Cream Cheese Pastry for Turnovers

1 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cup flour
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons milk

Mix butter, cream cheese, salt and flour to form soft dough. Chill overnight.

Break off part of dough (keeping remainder chilled until time to roll it out) and roll it paper thin on a floured surface. With cookie cutter cut into 2 or 3-inch circles and fill with one of the following fillings. When ready to bake, brush tops with egg yolk, beaten with the milk. Place on ungreased baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. The unbaked pastries may be frozen and baked frozen or thawed slightly.

Mushroom Turnovers
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, chopped fine
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper
Dash of ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons flour
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon dill weed
1 recipe Cream Cheese Pastry

Saut? mushrooms in butter with the onion until limp. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg and lemon juice. Blend in flour until smooth and slightly thickened. Stir in sour cream and dill weed. Cool filling. Place scant teaspoon of filling on one side of pastry round. Fold over and crimp edges with fork tines. Bake according to pastry instructions.

Yields 4 dozen.

Old California Empanaditos
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 scallions, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 cup chopped ripe olives
Dash of oregano
1/4 cup canned chopped green chiles,
    blotted dry
1/2 recipe Cream Cheese Pastry

Mix filling ingredients thoroughly. Place small amount on one side of a 2- or 3-inch pastry round. Fold over and crimp edges with fork tines. Bake according to pastry instructions.

Yields 2 dozen.

Pork Ginger Roll
1 pound ground lean pork
1/2 cup flaked crab meat or
    finely chopped shrimp
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water chestnuts, chopped
2 scallions, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 small clove garlic, crushed
1 egg
1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1 recipe Cream Cheese Pastry

Cook pork until whitish but not dry. Mix with other filling ingredients and cool. Roll pastry into four 12 x 9-inch rectangles. Spread each with 1/4 filling and roll up, beginning with long side. Moisten to seal edges. Chill. Bake on ungreased baking sheet 30 to 35 minutes at 375 degrees F. Cool slightly. Cut into 1-inch slices to serve.

Yields 4 dozen slices.

Shrimp Tartlets
1/2 cup mashed cooked shrimp
2 scallions, chopped
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon tarragon
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Salt, to taste
1/2 recipe Cream Cheese Pastry

Mix filling ingredients well. Place small amount on side of a 2- or 3-inch pastry round. Fold over and crimp edges with fork tines. Chill 1 hour, then bake according to pastry instructions.

Yields 2 dozen.

Spicy Empanadas
1 pound ground lean beef
1 (1 1/2 ounce) package spaghetti sauce mix
1/4 cup minced onion
2 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
Salt, to taste
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated sharp cheese
1 1/2 recipes Cream Cheese Pastry

Brown beef. Stir in next 5 ingredients. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Cool mixture. Place small amount on one side of 2- or 3-inch pastry round and bake according to pastry instructions.

Yields 6 dozen.

Keywords: cream cheese pastry for turnovers recipe | appetizer recipes | hot appetizers