Recipe | berry turnovers, heart-shaped!

One of the problems I've been running into since living in Oregon, is my berry-hoarding. Growing up, in Illinois, we had a sorry row of straggly raspberries that kept getting sprayed out by some well-meaning farmers next door. Our blackberry plants would yield enough for a milkshake and a half every summer. I braved mosquitos, stickers, & dripping-sweat-humidity to gather a small bowl of wild black raspberries. 

 Now, I'm married to a berry farmer & have so. many. berries. So many. I gather & freeze, gather & freeze all summer long. I can't help it. But this time of year, with the earth starting to bloom again, I realize it won't be too long before I have fresh berries again, & I've barely touched my massive supply of frozen ones!! 

I'm always on the lookout for new recipes to use up the berries. It's one of the more pleasant conundrums of life. 

I had a few friends over earlier this week just because. I decided last minute (like usual) to have a little brunch, & feverishly whipped up some triple berry turnovers. I used my fail-safe pie crust recipe that my mom always used. Here is the recipe, loosely. Use your favorite crust recipe. Roll it out to a 1/4 inch thick.

 For a two crust recipe, I used 3 cups of berries, one each of raspberries, blackberries, & blueberries. Dump a cup of sugar, a teaspoon of cinnamon, a pinch of salt, & 1/3 cup of flour over the berries & stir 'em all up.

 And, since Valentines Day is in a few days, and because, festivelikemymom, I made my turnovers heart-shaped. Without a heart cookie cutter. Not the easiest thing ever. Put a spoonful of berries on your turnover bottom.

 [note: I found out that maybe it would be easier to let them thaw a little to be able to mush them around more to fit your turnover top on] place your top part of the turnover on & pinch the edges to seal. I just pinch it: no egg white, no water, no fork.

 A little humble looking, but they taste just fine. We'll call them "rustic".

Glaze with a powdered sugar/milk glaze (1/2 cup powdered sugar + 1 T. milk and a dash of vanilla)

 Then let your little friend enjoy!

Here is the recipe in an easy-to-read format. Feel free to pin it! And if you are berry-deprived, any other pie filling would work, I would imagine. I wish there was some way I could mail you the overabundance from my freezer, though...wouldn't that be awesome?!

heart-shaped berry turnovers
makes 6 five-inch turnovers

Preheat oven to 425.

Ingredients:
2 recipes of your favorite pie crust

for filling:
1 c. blueberries, fresh or thawed if frozen
1 c. blackberries, ditto
1 c. raspberries, ditto
1 c. sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1/3 c. flour
pinch of salt

Stir all the filling ingredients together

Roll out your pie crust 1/4 inch thick, & cut out 12 hearts. (Mine were maybe 4 inches across at their widest point)

Place a small spoonful of filling in the center of a heart & place another heart over the top & pinch the edges together. Place on a cookie sheet [with waxpaper for easy clean-up!].

finish all the hearts.

Bake for 8 minutes at 425, then decrease oven temperature to 350 & bake for another 18-20 minutes, until filling is oozing out & bubbly.

Meanwhile, whisk up a glaze.

1/2 powdered sugar
1 T. milk (or cream if you're feeling decadent)
splash of vanilla

drizzle over turnovers.

Enjoy!