken and sauce over couscous.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Antojitos or "little cravings" are small dishes of traditional Mexican cuisine that bring Latin flavor into your kitchen.

(ARA) – Most at-home chefs have five to 10 go-to recipes for the week, leaving them in a repetitive cooking rut. Whether you’re a seasoned chef or just making your way around the kitchen, exploring different cuisines and experimenting with flavors can be simple and bring fresh life and authenticity to everyday meals. One tasty cuisine with readily available ingredients that is growing in popularity in the United States is Latin cuisine.

“Latin and Mexican flavors offer rich, bold tastes, textures and possibilities,” says 2008 James Beard Award winner Chef Michelle Bernstein-Martinez, author of the new cookbook, Cuisine a Latina. “Authentic, ethnic ingredients are widely available in supermarkets, allowing any at-home chef to try something new in their meals.”

Here are a few of Bernstein-Martinez’s secrets to bringing her love of Latin and Mexican flavors to your kitchen:

Fresh, natural ingredients
The ingredients you choose for your dishes are just as important as the preparation of the food. Latin meals are known for their freshness and authenticity. To kick things up a notch, incorporate different fruits and vegetables such as plantains, limes, avocados and Spanish or yellow onions into everyday meals. Adding spices like ginger, chilies and cilantro, often used in the Latin culinary world, can add bold flavor to a dish.

One of the top and most easily accessible ingredients in Mexican cuisine is cheese, so look for natural and authentic cheeses with distinctive and full flavor, such as the El Regalo Manchego and Anejo Enchilado found in Sargento Artisan Blends Shredded Authentic Mexican Cheese.

Comfort food
Many Latin dishes offer the hearty and rich characteristics of comfort food, with a few twists and exciting flavors. Creamy polenta (corn grits) with sausage, poblano peppers stuffed with shrimp and rice and chili-spiced onion rings with Mexican cheese fondue are all rich and warm meals sure to become favorites.

Authentic antojitos
Antojitos, also known as appetizers or “little cravings,” are small dishes of traditional Mexican cuisine. Often found in Latin restaurants, these small meals are great for entertaining or offering variety during dinnertime. One antojito recipe idea is mini open-faced plantain sandwiches with grilled steak, avocado, chilies and Sargento Artisan Blends Authentic Mexican Cheese.

This recipe for Sweet Corn and Cheese Empanadas by Bernstein-Martinez is another antojito that is sweet, savory and perfect for bringing Latin flavor into your kitchen.

Sweet Corn and Cheese Empanadas
Serves 4

Ingredients
Dough:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 pound plus 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes
1/3 cup cold water
Canola oil for frying
*May substitute refrigerated or frozen pie crust dough

Filling:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon oil
1 Spanish or yellow onion, chopped fine
4-1/2 cups (6 ears) corn, off the cob
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch scallions, sliced thin
1 cup (4 oz.) Sargento Artisan Blends Shredded Authentic Mexican Cheese
1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 to 400 F.

2. To prepare the dough: Combine flour, salt and butter in food processor; run until it becomes a coarse meal. Add all the water and pulse until it forms a dough. Allow to rest.

3. To prepare the filling: In a saute pan on medium heat, place the butter and oil. Add the onion, cook for 3 to 4 minutes; add the corn. Cook, stirring, for about 4 minutes. Lower the heat and add sugar, salt, pepper and cream. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the scallions, parsley and cheese. Stir until all ingredients are incorporated well. Remove from heat and allow to cool in the refrigerator.

4. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface, making a circle about 1/8-inch thick. With a cookie cutter 5 inches in diameter, cut circles. Place about 1 to 1-1/2 tablespoons of the filling into the center of each circle. Moisten the exposed dough with water. Fold the empanada in half, pressing the edges firmly together and press the tines of a fork around the edge to seal.

5. Bake about 10 minutes or until golden or heat 2 inches of oil to 325 to 350 F in a large pot; fry in hot oil until golden.

For more recipes, visit Sargento.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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