Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

I'm currently reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver, with Steven L. Hopp and Camille Kingsolver. It's been quite an eye opener for me regarding the "food chain" (or, I guess it would be the food supply chain), especially in the U.S. I'm not sure how much it would apply to other countries, but ultimately the challenges (and problems) of feeding the world's population affect every country on the planet.

While I'm not finished reading the book, I would recommend it to you without hesitation. Her perspective, not to be discounted since she lives in a small, southern U.S. town, is refreshing and really made me think about the food I buy and eat in a different light.

Oh, and her daughter, Camille, contributes recipes and menus throughout the book. They are also available on the companion website (http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.com) for downloading. Be sure to check out both the book and the website.

Apple Turnovers

I've purchased and baked the some-assembly-required turnovers available from the grocery store, and while they're tasty (they come in apple and cherry), they are a bit more 'processed' than I'd prefer. (Plus, I don't know exactly what's in them!) So, we now have an easy way to make tasty apple turnovers in our household that uses prepared puff pastry and homemade filling. I must give credit to my husband for perfecting the filling recipe. :) The filling can be made ahead of time (and I assume the turnovers can be assembled ahead of time, too, though I haven't tried it), so they're quick, easy, and tasty. Oh, and you can make the turnovers whatever size you'd like! They're great for breakfast or brunch with a good cup of coffee.

Apple Turnovers

1 sheet of Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry (1/2 package), thawed

Filling:
1 large Granny Smith Apple, grated (peeling not necessary)
1 Tbsp. sugar (or to taste)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon (or to taste)
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg (or to taste)

Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Mix filling ingredients and set aside. Cut the sheet of puff pastry into 6 squares (or 4 if you want bigger turnovers). Place the filling in the center of the square, fold into a triangle, and seal the edges with a fork. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown. Cool slightly. Dust with powedered sugar and serve.