After Christmas Empanadas

Summer. Backpacking with Diego, mountain trip.

I made foil pack for the family this week. The kitchen filled with the smell that foil pack makes. Lisa and the kids ate around the table. The conversation was about the week, the kids' activities, the small ordinary news of a household in motion. Diego called from CSU and said hello. The twins ate too much. Sofia ate the right amount. Lisa ate slowly. I ate the rest.

The dog tags were under the polo. The chain was around my neck. Hector's ring is not on a chain yet. Papá is still alive. Mamá is still in Las Cruces. The road keeps bending. The road bends. Feed your people. The game is won at the table.

The foil pack started it — that smell filling the kitchen, the kids eating too much, Diego calling from Fort Collins just to say hello — and it reminded me that the table is the whole game. After Christmas, when the leftovers are sitting there and the house still feels full even when it’s quieter, I reach for empanadas. My mom made them in Las Cruces. Now I make them in my kitchen, and the kids eat them the same way I did — fast, and then they ask for more.

Prep Time: 25 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 50 min | Servings: 8

Ingredients

2 cups cooked turkey or chicken, shredded or finely chopped
1 cup leftover mashed potatoes or diced cooked potatoes
1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
1/4 cup diced green chiles (canned, drained)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 packages (14.1 oz each) refrigerated pie crusts (4 rounds total), or homemade empanada dough
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
Salsa, sour cream, or hot sauce, for serving

Instructions

Preheat oven. Heat oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Make the filling. In a large bowl, combine the shredded turkey, potatoes, corn, cheese, green chiles, cumin, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Season with salt and pepper. Stir until evenly mixed.
Cut the dough. Unroll the pie crusts on a lightly floured surface. Using a 4-inch round cutter or the rim of a wide glass, cut as many circles as possible — re-rolling scraps once to get additional rounds. You should have approximately 16 circles total.
Fill and seal. Place about 2 tablespoons of filling in the center of each dough round. Fold the dough over to form a half-moon shape. Press the edges firmly together, then crimp with a fork to seal completely.
Apply egg wash. Arrange empanadas on the prepared baking sheets. Brush the tops lightly with beaten egg for a golden finish.
Bake. Bake for 22–25 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until empanadas are deep golden brown and the edges are crisp.
Rest and serve. Let empanadas cool on the pan for 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm with salsa, sour cream, or hot sauce on the side.

Nutrition (per serving)

After Christmas Empanadas — The Table Is Where We Win