Creamy Southwest Stuffed Hip Pocket Pies

More About This Recipe

• As a child, my favorite place was my grandmother's kitchen. All of my life the kitchen has been so much more than a place to prepare food. It has been a place where family and friends gather, a place where the events of the day are discussed, a place where celebrations and sorrows are shared and a place of comfort and creativity. As I grew into adulthood, married and had my own children, the number one rule of the house was that we would all sit down to dinner together every night. There were usually neighborhood kids or family members who joined our table also. It was a place to gather and a place of laughter and joy. I was always a working mom so getting dinner on the table quickly with a minimum amount of work was a priority. My family has always loved the flavors of the Southwest and it has now become a favorite with my grandchildren too, which is the inspiration for these quick, easy pies. The name of these tasty little pies is a loving nod to my grandmother. When I was a child, every summer she would bake little fruit-filled hand pies that she called “hip pocket pies.” Now many years later, my kitchen is the place where the family gathers, including kids, grandkids, sisters, brothers, cousins and friends. The kitchen is the room of food, joy and love. The plaque that always hung above my grandmother's stove now hangs in my kitchen. It reads, "No matter where I serve my guests, they seem to like my kitchen best."