Empanadas

© "So Easy, So Delicious"

Dough:
6 oz cream cheese
1/2 lb butter or margarine
2 C flour

Filling:
1 lb ground beef
1 egg, beaten
Sweet relish, to taste
Garlic powder, to taste
Onion powder, to taste
 
Eggwash:
1 egg, combined with 1 T water
1/2 lb butter or margarine
2 C flour


To Make Dough:
Soften cream cheese and butter or margarine and cream together. Add flour and beat until well mixed. Roll into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.


To Make Filling and Assemble:
Brown beef and drain fat. Add egg and remaining ingredients, to taste. Cool. Remove dough from refrigerator and divide in half. Keep half in the refrigerator and roll out the other half into a rectangle. Using a 2&#189- to 3-inch round cookie cutter, make circles of dough. Place 1 teaspoon of filling on one side of each circle and fold other side of dough over it to form a turnover. Press all around the edges of turnover with tines of a fork. Brush with eggwash. Remove second half of dough from refrigerator and repeat. Bake at 400&#176 on a greased cookie sheet for 15 minutes, or until golden.

Hint: These may be cooked, cooled and then frozen. Just before serving, pop into a 350&#176 oven for approximately 15 minutes, or until hot. Serve with chili sauce or salsa. Instead of this dough, feel free to substitute another double pie crust.