Four Great Puerto Rican Appetizers

So you decided to have some friends over to have a Puerto Rican meal and you start off with some Caribbean drinks like Rum & Cokes or Mojitos or even Pina Coladas. Then what? A great appetizer should be either sweet, savory or both. Here are four of my favorite. First is Tostones or fried green plantains. Sprinkled with salt they also make a great side dish. Next is guava paste &Gouda cheese on your favorite cracker. My third appetizer is a guava & goat cheese Empanada. My fourth appetizer is a beef Empanada with ground beef, capers, onions, garlic, salsa, olives, raisins, and Italian cheese blend.

Tostones are fairly easy to make, make sure that the plantains are green! In 2-3 days they will turn yellow and too sweet to use for Tostones. Cut them into about 3/4 in slices and fry them until just brown in cooking oil. Then flatten them with a plate or metal spatula and then refry them until done, then sprinkle with salt and serve

Gouda cheese and Guava paste on crackers are pretty straight forward. Make sure you serve them with 50-50 of each. Other substitutes for Gouda is Cream Cheese or Goat Cheese.

The Guava & Goat Cheese Empanada is made by taking a pre-made egg role shell cut in half, put equal amounts of guava paste and goat cheese leaving about 1/2 around filling, moisten around filing with water on your finger tip, and then crimp with a fork. Fry to a golden brown.Then sprinkle with powdered sugar, it also makes a quick desert.

The Beef Empanada is made by taking a pre-made egg role shell cut in half, the filing is ground beef with soffrito add Italian cheese blend. Leave 1/2 in.around filing, moisten around filing with egg white on your finger tip, and then crimp with a fork. Fry to a golden brown. You can paint on some Texas Pete with a basting brush, but that part is optional!

Ingredients

Tostones two plantains

Guava Paste & Gouda Cheese 1 box of club crackers, 1 16 oz box Goya Guava paste, 12 oz Gouda Cheese

Guava Paste & Goat Milk Cheese Empanada 1 Package off egg roll shells, 1 16 oz box Goya Guava paste, 12 oz Goat Milk Cheese

Beef Empanada 1lb. ground beef, 10 medium olives sliced, half a large onion diced,1 tbs. minced garlic, 1tbs. capers, 4 tbs. salsa, 1/4 cup of raisins, one Goya sazon flavor pack (con culantro y achiote). 1/8 tsp.salt,1/8 tsp. pepper, 2 tbs olive oil

Directions for soffritto

Saute diced onion in olive oil until soft & transparent then add minced garlic, add olives and capers, next add salsa salt & pepper and Goya flavor pack then set aside. Brown hamburger in 2 tbs. olive oil when done, add to soffrito. Add 1/4 cup raisins & 1 cup of Italian Cheese blend.

Other Nifty@50 Recipes

Arroz Con Pollo Y Gandules

Chicken & Cheese Enchilada Casserole

Classic Cuban Sandwich & Black Bean Soup

Cuban Ham & Egg  Melt Breakfast Sandwich

Farmer's Breakfast Casserole

Jalapeno Cheese Meatloaf 

Spanish Rice & Refried Beans

Super Quick Chicken Quesadillas