Savory Meat Hand Pies

by Friday, April 26, 2019
I have never been a meat-in-pastry fan. But like many things I thought I didn't like, it's about finding the right recipe and preparation to turn you into a convert. My meat pie gateway was turkey pot pie I made with Thanksgiving leftovers, which I further refined the next year based on my resdient pot-pie-lovin'-husband's requests.

Empanadas and hand pies fall into the same category. I have some good ones, but nothing I would order off a menu. But Chris sure loves meat pies, and in searching about for good hearty quick bites for a game night we were hosting, I decided to surprise him and concoct a hand pie recipe I thought even I might like. Even wilder? I USED LAMB. I never use lamb. I used to hate lamb. Now I find that when in a meat blend--like a meatball or meatloaf--it can be that subtle *something* you can't quite put your finger on. The mouthfeel changes; there is a flavor there that beef or sausage doesn't impart, alone or together. So I decided to include it in my recipe. And since I was using lamb, I decided to pop some cinnamon in there as well.

I am in love with my recipe. And I didn't write it all down when I made it! I could cry. So here is my attempt to write down what I remember, and when I make it again, I will come back and edit as needed.

Note: this makes a LOT of little pies. By my count, this entire batch would make about 80+ pies depending on how thin you roll your dough out. I made the entire recipe, then divided them out in rough thirds, using one immediately and freezing the other two. Making them in batches, this most recent batch made 26 pies and there was some filling left over for maybe a half dozen more. Sorry I am not more precise than that!

There are two opportunities to make these ahead. The first is to make the meat mixture, portion and store until you want to continue to the pie making stage. The second is to fill and prep the pies and hold them until you intend to bake them. I have marked each optional hold step with HOLD below.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 lb lean ground beef (I used wagyu, 11%)
  • 1 lb ground sausage
  • 1 lb lamb
  • 2 cups low sodium chicken stock (used home made)
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8-10oz mushroom of choice, finely dice (I used cremini)
  • 2 Tbsp cumin
  • 2 Tbsp thyme
  • 1 Tbsp cinnamon
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 Tbsp flour (for thickening)
  • 1 package of prepared pie crust PER BATCH (3-4 packages total)
  • 1 egg white, mixed with 1 Tbsp water PER BATCH

INSTRUCTIONS

PREP MEAT MIXTURE
  1. In a Dutch oven over medium heat, add all meat and cook, rendering fat until most of all pink is gone. Drain out most of the fat, leaving just enough to keep meat from sticking, and continue browning until a fond (layer of browning) builds up in the bottom. Deglaze pan with a cup of the chicken stock, scraping up all the brown bits as best you can. Transfer browned meat to a bowl and set aside.
  2. Add onion and garlic to the pan, season with a couple pinches of salt, and cook until translucent. If you need to use a little oil to keep things from burning, do so as needed. Remove onion and garlic to the bowl with the meat.
  3. Add mushrooms to the pan and cook over low heat until they are softened and a little glossy, releasing a little of their moisture and shrinking in size a bit. Add meat mixture, all spices, and the other cup of stock. Cook over medium to medium-hight heat, stirring frequently and reducing and thickening the mixture, about 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Add the flour are stir in thoroughly then remove from heat.
  4. HOLD!
At this point you can portion out  and label meat for storage, allowing to cool in the fridge before putting in the freezer. To use later, simply defrost the mixture in fridge before using. If you want to make any or all now, make sure your filling is thickened and not too hot, so you don't just melt right through your pie crust as you're filling them. Room temp is ideal. When you're ready, proceed to next step.

PREP THE PIES
This is the outline for a single batch; simply repeat for additional batches. 
  1. Line two baking sheets with foil.
  2. Prepare a surface with some all purpose flour and roll out one of the crusts to desired thickness. I roll mine until JUST before being transparent. Any thinner and they will tear, any thicker and they tend to overpower the filling.
  3. Using a 4" circle pastry cutter, cut out disks from the dough and set aside. (I used a small round twist n' loc Ziplock container for mine. You can use a small bowl or whatever is on hand, tracing the edge with a knife). When you run out of space to cut more, ball up remaining dough and roll it out to make more until you run out of dough. Repeat with second crust.
  4. Working on a clean surface, lay out a single round and spoon a heaping tablespoon of the meat mixture into the middle of the round. Don't overfill or you will get exploding pies. They should be plump, but not tearing open from the stress of the filling. Brush edge with a small amount of egg white mixture, lift and gently press edged together. 
  5. Use the tines of a fork to seal edges, or whatever pretty method of sealing edges you prefer. Place pies about 1 inch apart on the foil lined baking sheets. Using scissors or a knife, make one or two small vents in the top of each pie.
  6. HOLD!
At this point you can refrigerate or freeze your hand pies. To refrigerate, cover baking sheets with plastic wrap and hold for up to 48 hours before baking. Any longer and the pastry tends to dry out and it won't bake up as well. If freezing, freeze individually on baking sheets first, then transfer to a bag or other container. This will keep them from sticking together during the initial freezing step. They will keep well up to 3 months. You can bake straight from the freezer, but add 5-10 more minutes to your cook time.

COOK THE PIES
You can cook as many or as few of these pies as you like. We cook up two per person for a quick lunch or snack. We will cook up two to three per person to pair with some sides (mashed potatoes!) for dinner.
  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
  2. If you are baking from frozen, prep a baking sheet by lining it with foil. If cooking right away or from the fridge, remove plastic wrap from your already-prepped baking sheet full of pies and you're good to go.
  3. Brush the tops if each pie with a little egg white/water mixture
  4. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until tops are golden and glossy. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes or so before serving.
  5. DONE!
Baked pies can also be frozen for simple reheating later. As with unbaked hand pies, freeze individually on a tray and then put in another bag or container for longer term storage to keep them from sticking together.

Variation options:
  • Add some veggies to the meat mixture, like peas or chopped carrots.
  • Substitute the pie crust for puff pastry, simply adjust cooking times and temps according to your puff pastry instructions.
  • Add or subtract different meats for varying flavors. Beef and bacon is a popular option on the interwebs.
  • Some recipes call for fruit in them, making for interesting flavor options, such as minced fig, dates, or raisins with a higher ratio of lamb for a Mediterranean spin. Maybe some diced apple and a higher ratio of sausage. Lots of options to play with here.
  • Play with umami flavors by substituting some of the chicken stock with Worcestershire, fish, or soy sauce. Use beef stock instead of chicken stock for a beefier flavor.
  • In Australia, beef-based hand pies are known as "party pies", and are often dipped in ketchup. Some sort of dipping sauce that suits your meat filling sounds like a great option!


Digital / Electronic Board Games

by Wednesday, April 24, 2019
We all know that nothing beats cardboard. Gaming is for many about the analog, tactile, physical experience here in meatspace, as a contrast to our increasingly digital worlds. But sometimes it is impractical (windy outdoor conditions, airplanes, etc), so digital versions can be a great boon. And the world of digital board gaming is getting exponentially better!
DigiDiced has been making some really cool digital versions of board games lately. Even better, they are releasing them simultaneously across iOS, Android, and Steam (which is also compatible with PC, Mac, and Linux/SteamBox), so accessibility across platforms has been stellar.
https://digidiced.com/our-games-2
Some of the games play online *and* locally multi-player, such as the popular Patchwork, Cottage Garden, and Indian Summer family of games. Even Isle of Skye plays local multi, which I was surprised to see. Others are competitions with the AI, such as Bohnanza, Terra Mystica, and Castles of Burgundy.
The portfolio isn't huge, but their implementation of these games are really top of the heap in my experience. I look forward to seeing what other licensing they can secure to continue to grow their library of available games!

Disneyland 2013

by Sunday, April 21, 2019
Apparently I did a shit job of blogging about my TRIP TO CLUB 33 IN DISNEYLAND! I wrote this short summary a week after we went, intending to get back to flesh it out and finish it to include Club 33 and never did! Oh past me...

Day 1 - Arrival Arrived about 2:30pm. Cab over, check in, stinky elevator, nice view, comfy enough bed. Say hello to the castle, check wait times, looked at new Fantasy Faire area, played some Ingress, head through Downtown Disney, hit up Trader Sam's and get a bite to eat, signature drinks. Into DCA, Monsters Inc ride, watched some Mad T Party, checked out shops, did Crush and Animation Academy. Went back to hotel room.

 Day 2 - Disneyland Carnation Cafe roast beef sandwich and tuna sandwich and peach blueberry pie. Played more Ingress. Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain, Innoventions Tomorrowland Way House and pass to one ride (Wendy), Splash before going back to hotel room. Back to room to change, Napa Rose for dinner. Prayers, chocolates, bottle of wine for room, roses, relaxation.

 Day 3 - DCA Megg along main street super sweet (from Oregon), made us honorary citizens of Disneyland, rode trolley, Fastpass Soarin', Cars Land (WOW!), Luigi's, tried apple drink at Cozy Cone, Radiator Springs broken, lucky to get on after back up (150 minute wait), saw Mater and Lightning McQueen driving and chatting kids up. Change and rest up, Carthay Circle for dinner, Scotch Mist drink for Chris. Ran into Joe in lobby/lounge, Allison server.

Pickled Red Onions for Pork Carnitas

by Sunday, April 21, 2019

I have discovered a deep, abiding love for pickled red onions with my pork carnitas. The sweetness and acidity is just a perfect accompaniment for the rich, meaty meal.

1 small to medium red onion
1/2 cup hot tap water
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (can also use just white vinegar if you wish)
1-2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
sliced hot pepper of choice if you like a little heat



  1. Run your tap water as hot as it gets. Put 1/2 cup of hot water in a jar, then add 1-2 Tbsp sugar and the 1tsp salt. Put lid on and shake to dissolve salt and sugar. 
  2. Add 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar  and sliced pepper if using.
  3. Slice red onion thinly (mandolin is great for this--fast and consistent) and tuck into jar so it is covered by the liquid. Let it sit until it is room temp (5-10 minutes), then you can put the lid on and put it in the fridge until ready to use. Will keep about 2 weeks.

Foster Letters - Kingston 2017

by Wednesday, April 10, 2019
Going through paperwork today to get some old non-business filing taken care of, I came across this letter I wrote. As it says, I write letters to all the future forever families of our foster pups--included with a printed little "scrapbook" page of images of them--sharing personal tips on their behavior, needs, wants, etc, and sharing stories from their time with us. It is cathartic for me, but I also hope it helps get the new families and their new little member better acquainted and connected from day 1. This was the hardest, and longest, foster letter I ever wrote, but it was also the most joyful. He continues to thrive and be absolutely adored by his family, including a once jealous little sibling, the mighty pup known as Momo!


"Dear Cameron and Whitney, March 17, 2017

Something I like to do for all my fosters and their new families is write a little letter of introduction—I share some photos and thoughts about their new family member in the time we have been their loving caretakers. To say that this letter is harder to write for Kingston than it has been for any other dog in our care is an understatement.

One reason trying to write this letter is a challenge is, frankly, that you already know him so well. Rather than the usual hour or two of meet n’ greets that other new adopters get with their dogs before they take them home, you have had days with him. You have been briefed and debriefed about his habits, his quirks, his personality. You have had sleepovers with him showing you all the glowing characteristics I would usually gush about in such a letter, and you are also keenly aware of his unique challenges and have embraced him fully, lovingly, without judgement. What a lucky little dog he is to have you as his new family.

The other, obvious reason this letter is hard is because we have never had a foster for this long. Most have been a couple of weeks, and at every separation my heart has broken a little bit in the goodbyes (I wouldn’t call it easy, but it is so worth it!). We come to cherish our foster animals so deeply, getting to appreciate up-close their unique qualities and sweet dispositions. We think about all of them regularly, and frequently pore over the many photos we snap of our time with them. We are possessed of an exponential volume of memories we were blessed to get to create with Kingston and will have the joy of poring over in the years ahead, which makes the ending of our time with him that much more bittersweet.

We have watched Kingston grow from a fearful—yet ultimately rambunctious!—puppy to a sweet, curious, affectionate fellow. It took patience to build his trust, as you well know, but it has been rewarded with such tenderness. Every time I pass near him and he tilts his little hind leg up, turning his pink nose toward me, earnestly and silently begging for a belly rub, I know he has grown out of so many of his youthful fears. I call him my Circus Dog because he has always sought the highest point in any space to romp and explore—a railing, a table, a planting bed. Watch out for that one, as in this regard he truly can be fearless! He will zip in endless arcs across whatever grassy space he is set free to roam; a low, fierce white streak of joyful lightning one minute, then lightly bounding like a tiny gazelle over any obstacles. I will miss his plaintive, insistent bark/howls when he thinks Taddy is hogging all the tennis balls, and I feel confident you will have better success in the quest to teach him to fetch. “Why give you the ball when I can simply have the ball?” I imagine him asking with the tilt of his scruffy head. 

Giving Kingston over to someone else’s care was always going to be a trust fall for us. But I can say with complete honesty we are excited to see Kingston move on into your home and hearts. Your compassion for him, your patience and gentleness, and your positive energy are the exact combination of qualities he needs to thrive, and it is clear to me that you both offer these things openly, generously. It is with great confidence and joy that we see him go to his forever home with you and Momo.

Speaking of Momo, give my love to her, won’t you? Tell her it won’t be an easy adjustment at first, but I trust that she, too, will learn to love and cherish Kingston the way we and Winnie and Taddy have. He will be a great little brother given a chance, and will seem like family that has always been there in no time.

Thank you for loving Kingston. I hope you will keep in touch.
With love,
Shay"


What Game Made You a Gamer?

by Saturday, April 06, 2019
On BGG on FB someone asked this question, so I gave it a good think, and realized...there isn't just one game that turned me into a gamer. My family molded me into one since I was little.

It began with the usual Chutes & Ladders, Candyland, Mousetrap, and Hi Ho Cherry-O. Whenever I was at a friend's house, if it was a choice of toys or games, I wanted games.

Later it was also the typical Monopoly, Scrabble, Connect Four, Chinese Checkers, Chess, Battleship, Boggle, Stratego, Clue, Trivial Pursuit, and Life. Who didn't play things like Sorry, Aggravation, and Trouble? Operation was a fave, Yahtzee and Uno went on every camping trip.

From Etsy Seller Mythic Makings
Also ubiquitous in my youth was Cribbage, Pit, Risk, Othello, Waterworks, and many card games (Crazy 8's, Gin Rummy, etc). My parents would have friends over to play card games and drink until the wee hours.

With groups, it was party games like Pictionary, Outburst, Taboo, and Scattergories. Scene It came out when I was a kid, along with a rash of other games using your TV/DVD player. I took these kinds of games into college and "adult life" with me, along with newcomers like Cranium. I would hold parties just to play board games, which was not a "thing" in the 90's among my group. Tabletop gaming then was something more D&D/Vampire related. 

When I joined the SCA, Toblero, 9 Men's Morris, Mancala, Fox & Geese and more historical games became my obsession. I would design and create my own boards and pieces from carved or painted wood or sew and embroider them from colorful fabric and threads.

My Mom tried to implement a Thursday night family game night, but started it a little late when we were teens and resented it. LOL One tradition that stuck, though, was buying a new board game to learn and play on Thanksgiving after dinner.

I was surrounded by games my whole life! So it's hard to point to just one. But I can say as an adult, the two modern games that were pivotal for me was Akrotiri and Pandemic. Both made me go "Woah...wait...THIS is what gaming is like now?!" And it snowballed from there...

What about you? What games made you into a gamer?

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