I'll admit, I don't make chili from scratch. I cheat a little. I use 2 pounds hamburger &/or ground turkey, 2 packages William's Chili Seasoning (we love the chipotle flavor), some extra cumin and a bit of sugar to it and let it simmer. I also add beans to mine. Easy and delicious. I serve it with crackers and cheese the first time. Second time, usually make chili mac out of it and if I have any left, we have chili dogs.
Today, I added a nice little treat. When it's cold, I like to crank up the oven and do a bit of baking. Keeps the kitchen and dining area warmer and makes the house smell so good! I looked in my pantry and came up with a can of cherries in heavy syrup that needed to be used. I had read in my recent copy of Mother Earth News of a easy pie crust recipe I wanted to try, so I came up with Cherry Hand Pies.
The recipe is pretty... how shall I say?..loose. I didn't write down exact measurements for the pie filling but I'll do my best to give you something to follow. I also forgot to take pictures of the process so I only have the finished results. Don't let the components scare you. It's an easy recipe.
Boarding House Pie Crust
(Mother Earth News Dec2012/Jan2013 issue)
Makes a 10' Pie crust
Mix 3 cups flour and 1-1/2 teaspoons salt. Separately, thoroughly mix 3/4 cup oil and 3/8 cup milk. Combine flour and liquid mix and stir. Roll out between 2 pieces wax paper.
Cherry Pie Filling
1 can cherries in heavy syrup
1/4 cup Maraschino cherry juice
1/4 to 1/2 cup Sugar
3 tablespoons Butter
Salt
about 3 tablespoons Cornstarch
1 cup Water
1 tablespoon Almond flavor
1 tablespoon Vanilla
Pour cherries and syrup into a saucepan. Add Maraschino cherry juice, sugar, butter & salt and bring to a boil.
Mix 1 cup of water with cornstarch and stir until mixed. Add to boiling cherries. Bring back to boil and then turn heat to simmer. Stir occasionally until mixture is very thick. Add Almond flavor and vanilla and let chill.
Vanilla Glaze
1 tablespoon Butter
1 cup Powdered Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
3 tablespoon Milk
Melt butter. Stir in vanilla and powdered sugar. Add milk and stir until smooth. Adjust milk to make glaze a bit thicker than honey.
Egg Wash
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
Mix together.
To Make Cherry Hand Pies
Heat oven to 375. Cover baking pan with aluminium foil or parchment paper.
Roll out dough and cut with a biscuit cutter. Make two circles for every pie. One will be the bottom and one will be the top. If you don't have a biscuit cutter, make squares the size you would like your pies to be.
Place about a tablespoon of cherry filling on top of one circle. Make sure to leave space around the edges. Place another circle of pie dough on top of this. Using a fork, crimp around the entire edge of the pie, trying not to let the filling leak out. Using a pastry brush or your fingers, lightly spread some egg wash on the top and to the edges of each pie. Prick tops with fork.
Bake until pies are golden brown.
While warm, spread with glaze. It's easiest if you spoon a bit directly in the middle as the warm dough will melt the glaze.
Let cool then eat.
If you have a bit of leftover dough, glaze with egg wash then sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar and bake with the pies. So sweet and delicious!
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| Cute and so good! |
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