Turnovers

I got my fondness for baking from my Grammie.  She always encouraged my efforts and was the one who found that great cheesecake recipe that I still use.  Grammie used to make a lot of pies, and when she did, she'd also make some turnovers or tarts with extra dough.  I didn't feel like putting the effort into making a pie today, though, so it's just going to be turnovers for now.  To make them, you'll need 1 1/2 C flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 C cold shortening, 1/4 C cold water, and jam of whatever flavor you like (I used triple berry jam).

This is all you need!

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine your flour and salt and add in the cold shortening in chunks.  Cut the shortening into the flour using a pastry blender, a couple of knives, or, if you're feeling particularly ambitious, your hands.  When you're done, it should look kind of like little pebbles.  Using a fork, stir in your cold water a little bit at a time until the dough kind of sticks together.  Form the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and stick in the fridge for about a half hour or so.  Once it's chilled for a while, take it back out and roll the dough pretty thin, on a floured surface or between a couple sheets of parchment paper or waxed paper.  Using a biscuit cutter, cut out as many circles as you can.  I managed to get nine (well, eight and one vaguely roundish one from the last bit of dough).

Now put a couple of teaspoons of jam in the center of each circle.  Fold the circle in half and seal up the edges with a fork.  Also cut some slits in the top for ventilation.  I always put a little too much jam in so it squooshes out the side.  It's not really a problem, though.

Sprinkle a little bit of sugar on top if you want and put these guys on a cookie sheet and into the oven.  Bake them at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes, then turn your oven down to 350.  Bake for another 15 minutes or so, or until they turn golden brown.  Make sure to let them cool for a while before you eat them.  Sure, they may seem like they're only a little warm on the outside, but that jam stays pretty hot for a while!

Tasty jammy goodness!