Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Chicken Pot Pie

I discovered while indexing my recipes that this recipe somehow was not viewable on my blog. It was posted long ago- but disappeared through thin air. Thankfully, I had it saved, so here it is again. It's a favorite of mine and is great for fall when the cooler weather comes.

I consider chicken pot pie a comfort food. Something about flaky crust filled with warm, savory filling is comforting.

So if you want to be comforted here is the solution.

Cook veggies in a pot with the chicken until soft.


Then set aside while you make the sauce.


Once sauce is thickened return veggie mixture to pan and stir.


 While the filling is cooking make your pie dough and
have the pie crust ready to fill.

Roll out the rest of the pie dough and cover your pie.
Make several small slits in the top for the steam to escape.

I had little dough and filling left over so I made these little guys.


 Just thought you would like to see the mess behind a recipe I post.


Ready to enjoy.




Comfort food for you.


Chicken Pot Pie

Crust

  2 cups of flour
2/3 cup Crisco plus 2 Tbsp
1 tsp. salt, rounded
5-6 Tbsp. cold water

Filling

8 chicken thighs- cubed
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup diced celery
3 Tbsp. butter
Sprinkle with seasoned salt and pepper.

4 Tbsp. butter
1 medium onion, sliced thin
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 3/4 cup chicken broth
2/3 cup cream

Mix together flour and salt. Cut in Crisco and mix with hands
until crumbly. Add water and knead until dough sticks together.
Roll out half for the pie bottom and use the
remaining dough for the top. Use a 10 inch pie pan.

In a saucepan combine butter, chicken, carrots and celery. Sprinkle 
with seasoned salt and pepper. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until carrots 
are soft and chicken is done. Add peas and cook for a 5 minutes- 
don't overcook or peas will get mushy and loose their color. 
Set mixture aside.

Melt butter and add onion, cook until onion is soft. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Slowly stir in chicken broth and cream. Simmer until thick.
Add vegetable mixture and stir until combined.

Fill pie crust with filling, you may have a little left over
to eat plain or fill 2 mini pies. Cover the top with your other
rolled out crust and seal the edges. Cut away excess dough.
Make several small slits in the top so steam can escape.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy,
Hope

p.s. Just curious if anyone uses this recipe? 
I wonder how many of my recipes have disappeared.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

A sweet little family

 Sorry for the posting drought. I decided to take a little break from blogging. It's nice to have a breather once in awhile. I try to be mindful and not let blogging take over more important things in my life.

My sister and her husband were here over the weekend for a funeral. She has been wanting some photos of their little family. So I snapped a few for her.


 She really wanted a picture of them kissing Caleb,
but Caleb wasn't fond of all the smooching.


Big boy, 8 months old. His father claims he will walk in a month.
We will see.


A sweet family indeed.


Silly, silly boy.


Come again soon!
Hope 

Saturday, August 3, 2013

Cousins

Today I took some photos of my cousin, Maggie's children. I have photographed them since they were little tots. It's fun watching them grow.



 Miles isn't big on smiling, but his cuteness makes up for it.









 Danielle is becoming a little lady.








Blessings,
Hope

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Family Fun

My sister, Charity, who now lives in Indiana, came to surprise us last weekend. I was so surprised I shed a few tears. When the sister shows up family fun begins.



 Low Country Boil beside the river.


Boys riding through Granddad's water park in the basement.
Kiddy pool party | Aunt Hope lets all children make a mess.


 Ham alert. This baby melts my heart. It's mushy right now.
I call him Calep and pinch his cheeks. Yes with a P.


 Ham alert #2.


 Little smores crafters, "Is it done yet Aunt Hope?"
"No, I see no brown, keep roasting."
Then they hold it 2 ft. about the fire.


With five adults behind me yelling baby talk you would think
the photo would be better. But then again this adds character.
This is how they really are. No...


 ...this is how they really are.
Not sure if Caleb is supposed to shut his eyes but Sawyer
is taking care of that problem for him. Oh, Sawyer.


Come again, Calep,
Aunt Hope

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Classic Meat Loaf

Tonight it was back to basics for dinner. Time for a real, man meal of meat and potatoes. I try not to get too carried away with new recipes since my husband is a meat and potato man.

Most recipes I have for meat loaf are for 2 - 4 lbs. of ground beef. So I altered a recipe for 1 lb. of ground beef. Just right for two folks, and a little left to pack his lunch.


 Man loaf.


 Dig in.

 
 A first for making fried okra. It's quite tasty.


Classic Meat Loaf

1 lb. ground beef
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 Tbsp. cornmeal
1/2 cup cracker crumbs
2/3 cup diced tomatoes
1/4 cup ketchup
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 egg

Topping
1/3 cup ketchup
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp mustard
a couple drops of liquid smoke

Mix together with hands and form into a loaf.
Bake at 400 for 30 minutes. Whisk together topping
and spread over top and bake 15 minutes more. 
Let set 10 minutes before cutting.
This helps it to stay together.


Enjoy,
Hope

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

California Coast

After Yosemite we headed to the coast. Then drove up route 1 to San Francisco, California.



 Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park.


Elephant seals.





Harly Goat Farm in Pescadero.


Field after field of produce.


 Food from The Codmother's famous fish and chips food truck. Divine.


 The Golden Gate Bridge.







I am still trying to catch up from being gone.
I hope to post a recipe soon!

Hope 

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Yosemite National Park

After two days at lake Tahoe we head to Yosemite National Park. Our phone GPS routed us to take route 101 to Jamestown, California. Wow, a road I will never forget. For the locals- it puts the road to reddish knob to shame.



 Route 101.



 Majestic redwoods.



Lupines grown in the wild there.



 Yosemite Park views.







One breathtaking sight after another.






 Glacier Point.



The Grizzly Giant.



 Josh looks like a tiny ant compared to this tree.

 California coast coming up next!

Blessings,
Hope