I was going to post a rant on how horrible hospitals are, but here I am back at home, the sun is shining and there is a gallon of cut pineapple in the fridge that threatens to go South if I don't use it up immediately... so I'm heading South myself to make the pineapple empanadas that my nieces adore. For a Tuesday that feels like a Monday - everyone needs something extra to sweeten their day.

And in case you find it hard to read the recipe, I've typed it up below, including my adaptations.

Dough:

3 cups flour

2 8oz packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened (PLEASE USE real BUTTER!!!)

Filling:

3-4 cups fresh pineapple cooked at low heat with 2 cups granulated sugar (to taste) and juice of a lemon. If mixture is too runny add 1 TBS cornstarch diluted with a couple of tablespoons of water and bring to a boil to thicken.

To Make the Empanadas:

Combine butter and cream cheese until well blended (in food processor), add flour and mix just until dough forms. Let stand for 20 min (the usual pastry chef's trick) covered in plastic wrap in the fridge, then roll out dough (thin) and cut out circles with a glass or round cookie cutter.

Add a teaspoon of filling (depending on the size of your circles) on each circle, then fold in half and seal with a fork (it doesn't matter if some filling spills over). Sprinkle with granulated sugar on top (for presentation).

Place on greased baking pan into 350 oven for about ten minutes - check and continue baking until golden brown.