Green Chile Beef Empanadas

Sometimes I just don’t have it in me to put a lot of effort into making dinner. I want something a step above a frozen dinner, but nothing elaborate. I came across this recipe while watching the Food Network. The chef was Robin Miller. It looked very tasty, so I saved the recipe to give it a try sometime. It was very successful and very tasty. Disclaimer: I never claimed that they were authentic!

2 (9-inch) refrigerated pie crusts
2 cups cooked shredded beef (I used precooked shredded beef from the grocery store)
1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Unroll pie crusts onto a flat surface. Top each quadrant of crust with 1/2 cup of beef, 1/4 cup of cheese and about a tablespoon of chiles, making even layers and spreading ingredients to within 1/2-inch of the edges. Top with second pie crust. Using a pastry cutter or sharp knife, make an X across the circle, making 4 equal sections. Pinch around the edges with a fork to seal.
Transfer empanadas to a baking sheet and make small slits in the top of each one to allow steam to escape during cooking. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until crust is golden brown.