Step away from the butter tarts.. I promised my Facebook friends to post this recipe before New Year’s Eve. These little pockets of heaven are so easy to make and very popular with the guys.. I made a savory Tourtiére Recipe last year, so when I saw these little hand pies over at Simple Bites,…
This was a perfect day… the sun shone on snow dressed boughs the line of trees tended the shadows of the trail’s path,
Where are you skiing? There is no snow in Colorado!!
Fab post, photos and recipe! Congrats on the awards-
Happy New Year!
Wow, that is beautiful. I love the star treatment. Such a nice post, although I’m reaching for a sweater now.
Hahaha, at least it won’t be a Christmas sweater;) Thanks for letting me post your recipe. Btw, it sure was a hit, everyone loved it!
I can’t believe you don’t have snow yet? I thought you had similar weather to us. We are in Vernon, British Columbia. Had to white-knuckle drive through a snow storm to get here. Happy New Year’s Eve!
Beautiful wintry scenes and I’m beginning to wonder if we’ll ever see snow this year! Of course we will. It isn’t so much a matter of when as it is how much. It was nice getting to know a little more about you and that brie really was a thing of beauty! Now I’m off to check out a few of your favorite blogs. Have a great New Year!
Beautiful! I wonder if winter will ever reach us (Spokane, Washington)? Still no snow and today it is sunny and beautiful. Your brie was gorgeous!
Happy happy new year. I enjoy reading your blog and your winter pictures look inviting!
I am visiting but am offering to make this beautiful brie.
Awesome! Just make sure to allow time for pastry to defrost and then the time in the fridge before baking:)
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Stunning stunning stunning, in every way conceivable stunning. Every word, every breath of it – and oh the bite of brie so perfectly you! I will try this, and I will lift a star to Smidge!! Blessed happy new year to you and to yours! xo
I love Rufus’ blog. Great interpretation!
I love the snowy images. As soon as I saw the title of your post I felt hungry despite the fact that I had only, minutes previously, finished eating. On this the last day of 2011 I would like to wish you and yours a very happy and joy filled New Year. x
Happy New Year, Smidge! Gorgeous photos of a wintry wonderland! And your starred pastry is absolutely magnificent!
While I’m not a fan of the snow I do love that second picture of the trees. They’re gorgeous.
Thanks for the kind shout out…I always enjoy reading your comments!
Jordana
The trek looked absolutely lovely, as did the recipe. A very Happy New Year to you!
Happy new year, Smidge! Lovely pastry. Lovely photography. You just can’t beat floury hands and a poetic heart. 
Your photos are beautiful. The scenery looks so magical and peaceful. Happy New Year Barbara.
Isn’t that always the case… we are just waiting for the cold to hit Calgary. Apart from one or two weeks, we don’t have much snow left. Happy New Year to you!!
I think Chicago (and John) have the same question:) Enjoy the sun and Happy New Year!
Oh, Spree… now that’s a lovely image… you lifting a star to toast… I’ll keep that one tucked away in my thoughts! Happy New Years to you and your family! xo Smidge
Yes… it’s a great one to visit:) Happy New Year!
I think I have perpetual “pretend” hunger… occasionally I do have “actual” hunger:) All the best in 2012 to you!!
Thank you, Celia! I hope 2012 brings you everything you could wish for! xo
You’re so very welcome! Have a wonderful New Year’s Eve!
Three days worth of treks… today is a sleep and catch up on blogs day:) Before we celebrate New Year’s! xo Smidge
Spoken by one who has both:) Have a wonderful New Year!! xoxo
I sure appreciate your compliments! Have a wonderful New Years as well! xoxo
So much food for thought, tastebuds and soul all combined in one post? That’s just how you are, isn’t it. It’s no wonder we all want to ‘hang around your hearth’ and be with you. So congratulations on these richly deserved and hard-earned medals and certifications, and thank you kindly for sharing them with our other dear cohorts and me!
I love cross-country skiing (mostly for the scenery, of course) but have rarely had that opportunity and don’t expect to much around here in Texas, so I thoroughly enjoyed being taken along for the trip today!! Brie en croute is such a treat, and yours looks like a brilliant work of art. You know, it does occur to me that a woman with such an affinity for the stars really does need to get on down here to the Lone Star State for a visit at some point. The guest room awaits you!
A deliriously, deliciously happy New Year to you, my dear Barbara! May it be dazzling as a sky full of stars.
xoxo,
Kathryn
Oh I love the brie, it is one of my favourites too and yours is SO GORGEOUS! Have a wonderful wonderful day.. .. it is great isn’t it and you are one of the few blog friends that I may actually be able to find and meet for a glass of wine, because to see my son i have to fly into calgary! I must make a plan! love celi
Do plan on it!! It would be fun and I promise not to wear my gum boots;) Have a wonderful New Year’s!!
Wow what beautiful pictures.. I just looked at them and felt the peacefulness, awesome!! I adore your blog! Thank you for sharing with us!
I just love these photos.. and all that snow. Although I love snow, I’m happy it has not arrived here lol. Congrats on winning awards.. I just adore this blog and you definitely deserve them . Love the baked brie as well. I wish you and your family a happy new year!
Those photos are gorgeous. I’m envious of the snow! There’s only been a bit of snow here so far this winter and it was all melted by noon. The brie en croute looks delicious. Have a happy new year!
Happy New Year, Smidge, with tons of love across the miles xxx
Happy 2012 Smidge!! I hope you had a wonderful holiday with your family and friends. I am sure they enjoyed the starry baked brie- beautiful!
Wow! So much snow! And what a perfect day you look to have had . . . as you go on more of these excursions, I hope you take more photos and share more stories. Happy New Year!
Simply beautiful. You have captured the essence of the mountains, the snow, everything! wishing you a very happy 2012. And thanks for the links, I see I’m going to be busy with lots of reading
My little corner of the world is snow-free as well – but I don’t mind!
Great shots!
Happy new year to you Barbara ! I had the opposite weather here – it was 28 degrees with high humidity at midnight last night
And that brie en croute looks amazing !
Hope you had the best New Year’s Yet!! And thanks so much for the invitation… I shall keep this in mind:) xo Barb
Congratulations dear Barbara, you deserve all these awards… You are so nice one and you are one of my beautiful blogger friends. This is great honor to be nominated by you. Thank you, as always your writing and your photographs fascinated us. “Us” means in here, with my son. We watched together today and he wanted to say his wishes for you and greetings… Happy New Year, dear Barbara, with my love, nia
You can send some snow our way, it is cold and wet, rain! Would love to have the beautiful white stuff! Your pictures are beautiful….
What gorgeous scenes and you have so much snow! So lovely, as is your star-studded brie. I’m going to check out these new to me bloggers, and congratulations on your awards, well deserved. Happy New Year to you!
Oh wow, that photos of the snow absolutely sparkle! You take an amazing shot. And congratulations on all the awards, I look forward to your post soon sharing the seven things about yourself… it’s something I’ve been avoiding for awhile as well. Happy new year Barbara!
What a lovely cross country trek! (and can I just say your daughter is gorgeous!). I’m really missing snow right now, though I know it’s just a short hour’s drive away. I think you’ve inspired me to pack up the fam and go check it out. I hope you’ve had a wonderful start to the New Year, Barbara! (oh, and of couse the brie looks divine!)
I’ve never, ever seen that much snow. That is so beautiful and I love the photos. Greg and Katherine are the Bomb and so is this Brie in puff pastry. Love the stars across it. Very Smidge of you! 
Gorgeous photos of the snow, I’m so jealous! I could drive a couple of hours up to the mountains here in CA, but there still wouldn’t be that much snow. That brie sounds incredible–one of my favorite cheeses. Happy New Year!!
What amazing photos! I love to go skiing but unfortunately we are surrounded by cornfields and not mountains. Looks like you had an amazing time! Baked brie is one of my favorites to serve around the holidays…I love the star cutouts on top. Super cute!
Well, you know how I feel about this brie…addicted!!!! I love the stars you added. It’s very appropriate for New Years/Winter indeed. Beautiful!!!! Happy New Year Smidge.
Happy New Year, and if you haven’t seen it yet, I wanted to acknowledge your great contribution to my enjoyment of blogging this year both here and ‘at my place’:
Consider it a no-strings-attached blog award of my own to you!
Kathryn
Oh my!! I’m in a grocery store right now but look forward to reading this!!! Thanks so much!!
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Thanks so much, Shauna!
Thank you, Kay. You know, I looked back and you were one of the first to comment on my blog… I sure appreciate your visits and encouragement in the early days:)
Our snow is precarious here as well, unless we go up to the mountains where the rain turns to snow. Even in Calgary the temperatures keep warming up and melting everything… very strange weather on this planet of ours! Happy New Year to you!
And a very happy new year to you:) xo
Thanks and the same to you:) I think 2012 is going to be a great year for all of us!!
There was a dump of fresh snow that night… which led to a wonderful few days of skiing! Happy New Year to you and your loved ones:)
I hope you enjoy them… it was about time and it makes it so much easier for me to visit my blogging friends as well! Happy New Year!!
Yes… we don’t have snow at the lower elevations.. just a skiff. This is up in the mountains where it belongs:) JK, a little bit down here wouldn’t hurt, as long as it doesn’t get too cold!
Wow, I wouldn’t mind a week or two of that weather, Carolyn! Hope 2012 brings you everything you hope for!
I would be happy to share if I could:) Thanks so much!
It’s fine to discover new sites… I’ve got my favs and am always on the hunt for new ones:) Happy New Year to you and yours!! Here’s to 2012!!
Thanks, Aimee.. I’m not sure I’ll ever get to all seven;) Btw, I’ve sure been enjoying your lighthearted humor in your blog, always makes my day!!
Ahhh, she’s my baby girl, love that little sweetheart (I can say little because she never grew past my height:) I think snow is great a few hours away, we don’t have any until we go up into the mountains. Makes it so much easier to get around and walk our dog:) Happy New Year to you and your lovely family!!
Oh… if you’re ever up our way in the midst of winter, I’d be happy to show you around:) Happy New Year to you!! All the best in 2012!!
Thanks so much, Caroline! I love brie as well and knew I had to make this recipe when I read it on Rufus’ blog:)
Now cornfields would be such a pretty sight and beautiful to photograph! I think we always often take for granted what we have? I would love to visit your part of the world! Here’s to a wonderful 2012!!!
Hahaha, I think I’m addicted to all cheese:) Wishing you wonderful things in 2012, Kristy!!
Oh wow, how delicious does that look! And beautiful photographs to boot!
I thought I left a comment but I must be dreaming, all that snow has got in my eyes! Sparkle sparkle What beautiful photos and what a lovely blog you have here too. Happy New Year Smidge !
*sigh* all that beautiful, beautiful snow. Makes me want to reach for my mittens, hat and snow boots… oh I don’t have any 
Happy skiing Barbara, enjoy every sparkle of it.
Barbara, that is a beautifully made baked brie. The stars are very cool, as are all the lovely snow pictures. I am envious of your snow.
Thanks so much… it was fun to make! I would share our snow if I could…
Happy 2012 – have a wonderful year! I have never seen snow so beautiful photographed before – absolutely stunning!
Mandy
I know when I come to “visit” you I will feel so good inside! I love your musings, your photography and the little things in life that make you happy also do the same for me. I could so see having hot chocolate and biscotti in that little cabin! Happy New Year and the best for 2012.
lol found your blog when looking for different bbq sauces, dont know how that happened!
What beautiful photos! It looks like you’ve got a lot more snow in British Columbia than we do in southwest Ontario!
I absolutely love your photography, keep on shooting and sharing with us!
Just got to this — by now you are thinking I have no manners at all. Thanks for the lovely profile. And I love the stars on the Brie.
by Barbara Bamber | justasmidgen
These look delicious and there are so many fillings you can do too! Thanks for sharing – Have a Great One:)
They are scrumptious! In Brazil, we would call those “pasteis”, although the dough would not be puff pastry, but still…
Loved the photo of your pup, ours are acting about the same way, or when they need to go out they go and want to rush back inside in 5 seconds tops!
Enjoy your beautiful home and decorations, and have a fantastic end of 2012….
Hi, Sally!! Isn’t this just the best time of day.. everyone’s asleep:D and it’s almost 11 am, haha! I hope you had a great Christmas?!
I was thinking that too.. maybe Mexican next time:) I hope you have a great Christmas Day! xx
I love this idea, hand pies!! I would make mine with apples and cinnamon because I am a dessert junkie! Bless the souls that venture to the mall!
Merry Christmas Barb! I’ve been contemplating making tourtiere… these may have tipped the scales
D’you know, I could manage these! And somebody gave me a lovely gingernut, creme fraiche and strawberry pud recipe the other day. Should I surprise everybody (me included!) for New Year?
It was murky here today so we went strolling the riverside in Durham. The Mall? Quelle horreur! Happy New Year Smidge, in case I don’t get back to you before then.
Mmmmmm, thank you for this recipe, Barb. I love these little guys! Perfect snack….for when all these Christmas cookies are gone. Your doggie looks like I feel, from my current sugar coma
Thanks again! Hope you had a nice walk today 
I really enjoy hand pies, Barb, and these sound tasty. I bet they’d be great for a party setting. No one looks good fumbling with a plate, appetizer, fork and cocktail. On the other hand, give me a small pie for my left hand and a drink for my right, and I’ll be a bon vivant, schmoozing with the best of them, just as one would expect me to be.
To put it another way, what a great recipe!
I hope you’re having a great Boxing Day.
These look gorgeous, Barbara! Hope you and yours are having a great holiday season…
My son went to the Boxing Day sales for the first time ever and he vowed ‘never again’. Hated it. Sales seem to bring out the worst in people. The name of these pies is not familiar to me but I’m sure I’ve seen something similar. I think these would be an excellent pass-around dish and the spices would bring great flavour to the meat filling xx
Exquisite and delicious! I am going to try this soon; love it!
I love your dog. No mall for me either
Yours look so appetizing! They are second cousins to our pirukad/piroshki [spell them however you will, but you make them much more elegantly], whereas ours tend to be the marriage of yeast pastry and deep frying!! Happy end of the year and may Father Frost not get you
!
These remind me of British pasties. I love those things but I’m terrible at making my own crust.
I love tourtiere (haven’t made it in far too many years) and these little pies are genius! Definitely would be lovely at New Year’s with some bubbly ( of course, I recommend bubbly with pretty much everything at New Year’s!).
I stayed in today and just began to regain my senses following a whirlwind of activity!
Happy to be home and warm! I love this recipe, Smidge. And I actually think I could follow this closely and come close to your pretty hand pies! That you’re still creating and not just in a pile of exhaustion has me quite impressed! 
What a great idea Barbara, I’ve never made tourtiére but I have made empanadas before, and I can see the similarities. You’ve inspired me to make some in the new year.
We drove to Niagara on the Lake for a few days and are in the middle of our first winter storm; fortunately it’s not as bad as predicted and it’s definitely not -26! There is a good wind chill though!
Stay warm.
These look perfect to have on hand for surprise visitors
These sound faboulous and as soon as I read that they guys would like this, I thought Sunday football food!! My son will love these and so will I!
Lovely post packed with fab photos. The dog on blue is top:)
Gorgeous savory goodness! Happy holidays, Smidge! X
Excellent – you’ve almost got a mince pie flavour going on there – they used to be made of lamb and cooked with fruit and spices
Extremely delicious looking hand pies!
Lovely little hand pies! This would be perfect to share at New Years Eve!
No malls for me this week! Gosh, I remember how much I used to love doing that when I was a teenager.
These hand pies are delightful Smidge. I can see why the would be a hit. I love a good savory pie and a hand pie is even better. Happy New Year!
Really lovely bites! I love the idea of pies, as they are so versatile!
Beautiful photos as usual Barbara! Love the pies, so delicious looking! I’ve nominated you an award here: http://foodiebaker.com/2012/12/29/gratin-of-potatoes-martha-stewart-and-an-award/
Hope you’ll like it, take care!
Gorgeous pies like little empanadas – and as for your gorgeous pup…well, I think mine know how he feels!
[...] Tourtiere Hand Pies from Just A Smidgen: These little hand pies sound so flavorful with beef, pork, onions, garlic and warm spices. I love handheld food and this is something I really need to make soon. My mouth is watering just looking at them! [...]
These look so yummy! I love recipes like this. My husband is a huge fan of pies and this will be a new one to try. Thanks for the recipe Smidge! Hope you had a lovely Christmas and enjoy your New Year
I hear hand pies will be the new cupcake soon…lol…love these! I hope you had an amazing Christmas!
I make a similar pastries with a curry filling an call it curry puffs. Like you title. Wishing you and your family all the best for 2013.
Beautiful creations and shots, young lady!
was so busy this Christmas I could not even stop by and wish you happy festivities. well, in time to wish you Happy New Year! love love love the pictures on this post.
Curry would be just so delicious! Is this recipe on your blog??
Now, that would be fantastic.. and a nice change from sweet cupcakes.. hmmm… maybe an apple hand-pie should be next on my list:D xx
It was hectic for sure with the unexpected loss of our friend.. but we’ve really come closer with each other, celebrating the important people in our lives, and not just at Christmas.. I hope you had a lovely Christmas as well.. have you got special New Year’s plans?? xx
Haha.. pups sure find Christmas a bit hectic, don’t they? Funny, he always remembers his stocking and can’t wait to nose into it:D I hope you had a wonderful Christmas!! xx
You are so sweet Jasline. I always feel so fortunate when a fellow blogger and talented foodie nominates me for an award. Thanks so much! I hope you and yours had a wonderful Christmas!! xx
That’s just what I’m thinking..
xx
Thanks.. they weren’t as perfectly shaped but tasted just as good:D
Happy Holidays to you too! I can’t wait to see what you’ve been up to!!! xx
Now.. I think you should whip up a batch with your ingredients and share the recipe with us, those sound fantastic!
Well, thanks so much! I hope you had a great Christmas with your family! I’ve so missed reading your blog, I can’t wait to catch up! Happy Holidays!!
Isn’t it just the best after so much frantic activity? It’s really the simplest recipe and pretty versatile. I’ll be experimenting with this one:) Happy Holidays!! xxx
Oh.. some bubbly right now would be awesome as well;D
The frozen puff pastry really makes these a snap.. I’ve never made puff pastry from scratch, it does sound super challenging! xx
I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and having a wonderful restful holiday this week?? xx
I hope you are as well.. I can’t wait to just sit and catch up on all of my blog reading.. it’s been far too busy and too long since I’ve visited!! xx
Merry Christmas to you too, Korena, and to your family as well!! xx
Now that is a pie I need to make soon!! xx
Very nice recipe, looks similar to the Philippine empanada.
Anyways Have a Prosperous New Year to you and your family!
Hand pies! That is a lovely term and I have never heard it before, we would call those pasties I guess and reading through the comments it would seem that we all have different names for these or similar! I particularly love your photo of all the squares neatly cut and waiting serenely to be filled, Gorgeous work Smidge xx
Phew! That makes it less daunting then! xx
No, it is not. I will try to get to it in the not too distant future.
Great photos, great recipe! I haven’t had these for years. Now, of course, I’m starved for them! Good stuff – thanks. And Happy New Year!
They look like lovely little bites of goodness.
I’ve spent a long day at work today (feeling a bit like how your dog looks actually) and I could do with a plate of these right now! They look amazing. Love the spice combination. Lovely photos too.
Wow these look pretty amazing! Love tourtiere
i think the fork trick is simple and beautifully result..
thx for sharing…..
now i know thy my pastry puff are easily leaked when cooked…
These look so good, thank you for sharing!
Can I have one pls? Yummy!