A Savory Valentine's Day Appetizer Or A Quick Super Bowl Party Appetiz

Julie Marshall
by Julie Marshall
20 empanadas
9 hr 25 min

Introduction to A Valentine’s Day AppetizerIn this post, I will show you how to make a delicious Valentine’s Day appetizer. This year you could also make this as a quick Super Bowl appetizer by changing the cookie cutter from a heart to a football!

Tomorrow night I’m invited to an early Valentine’s Day party. I brought a heart-shaped ❤️ empanada filled with spinach and artichoke dip. I think it will be so fun and cute! Here’s how I made it:

Valentine’s Day Appetizer Here is a photo of the heart-shaped cookie cutter as well as a cut-out heart of dough and a last dough heart with a bit of spinach-cheese mixture n top of it.

Heart-Shaped Valentine’s Day Appetizer Steps:

Recipe for Spinach and Artichoke Empanadas ( adapted from Jeff Mauro’s recipe)

Yields 20 empanadas

Ingredients:

-2 14-ounce packages of empanada shells (10 per pack, located in the freezer section), fully thawed! (this is important as in order to separate the shells without tearing them, they need to be fully thawed, soft, and pliable)

-1 8-ounce package of Philadelphia cream cheese, softened to room temperature

-1 10 ounces package of frozen chopped spinach, fully thawed and very well-drained (again plan ahead and let the spinach thaw overnight in the fridge in a strainer over a bowl to catch the water)

-1/2 cup mayonnaise

-1/2 cup sour cream

-1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

-1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

-1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

-1 14-ounce can of chopped artichoke hearts, fully drained

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 large egg beaten with one tablespoon of water

1 heart-shaped ❤️Cookie cutter

Steps to make the Valentine’s Day Appetizer:


  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. Whisk together the cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream in a large bowl until well combined.
  4. Add in the spinach, artichokes, and three kinds of cheese. Combine well and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
  5. Place one empanada shell on a dry cutting board.
  6. Cover the remaining shells with a piece of plastic wrap.
  7. Using a heart-shaped ❤️ cookie cutter, cut two hearts out of one shell.
  8. Place about a tablespoon of the dip on one heart leaving a 1/4-inch border around the entire heart.
  9. Gently stretch the second heart before placing it over the heart that has the filling on it.
  10. Now crimp the edges of the two combined hearts to seal them using the tines of a fork.
  11. Repeat with the other 19 shells.
  12. Place the filled hearts on the prepared pans and brush with the egg wash.
  13. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes until golden brown.
  14. Serve warm.
  15. Enjoy❤️!
valentines day appetizer Here is a baking tray with hear-shaped empanadas before they go into the oven.

This is the plate I’m planning to serve the empanadas on. It’s b y Nora Fleming and the little heart ❤️ “mini” is one of many little “charms” that this designer uses to celebrate every occasion under the sun! This particular plate is made of melamine so it’s not breakable and is considerably lighter than her traditional ceramic serving pieces.

A white platter by Nora Fleming with a heart-shaped "mini" on the edge.

Aren’t these soooo cute❤️? I hope they taste as good as they look!

Happy Early Valentine’s Day❤️❤️❤️!

XO,

Dr. Julie

Football-shaped appetizers for a Super Bowl party instead!

So for a Super Bowl party, follow the exact instructions as above but instead of cutting out hearts, cut out footballs. Use the scraps to make the laces. They’re soooo fun even if your team doesn’t win!

XO,

Dr. Julie

PS Here are some more posts for you to enjoy:

A Sweet Valentine’s Day Tablescape!

Happy Valentine’s Day Outfits

How to Wear White Jeans in Winter

Cute Casual Outfits for Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day


XO,


XO,


XO,

A Savory Valentine's Day Appetizer Or A Quick Super Bowl Party Appetiz
Recipe details
  • 20  empanadas
  • Prep time: 9 Hours Cook time: 25 Minutes Total time: 9 hr 25 min
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Ingredients
Heart-Shaped Valentine’s Day Appetizer Steps:
  • Yields 20 empanadas
  • Ingredients:
  • -2 14-ounce packages of empanada shells (10 per pack, located in the freezer section), fully thawed! (this is important as in order to separate the shells without tearing them, they need to be fully thawed, soft, and pliable)
  • -1 8-ounce package of Philadelphia cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • -1 10 ounces package of frozen chopped spinach, fully thawed and very well-drained (again plan ahead and let the spinach thaw overnight in the fridge in a strainer over a bowl to catch the water)
  • -1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • -1/2 cup sour cream
  • -1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
  • -1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • -1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • -1 14-ounce can of chopped artichoke hearts, fully drained
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 large egg beaten with one tablespoon of water
  • 1 heart-shaped ❤️Cookie cutter
Instructions
Steps to make the Valentine’s Day Appetizer:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk together the cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream in a large bowl until well combined.
Add in the spinach, artichokes, and three kinds of cheese. Combine well and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Place one empanada shell on a dry cutting board.
Cover the remaining shells with a piece of plastic wrap.
Using a heart-shaped ❤️ cookie cutter, cut two hearts out of one shell.
Place about a tablespoon of the dip on one heart leaving a 1/4-inch border around the entire heart.
Gently stretch the second heart before placing it over the heart that has the filling on it.
Now crimp the edges of the two combined hearts to seal them using the tines of a fork.
Repeat with the other 19 shells.
Place the filled hearts on the prepared pans and brush with the egg wash.
Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes until golden brown.
Serve warm.
Enjoy❤️!
Tips
  • 8 of the 9 hours of time spent making this recipe is allocated to the thawing in the refrigerator of the frozen empanada shells and the frozen spinach.
  • Be sure to thaw the spinach in a bowl while suspended in a strainer so the water drips out of the spinach.
  • So for a Super Bowl party, follow the exact instructions as above but instead of cutting out hearts, cut out footballs. Use the scraps to make the laces. They’re soooo fun even if your team doesn’t win!
Julie Marshall
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