Chicken Pot Pie

At long last, here it is - chicken pot pie - just in time for...next winter.  Chicken pot pie seems like soul food to me, so naturally I listened to the most soulful artist I know - Al Green.  Alas, I was so enraptured by his smooth voice that I forgot that I'm actually supposed to post my recipes on this blog.

I made up this recipe as I went along (so I am working out some kinks as I write this post).  The day before I made this, I prepared 2 chicken breasts as described below.  Then I started with a roux that consisted of 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of flour.



I melted the butter over low heat, then added the flour and whisked.  Then I used about a cup of chicken stock to thin the roux into a gravy.  I didn't think of it, but I should have also added 2 tablespoons of milk or half and half.  I continued whisking and added a dash of salt and several dashes of white pepper.

I kept that simmering over low heat, stirring occassionally, while I chopped 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, and half of a white onion.

Next, I diced 2 chicken breasts that I cooked the previous day (drizzling them with olive oil, seasoning with salt and pepper, and baking them at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes).  I added the chicken, 1/4 cup of frozen peas, and the chopped veggies to the gravy and mixed.

I set this aside while I rolled out my tried-and-true pie crust, lined the bottom of two individual pie dishes with it, added the filling, and covered the top. 

Much to my surprise, I made exactly enough filling for two individual pies, so I was like:

Next, I pinched the edges shut and trimmed the excess dough, then brushed the top with egg whites and sprinkled the pies with salt.

Finally, I baked it at 425 degrees for 45 minutes, until the top was golden brown and the filling was bubbly. 

Chicken Pot Pie (makes 2 individual pies)

2 chicken breasts or three thighs
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons half and half or milk
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
Half of a white or yellow onion, chopped
1/4 cup frozen peas
Tried and True pie crust
1 egg, separated
Salt and white pepper, to taste

Drizzle chicken with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and bake for 30-45 minutes at 350 degrees until cooked through.  Set aside to cool.  Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat and whisk in flour.  Add chicken stock as you continue to whisk, then add half and half or milk.  Allow gravy to simmer, stirring occassionally while you dice the carrot, celery, onion, and chicken.  Add the diced vegetables, chicken, and peas to the gravy and mix.  Set aside.  Roll out pie crust and line 2 individual pie pans with it.  Pour in filling, cover with the top crust and pinch the edges.  Vent the top crust with a knife or fork.  Brush the top with egg whites and sprinkle with salt.  Bake at 425 for about 45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. 

Best served piping hot with an ice cold beer. 

How-to Tuesday: How to Separate Eggs

I'm really slacking on my how-to Tuesday posts, so here, at long last, is a new one.  I recently had to explain to my brother over the phone how to separate eggs, and I realized that it's a bit difficult to describe verbally.  So here is a visual tutorial on how to separate eggs.  Basically, you break an egg in half and pass the yolk from one half of the shell to the other until the sticky, snot-like whites have fallen into a bowl and all that is left in the shell is the yolk.   Getting the hang of this takes some practice (and even with years of practice, my technique is not refined), but there is no need to buy a special tool in order to separate eggs.

Nerds Celebrate Pi Day...Eat Pie

Check it out here, here, and here.

Apple Pie Pops

I realized recently that I haven't written about music on this blog for a while, even though I've been listening to some good stuff.  In the past few months while baking, I have listened to A Night at the Opera countless times (it's too good to begin to praise), Some Nights by fun. (why bother?), and I went through a week of nothing but Whitney Houston and Eminem (because some weeks, your inner Slim Shady just wants to dance with somebody).  The point is, when you do a project like this that involves time-consuming, detailed work, you need to have a few good albums queued up. 

So a few months ago, Groupon told me that I needed this:



Actually, Groupon told me I needed two of these, but they never sent the second one.  Curse you, Groupon!

And really, how could I resist?  (I'm certainly aware that using this device narrows the audience for this post, but I happen to know at least one other person who owns a pie pop maker.)  So I decided to make apple pie pops.  First, I made the crust (I made my tried-and-true crust, but I think a butter crust would be better).

I diced 4 apples into very small (1/4 inch) pieces. It would have been easier to use a food processor, but I didn't realize that until someone more clever mentioned it.  Duh!

Then I mixed it with 1/4 cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.

I rolled out the dough until it was as big as possible and 1/8 inch thick, and I cut as many rounds as I could.

And I placed them in pie pop maker, put the stick three quarters of the way into the pie pop and topped it with 1/2 a tablespoon of the apple mixture.

Then I added the top crust and cooked according to the instructions (3 minutes, or until the light on the pie pop maker told me it was done).

And they came out looking like this:

Which looked like something that would be cute for a baby shower:

And they are obnoxiously adorable in clear plastic bags that are tied with a silver ribbon (I bought these bags at Michael's).  These would be cute to send to friends for a holiday.

These lacked flavor because there just wasn't enough filling in relation to the crust.  So these need a filling that packs a punch - like fig!  Next time, fig pie pops...

Apple Pie Pops

Butter crust

4 Granny Smith apples, peeled and shredded in the food processor or diced extra small

1/4 cup of sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Peel the apples and use a food processor to shred them, or dice them into 1/4 inch pieces.  Mix in sugar and cinnamon.  Roll out the dough, using ample flour, until it is 1/8 inch thick.  Cut rounds (a circular cookie cutter was included with this device) and line the pie pop maker with them.  Then insert the stick until it is three quarters of the way into the pie pop.  You will need to hold the stick in place while you put 1/2 a tablespoon of filling on top of the stick (this is a rather tedious process, but you have to work fast because this machine gets very hot).  Top with the top crust, close and cook according to instructions. 

Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Pie

It was fitting that for the holidays I made a traditional pie based on a family recipe (not my family's recipe...I can't take credit for that.  But I can say - thank you, Jean, for giving me your variation on your mom's recipe).  After all, it is the time of year to see the people who knew you when you were a little brat angel, reminisce about old times, and resurrect traditions, especially traditional foods.  This year during the holidays, I was lucky to see many family members whom I haven't seen in too many years...and to promote the blog to them.  Welcome, family, and thanks for increasing my readership to ten. 

  

For two pies, you need the tried and true pie crust, 4 large sweet potatoes, butter, brown sugar, white sugar, half and half, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla, and brandy (E&J Brandy is recommended by Jean). 

I cooked too many sweet potatoes.  I cooked six and made 3 pies, so I think it's about 2 sweet potatoes per pie. 

First, place sweet potatoes in boiling water for about twenty minutes or until they are cooked (a knife should insert easily into the center).  Peel the potatoes, and add 2 cups of cooked sweet potatoes to a food processor.

Then add 4 ounces (1 stick) of butter, 3/4 cup of white sugar, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, and blend until smooth.

Then add 1 cup of half and half as you continue to blend.

Next, beat together 3 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 tablespoon brandy.  Add this mixture to the food processor and blend until smooth.

Next, roll out the pie dough and line the bottom of a dish with it.  This first time I made this, I blind baked the crust, and the second time I made this I did not.  Turns out blind baking is unnecessary (thank goodness because it is a bit of a hassle).

Next, pour the filling into the crust.

Cover the edges of the pie with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until a knife comes out clean when inserted into the center of the pie.  Let cool and then refrigerate overnight. 

If you're so inclined, the next day, make whipped cream by whipping 2 cups of heavy cream in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer on medium-high speed, then adding 4 tablespoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla.  Pipe it onto the top of the pie like so:

Serve chilled.

Sweet Potato Pie (for 2 pies)

2 cups cooked sweet potato
4 ounces (1 stick) of butter
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon brandy
tried and true pie crust

Place 4 sweet potatoes in boiling water and cook about 20 minutes until soft.  Set aside until cool enough to handle.  Peel the potatoes and put 2 cups of cooked sweet potato in a food processor.  Add butter, sugar and cinnamon.  Blend and add half and half as you blend.  In a bowl, beat eggs with vanilla and brandy, then add to food processor and blend until smooth.  Roll out pie dough and line dishes.  Fill, cover the edges with aluminum foil and bake at 350 until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean (about 45 minutes to an hour).

Sweet Potato Pie (for 1 pie)

1 cup cooked sweet potato

2 ounces (1/2 stick of butter)

1/4 cup white sugar*

1/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 tablespoon brandy

tried and true pie crust

Cook as directed above.  This recipe is a bit difficult to cut in half, but I did, using 2 eggs, and it turned out lovely. 

*You have a lot of room to increase or decrease the amount of sugar in this pie.  The original recipe called for equal parts sugar and sweet potato.  I reduced the amount of sugar.  When I made a single pie (rather than 2 at once), I only put 1/4 cup each of white and brown sugar, and it turned out very tasty.  Because sweet potatoes are (obviously) naturally sweet, you can reduce the amount of sugar significantly.  It really depends on how sweet you like your pie. 

Whipped Cream (for 1 pie)

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix cream on medium to high speed, add sugar and vanilla as it mixes.  Mix until thick. 

Enjoy! 

And the Winner Is...

Meat pie!  Several of you have been harassing me to make a meat pie, and it was ten degrees this morning when I walked my dogs (perfect meat pie weather), so I plan to make a dark meat chicken pot pie.  Sorry to those of you who suggested duck and lamb.  Having never made a meat pie, I want to start with something basic. 

 

Runners up: Quiche (Kelsey, I have big plans for a Hatch green chile quiche) and chocolate pie (Kristin E's suggestion on Facebook).  Both will appear on the blog at some point. 

Happy National Pie Day!

Apparently National Pie Day is a thing - a thing that I simply must note (and celebrate) on this pie-themed blog.  So in honor of National Pie Day, post ideas for a pie you'd like me to make. I will pick the idea I like the most, make it, and write about it.  If you think your idea is the best, please explain why (not that it means my decision won't be entirely arbitrary...this is my blog after all).