Valentine's Foods - Strawberry and Cream Cheese Hand Pies

Want to go on a romantic walk with your significant other, but still want a sweet treat while you walk?  Try this dessert that you can hold in one hand while you hold your significant other's hand with your other hand.

First, chop your strawberries and mix with sugar and let it sit for 30 minutes to allow strawberries to sweeten.  It will pull some of the juice out and make a thin sauce, but you will only be using the sweetened strawberries.

Next I mixed together cream cheese, vanilla, and sugar to make the sweet cream cheese mixture.

I used Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crusts, but you can also make your own.  Once they were rolled out flat I cut them to make rectangles, and then I combined the excess and rolled them out into circles to be able to use all the dough and make more pies.

I put a small spoonful of both the cream cheese mixture and the strawberries onto each crust.  (I made a total of 7 pies and used all the strawberries, but had a little bit of the cream cheese mixture left over.)

Then I folded them in half and pressed the edges closed.  First I pressed them closed with my fingers, and then I used a fork to give them a fun pressed look.  For the circles, I only pressed the open edges, but for the rectangles I pressed all for edges.

I then used a knife and cut a small slit in the top center for a vent, and a second slit to form a plus sign.

I then baked the pies on a greased cookie sheet for about 10-15 minutes at 450 degrees or until they were golden brown.  Cool for at least 5 minutes before eating.  REMEMBER FILLING IS HOT!

Strawberry and Cream Cheese Hand Pies

Ingredients:
1 pt. strawberries
2/3 cup sugar, divided
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
2 pie crusts (Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts or homemade)

Steps:
1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2.  Chop strawberries and mix with 1/3 cup of sugar and set aside for 30 minutes.
3.  Mix cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, and vanilla together.
4.  Roll out pie crusts and cut out rectangles or circles (or another shape if desired) for mini pies.
5.  Put a small scoop of both the cream cheese mixture and the strawberries in the middle of the shapes.
6.  Fold crusts in half and press edges closed with fingers and then a fork.
7.  Place mini pies on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
8.  Cool pies for at least 5 minutes before eating.  REMEMBER FILLING IS HOT!