Day 65: Phyllo Pie Bites

Well, I am glad this Monday is finally coming to an end! It has been a good day, just very busy. Business is picking up at work, so I feel a little frazzled when it is time to leave to pick up the boys from school.  On Mondays, Nick has chess club after school, so Camdyn and I have to hang out until time to pick him up at 4:00. When we finally got home about 4:15, I immediately went into "get it done" mode. The bathrooms needed cleaning, laundry was piling up, and dishes to be put away.  I wanted to get it done before I headed out the door for my 4 mile run at 5:30. Today was great weather for an outside run.  A little windy, and I ran into the wind for the last 2 miles, but the temperature was perfect. Got home and immediately started dinner, ate, then washed dishes. Next came the haircut for Thomas that I had been putting off several nights in a row.  It needed to be done. Finally shower time for me, then back to the kitchen for my sweet baking. Baked, cleaned up the kitchen, and now I am finally sitting down for the first time since getting home so I can write this blog! That was my day in a nutshell!

Tonight, I made Phyllo Pie Bites. Little pastries filled with raspberry preserves and chocolate chips. I don't know if you have ever worked with Phyllo dough before, but it is rather difficult and very delicate.  I forgot to thaw mine, so when I started unrolling it, it was breaking so I couldn't get full sheets.  I made it work, but it was a little frustrating. That is probably one very good reason why I have never made baklava!

They were tasty and light, but didn't turn out just real pretty. Probably because I was just ready to be done so I could sit down!  Here's the recipe if you want to try them.

Phyllo Pie Bites

From:  Sandra Lee Semi Homemade Desserts

Yield: 12

Ingredients:

• 8 plain phyllo pastry sheets, thawed
• non stick cooking spray
• 3/4 cup cherry preserves (I used raspberry because that's what I already had)
• 2 tbsp semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 deg.  Line cookie sheet with foil.
2. Place 1 phyllo sheet on counter.  Spray with cooking spray. Top with second sheet and spray with cooking spray. Repeat, layering with 2 more phyllo sheets and spraying each, for a total stack of 4 phyllo sheets.
3. Cut stacked phyllo sheets into 6 even squares. Spoon 1 scant tbsp of preserves into center of each square. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of chocolate chips over preserves. Enclose filling by gathering phyllo and pinching tops slightly to form purses.
4. Transfer phyllo purses to prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining 4 phyllo sheets, cooking spray, preserves and chocolate chips.  Bake for 20 minutes or until phyllo is crisp and golden. Cool pastries on cookie sheet.