Turkey or Chicken Pot Pie

While I certainly do enjoy a nice meal out, I prefer to prepare most meals for my family at home.  Here is one of our favorites.  It is perfect on a chilly fall or winter evening.

Chicken (or turkey) Potpie  

Ingredients

• 2-3 c of cooked and cubed chicken (or turkey)  Note: If you are new to working with a whole chicken, check out my blog, "Whole Chicken How-To"
• 1/2 c chopped onion
• 1/2 c chopped carrot
• 1/2 c chopped celery
• 3/4 diced, (peeled, if you prefer) potato
• 1/4 c butter
• 1/3 c flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp dried rosemary
• 1/4 tsp rubbed sage
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 c milk (2% or whole work well)
• 1 c chicken stock (which you will have on-hand if you reserved it from making a whole chicken) Note: if you are using homemade stock, you will need to add some salt; around 1/8-1/4 tsp, depending on your tastes for 1 c of stock.
• 3/4 c frozen peas
• Either 2 store-bought or homemade pie crusts (I'll include the recipe for this as well)

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, melt the butter and then saute the onion, celery, carrot, and potato until tender (approx. 8-10 minutes or so).
2. In a small bowl, combine the flour and seasonings (salt, pepper, parsley, rosemary, and sage) and then gently combine with the vegetable mixture.
3. Gradually add in the milk and broth and bring to a boil, stirring and cooking for 2-3 minutes, or until thickened.
4. Add in the chicken and peas.
5. Place one of the prepared pie crusts in a 9" pie pan, fill with the potpie mixture, and then top with the remaining pie crust.  Using a fork, seal the edges (leaving the fork marks all along the edge--I'm sure there is a fancy term for this?).  Then make four vent slits in the center.
6. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 375F for 35-40 minutes, or until the filling is hot and bubbly and the crust begins to turn golden-brown.

Pie Crust (compliments of my friend, Trista)

Ingredients (for 2 crusts)

• 2 1/2 c flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• ~8-10 TBSP COLD water (I put a the water in the freezer for 15 minutes or so)
• 14 TBSP butter (grated and well-chilled)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt.  Add in the grated, cold butter and mix either with your hand or a fork until well blended (this can take a few minutes to achieve).
2. Slowly add in the water and mix until you are able to form a disc.  Refrigerate 30 minutes.  Roll out on a lightly floured surface. Place in pie pan and chill again for another 30 minutes.
3. Notes: I typically make this pie crust in my Kitchen-Aid mixer (1-because it is faster and 2-I am a weeny when it comes to making multiple batches at one time by hand).  Also, it is possible that I have been known to skip past the second chilling step.  Lastly, this crust freezes well, so I like to make several batches at one time to have it on hand in the freezer--simply roll out the dough to the desired size and then roll it up and place the rolled-up dough in wax paper.  I then put the wax paper rolls in a freezer bag or in foil.  When you need a pie crust or two, simply pull them out of the freezer, thaw, and unroll (it takes ~30 minutes at room temperature or put them in the refrigerator the night before).