Chicken Pot Pie

I'm home sick today (blah). I spent most of the day sleeping which is the best medicine. But I also made a chicken pot pie to feed George when he gets home from work tonight. I texted him at lunch: "Beef or Chicken Pot Pie?" "Chix" he quickly responded.


When I had enough energy, I got into the kitchen, ten steps away from my sick bay, and got to work.

I take certain, necessary shortcuts in cooking. Pie crusts is one of them. I use store brand ones to save $$$- this week it's Wegman's because they were $1.99.

But I'm getting ahead of myself, we need to get the roux started first.

Roux consists of butter, flour and if your choose, cornstarch. The last ingredient is not necessary but I just like it for some extra glue if you will.

To make enough roux for 1 9inch chicken pot pie, take 1 1/2 sticks of SALTED butter to about 4 heaping tablespoons of flour (I used white flour but last time I used wheat and it came out the same) and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch.

Put the butter in at room temp. and melt on medium heat with flour/cornstarch on standby when the butter begins to soften. You have seconds before the butter melts. Then quickly stir with a spatula (best tool for this job).

Reduce the heat or turn off. Then lets get the chicken and veggies ready.

Since I was a sickie today, I cheated and had the pre-chopped veggies in a bag for soup . I put that in a skillet with a little chicken stock just to keep the pan from drying out. That warms up the onions and celery.

Chop of 3-4 chicken skinless breasts and put into the roux with some more chicken stock and warm up the roux again on LOW heat and don't burn that pan (Mine's currently soaking-opps!)

Yes, this means you now have two burners going at the same time but it's only for a few minutes. When you smell the veggies crisping up, STOP. They are ready to go into your pie pan.

Line the pan with one pie crust and put some of the veggies in. Then a little of the chicken and roux mixture. Then repeat until everything's all in the pie pan. Top with the second pie crust. Mark some vents at the top with a fork or a knife.

Then bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes and dinner's on!

Cooking Shows on PBS vs. Cable

I was watching a little Rachie (Rachel Ray) and a little Giada (whom my 3 year old nephew speaks of with great reverence at his house) when I got my pedi this weekend at the nail salon.

I usually spend my weekend TV time watching my cooking shows with a little Food Network and a little PBS. My new favorite is "America's Test Kitchen." George even got me their cookbook (DVD's are back-ordered) for Christmas. It's my only cooking reference book in the house now, since my other cookbooks are in storage.

I'm a visual learner, always have been, so cooking shows on TV have helped me become the cook I am today. While my mom is always there to tell me where I've gone wrong, "You didn't use enough flour" she advised me on the gloppy cookies I blogged about a few days ago, I use the cooking shows to help me expand my technique skill set.

The shows helped me choose kitchen tools and register for my wedding. I wanted tools that had multiple uses. That's not always easy but it can be done if you think beyond the actual name and use of the tool.

For example, a melon baller or ice cream scoop are good for making cookies come out the same size. Spray it with non stick cooking spray and depending on what size you want, choose your tool and go to town, cookie town that is.

Want a good chocolate chip cookie recipe? My "no fail" one is the on the back of the Toll House chocolate chip bag I buy when I want to make them- simple and delicious!

Setting a Timer? Is it Necessary?

Last night I went on a SuperBowl Party baking frenzy for my guys. I can't make it to the party today, but I want to make sure my crew has good sweet eats. With a little help from my friend, the Pillsbury Dough Boy, they now have a Funfetii cake, pigs in a blanket, and some lady fingers with chocolate dipping sauce.

When I bake with my current oven, I usually set the temp to 350 degrees. It gets the job done in 30-35 minutes.

That's enough time for (once again) George to wash my dirty dishes or for us to watch most of an episode of our current show catch up (first time for me) Battlestar Gallatica (the NEW series).
The one thing I'll complain about my kitchen layout is that the stove is RIGHT next to the sink so the heat radiates right over and sweats you out a little.

However, the stove is in close proximity to our living room couch which allows me keep an eye on the baking. I'm a smeller not a clock watcher when it comes to done-ness. Yes, I use the toothpick test as well.

Overall, I'm right 9 times out of times out of 10 I'm right about when something's ready to come out of the oven and cool before frosting... or outright consumption in the case of cookies!