Saltine Toffee

This was one of my favorites treats when I was growing up, and it's perfect if you're starting to crave some holiday treats but you're not quite ready to dive into your holiday baking just yet.

This toffee takes about 10 minutes to prepare, and then a half-hour to set, and I think it's about the perfect combination of flavors and textures -- salty, crisp crackers, sweet and chewy toffee, and cool, rich chocolate. I can seriously eat an entire pan in one evening, which is why it's very dangerous for me to make this very often. (And I try to give as much of it away as quickly as possible.)

My mom used to make several pans of this in one sitting when I was in high school. We had a smaller kitchen with very little counter space, so Mom would just plop down onto the then-carpeted kitchen floor, adding crackers to all the pans spread out around her.

This being one of my favorites, imagine my shock when the hubby refused to eat it ... based solely on the presence of the saltines. (He actually referred to it as "white trash candy." Of course, he also won't eat something if it has "bake," "casserole," or "hotdish" in the name.) If you run into a similar marketing issue, just try to think of a more creative name for this toffee. Or try a slightly more exotic-sounding cracker, like a matzo cracker. (I once saw a similar recipe in a cooking magazine.)

Or just save all the toffee for yourself.

Saltine Toffee
Makes 18-24 pieces

1 sleeve saltine crackers
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 cups chocolate chips (I use milk chocolate)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet or pan with foil, and spray the foil with cooking spray.

2. Spread crackers in even rows, so crackers are touching, but not overlapping. (The number of crackers depends on what size baking pan you’re using. I like a 9" by 13" or 10" by 15" pan).

3. In a small saucepan, heat brown sugar and butter over medium-high heat, stirring, until mixture comes to a rolling boil.

4. Pour mixture over crackers, spreading as evenly as possible.

5. Bake 5 minutes.

6. Let cool 1 minute, and then sprinkle with chocolate chips.

7. Let chocolate chips melt for about 1 minute before spreading evenly over toffee.

You can also sprinkle the toffee with nuts, crushed crackers, or sea salt at this point.

8. Chill 30 minutes to set toffee and chocolate.

9. Peel away foil. Using your hands, break toffee into pieces.

(I like to store my toffee in the refrigerator.)

Chicken-Fried Steak and Gravy

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I recently received a few coupons to try Simply Potatoes, which are close-to-homemade, refrigerated potatoes. We decided to try the roasted garlic mashed potatoes first, because they're a family fave, especially with grilled steak.

But it's November in North Dakota, which typically means bitter cold, gusty winds, or both. Next option? Chicken-fried steak.

I absolutely adore chicken-fried steak, and I've recently converted the hubby, as well. But many restaurant versions are mediocre. The steak itself can be tough, the breading mealy or flavorless, and the gravy ... well, let's just say that flour, drippings, and milk aren't always enough. (Seasoning, people!)

I've had the same experience with the recipes I've tried, and believe me, I've tried plenty. But I keep persisting and trying to learn from my mistakes. And ... I may have finally found the perfect recipe! Upon tasting this, the hubby said, "Wow, this is fabulous, dear." And the little man had three helpings of dipping gravy.

I love this best served with garlic mashed potatoes (especially if they're a little lighter on the garlic), Texas toast, and corn.

Chicken-Fried Steak and Gravy
Serves 6

Steak
6 beef cube steaks, about 1 1/2-2 pounds total
Salt, pepper, and onion salt
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 egg
1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
2 cloves garlic, grated
Vegetable oil, for deep frying (I filled my pan about 1" deep)

Gravy
1/4 cup flour
4 cups whole milk
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, to taste
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Add oil to a large, heavy pan and heat to 325 degrees F.

2. Meanwhile, sprinkle salt, pepper, and onion salt on one side of steaks.

3. Place 2 cups flour in a shallow dish. Add baking powder, baking soda, pepper, salt, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and stir to combine.

4. In a separate shallow bowl, combine buttermilk, egg, Tabasco, and garlic.

5. Dredge each steak in the flour, then in the buttermilk, and again in the flour. Place on a baking rack.

This lets any extra coating fall off the steaks, and also lets the coating sort of rest on all sides without the steaks getting mushy on the bottom. (This is key after frying, as well.)

6. Fry the steaks, a few at a time, about 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown.

You don't need to worry about cooking the steaks all the way through, because they'll be finishing off in the oven. (I use this same technique for fried chicken, because I hate a burnt crust.)

7. Place steaks on a rack on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake about 15-20 minutes, while you make the gravy.

8. Drain all but 1/4 cup of the oil from the pan, reserving the solid bits. I pour my oil through a mesh strainer, so I can toss the bits right back in the pan.

9. Return the pan to medium-low heat with the reserved oil. Whisk 1/4 cup flour into the oil. Stir in the milk and chicken bouillon cubes, raise the heat to medium, and bring the gravy to a simmer. Cook until thick, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, kosher salt, and pepper.

10. Spoon the gravy over the steaks to serve.

Chicken or Turkey Noodle Soup

As I'm writing this blog post, the thermometer is showing a whopping 2 degrees F outside, which is, by far, the chilliest it's been thus far this fall. That means ... soup!

I used this soup using uncooked chicken, but you can easily add leftover cooked chicken or turkey, instead. So this is a great use for some of that Thanksgiving turkey.

Chicken or Turkey Noodle Soup
Serves 6

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 potato, peeled and cubed
2 carrots, peeled and cubed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
2 tablespoons flour
2 32-ounce cartons chicken broth
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken, cut in small chunks
1 12-ounce package frozen homestyle egg noodles
4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
Additional salt and pepper, to taste

1. Heat oil and butter in a pot over medium to medium-high heat. Add potato, carrots, onion, and bay leaf, and season with salt and pepper. Cook about 4 minutes, until vegetables start to soften.

2. Add poultry seasoning and flour to vegetables. Stir until vegetables are coated, and cook about 1 minute.

3. Stir in chicken broth. Heat until boiling, and then add chicken, noodles, and thyme.

4. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 20-30 minutes, or until chicken and noodles are cooked through. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and remove bay leaf and thyme stems before serving.

Slow-Simmered Spaghetti Sauce

While I was looking through the cookbook where I discovered the recipe for Michelle's Manicotti, I stumbled upon the basis for this recipe, which is a pretty basic, slow-simmered spaghetti sauce. I did make a few changes, and I absolutely loved the results. This could be the best meat sauce I've ever tried. So thank you, Ms. Marlene Paulsrud ... whomever you are.

This recipe calls for simmering the sauce for at least an hour on the stovetop. However, I let mine cook on low heat all afternoon long, because I love the aroma of a huge pot of sauce cooking all day. You could easily put this in this in the slow cooker, as well, for an even lower-maintenance option.

Slow-Simmered Spaghetti Sauce
Makes 8-10 servings

2 pounds ground beef (85% lean)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt, pepper, onion salt, and garlic salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
2 1 1/2-ounce packets Italian spaghetti sauce seasoning mix (I used one regular and one zesty)
1 teaspoon brown sugar
3 cups water
2 15-ounce cans tomato sauce
2 6-ounce cans tomato paste
1 small can mushrooms, drained
1 small can sliced black olives, drained
Additional salt, pepper, onion salt, and garlic salt, to taste

1. Brown ground beef and garlic over medium-high heat in a large pot. Season with salt, pepper, onion salt, and garlic salt.

2. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer over low heat for at least 1 hour.

3. Serve over hot pasta.

Potato and Sausage Soup

Sundays tend to be soup days at our house, and we whip up a pot or two each Sunday morning. It's a great light lunch, it makes for good leftovers for early in the week, and the little man loves him some soup.

Good to the last drop!

This is an adaptation of a Taste of Home recipe. I like potato soup, and thought the sausage would be a different addition to it. It definitely makes the soup both more flavorful and heartier.

Potato and Sausage Soup
Makes 4 servings

3/4-1 pound pork sausage links, cut in 1/4" slices
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons flour
1 14 1/2-ounce can chicken broth
1/2 cup water
4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup milk
Additional salt and pepper, to taste
Cheddar cheese, for serving

1. In a soup pot, brown sausage over medium-high heat. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

2. Drain all but 1 tablespoon drippings. Saute celery, onion, thyme, salt, and bay leaf until onion is tender.

3. Stir in flour; cook 1 minute. Gradually add brother and water, stirring until mixture comes to a boil.

4. Add potatoes; cover and simmer 25 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.

5. Puree half the soup in a blender or food processor, or use an immersion blender. (If you're transferring the soup to another container, you might want to let it cool a bit, first.)

6. Combine soup and sausage, and then stir in milk. Heat through. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve with some shredded cheddar cheese.

Chocolate Gelato

I first experienced gelato just as it should be experienced -- in a small, bustling Italian village, just as the sun was setting, and the after-dinner crowd was meandering around town. We had just played a band concert in the park, and it seemed as though everyone in town was milling about, although the only shops that were open were selling food.

I was craving ice cream, and gelato looked close enough to fit the bill. And, of course, I chose chocolate. And it was fantastic. Maybe it was the atmosphere, maybe I've built up that memory, but I couldn't get over how smooth and intense the flavor was.

This is an adaptation of a recipe I saw in Food Network magazine, and what's interesting about it is that there's no cream or milk in this recipe, beyond the milk content in the chocolate. I'm no Alton Brown, so I have no idea how this recipe still works out. But it does. Even thought it's basically sugar, water, chocolate, and Dutch process cocoa powder (which is prohibitively expensive 'round these parts, just FYI).

My taste testers for this recipe were two gelato newbies:

And what did they think?

Taster #1 said: "I really like the texture. And it's got a flavor kind of like tootsie rolls. Did I get any in my mustache?" OK, so my brother didn't really say that last part. Because he doesn't really have a mustache.

Taster #2 said: "It's cold! More, please."

They clearly have very sophisticated palates.

Chocolate Gelato
Makes 6-8 servings

8 ounces milk chocolate (I used Cadbury, which is my favorite)
1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
2 cups water
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8-1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Finely chop chocolate.

2. Place chocolate and cocoa in a blender.

3. Bring water and sugar to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.

4. Pour sugar water in blender. Cover and pulse 4-5 times, until mixture is smooth, but not foamy. Add extracts and salt, and pulse once more to combine. Transfer mixture to a bowl.

5. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, or until very cold.

6. Whisk the chocolate mixture before transferring to an ice cream maker, according to manufacturer's directions. (Mine had to process about 20 minutes.)

7. Transfer to a container.

8. Freeze at least 2 hours before serving.

Parmesan-Garlic Bites

This is an adaptation of a Taste of Home recipe, and these tasty little bites are a quick addition to a soup or pasta meal (although quite a bit smaller than I'd envisioned). But they're still yummy. And cute. And very easy to make.

Note that I'd recommend using the good ol' grated Parmesan cheese in a can, rather than freshly grated. The fresh Parmesan cheese just kind of gums up the oil mixture, and doesn't leave the distinct little Parmesan flecks behind after the oil is absorbed into the rolls.

Parmesan-Garlic Bites
Makes 30 small rolls

1 12-ounce tube refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet or spray it with cooking spray.

2. Cut each biscuit into 3 pieces. Roll each piece in a 4" rope and tie it in a knot, tucking the ends underneath. Place 2" apart on baking sheet.

3. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until golden.

4. Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients.

5. Brush warm rolls with seasoned oil mixture.

Pork with Pappardelle

The hubby and I were watching Food Network while folding clothes one day, and we saw Aaron McCargo, Jr., making this recipe. It's one that I've always wanted to try, and although we often have different opinions about pasta, the hubby said, "That looks good. We should make that."

So, we did. And it was pretty quick and simple to throw together, after the pork was roasted. We did make some adjustments to the sauce, however, because I wanted mine a bit thicker and more tomato-y than the original.

And feel free to use leftover shredded pork, if you already have some on hand.

Pork with Pappardelle
Makes 6 servings

Pork:
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons minced garlic
Salt and pepper
1 4-pound pork shoulder

Pasta:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 ounces tomato paste
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups shredded pork
1 pound dried pappardelle pasta
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. For the pork, combine olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic. Spread all over pork using a pastry brush.

3. Set meat on rack on roasting pan. Roast for 20 minutes, and then cover with foil and reduce heat to 325 degrees F. Continue to cook about 4 hours.

4. Remove pork from oven and let stand until cool enough to shred, and then shred with your hands. Set aside 2 cups for sauce, and store the rest for use in another recipe.

5. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

6. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion and cook about 5 minutes.

7. Stir in tomato paste and crushed red pepper flakes.

8. After about 1 minute, add broth and pork, and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

9. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 10 minutes.

10. Meanwhile, add pasta to water and cook 6-8 minutes, or until pasta is al dente. Remove pasta and place directly in sauce, adding some pasta cooking water to add moisture, if needed.

11. Cook, tossing pasta with sauce, another 2 minutes. Pour into a large serving bowl and top with freshly grated Parmesan.

Fudgy No-Bake Cookies

These no-bake cookies are a long-standing favorite in the hubby's family, and I remember my mom making them when we were younger, too. This is my mother-in-law's recipe, which we eat most frequently when my sister-in-law, Patti, makes them for us.

We really appreciate that. We're not usually the people to whom others bring food, so when they do, we're thrilled. (Like two days after we returned home from the hospital with the little man, and Patti brought over pans of bars and tins of these cookies.) And she's surprised us with them from time to time since then.

This was my first attempt at making these cookies. I think I need a little more practice.

Fudgy No-Bake Cookies
Makes about 2 dozen

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups quick-cooking oatmeal

1. Combine sugar, shortening, cocoa, and milk in a saucepan. Stir together over medium-low to medium heat, until mixture begins to boil. Let mixture continue at a low boil for 4 minutes, without stirring.

2. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and oatmeal.

3. Scoop teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper.

The hubby says I should have heaped the cookies more. I'm such a noob.

4. Let set before serving.

Sticky Bun Bites

A few months ago, I explained away an absence in my posts with the justification that it's possible that the SD card that contained many of my photographs had been temporarily misplaced -- some might say "lost" -- and that if anyone found it, to please contact us.

The other week, my brother received a message from the school secretary in a nearby town, after someone had turned in the card at the school office. (Note that my brother was not in possession of the card when it was ... misplaced.) My brother is a fairly recognizable -- some might say "notorious" -- figure in these parts, so the secretary recognized him in a couple of the pictures. So essentially, my brother got a message that said, "There's an SD card here at the school, and it has some photos of football, you, and Mickey Mouse."

Thank you, nameless student with the eagle eyes who spotted our SD card in the gravel parking lot and then had the moral fortitude to actually turn in the card. The Short family vacation photos have found their way home!

And so have my recipe photos. (And why didn't the secretary mention these?)

This one such recipe, from Pillsbury. I made these one Sunday morning to feed my parents before they hit the road for the day, and the little man loved them, as well. He likes to eat these out of a paper cup in the car. A Mickey Mouse paper cup, if possible.

These harden up pretty quickly if you leave them uncovered, but they soften considerably if you store them in an airtight container. I actually liked these better the next day -- they're soft inside, and the outside tastes more like toffee than caramel.

Sticky Bun Bites
Makes 6 servings

1/4 cup butter, melted
Shortening, for greasing pan
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 12-ounce tube Pillsbury Grands! Jr. Golden Layers biscuits

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 12 regular-sized muffin cups with shortening.

2. In a small bowl, combine butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup. Divide mixture among muffin cups (a little less than a tablespoon in each).

3. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a resealable bag.

4. Separate dough into 10 biscuits, and cut each biscuit into 6 pieces.

5. Place biscuit pieces in bag with cinnamon and sugar, seal, and shake to coat. Place 5 biscuit pieces in each muffin cup.

6. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.

7. Cool 1 minute before inverting onto waxed paper and removing pan. Serve immediately, and store leftovers in a storage container.

The Hubby's Ultimate Grilled Cheese

Food Network magazine ran a feature about grilled cheese sandwiches earlier this year, and one version they listed was actually a grilled cheese and bacon sandwich using sourdough bread.

Well hey, since they threw bacon in there, we had to tried it. So we tried the recipe as printed. And then the hubby suggested a few changes. So we tried it again. And then the hubby suggested a few changes. (Recipe critique and improvement is his specialty.) And then we had ... the hubby's perfect grilled cheese. (Mine is the hubby's version, minus the dressing.) We should totally take this sandwich on the national grilled cheese competition circuit.

The Hubby's Ultimate Grilled Cheese
Makes 4 sandwiches

8 strips thick-cut bacon
2 tablespoons butter, plus more, as needed
8 slices sourdough bread
12 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
12 thin slices of tomato
4 tablespoons Thousand Island dressing
A few dashes of crushed red pepper flakes

1. Cook bacon until crisp, and drain on paper towels.

2. Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add slice of bread and top with 3 ounces cheese, 2 strips bacon, and 3 tomato slices.

3. Spread 1 tablespoon dressing on a bread slice and sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes. Press on top of the sandwich, dressing side down.

4. Cook until cheese melts and bread is golden, about 3-4 minutes per side.

5. Repeat for other sandwiches, adding more butter, as needed.

Michelle's Manicotti

I have a confession. I don't like ricotta cheese. Which is proof that just anyone can be a food blogger, right? But there's something about the texture that I don't care for, especially when it's intermingled with a red sauce. (This is why I use cottage cheese in my lasagna.)

In fact, I tend to avoid most cheese-filled pasta. Most have ricotta, and even using cottage cheese as a substitute tastes a bit overwhelming to me. The exception is cheese tortellini, which seems to have a higher pasta-to-cheese ratio. Or perhaps I'm just overthinking this whole thing.

Anyway, I've given manicotti a fair shake -- both in restaurants and at home -- and it's just never really been my thing. But the other day, I was flipping through a church cookbook, looking for a specific recipe by a specific person, when I stumbled upon this recipe, by the specific person's daughter -- Michelle. Michelle is the office manager at the hubby's office, and we all adore her. And now we all adore her manicotti.

Michelle had the idea to stuff the manicotti with string cheese instead of a goopy cheese mixture. I think it was in the interests of being faster, but I much prefer the taste of this version, as well. And boy, are those shells a lot easier to stuff.

Depending on how saucy and meaty you want your manicotti, use anywhere between 1-1 1/2 pounds of ground beef, and 1-2 jars of spaghetti sauce. I think I'm .... about 1 1/2 pounds meaty and 1 1/2 jars saucy.

Michelle's Manicotti
Makes 6-8 servings

1 8-ounce package manicotti pasta
1-1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion (optional)
1-2 26-ounce jars spaghetti sauce
14 pieces string cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9“ by 13” pan, or spray it with cooking spray.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions.

3. Meanwhile, cook ground beef in a skillet with onion. (Optionally, sprinkle beef with onion salt.) Drain, if necessary, and then add spaghetti sauce.

4. Spread half the sauce in the bottom of the pan.

5. Run manicotti under cold water so you can handle it, and then insert a piece of string cheese in each manicotti tube. Place manicotti in pan (you’ll probably need to squeeze them tight).

If the manicotti tubes split, no biggie. Just put the split side on the bottom.

6. Top with remaining sauce.

7. Cover with foil and bake 25-30 minutes, or until heated through.

8. Remove from oven and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, 5-10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Apple Turnovers

Apple turnovers are one of my favorite pastries, but it seems like it's tough to find a great one. (Although I still more than willingly eat the not-so-great ones.) So many of them have canned pie filling, which I don't particularly care for, or they leave kind of a funny feeling on the roof of your mouth, which probably means they've been sitting on the shelf for too long.

Or maybe I need to find a better bakery.

The good news is that apple turnovers are quite simple to make at home using store-bought puff pastry. And you can customize the filling to your tastes, just like I did mine. (And the little man did his, although more about that later.)

I think the best apples to use for this filling are apples that aren't terrible sweet, or too tart. (Or at least use a few of each to balance the other out.) Use the same type of apples that you'd use for an apple pie, because that's essentially what these are -- mini pies. I highly recommend the apples that grow on my parents' tree, if you can manage to get ahold of them. (I have connections.)

Apple Turnovers
Makes 9 turnovers

1 1/2 pounds apples (about 4 large apples)
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash of freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 tablespoon butter
1 package puff pastry (16-18 ounces)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup powdered sugar
A few teaspoons milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Peel, core, and cut apples into 1" pieces.

3. Place apples in a saucepan with water, lemon juice, sugars, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until apples are very tender, about 15 minutes.

4. Remove apples from heat and stir in butter. Slightly mash apples into smaller pieces. Cool completely.

5. Stack puff pastry sheets together and roll into a 15" square. Cut into 9 even squares.

Correction: Cut into 9 uneven trapezoids.

6. Divide filling amongst the squares.

Wait a minute. Which of these things is not like the others ... what happened? Let's check the instant replay.

Jack decided to go the route of a makeshift pain au chocolate. Which worked pretty well, by the way.

7. Lightly brush edges of squares with beaten egg. Fold half of pastry square over to form a triangle. Use a fork to crimp the folded edges to seal them shut. Brush triangles with beaten egg.

Sealing them is important, but I sort of overfilled mine and had trouble keeping the filling contained. But my turnovers were fine. They didn't explode like, say, pizza rolls.

8. Using a sharp knife, cut three small slits in the top of each turnover, in case the turnovers just need to let out some steam.

9. Bake 15 minutes on two separate racks, and then switch each pan to the opposite rack. Bake an additional 15 minutes, or until turnovers are golden.

10. Let turnovers cool slightly. Combine powdered sugar and milk to desired consistency, and then drizzle icing over turnovers.