1/3 cup dried cherries
¼ cup fresh orange juice
1 lb lean ground beef
½ cup minced onion
2 teaspoons cumin
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 16 oz package fresh won ton wraps
zipper closure freezer food storage bags
no stick cooking spray
pineapple lime dipping sauce

Combine cherries and orange juice. Brown ground beef in skillet with next five ingredients, breaking meat into fine pieces. Remove from heat. Stir in pine nuts, cherries and orange juice. Refrigerate until cold. Lightly brush edge of a wrap with water. Spoon scant 1 Tablespoon of meat mixture into center of wrap, fold over to form a triangle. Crimp edges with tines of fork. Repeat with remaining wraps. Freeze empanadas on baking sheet until firm. Transfer to freezer food storage bags. Freeze up to 2 months.

To bake, line baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spray with no stick cooking spray. Arrange frozen empanadas on foil. Spray with no stick cooking spray. Bake in in pre-heated 400 degree oven, turning once, until golden brown (10-12 minutes). Serve with pineapple lime dipping sauce.

Pineapple Lime Dipping Sauce

Combine 2 12 oz jars pineapple preserves, 4 Tablespoons fresh lime juice, 3 Tablespoons Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons snipped fresh cilantro, and ½ teaspoon grated lime peel. Refrigerate, covered, several hours. Makes 2 ½ cups.