We've got a fire in the fireplace & this on our plates...

I have so many ideas for things to post here, but I don't dare invest the time right now. Once I get more used to the program and can do it quickly, I'll be able to post more. This weekend I'll be home alone, so maybe I can do some cake postings then.

For now, I thought I would post my chicken pot pie that I'm making right now for dinner. It is a rainy blustery evening, so pot pie sounded good. I had part of a store bought rotisserie chicken that needed to get used up, so this is perfect for that as well. The recipe calls for frozen peas & carrots, but I use frozen corn and fresh carrots cut into small pieces (I microwave them with a little water first to get them started cooking). I usually make my own pie crust, but the frozen kind works really well also. This reheats pretty well and will last us a couple of days.

Chicken Pot Pie (adapted from Betty Crocker)

10 oz frozen peas and carrots

1/3 cup margarine or butter

1/3 cup flour

1/3 cup chopped onion

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 3/4 cups chicken broth

2/3 cup milk

2 1/2 - 3 cups cut up chicken or turkey (already cooked)

Pastry for 9-inch pie crust (you choose top only or both top & bottom)

1. Prepare your pie crust (recipe follows). If using a bottom crust, line your 9-inch pie plate with that layer of dough.

2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

3. Melt margarine in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour, onions, salt, & pepper. Cook, stirring frquently, until mixture is thick & bubbly (like a paste). Remove from heat and stir in broth & milk. Return to medium heat & bring to a boil while stirring frequently. Once boiling, cook for one minute. Stir in chicken & veggies & remove from heat.

4. Pour the chicken & veggie mixture into the pie plate. Place the top crust over the chicken mixture. Flute if using two crusts. Create vent marks by poking holes with a knife or drawing a picture ;-)

5. Bake about 35 minutes or until golden brown. I like to put a cookie sheet or some foil on the rack under the pot pie to catch any drips.

Yield: approx. six 1-cup servings.

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Pie Crust Pastry

(for a single 9 inch pie crust--this doubles well to make enough for a top & bottom crust)

1/3 cup plus 1 TBSP shortening

1 cup flour

1/4 tsp salt

2-3 TBSP COLD water

1. Cut shortening into flour and salt using a pastry blender or crisscrossing 2 knives, until particles are the size of coarse crumbs. Sprinkle with the cold water, 1 TBSP at a time, mixing with your hands until all flour is moistenend and pastry almost cleans the side of the bowl. You can use more or less water depending on the needs of your dough.

2. Gather pastry into a ball, dust with flour, and roll into desired shape & size, using a floured rolling pin. Place into pie plate.