I'm grateful for simple pleasures like Chicken Pot Pie...even though I don't get to eat it. But I SO enjoy feeding those I love with good nourishing food!!!
Since I don't eat meat anymore, a chicken goes a long way for The Hired Hand. I usually roast a whole chicken, then after dinner, cut it into pieces and freeze it. When he's in the mood for chicken I pull it out pop it in a sauce pan with some veggies and water and heat it up together. Mmmm it always smells so good. The only trouble is, The Hired Hand doesn't care for dark meat. I've tried telling him that you can't order a whole chicken and hold the dark!
No worries. I usually disguise it as something else with a creamy sauce, and he's blinded by the light!!!
I make the easiest Chicken Pot Pie! And it's to die for. This time I went all out and made a double crust....normally I hate working with pastry dough and only give it a top. But with our new granite counter tops, it rolls much nicer and is easy to work with. I know how much my man LOVES butter and this one isn't short on it!!! 2.5 sticks later we had a winner!
Since I don't eat meat anymore, a chicken goes a long way for The Hired Hand. I usually roast a whole chicken, then after dinner, cut it into pieces and freeze it. When he's in the mood for chicken I pull it out pop it in a sauce pan with some veggies and water and heat it up together. Mmmm it always smells so good. The only trouble is, The Hired Hand doesn't care for dark meat. I've tried telling him that you can't order a whole chicken and hold the dark!
No worries. I usually disguise it as something else with a creamy sauce, and he's blinded by the light!!!
I make the easiest Chicken Pot Pie! And it's to die for. This time I went all out and made a double crust....normally I hate working with pastry dough and only give it a top. But with our new granite counter tops, it rolls much nicer and is easy to work with. I know how much my man LOVES butter and this one isn't short on it!!! 2.5 sticks later we had a winner!
Farmer Diane's Chicken Pot Pie
2 Crust:
12 Tbsp of Butter, 2 C of Unbleached Flour, 1 tsp salt, ICE water (double crust usually takes about 8)
Mix the salt into the flour, cut the butter into small chunks. Using a pastry knife, cut the butter into the flour until you have small lumps, resembling cottage cheese. Then begin adding the water slowly, starting with 4 Tbsp, incorporate it with a fork. Continue adding the ICE cold water until everything comes together in a ball. Then stop....the secret is that you don't want the gluten to form in the flour. So minimal working it best. After you get it together form a ball and cover in plastic wrap. Store in fridge until ready for use.
Sauce:
My sauce is your typical white sauce.
1 stick of butter which is a half cup, always equal amounts of flour...so 1/2 C flour, 4 C milk, Poultry Seasoning, salt, pepper. You can cut all of that in half with 1/4, 1/4 and 2!
On a low heat melt the butter in a large sauce pan, add flour and cook for a minute or two stirring constantly with whisk. Then add milk gradually whisking it in. Add 1-2 tsp Poultry Seasoning (Vital ingredient!) or more after you have someone taste test it, Salt & Pepper. Cook until just past slightly thickened. You don't want it too thick because you are adding all the veggies & meat. But you don't want it too runny so it won't hold together
I use as many frozen & fresh veggies as I have on hand and that The Hired Hand likes. He doesn't like broccoli, but it would work nicely! Cauliflower too! For fresh veggies like carrots & potatoes, broccoli & cauliflower you need to par boil them. Then just throw all your veggies into the white sauce with as much diced chicken as your heart desires!
Pull your dough out of the fridge and cut it in half. Flour your surface well and roll out one half to fit your dish and up the sides if you have enough....mine was stretching it. Pour the veggie & meat sauce into the dough bottom, then roll out top and place over sauce. Nice thick edges make a treat for the cook!!!
Bake at 375*f for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Wait if you can for a few secs then cut and serve!
The imagination is the limits for making this with as many and a variety of veggies! It works great for couples who have a lot of leftovers.
12 Tbsp of Butter, 2 C of Unbleached Flour, 1 tsp salt, ICE water (double crust usually takes about 8)
Mix the salt into the flour, cut the butter into small chunks. Using a pastry knife, cut the butter into the flour until you have small lumps, resembling cottage cheese. Then begin adding the water slowly, starting with 4 Tbsp, incorporate it with a fork. Continue adding the ICE cold water until everything comes together in a ball. Then stop....the secret is that you don't want the gluten to form in the flour. So minimal working it best. After you get it together form a ball and cover in plastic wrap. Store in fridge until ready for use.
Sauce:
My sauce is your typical white sauce.
1 stick of butter which is a half cup, always equal amounts of flour...so 1/2 C flour, 4 C milk, Poultry Seasoning, salt, pepper. You can cut all of that in half with 1/4, 1/4 and 2!
On a low heat melt the butter in a large sauce pan, add flour and cook for a minute or two stirring constantly with whisk. Then add milk gradually whisking it in. Add 1-2 tsp Poultry Seasoning (Vital ingredient!) or more after you have someone taste test it, Salt & Pepper. Cook until just past slightly thickened. You don't want it too thick because you are adding all the veggies & meat. But you don't want it too runny so it won't hold together
I use as many frozen & fresh veggies as I have on hand and that The Hired Hand likes. He doesn't like broccoli, but it would work nicely! Cauliflower too! For fresh veggies like carrots & potatoes, broccoli & cauliflower you need to par boil them. Then just throw all your veggies into the white sauce with as much diced chicken as your heart desires!
Pull your dough out of the fridge and cut it in half. Flour your surface well and roll out one half to fit your dish and up the sides if you have enough....mine was stretching it. Pour the veggie & meat sauce into the dough bottom, then roll out top and place over sauce. Nice thick edges make a treat for the cook!!!
Bake at 375*f for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Wait if you can for a few secs then cut and serve!
The imagination is the limits for making this with as many and a variety of veggies! It works great for couples who have a lot of leftovers.
Oh YUM!!! Our family saying is, "it tastes like MORE!" (The Hired Hands dad use to say that all the time! It was his was of paying a complement!) :)
Since it is just The Hired Hand eating this delectable dish, I kept out 1 extra serving for the week, then waited for things to cool and cut the rest into serving sizes. Slid them into freezer bags (I was tickled pink that they stayed together nice and formed, One advantage of a double crust!) and labeled them for him to enjoy in the coming weeks for dinner....since we never eat the same thing anymore, this works great for me!
I feel like I've cared for him if I can stuff him!!! :D
I feel like I've cared for him if I can stuff him!!! :D
