Regular followers will know that Pirate Kristin has been whining prodigiously for some time about the TRULY unprecedented cold plaguing the Gulf Coast this winter — which is only exacerbated by Pirate Caroline traipsing around in Caribbean climes.  Well…today, after a ridiculous several-days’ freeze, the bayou dwellers awoke to high-60s, sun, and a brisk 15-18kt wind.  Scrapping all other plans, they rushed to cast off lines and get out on the water while it lasted.  Which meant breakfast would be whatever they could cobble together from the icebox.  Having had Easy Empenadas for dinner the night before, one pie crust was leftover.  And of course Granny Smith apples will last all winter in the hammock.  So…these turnovers were born.

Apple Cheese Turnover for Two

1 Pillsbury pre-rolled pie crust (2-per package), defrosted
1 large or two small Granny Smith apples
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, cut into 4 pieces

Your Galley Pirates work hard for their readership, to give them unique and inspirational cuisine.  They also really, really like food.  The upshot being, yes … frequently our posts involve a shopping trip (or several), a lot of planning, every pot and pan in the galley, and even a whole day frittered away cooking (heaven!).  But just as often, we make do with what we have and eat simply, and some of these recipes can be convenient and delicious discoveries as well.

One thing I did NOT have is parchment paper — ran out the night before.  And it really does help crisp up pastry when baked on a sheet.  So today I tried a trick learned from making Tater Tots (don’t cringe…I just said we don’t always eat glamorously, and Captain Peter loves ’em!) — crumpled up tinfoil.  If you wad it up and then carefully flatten it back out, the ridges and wrinkles will elevate the pastry just enough to keep it from becoming soggy.  If you have parchment paper, though, go ahead and use that to line your baking sheet.  Preheat your galley oven to 400-425 degrees.

Roughly peel, core, and slice your apples, and sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar (which is the cinnamon and sugar combined in a bowl or glass jar and combined well — I happen to keep pre-mixed cinnamon sugar in my spice rack).

Stirring the cinnamon sugar into the apples well will slow the browning process, so if you’re a slow apple peeler or have to take a break to go raise the main sail, stir some through before continuing.

Unroll your defrosted pie crust onto the prepared baking sheet.  Aaaaaaand here’s where your Pirate admits to making, and then solving, a mistake!  My crust was still frozen and you can’t unroll a frozen crust, so I set the package on top of the preheating oven to defrost…which ultimately stuck the rolled sheet together.  I had to squash the dough into a ball and roll it out myself.  Not having a rolling pin, I went with Pirate Caroline’s wine bottle solution.  Because wine bottles in my galley don’t — how shall we say? — “move through” and get renewed quite as expediently as Caroline’s do, I wrapped it in plastic wrap to prevent months’ worth of whatever was stuck on the bottle from getting stuck in my pie crust.  Classy, I know.

By the way, did I mention I’m doing all this heeled over in 18-knot winds?  Yeah…the galley is at a 30-degree or so angle.  Try rolling out a pie crust while the cutting board you’re using slides to and fro across the counter.  Doing my best … and luckily it was good enough!  Spread your cream cheese over the whole crust, leaving a good 1/2″ border.

Pile the apples on half the crust.  Some delicious apple-cinnamon-sugar juice will have accumulated in the bottom of the bowl.  Don’t just dump the whole bowl on the pastry or you will have a mess.  Lift the apples out of the juice, and you can spoon a few spoonsful over the top at the last minute when you are ready to seal it up.  Also at this point, in retrospect, I would have placed a couple of small pats of butter on top of the apples to moisten things while it baked.  It was fine without, but I’m pretty sure this would be an improvement.

Fold the crust over the top of the apples and pinch the edges together to seal.  If you have any small tears or weak spots, you can probably pinch some extra dough from the corners and sort of flatten and glue it over the holes with wet fingers.

Release the gimble on your stove, lift the turnover onto the prepared sheet, and put in about a 400-degree oven.  Set the timer for 20 minutes…

And climb up top to enjoy the day!

Buttermilk clouds and all.

Check the turnover at 20 minutes — it’s done when lightly browned on top and around the edges, which might require another 5 minutes or so.

Halved, the turnover easily serves two.

Two plus a Spaniel, whose little nose is lobbying for a bite from the cockpit floor.  Seize the day, sailors!

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Apple Cheese Turnover for Two

Course: Breakfast

Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 1 Pillsbury pre-rolled pie crust (2-per package), defrosted
• 1 large or two small Granny Smith apples
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 talbespoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into 4 pieces

Instructions

• Peel, core, and slice the apples and toss them with the cinnamon and sugar.
• Roll out the pie crust and spread cream cheese over entire crust, leaving a 1/2" or so border.  Pile the apples on half  the crust and top with pats of butter.
• Fold crust over to enclose apples and pinch edges together.  Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.