Chicken Pot Pie

.... from scratch? Well... it was supposed to be. And there won't be a picture for you... sorry.

I was nervous to make this recipe as I don't make dough... but I was excited to use my handy-dandy food processor my wonderful hubby gave me for Christmas for the first time making this pie dough. The machine did a GREAT job. It was like watching the chefs on TV make their dough...
The dough on the other hand... was terrible. I followed the instructions perfectly, but I could not get it to roll out without sticking to EVERYTHING (even with flour everywhere). And the Food Nanny expected half the dough to be able to fit the bottom and up the sides... ya right. With that dough, I was lucky to get it to fill the bottom of the pan. And for the top, there was NO WAY I was going to be able to roll it out and be able to pick up and lay it across the pan. It just crumbled. I admit, I broke down. I cried. My poor husband had to run to the store to get the refrigerated pie crusts (heaven-sent I tell you!). 9pm and dinner still wasn't done. And when I was grocery shopping I thought I should just go the easy route... should've listened to myself.

So here's my opinion on the matter... if you're really good at making dough and you feel comfortable doing so, go ahead and follow the recipe. If you're like me and don't bake... and certainly don't make dough... go ahead and cheat and go with the already-made stuff. I could've saved myself 2 hours and a ton of frustration.

The insides, however, were DELICIOUS. And this will definitely be something I will make again, just minus the homemade dough.

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:

2 1/2 C flour
1/4 C chilled butter
2 bone-in chicken breasts
2 carrots, sliced crosswise (I used about 1 C baby carrots cut in half)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4C cold water
3/4C shortening
1 tsp salt
4 TBS ice-cold water
3 Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1/4C flour
1/2C frozen peas

Instructions:

To make the crust, stir the flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the shortening and butter with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle with the ice water, a TBS at a time, and stir with a fork to moisten all the dough. Gather the dough into a ball with your hands. Divide the dough in half. Roll out one half on a lightly floured surface and fit it into a 9in pie dish. Roll out the other half and set aside.
Put the chicken breasts in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat, cover, and simmer until tender, about 18 minutes. Remove the chicken to a cutting board or plate. Add the potatoes and carrots and return to boiling. Decrease the heat, cover, and simmer until they are tender, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, tear or cut the chicken off the bones into bite-size pieces, discarding skin, fat and gristle.
Remove the veggies from the simmering broth with a slotted spoon and set aside with the chicken pieces. Measure the broth and add water, if needed, to make 2 1/2 Cups. Return to the pan and simmer, stirring in the bouillon and the salt.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Stir the flour into the cold water in a small bowl or measuring cup. Stir into the broth and increase the heat to medium. Stir constantly until the broth thickens. Add the chicken to the broth along with the potatoes, carrots and peas. Stir to combine.
Pour the filling into the pastry-lined pie dish. Cover with the top crust, seal and flute the edges, and cut a slit in the top for the steam to escape. Bake 40 minutes, or until the crust is light brown.


Here is what I would do instead:
Use refrigerated pie crusts for the bottom, make the filling according to instructions, but add 1 tsp. each: onion salt, celery salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Top with 2nd crust, and drizzle with melted butter and bake according to pie crust instructions on box.

St. Patty's Day recipe

Happy St. Patty's Day everyone!!
Am I the only one that has to set a reminder on their phone to remember today? I always get excited about it before it comes, and find the funniest/cutest GREEN things to wear.... then when the day actually comes, I usually forget. Not this year. I set a reminder. I planned a meal based around the holiday. My 2 yr old found a CUTE shirt (I already had one from 2 years ago). We have a hanging thing on our door. We were ready!

What was for dinner? Corned Beef Brisket with Cabbage (with roasted Yukon potatoes) of course!!

I've never made this meal myself, and I've only ever eaten it once... but it's definitely worth it for one night a year!! I do have to add a disclaimer here: DO NOT SCRIMP ON THE MEAT TO SAVE $1.50. Go all out and get the IRON CUT Brisket for $3/lb. I didn't. I went with the cheap-o Point Cut for $1.49/lb and even though the meat was tasty (what LITTLE meat was there....) it was not worth the money I saved. There was so much fat hidden inside.... I ended up with maybe 3 whole bites of meat for my dinner! Once again... GET THE IRON CUT. :) K... now for the recipe. It comes from Kraft. Totally delicious. Love the sauce.

Corned Beef w/ Cabbage

Ingredients:

3 lb. corned beef brisket with spice packet

1/2 cup chopped onions

2 cloves garlic, minced (I didn't have any fresh garlic, so I used garlic salt... still tasty!)

2 bay leaves

1 cup maple-flavored or pancake syrup

1/2 cup yellow mustard

1 Tbsp. KRAFT Prepared Horseradish

1 head cabbage, cut into wedges
(I added carrots)

Instructions:

PLACE meat in large saucepan; top with onions, spice packet, garlic and bay leaves. Add enough water to cover all ingredients; cover with lid. Bring to boil; simmer on medium-low heat 1 hour. Drain, reserving meat in pan. Remove and discard bay leaves.

ADD enough fresh water to saucepan to cover meat; cover with lid. Bring to boil; simmer on medium-low heat 2 to 3 hours or until meat is tender.

HEAT oven to 350ºF. Remove meat from pan, reserving liquid in pan; place meat in shallow baking pan. Mix syrup, mustard and horseradish; spoon half over meat. Reserve remaining syrup mixture for brushing onto cooked meat.

BAKE 20 min., brushing frequently with remaining syrup mixture. Meanwhile, add cabbage to reserved liquid in saucepan; cook 8 to 10 min. or until tender. (I added a handful of carrots with the cabbage, probably should cook them alone for 10-15min, then add cabbage for another 10min).

PLACE meat on platter; drizzle with pan drippings. Serve with cabbage

Roasted {Yukon Gold} Potatoes

Ingredients:

6-10 potatoes, washed, halved then quartered

olive oil

Salt and pepper

Italian Seasoning

Instructions:

Heat oven to 350. Lay potatoes onto rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with seasonings. Bake until tender, 25-45 minutes.

*If cooking alongside Beef Brisket, when down to the last 30min of boiling the meat, put the potatoes in the oven. Once Beef goes into the oven, stir the potatoes and allow to continue to cook until Beef is done. Both will finish at the same time. *

Sunday Pot Roast Make-over

A post?! It's amazing, right?! I finally have a desire for food again!! And you know what that means? I have some delicious recipes I'll be posting here in the near future. I'm really excited. I love food, I always have. But the past few months have been rough... but I'm finally starting to gain a little weight (1.5lbs in 21 days) and I can stand having my oven turned on again! Yay!!



This recipe comes from an old friend. A few days after my son was born, she surprised me by asking if she could bring over some food. I was so grateful, but I didn't think much about it... and then she arrived.... with an ENTIRE Pot Roast dinner. I could not believe it! She was so sweet to have done that! One bite and I thought I was in heaven. It was the most moist, full of flavor roast I've ever had. Definitely not the regular Sunday Pot Roast. Well.... I have her recipe... will I share? Of course!!! lol.
I was so excited to try this out for myself. After that meal, I had tried over and over again to recreate it... but nothing ever worked. So finally... FINALLY... I got it! And you know... left overs don't get eaten very well around here... not with this meal. It's only Wednesday and it's all gone!! I like to warm everything in a bowl covered in the lovely juice, so once the big stuff is gone the juice is like a soup in itself. YUM!!!

Here ya go...

Pot Roast

Ingredients:

Rump Roast
Salt and Pepper
Garlic Salt (I didn't have, so I used Garlic Powder)
Parsley
EVOO
Beef Broth
Water
Sliced onions
Quartered Potatoes
Baby Carrots
1-2TBS cornstarch

Instructions:

Heat a saute skillet over med-hi heat. Cover meat all over with lots of salt and pepper, garlic salt/powder and parsley. Once skillet is smokin hot, add a little EVOO. Sear meat on all sides until nice and brown.
Add meat to crock pot and fill 1/3 way with beef broth and 1/3 with water. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours. After the 4 hours, add baby carrots, onions and potatoes and cook an additional 1.5-2 hours until potatoes are tender.
Pull everything out of crock pot keeping it on high (or you can transfer juice to a stock pot). Add cornstarch, whisking constantly, until desired thickness is achieved. (If using stock pot, bring juice to a boil and add cornstarch whisking constantly.)

Yum!! Pot Roast Sunday will not be boring again... I promise!

Day #5 of Thanksgiving Posts: The Bird

I've heard some families have a Turkey for Thanksgiving and Ham or Prime Rib or something different and special for Christmas. Not us, all growing up we had turkey for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. And I loved it! My favorite Christmas tradition is driving around town looking at the lights on Christmas Eve and then coming home and breaking apart the bread for the stuffing. That was always my job (still is when I'm home! lol). And I love it. This is my mom's recipe and it's the same one I made last year. My first time ever making my own turkey, without any help, and it was just like being back home! Delicious!
Don't get lazy and not grate the carrots and potatoes. That's what makes the stuffing... I hope you can try this out and enjoy it as much as I have all these years!!

And TOMORROW starts the desserts! Y-U-M!!



Ingredients:

Whole turkey (with innards)
Poultry seasoning
salt and pepper
1C butter and 2TBS
Bag of bread, old
Carrots, peeled and grated
Potatoes, peeled and grated
Onion, diced
Celery, diced

Instructions:

1. Take a loaf of old bread and break each piece up into bite-size pieces into a large bowl.
2. Boil innards, until done, about 30 min over a medium boil.
3. Meanwhile place 2TBS butter in large saute pan or skillet with onion and celery. Saute until browned and softened. Add grated carrots and potatoes. Pour water from innards, simmer 30 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning.
4. Pour over bread, mix well and refrigerate (preferably overnight).
5. Stuff turkey with stuffing, rub outside with 1C butter (more if needed) and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
6. Heat oven to 350, tent turkey with foil and cook until done. Take off foil and let brown for 10 minutes.

Sausage and Veggie dinner

I know I have seriously been slacking in my posts this week. But I have lots of things I'll be posting this coming week... as long as nothing else comes up and gets in my way!!



Do you have a bunch of veggies left over from your garden this year and are sick of the same ol' dish? I love this meal. It's so simple and easy and it has everything in it. And the best part? You can pretty much put whatever you have on hand in it and it will be delicious!

*Side note: I tried out a Turkey Polsa Kielbasa sausage and it just wasn't the same. Unless you really love turkey sausage, I don't recommend using it in this dish. Also, be aware of the Sodium intake in Turkey sausages. Did you know Turkey bacon is actually WORSE for you than regular bacon? Crazy!

Ingredients:

2 Polska Kielbasa Sausages (or a mix of your favorite, the already cooked kind)
2 Russet Potatoes, 1" chunks
1 Med. Onion, diced
2 Zucchini, about 1" chunks
1 Yellow Squash, 1" chunks
Sm bag of Cut Carrots, halved
2 pkgs. Cremini Mushrooms (have you had these? I used to only use white buttons... but these carry so much more flavor!)
2 ears of Corn
3 cloves Garlic, minced
Salt, Pepper, Red Wine Vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, Soy sauce, Olive Oil
3 pats of butter
Reynolds Oven Bag

Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 350.

Lay oven bag into large, deep baking dish. Add Potatoes and a little salt and pepper and olive oil. Add remaining veg and a little more salt and pepper. Add sausage and rest of seasonings. Toss well and pour in a little water, almost to cover. Tie off bag.

Bake for 45-75 minutes until potatoes are soft.

You can serve it on a platter family style, on individual plates allowing those "picky" eaters to only take what they want, or in bowls with a little of the broth. I prefer soup-style with the delicious broth!

Sunday Dinner AND Dessert: Herb-Roasted Citrus Chicken w/ Root Veggies AND Peaches 'n' Cream

It's Sunday, it's a special day. Which calls for a special meal! Tonight's menu includes a whole herb-roasted Chicken with roasted sweet potatoes, carrots and onions.
Plus, a yummy dessert of Peaches 'n' Cream. Enjoy!!

Herb-Roasted Citrus Chicken

The chicken recipe is a mixture of Ming Tsai's Cranberry-Glazed Chicken, Jamie Oliver's Herb-Roasted Chicken, and a little of my own ideas.

Ingredients:

1 Whole Chicken (can also use 4 chicken breasts, cooking time will vary)
8 Cloves Garlic, minced (or pressed is my favorite) and separated
thumb-size piece of fresh Ginger, minced
Olive Oil
Juice of 1 lemon (keep rind to place inside cavity) and 2 limes
Fresh Parsley (I used 3-5 ice cubes - check under Herbs for info on that)
2 TBS Rosemary
1TBS Red Chile Flakes
2 Bay Leaves
Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper
2 Yellow Onions, diced
2-3 Sweet Potatoes, diced
sm. bag of baby Carrots (or 2 Fennel/Anise bulbs, cored and sliced)

Instructions:

1. Combine all herbs and spices- except Bay Leaves, half the minced garlic, oil, lemon and lime juices into food processor/blender. Blend well. Pat chicken dry and carefully poor marinade mixture all over. Starting at the neck, lift up the skin to break it apart from the meat and gently stuff a little marinade inside. Pour remaining marinade inside cavity, and add lemon rinds. Allow to sit at least 4 hours, or over night.

2. Pre-heat oven to 500-550 and pre-heat roasting pan. Once heated, place chicken in pan, place bay leaves on top, and brown 15-20 minutes, turning pan around half-way through. In the meantime, in a large bowl, combine potatoes, fennel/carrots, and onions. Drizzle with a little oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Once chicken is browned, reduce heat to 350 and cover with foil. Roast for 45-55 minutes.

3. Uncover and add the veggies to the pan. If you can, lift up the chicken a little so the veg can fall underneath. (Once again, I don't like my veg soggy, and I've found this it the best way to fully cook everything without OVER-cooking anything). Recover with foil and allow to cook another 50-60 minutes, depending on size of chicken (you're looking for a temp of 160-165). Take it out and place it on a cutting board and lightly tent with foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before carving it. Spoon the veg into a bowl.

Enjoy!

Peaches 'n' Cream - Grandma Style

Three simple ingredients and 20-40 minutes is all it takes for this delicious recipe, brought to you by my own mom!

Ingredients:

Peaches (1-2 per person)
3TBS white Sugar (per serving)
Half and Half


Instructions:

1. If you prefer, you can place the peaches into a pot and barely boil them, then dunk them into cold water and peel them. Or you can skip this step and just cut them up.
2. Cover with sugar. Lots. Of. Sugar. Allow to sit at least 20 minutes, until a "syrup" forms.
3. Dowse them in half and half.

Just a side note: I. Love. Half and Half. Yum! This recipe also works with strawberries. When I make it with strawberries, I add about 1/4 Cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (remember I like texture!) to my bowl, and not as much sugar.

Enjoy! I know I just did!!