Kitchen Experiments: Apple Turnovers & Sausage Chili

I recently made some fresh puff pastry.  The last time I made this was during the pastry module while I was in culinary school.  I was fascinated with how the layers would form just from folding some dough and wrapping it around butter.  Seriously, whoever thought of this procedure is a pure genius and for me, he/she is right up there with Albert Einstein!  Since I made the dough, I stored it in the freezer for another day.  Yesterday happened to be the day when I decided to take it out and make something wonderful with that puff pastry:  apple turnovers!  Who doesn’t love warm, sweet apples nestled in layers of flaky dough? With a cup of coffee, this simple treat is a great way to start my morning!

Apple Turnovers Yield, 10 to 12 turnovers

Ingredients:

• 1 large sheet of puff pastry (Of course you can use your preferred brand of store bought puff pastry!)
• 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced
• 1 lemon, juiced and zested
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (freshly ground is best)
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves (optional, but if using freshly ground is best)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 T milk

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a medium bowl, add the apples, lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, cinnamon salt, nutmeg, and cloves, if using.  Set aside.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out your puff pastry into a large sheet.

   Puff pastry before rolling

   Rolled out puff pastry

3. Using a pizza cutter or very sharp knife, cut your puff pastry in half.  Set one half aside.  Cut the remaining half into 6 even rectangles.
4. Fill each rectangle with about a tablespoon of the apple mixture, draining it of any juices that may have developed in the bowl.
5. Brush the edges of the rectangle with beaten egg and fold the rectangle over, pressing lightly to remove any air.  Use a fork to crimp together the edges.
6. Place each turnover on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush each with the beaten egg.
7. Using a sharp knife, cut 2 or 3 slits in the top of each turnover, to create slits. These slits will serve as vents and will keep your pastries from exploding!

8. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown.

While your turnovers are cooling, you can make the icing!

1. In the bowl of a mixer, combine confectioner’s sugar, vanilla extract and milk.
2. Mix until it reaches a thick consistency, resembling icing.  If you need to thin it out a bit, add a few drops of more milk.
3. Using a spoon, drizzle the icing on top of your turnovers.

After spending the day surrounded by sweets, I decided I wanted something spicy for dinner, so I made some sausage chili.

Sausage Chili, Yield 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 T olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 links of hot italian sausage, casings removed
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 jalapeños, seeds and stems removed and diced
• 1/2 dried habañero, stems and seeds removed and minced
• 3/4 cup red wine or 1 bottle beer
• 2 T of cajun seasoning
• 2 T of chili powder
• 2 T of cumin
• 1 (1lb, 13 oz) can of pink beans
• 1 (28 oz) can of tomatoes
• Top with crumbled cotija cheese or cheddar

1. Warm a stock pot or dutch oven to medium heat.
2. Add olive oil.
3. Once olive oil is heated, add onion and cook until soft and edges are brown, about 5 – 6 minutes.
4. Add sausage.  Crumble the sausage while cooking.  Cook until browned through about 10 minutes.
5. Add garlic, jalapeños and habañero and cook 2 minutes more.
6. Add wine or beer and scrape the bottom of the pot to remove any bits that are stuck. Cook another 2 minutes until liquid is reduced.
7. Add cajun seasoning, chili powder and cumin, stirring to incorporate. Cook another minute.
8. Add beans and tomatoes.
9. Simmer, covered, for about 20-30 minutes until thick.
10. To serve, ladle into bowl and top with crumbled cotija or cheddar cheese