26% calorie reduction from traditional recipe

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened blueberries, slightly thawed
1/2 cup Equal? Spoonful*
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
4 teaspoons cold water
Pastry for single crust 9-inch pie
2 teaspoons 2% milk

*May substitute 12 packets Equal sweetener

Place blueberries in medium saucepan. Sprinkle berries with Equal?, cornstarch and water; toss to coat. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until berries begin to release juice and form small amount of thickened sauce. Remove from heat and cool.

Roll pastry on floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness; cut into eight 5-inch squares. Re-roll scrapes as needed. Place scant 2 tablespoons blueberry mixture in center of each pastry square. Fold square in half to form triangle. Press edges together to seal; crimp edges with tines of a fork. Brush pastry surface lightly with milk.

Bake on baking sheet in preheated 400 degree F oven 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 8 servings

Nutrition information per serving: 138 cal., 1 g pro., 17 g carb., 7 g fat, 5 mg chol., 103 mg sodium

Food exchanges: 1 starch, 1 1/2 fat

1 (5 ounce) jar Old English cheese
1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons water
1 (4 ounce) jar hot pepper jelly

Cut cheese and butter into flour. Quickly stir in water and shape into a ball. Refrigerate overnight.

Roll out dough very thin and cut with a biscuit cutter into 2-inch circles. Place 1/2 teaspoon of pepper jelly in center of each circle. Fold over and crimp edges with a fork. Bake at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes.

Turnovers may be frozen before or after baking. Reheat before serving. Makes 2 to 3 dozen.

Turnovers may be filled with orange marmalade and dusted with confectioners’ sugar for serving with morning coffee.

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.

1 (8-count) can refrigerated crescent rolls
1 can cherry pie filling
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
3 teaspoons water

Heat oven according to package directions on rolls. Separate dough and place in triangles onto cookie sheet. Place 2 spoonsful of filling into center of triangle. Fold over and crimp seal edges with a fork or a pastry crimper. Bake according to package directions.

Blend sugar and water for glaze, and drizzle over warm turnovers.

NOTE: You can use any pie filling you desire.

Serves: 8

1 (8-count) tube refrigerated crescent rolls
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons chopped green onion
2 tablespoons milk
Dash of pepper (optional)
2 tablespoons margarine, melted
2 tablespoons seasoned crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In large mixing bowl combine softened cream cheese, milk, pepper, green onion and chopped chicken. Separate rolls into four 6-inch squares. Spoon 1/4 of the mixture into each square. Bring corners together and seal. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Brush with melted margarine and sprinkle with seasoned bread crumbs. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Serves 4.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup milk
1 egg yolk
Dash of salt
3 tablespoons shortening

Sift flour and salt together.

Beat egg yolk and milk. When well blended, add flour and salt. Mix well and roll out 1/8-inch thick. Spread 1 tablespoon shortening over this. Fold in half and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Remove from refrigerator and repeat two more times, using 1 tablespoon shortening each time.

Roll out and cut into squares. Use your favorite filling and fold squares into triangles. Brush tops with water and sprinkle with sugar. Place on a cooking sheet, and bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes.

Source: Gourmet – March 1993

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
3/4 cup cream cheese
3/4 cup jam, such as apricot or cherry, or orange marmalade
Egg wash made by beating together 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon water
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar for sprinkling the turnovers

On a lightly floured surface, roll out each sheet of pastry into a 12-inch square and cut each square into 4 (6-inch) squares. Put 1 1/2 tablespoons of the cream cheese in the center of each square, top it with 1 1/2 tablespoons of jam, and brush the edges of each square with water. Fold the squares in half diagonally to form triangles, pressing the edges together firmly, and press the edges with the tines of a fork to seal them well. Arrange the turnovers on a dampened baking sheet, brush them with the egg wash, and with a sharp knife cut several slits (for steam vents) in the top of each turnover. Sprinkle the turnovers with the sugar, bake them in the upper third of a preheated 425 degree F oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they are puffed and golden. Serve warm.

Makes 8 turnovers.

Per serving: 425 calories; 26 g fat (9.5 g saturated fat; 55 percent calories from fat); 43 g carbohydrates; 50 mg cholesterol; 201 mg sodium; 6 g protein; 1 g fiber

Dough
1 pound fresh masa or 1 3/4 cups Masa Harina?
    mixed with 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons hot water
2 tablespoons lard or vegetable shortening
1/4 cup flour *
Generous 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 scant teaspoon baking powder

If using Masa Harina?, mix it with the hot water, cover and let stand 20 to 30 minutes. Mix the fresh masa with the lard or shortening, flour, salt and baking powder. If necessary, correct the consistency of the dough. Divide into 12 balls and cover with plastic wrap.

* Use 1/3 cup flour if using Masa Harina?.

Filling
2 1/2 cups grated Monterey ack or mild
    Cheddar cheese
12 leaves epazote

Divide the filling into 12 portions. Press each portion into a flat oval, about 2 x 2 1/2 inches. Using a tortilla press, flatten a ball of the dough between sheets of plastic to make a 5-inch rather thick tortilla. Remove the top piece of the plastic. Lay one portion of filling across half the uncovered tortilla, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Top with a leaf of epazote. Slip your hand under the plastic beneath the uncovered side of the tortilla, then carefully fold the tortilla over the filling. Press the edges together to seal.

Peel the plastic off the top of the turnover, then flip the turnover onto one hand, uncovered side down, and peel the plastic off the bottom. Lay on plastic wrap on the counter. Continue making the remaining masa balls into turnovers and lay each one apart from the next to ensure easy retrieval. Cover with plastic.

Heat oil to 375 degrees F, then fry the turnovers 2 at a time, until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and keep warm in a slow oven until all are ready. Serve immediately.

Dough
1 pound fresh masa or 1 3/4 cups Masa Harina?
    mixed with 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons hot water
2 tablespoons lard or vegetable shortening
1/4 cup flour*
Generous 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 scant teaspoon baking powder

If using Masa Harina?, mix it with the hot water, cover and let stand 20 to 30 minutes. Mix the fresh masa with the lard or shortening, flour, salt and baking powder. If necessary, correct the consistency of the dough. Divide into 12 balls and cover with plastic wrap.

* Use 1/3 cup flour if using Masa Harina?.

Filling
2 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack or mild Cheddar cheese
12 leaves epazote

Divide the filling into 12 portions. Press each portion into a flat oval, about 2 x 2 1/2 inches. Using a tortilla press, flatten a ball of the dough between sheets of plastic to make a 5-inch thick tortilla. Remove the top piece of the plastic. Lay one portion of filling across half the uncovered tortilla, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Top with a leaf of epazote. Slip your hand under the plastic beneath the uncovered side of the tortilla, then carefully fold the tortilla over the filling. Press the edges together to seal.

Peel the plastic off the top of the turnover, then flip the turnover onto one hand, uncovered side down, and peel the plastic off the bottom. Lay on plastic wrap on the counter. Continue making the remaining masa balls into turnovers and lay each one apart from the next to ensure easy retrieval. Cover with plastic.

Heat oil to 375 degrees F, then fry the turnovers 2 at a time, until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and keep warm in a slow oven until all are ready. Serve immediately.

Dough
1 pound fresh masa or 1 3/4 cups Masa Harina?
    mixed with 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons hot water
2 tablespoons lard or vegetable shortening
1/4 cup flour*
Generous 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 scant teaspoon baking powder

If using Masa Harina?, mix it with the hot water, cover and let stand 20 to 30 minutes. Mix the fresh masa with the lard or shortening, flour, salt and baking powder. If necessary, correct the consistency of the dough. Divide into 12 balls and cover with plastic wrap.

* Use 1/3 cup flour if using Masa Harina?.

Filling
2 1/2 cups grated Monterey jack or
    mild Cheddar cheese
12 leaves epazote

Divide the filling into 12 portions. Press each portion into a flat oval, about 2 x 2 1/2 inches. Using a tortilla press, flatten a ball of the dough between sheets of plastic to make a 5-inch thick tortilla. Remove the top piece of the plastic. Lay one portion of filling across half the uncovered tortilla, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Top with a leaf of epazote. Slip your hand under the plastic beneath the uncovered side of the tortilla, then carefully fold the tortilla over the filling. Press the edges together to seal.

Peel the plastic off the top of the turnover, then flip the turnover onto one hand, uncovered side down ,and peel the plastic off the bottom. Lay on plastic wrap on the counter. Continue making the remaining masa balls into turnovers and lay each one apart from the next to ensure easy retrieval. Cover with plastic.

Heat oil to 375 degrees F, then fry the turnovers 2 at a time, until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and keep warm in a slow oven until all are ready. Serve immediately.