The Conversation
When that empanada craving comes a-callin’ you might think you can only get the delicious snack from a hard-to-find food truck with a line a mile long. Think again! An empanada is simple enough that you can actually make them right at home (which leaves your options WIDE open when it comes to fillings). Take breakfast to the next level with some empanadas filled with bacon and eggs, or discover new lunch options with ingredients from all over the globe. And don’t forget all of the dessert empanada options (we’re lookin’ at you, strawberry cheesecake with Nutella drizzle). Check out these 14 recipes to help get you started on your journey to empanada supremacy.
Blueberry Goat Cheese Empanadas
If the Pop-Tart had a fancy sibling, this empanada would be it. The tangy goat cheese pairs so well with the sweetness of the blueberries. You may need a few to get that empanada fix (no judgement). (via Jo Cooks)
Caprese Empanada
Tomato and mozzarella give these empanadas an Italian flair. Serve with basil sauce for dipping and drift into a carb-induced food coma that you won’t want to wake up from. (via Laylita)
Carnitas Empanadas With Avocado Crema
You don’t need a ton of ingredients to fill your empanadas with amazing flavor. Leftover carnitas from taco Tuesday star in these fluffy pastries, along with the creamy avocado sauce for dipping. (via Buns in My Oven)
Chicken Enchiladas Empanadas
Take your favorite weeknight meal and revamp it into a hand-held version. Grab the box of puff pastry that’s been chillin’ in the freezer for a couple months and you won’t even have to go to the grocery store. (via Cooking for Keeps)
Chicken +Â Mushroom Empanadas
When you combine ingredients like olives, mushrooms, raisins and chicken, the result is mouthwatering. Sip on a nice glass of cabernet to enhance the earthy flavors. (via Lemons and Anchovies)
Kabocha Empanadas With Gruyere +Â Thyme
If you’re planning a dinner party, keep in mind that empanadas can easily be made gluten-free. You can’t even tell the difference, especially with a savory filling featuring gruyere and thyme. (via Snixy Kitchen)
Corn +Â Goat Cheese Empanadas
The fresh summer harvest of sweet corn would be perfect for these empanadas. Hit snooze on the reality of the cold tundra you’re currently living in and daydream of a lovely picnic under the sun with a basket full of flaky veggie-filled pastries. (via The Woks of Life)
Orange-Almond Fig Empanadas
Have a Fig Newton craving that just won’t quit? Set aside some time this weekend to make these homemade bite-sized empanadas, and you’ll be in snack heaven all week long. (via So Munch Love)
Pulled Pork With Mango BBQ Sauce Empanadas
Pork BBQ sandwiches can get pretty messy. While they’re worth every finger-licking bite, they’re even better when they’re housed in pastry and baked to perfection. (via Sprinkles and Sauce)
Roasted Veggie Empanadas
Whole wheat flour gives this empanada dough a nutty flavor that’s the perfect match for the tender roasted veggie filling. They freeze beautifully, so whip up a batch for a friend with a new baby/broken leg/just because #friendoftheyear. (via Annie’s Eats)
Shepherd’s Pie Empanadas
If you’ve ever made shepherd’s pie, you know that the leftover situation is real. Save extras for an empanada filling and spoon them into disks of store-bought empanada dough. In just five minutes you’ll have a freshly fried dish that can easily stretch into lunch for the whole week. (via Foodie With Family)
Strawberry Empanadas
Your favorite bakery has nothing on these sweet and salty beauties. The homemade strawberry compote on the inside is a cinch to make and the flaked sea salt finish is absolutely divine. (via Yes, More Please)
Strawberry Cheesecake Empanadas With Nutella Drizzle
It doesn’t get much easier than than using a pre-made pie crust for your empanadas, and that’s just what these indulgent hand pies require. Plus, they’re perfect for a certain lovey-dovey holiday that’s right around the corner. (via Beth Cakes)
Sweet Potato, Apple and Chickpea Empanadas
When you bring in these sweet curry-spiced empanadas for lunch, you’re going to be the envy of your entire office. Just be prepared to have everyone beg you for a sample. (via Floating Kitchen)
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Welcome to Selfmade Finance School, our new money series with Block Advisors to help small business owners with their tax, bookkeeping, and payroll needs year-round. This week, we explore the tax implications of bringing family members into your business.
The question for today is this: Does hiring your family members make sense for your business? Let me be clear. This is not a piece about whether hiring your family members makes sense for your relationships with those family members. As someone who is part of a family business, I could fill up a lot more than 600 words on my opinions about that. For today's purposes, we focus on whether it makes sense from an overall "good business and tax implication" perspective. As it turns out, there is a decent amount of tax nuance when it comes to employing your family. Let's break it down based on relationship to the employee:
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Spouses Who Are In Business Together
Personally, if I had to be in business with my husband, it would not go well. However, many couples build viable, strong businesses together and I say, good for them! Depending on how you have your business entity structured, it will make a big difference on the tax treatment of you and your spouse working as partners. Because a business jointly owned and operated by a married couple is generally treated as a partnership for Federal tax purposes, the spouses must comply with filing and record keeping requirements imposed on partnerships and their partners. The election to file two Schedule C (Form 1040) forms, (one for each spouse) permits certain married co-owners to avoid filing partnership returns, provided that each spouse separately reports a share of all the businesses' items of income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit. Under the election, both spouses will be subject to self-employment tax and on net earnings from self-employment and receive credit for Social Security earnings.
One Spouse Employs Another
If you have a dynamic where your spouse is an employee of your business, then your spouse's wages are subject to income tax withholding, Social Security and Medicare taxes. If you are self-employed (not a corporation or a partnership), your spouse's pay does not have to be included in your federal unemployment tax account (FUTA) contributions and payments. However, if your business is a corporation or a partnership you must include that spouse's pay in your unemployment tax contribution calculation.
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You Employ Your Child
First, let's be clear. I work in my family business, but I am an adult, so I am treated just like a normal employee. However, if you, for example, run a family restaurant and want to hire your children under 18 to work for you, there are some tax benefits. But first, you should check with your state for rules on how many hours minors can work (in non-agricultural jobs) and reference the Fair Labor Standards Act for information on limitations on the kinds of work children can perform.
"This is an often overlooked or under-utilized strategy. Paying your children for true services they provide in your business can be a powerful tax-saving tool," says Cathi Reed, Block Advisors Regional Director. "If you are a sole-proprietorship or single member LLC, and the child is less than 18 years of age, the business is not required to withhold FICA or payroll taxes. The child can use his or her standard deduction against income you pay."
You Hire Your Parent
Oh dear. If you are brave enough to do this, know that you will need to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes on your parent's wages and make the appropriate withholdings, but you don't have to pay unemployment taxes. Now all you have to do is convince your parent that you are the boss. Have fun with that!
Is Hiring Family Members Worth It For The Tax Benefits?
"There are some positive tax advantages to hiring family members. It's important to treat a family member like any other employee. Hiring your children can result in substantial savings for businesses. Make sure your child has real, age-appropriate work to do and a reasonable pay rate, comparable to other employees. Consult with a Block Advisors small business certified tax pro to ensure that you are complying with all requirements," advises Reed. "Block Advisors, a team within H&R Block, is dedicated to meeting the tax, bookkeeping and payroll needs of small business owners year-round. To start working with the tax experts at Block Advisors, visit blockadvisors.com."
In my opinion, you should not hire a family member solely because of the tax benefits. You should always hire based on whether that person is right for the job and keep in mind how this hire could materially impact your relationship with that person and others in your family. Finally, as I mentioned, make sure you have a tax professional on your team when making these determinations. As you can see, things can get a little tricky!
*All details were sourced from IRS.gov and blockadvisors.com
The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect those held by Kestra Investment Services, LLC or Kestra Advisory Services, LLC. This is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations for any individual. It is suggested that you consult your financial professional, attorney, or tax advisor with regards to your individual situation. Comments concerning the past performance are not intended to be forward looking and should not be viewed as an indication of future results. Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. O'Keeffe Financial Partners and any other entity listed herein is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS Investor Disclosures: https://bit.ly/KF-Disclosures