dinner swap: sweet potato and gruyère turnovers

A few months back we started doing a dinner swap with some good friends, Kate, Paul & Kai, who are also vegetarian. Once a week we double our recipe & drop off a complete meal for them & once a week they do the same for us. It's really nice to know that each Tuesday, the one day of the week that both Michael & I work outside of the house, dinner will show up at our door. 


Recently Real Simple Magazine had an article called "The Great Dinner Swap" which gave ideas on putting together a successful dinner swap. The article bases their swap on multiple families, but we've found that swapping with just one other family is perfect for us.


They also shared six "big batch" recipes that will feed four families of four. I've tried the two vegetarian recipes & they turned out pretty yummy! The only advice I'd give to anyone trying the "big batch" recipes is to assume it will take more pots & pans than anticipated (the writers must assume that everyone has industrial sized pots & pans, which I don't!) & more time than they have listed on the website. 

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Big Batch Sweet Potato and Gruyère Turnovers

Serves 16| Hands-On Time: 1hr 10m | Total Time: 1hr 45m

Ingredients

• 3 large onions
• 3 pounds sweet potatoes
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 bunches Swiss chard, stems discarded and leaves cut into 1/2-inch strips (about 24 cups)
• 1 pound Gruyère, grated (4 cups)
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 8 refrigerated rolled piecrusts, each cut in half (to form 16 half-circles)
• 1 large egg, beaten

Directions

1. In a food processor fitted with the large grating disk, grate the onions; transfer to a bowl. Grate the sweet potatoes and transfer to a second bowl.
2. Divide the oil between 2 large pots and heat over medium-high heat. Divide the onions between the pots and cook, stirring often, until beginning to soften, 8 to 10 minutes. Divide the chard between the pots and cook, stirring, until wilted, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Divide the vegetable mixture between 2 bowls. Dividing evenly between the bowls, fold in the sweet potatoes, Gruyère, and thyme; season each with 1 ½ teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Spread the sweet potato mixture from both bowls onto a rimmed baking sheet and let cool for 10 minutes.
4. Dividing evenly, spoon the mixture onto one side of each half-circle of piecrust (about ½ cup per piecrust), leaving a ½-inch border. Dot the borders with water, fold the dough over to form a quarter-circle, and press firmly to seal; crimp, if desired. Cut 3 slits in each turnover and brush with the egg.
5. To eat tonight: Bake the turnovers on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 400° F until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
6. To freeze and cook later: Freeze the uncooked turnovers on a parchment-lined baking sheet just until firm, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to freezer-safe resealable bags and freeze for up to 3 months. To cook, bake the turnovers from frozen on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 400° F until golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes.

Do you swap meals with friends or family? What tricks do you have to make it run smoothly? Any good websites for recipes or any recipes you'd like to share?