Chicken and Pear Turnovers

4 servings
prep time - 30 minutes
cook time - 25 minutes

One 2-pound rotisserie chicken, skin discarded and meat shredded
1 large Anjou or Bosc pear, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
2 T chicken broth
2 T finely chopped fresh tarragon
Salt & Pepper
1 large egg
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed

1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, mix the chicken, pear, shallot, chicken broth, tarragon, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and set aside. In a small bowl, beat the egg with 1 teaspoon water; set aside.

2) Unfold and flatten the puff pastry sheet; cut into 4 squares and refrigerate 3 squares. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 pastry square into a 9-inch square. Pile one-quarter of the chicken mixture in the center. Lightly brush the 4 corners with the egg wash and pinch together to seal, leaving the seams open. Place the turnover on a baking sheet and refrigerate. Repeat with the remaining pastry squares, filling and egg wash.

3) Bake the turnovers until crisp and golden, about 25 minutes.

Cinnamon Applesauce

Makes 1 3/4 Cups

4 Granny Smith apples: peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1/4 cup sugar
1 T fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
coarse salt

1) In a 2-quart microwave-safe dish with a lid, combine apples, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and a pinch of salt.

2) Cover, and microwave on high until very tender, 10-15 minutes. Stir 1/2 way through. Mash apples with the back of a spoon.

3) Serve warm; or cover, refrigerate at least 1 hour, and serve chilled. Store, covered, in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Muenster, Turkey and Apple Quesadillas

Serves 4
Prep time - 10 minutes
Total time - 35 minutes

1 T veg oil, plus more for baking sheets
1 T honey
1 T Dijon mustard
8 flour tortillas (10-inch)
1 1/2 cups shredded Muenster (6 oz.)
8 oz sliced cooked turkey
1 Granny Smith apple, halved, cored, and thinly sliced

1) Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Lightly brush two rimmed baking sheets with oil, and place in oven to warm up. In a small bowl, combine honey and mustard; set aside.

2) Place 4 tortillas on a work surface. Dividing evenly, sprinkle with half the cheese, top with turkey, honey-mustard, and apples; finish with remaining half of cheese. Cover with remaining 4 tortillas, and brush tops with oil.

3) Carefully remove hot baking sheets from oven; place 2 quesadillas on each. Bake until golden, about 20 minutes, flattening with a spatula, and rotating sheets halfway through. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Crunchy Caramel Corn

Serves 6
Prep time - 10 minutes
Total time - 1 hour

Ingredients:
4 T butter, plus more for baking sheet
10 cups plain unsalted popped popcorn (3.3 oz bag microwave popcorn)
1 cup cashews, coarsely chopped (optional)
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
coarse salt

1) Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Butter a large rimmed baking sheet; set aside. Place popcorn in a large bowl; if using cashews, add to bowl and toss to combine. Set aside.

2) In a small saucepan, bring butter, sugar, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 2 T water to a boil, stirring constantly. Working quickly, drizzle popcorn with sugar syrup, and toss.

3) Spread popcorn evenly on prepared baking sheet. Bake, tossing occasionally, until golden and shiny, about 40 minutes. Transfer hot popcorn to parchment-paper-lined baking sheet; let cool. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Makes 3 cups.

1) Set a steamer basket in a large sauce-pan. Fill with enough water to come just below basket; bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.

Peel 2 medium sweet potatoes; and cut into 2-inch chunks.

Place in steamer basket, and cover; steam until tender, 15-20 minutes. Drain, and return to saucespan.

2) Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup 1/2 and 1/2, 3 tablespoons butter, and 2 T brown sugar to a simmer, stirring to combine; remove from heat.

Add to drained sweet potatoes, and mash just until smooth; season with salt and pepper.