Chicken Pot Pie

This is the first time I've ever made a chicken pot pie.  In fact, I don't think I've eaten one since before I moved out of my parents house years and years ago.  My husband has been in a soccer tournament all day, playing 4 games back-to-back.  It's a wee bit chilly out there today so I wanted to make a cozy dinner for when he gets home. I've had a box of puff pastry in the freezer for quite sometime and I wanted to use it up.  I purchased it in hopes that I'd make a creative appetizer when friends came over a few months back but I never got around to it.  Story of my life (I dream big...ha!).  After reading 4 different recipes for pot pie this is what I came up with using items that I had around the kitchen.  Hope it tastes good! (picture to come - opps, I forgot to take a picture.)
*Next time I make this I will use a real pie crust and you should too.  The puff pastry was good, but I think they pie crust would be WAY better.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 chicken breasts, cubed
2 medium potatoes, partially peeled & cubed
2 carrots, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 frozen peas
1/2 frozen corn
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon sage
salt and pepper to taste
1 square of puff pastry, thawed (takes about 3 hours to thaw on the counter)
1 egg

Method
Boil potatoes until they are close to done.  Remove from heat and drain. Cook cubed chicken in a frying pan with olive oil. Add onion once chicken is just about done.  Cook 4 more minutes or until onion begins to go clear. Add all ingredients (except puff pastry & egg) into a large bowl. Mix until coated. Grease a deep dish pie plate (or shallowish casserole dish).  Pour mixture into dish. On a floured surface roll out puff pastry until it is the size of your dish.  Place on top, making sure no pastry is hanging over the edge.  Beat egg and paint onto top of pastry.  Discard remaining egg. Cook at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. 
This is a great dish to prepare before company arrives because you can just toss it in the oven once they arrive and you can visit without distraction.

Baked Chicken Fingers & Potato Wedges

Chicken fingers are where its' at! Tonight I made a salad with our homegrown lettuce (that will likely be toast after the perdicted cold weather tonight), homemade potato wedges and baked chicken fingers.  A perfect Friday night dinner!  It took 10 minutes to prepare everything.  Super quick meal.

Potato Wedges Ingredients
2 large yellow potatoes, washed and cut into wedges
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Basil, oregano, thyme, basil, sat and pepper (sprinkle of each)

Method
Cut potatoes into wedges and put into a bowl. Pour oil and balsamic vinegar over and mix to cover potatoes. Add herbs and spices.  Mix to coat.  Put onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 35 minutes at 400 degrees.  Flip once half way through.

Chicken Fingers Ingredients
2 large chicken breasts, boneless & skinless
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (for spice!)

Method
Cut chicken breasts into long, skinny strips.  Put into bowl and cover with remaining ingredients. Place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes, flipping once half way.

Cold Remedies

Today was a busy day of holding down the couch.  Within the first few weeks of every new school year colds are spread around the school like wild fires. I usually fight them off for at least the first few weeks but this year, not so much. It's only week 2 and I'm home sick.  Ugh!  I am determined to recover by tomorrow and am doing everything I can to get to a healthier state.  I've always hated taking medication because I don't feel I benefit at all from it.  In fact, it usually leaves me feeling groggy and with less money in my wallet.  Today's helpful home remedies include:


Gingered Carrot and Squash Soup (leftovers from the fridge - woot woot!)

Vicks Steamer
1 teaspoon Vicks Vaporub
Salad bowl of boiling water

Melt vaporub in water. Cover with a towel and pop your head in there and take deep breaths. Amazing!

Ginger Tea
4 cups water
1 tablespoon sliced fresh ginger

Over high heat bring water to a boil.  Add fresh ginger and boil for 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and strain ginger.  Pour water into a mug with a slice of lemon.  Enjoy!

Neti Pot
Find more information here

9.11.

Today, we remember.

xoxo

Picture borrowed from here



Gingered Carrot & Squash Soup

It is 7:00pm and I am writing this post in my pjs. Not because I am going to bed shortly, but rather because I didn't change out of them yet!  Today was the ultimate lazy day. I went from the couch, to the garden to pick some veggies, to the kitchen to make soup for lunches this week, to the couch, back to the kitchen to make pesto for the freezer, back to the couch and finally back to the kitchen to make pork chops with mushroom sauce for dinner.  Life.is.tough.

This soup is perfect for Autumn.  I might even make it to have for a light lunch on Thanksgiving before a big turkey feast. Yum!

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
4 carrots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon ginger root, minced
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed
5 cups chicken stock
Salt and pepper, to taste
Sour cream to garnish

Method
In a large pot over medium heat add butter, carrots, garlic, onion and ginger root and cook for 10 minutes. Add stock, salt, pepper and squash and bring to a simmer for about 25 minutes, or until veggies are tender. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Pour into food processor in batches and purée until smooth. Return to pot to reheat over medium heat.  Serve with a blob of sour cream on top. Enjoy!