Hello! I'm fully aware that I've been neglecting this blog lately. That's because I haven't made anything in a long time. But I can feel the creative juices starting to flow again. Probably because it's fall and now I want to knit things and bake things and just basically do things that make me feel warm and cozy.
Since I haven't got any new crafts to show (yet), I'm offering a recipe for Chicken Potpie instead. I've given out this recipe a lot. Once people eat it at our house, they want to make it themselves. It's that good. I honestly don't think I've ever eaten a store-bought version of chicken potpie that tastes as good as this one. I often make this with leftover turkey after Thanksgiving or Christmas, so it seems like a good time to post here - I bet there will be a lot of turkey sandwiches in lunch bags this week!
Usually I make individual potpies in little aluminum pieplates, with a top and bottom crust. They freeze really well. I don't bake them before I freeze them. I just put the cooked filling into the piecrust-lined pans, add the top layer of piecrust, seal the edges, and put them into little Ziploc bags for the freezer. Then when we want them for dinner, I just take the frozen pies out of the plastic bags, put them on a foil-lined tray (to catch any drips) and bake.
The version shown above, made in a cute vintage Pyrex casserole dish, has only a top crust and it's just as good this way. And takes less time because you don't have to roll out circles of dough and press into individual pans. This is not a quick weeknight recipe, but more of a weekend dinner when you've got time to make pastry. And yes, you could buy frozen pastry but it won't taste the same. You've been warned.
Chicken Potpie
Serves 4
Filling:
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
2 tbsp butter
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp black pepper
1.5 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 cup carrots, thinly sliced
2 large potatoes, cut into small cubes
1 cup peas
2.5 cups chopped cooked chicken (or turkey)
Pastry:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 cups cold butter, cubed
cold water
Make pastry first: In a food processor, blend together flour, salt, and baking powder. Add cubed butter. Pulse until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Slowly add cold water, a tablespoon at a time, and pulse repeatedly until mixture just holds together. It should not be wet but should stick together when you press it between your fingers. Turn out onto a large piece of plastic wrap and gently form dough into a flat (2-inch thick) oval. Wrap in plastic and put into fridge to chill while you make the filling.
To make filling, melt butter in a large pot. Add onion and mushrooms. Saute over medium heat until vegetables are tender. Sprinkle flour, poultry seasoning, thyme and black pepper over vegetables. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, milk, carrots, and potatoes. Cook and stir until sauce is thickened and bubbly, and carrots and potatoes are tender. Add chicken and peas and remove from heat.
If you're making this in a casserole dish with a single crust on top, just pour the filling into a 2 quart baking dish. Roll out enough pastry to cover the top of the pie (about half of the pastry - you can freeze the rest for next time). Turn edges of pastry under and cut a couple of slits in the top to allow steam to escape while baking. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet (to catch any drips) in centre of oven; bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until crust is golden and filling is hot and bubbly.
If you're making individual pies, roll out half the pastry. Cut four circles that will fit your pie pans (some are round, some are oval - just cut to fit your pans). Place dough in pie pans. Add filling. Roll out remaining dough and cut four more circles to fit the tops of the pies, remembering to cut these slightly larger as you will need a little extra to turn under the edges. Turn under the edges of the crust; press with a fork all the way around to seal the crusts. Cut a little slit in the top to allow steam to escape. Follow baking directions above OR slide unbaked pies into plastic Ziploc bags and freeze for later use.
**If baking from frozen, I recommend using a lower heat to avoid browning the crust too quickly before the filling is heated through. I bake frozen pies at 350 degrees for one hour.
:: nearly finished earflap hat for a certain little cutie (pattern from Last Minute Knitted Gifts).
:: my famous brown sugar shortbread
:: Eleventh Hour Scarf
:: Cowgirl Cookies from Bakerella
After she cleared out the old plants and weeds, she dug new beds and enriched them with better soil and compost:
Next came planning. Many lists were made. Much time was spent observing the light and shade of the new garden. Then she started planting. There were many, many trips to garden centres to get healthy new plants. Here's how it looks one year later:
Gorgeous. Lush, green, colourful, and thriving. She's got the greenest thumb I ever saw. Here's another before/after, looking at a back corner of the yard:
And this is only the BACK yard. Next post will show the front yard - plus the new potting shed. Great job, Mom!
A few new projects on the needles: a baby blanket, using colours that we'll be using for the baby's room (I think). The pattern is from Debbie Bliss's new book, "Blankets, Bears and Booties" and the yarn is Baby Cashmerino. It's the first time I've used this popular yarn, and I have to say that it's the softest, coziest yarn I've ever knit with. I love it. I can see that I'll be using it for more projects in future.
Here's a peek at the blanket from the book. Look at that cute little mouse in matching stripes! I am a sucker for stripes on kids. I'm modifying the blanket pattern slightly to make it bigger. I started knitting it as per the pattern directions, but soon realized that the finished blanket would only be about the size of a dish towel. So I cast on about double the number of stitches, and I think it will be the right size for tucking around a little one in the stroller or carseat.
Here's another sweet pattern that I'll be making up (in different colours) for my goddaughter. The adorable photos in this book are enough to make me want to knit everything in it. There are booties, sweaters, toys and even a beanbag chair that looks like a big bird - all modelled by the most beautiful babies you ever saw. Definitely recommended.
I made the popular "So-called Scarf" as a little gift for a friend of mine who appreciates a nice, handknit wool accessory.
