*edit- I wanted to mention that Sheri over at CafeMom asked me to contribute something for the holidays.  Head over there to  see my flower brooch tutorial!

When the temperatures drop this low I will look for any excuse to hold something warm in my hands.  Usually, it's a cup of hot tea or coffee, but come dinner time I need something a bit heartier.  My fingers welcome the toasty warmth of the empanada, a delicious pie filled with anything from pumpkin or tamarind to meats and poultry.  One of the best things about them is that once made, they can easily be reheated in a microwave without losing their crusty texture.  You could also make them up ahead of time and just freeze the uncooked pies until a later date.  For these empanadas I used a shredded chicken recipe.

Empanada dough:

2 1/4 cups  flour 

1 1/2 teaspoons salt 

1 stick (1/2 cup) cold butter, cut into pieces 

1 large egg 

1/3 cup ice water 

1 tablespoon vinegar (we didn't have white vinegar, so I used white wine vinegar and they were still great)

In a food processor, combine the flour, salt, and butter.  Pulse until completely combined.  It is important the butter is cold for this to work.  The dough will look like damp sand.  In a small bowl mix together the egg, vinegar, and water.  Pour this into the processor and pulse until the dough comes together.  Turn out on a board and give it two or three quick kneads.  Shape into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap.  Place in fridge for at least one hour.

Take the dough out of the fridge and cut your dough into 12 equal pieces.  I do this by cutting the disk in half, cutting those pieces in half, and so on until you have 12 pieces.  With a rolling pin, roll your ball of dough into a flat circle about 1/8" thick.  Place a spoon of filling on top and fold over your dough to make a half-circle.  Now crimp the sides until the pie stays closed.  Place the empanada on a baking sheet.  

I find it easiest to do all this near my fridge.  That way I can keep my dough balls and the empanada tray in the fridge so the dough stays nice and cold.  If it warms up it gets hard to handle.  

At this point you can either cook your empanadas at 400 F for 25 minutes, or freeze them on the tray for later.

Chicken Filling:

For a quick meal, I just use one of those cooked rotisserie chickens from the grocery store. 

1 whole chicken, meat removed and shredded

1 T cumin

1 onion, chopped

2 T olive oil

salt & pepper

1 t mexican oregano

2 T cream

1/4 c tequila 

Heat oil in a pan on med heat.  Add onions and cook until softened and beginning to caramelize.  Deglaze the pan by adding the tequila.  Add to the pan the shredded chicken, cumin and oregano.  Lower heat and cook for five to ten minutes before adding the cream.  Turn off heat and allow the mixture to cool a bit before making your empanadas.