Creamy Chicken Filled Turnovers

I've been trying to do more cookbook recipes instead of frozen meals or fast food. Back to basics recipes. No I don"t mean Ina Garten, but just some good home cooking. Too often I come home and end up just throwing odds n' ends food items together and call it a "meal". No more. I want to sit down and have a nice dinner. Now, don't get me wrong, I do have parents but I've kinda taken over as the cook in the family so some of the responsibility is placed to me. And trust me, my mom cooks plenty of nice meals, but coming home at 5 doesn't give much time and I'm soo hungry at that point that traditional meals are far off.

So I took some initiative and pulled out some recipes. Beginning with a crowd pleaser that I knew everyone in my family would enjoy.

These chicken turnovers were great dipped in a sauce stolen from another recipe in the book. They could have been a bit creamier on the inside but that was hardly a draw back. These are a great appetizer idea but there is a ton of labor involved. With the3 pastry making, rolling, and cutting. Then chicken grilling and shredding. But they were fun to make and super good to eat!

Creamy Chicken Filled Turnovers
from Land O Lakes "Treasury of Country Recipes" pg 11

Ingredients:
Pastry:
-1 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
-1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. paprika
-1/2 c. butter
-2 to 4 tbsp. cold water

Filling:
-2 tbsp. butter
-2 tbsp. finely chopped onion
-1 1/2 c. cooked, shredded chicken
-3 oz. cream cheese
-1/4 tsp. salt
-1/4 tsp. thyme
-1/4 tsp. pepper
-3 tbsp. chicken broth

Directions:
In 10" skillet melt butter; add onion. Cook over medium heat until softened (4-5 minutes). Stir in remaining filling ingredients. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until cream cheese is melted and heated through (2-3 minutes). Set aside.

Heat oven to 375. In medium bowl, combine all pastry ingredients except butter and water. Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in water; shape into ball. On lightly floured surface roll out dough to 1/16" thickness. Cut with floured 2 1/2" round cookie cutter.

Place 1 tsp. filling on one half of circle; fold other half over. Press edges with fork to seal. Place on cookie sheets; repeat with remaining pastry and filling. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.


I made this dip for the turnovers, because I just love the idea of having dips for everything. Honestly, everything I eat is better when one thing is dipped into another. I always eat like that. I guess it's the contrasting textures that makes me love it so!

Dip
from Land O Lakes "Treasury of Country Cooking" pg 8
Combine:
1 c. sour cream
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp milk