Cream cheese pastry turnovers filled with chicken, beef, or fruit.

Ingredients

Dough:

  • 1 cup butter, slightly softened
  • 1 (6 ounce) package cream cheese
  • 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

Options for Filling:

  • Chicken filling: cooked chopped chicken, green verde sauce, shredded Monterey jack cheese, diced cooked caramelized onions (optional), black olives (optional)
  • Beef filling: leftover cooked diced/shredded beef roast/deer meat or hamburger, sliced jalapeno peppers, diced cooked caramelized onions, black olives, shredded cheese (hot pepper, Monterey jack)
  • Chopped fruit with jam or fruit preserves

Cilantro Cream Dipping Sauce for meat empanadas:

  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1/2 lime, juiced
  • Salt and pepper

Steps

Day Before:

  1. Cream butter and cream cheese together until smoothly blended.
  2. Beat in the flour. Shape dough into a smooth ball, wrap in foil or cling wrap, and refrigerate overnight or up to a week.

At Baking Time:

  1. Remove dough from refrigerator 30-60 minutes before using. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Roll chilled dough thin. Cut with 3 or 4 inch round cookie cutter.
  3. Place small spoonful of chicken, beef, fruit or jam in center of each round, moisten edges with water.
  4. Fold round over and press edges together, fork edge. Brush with beaten egg or light cream.
  5. For meat filled empanadas, prick tops with a fork to release steam.
  6. Cover and refrigerate till ready to bake. Also can freeze.
  7. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet 15 to 20 minutes. (If frozen, remove to cookie sheet and thaw for 30-60 min prior to baking.)
  8. For fruit empanadas, after baking immediately roll in sugar mixed with cinnamon (traditional) OR in confectioners’ sugar if preferred.

Cilantro Cream Dipping Sauce:

  1. Mix together in a small bowl: sour cream, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper.