CHICKEN POT PIE

There is an Irish pub by our house that has delicious pot pie. It is creamy and comforting. I've made the old Bisquick with cream of chicken soup pot pie. It's okay when you are in a hurry, but doesn't hold a candle to MacCool's pot pie. I combined three recipes to make this one. It is fabulous. My pie crust was courtesy of Pillsbury-I did take that short cut. Everything else is good home cookin'. (Shout out to Traci-I know you can O.D. on pot pie, but this one is yummy!)

CHICKEN POT PIE

1 c. potato, diced
1/3 c. onion, chopped
1 c. celery, diced
1 c. carrot,
1 c. chicken, cooked and diced
1/3 c. melted butter
1/2 c. flour
1 can (14 oz.) chicken broth
1 c. half and half (whipping cream will work)
1 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
1/4 t. ground thyme
1/4 t. celer salt
1 bay leaf
2 pie crusts

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Melt butter, add flour stirring constantly.
3. Slowly add broth and whisk until smooth, bring to a boil.
4. Add bay leaf, celery, onion, and carrots. Cook until tender.
5. Add potatoes, chicken, and seasonings. Cook about 5 minutes. Stir constantly.
   
6. Stir in half and half. Remove bay leaf.
7. Press one pie crust into a 2 quart dish. Pour filling into crust.
8. Top with 2nd crust and pinch shut. Cut slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
9. Bake for 40-50 minutes until pastry is golden brown. If it gets too dark, cover with foil.
   

OCTOBER WARD RECIPE SWAP

We only had a few recipes this month. One of them was the pretzel jello dessert that I blogged about. Here are the other two recipes.

BAKED POTATO SOUP-DW

2/3 c. butter
2/3 c. flour
6 c. milk
3/4 t. salt
3/4 t. pepper
4 baked or boiled potatoes, cubed
6 green onions, sliced
1 3/4 c. shredded cheddar
3 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 c. water
8 oz. sour cream
8 - 12 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Melt butter on low, then add flour. Cook for 1 minute. Add milk and cook on medium until thick. Add salt, pepper, cooked cubed potatoes, onions, cheese, bouillon cubes, and water. Cook until heated through. Add sour cream and more milk if necessary. Serve and top with bacon and more cheese.

CINNAMON SUGAR COOKIES-HP

1 c. butter or margarine, softened
1 c. powdered sugar
2 eggs
4 1/3 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. cream of tartar
1 c. sugar
1 c. vegetable oil
1 t. vanilla
1 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1 c. finely chopped pecans.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, sugars, and oil. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Add flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and cream of tartar. Stir in the pecans if desired. Roll in 1-inch balls. Place on greased baking sheets; flatten with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar. Sprinkle with colored sugar if desired. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes.

PRETZEL JELLO DESSERT

This is one of my favorite desserts. I love the sweet cream cheese and tangy raspberry flavors mixed with the salty pretzel crust. After asking several people for this recipe and never receiving it I went on a web search. I made it for dessert on Monday and then guess what happened...on Tuesday someone brought the recipe to the ward recipe swap. The recipe was almost exactly the same so I guess I didn't do too bad. My family loved it and my daughter wanted to eat it for breakfast. It contains fruit, grain, and dairy products-does that count as a balanced breakfast meal?

PRETZEL JELLO DESSERT

CRUST
2 1/2 c. crushed pretzels
3 T. sugar
1 stick of butter, melted

Mix together and press into a 9 x 13 pan. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool completely.

CREAM CHEESE LAYER
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 12 oz. container Cool Whip
1 c. sugar

Beat cream cheese and sugar together. Add Cool Whip. Spread over baked and cooled pretzel mixture.

JELLO LAYER
2 3 oz. pkgs. strawberry or raspberry Jello
2 c. boiling water
2 10 oz. pkgs. frozen strawberries or raspberries

Dissolve Jello in boiling water and add frozen fruit. Let jell slightly. Spread Jello mixture on top of cream cheese layer.

Enjoy!

MEATLOAF, BLACK PEPPER GRAVY

To perfectly honest, I used to dread dinner time when my mom would say we were having meatloaf. Luckily, she didn't like it that much either so we didn't have it very often. It always seemed like a glob of greasy hamburger with ketchup on it. One day my husband asked why we never ate meatloaf. He was craving it. I told him I hated it. I always like to cook food that my family likes so I went on a quest to find a good meatloaf recipe. This one is totally yummy. I love the subtle flavor of green peppers. I usually serve this with baked potatoes or mashed potatoes. Ya know-good old meat and potatoes satisfies your tummy. We love the black pepper gravy at Chili's on their loaded mashed potatoes. I found this gravy recipe on the internet a while ago. I couldn't even tell you which website. I don't remember where the meatloaf recipe came from either-probably from a late night web search. Anyway, I hope you like it.

MEAT LOAF

2 eggs, beaten
1/4 c. milk
2 c. soft bread crumbs (this is where you sneak in whole grain bread-ha-ha!)
3/4 c. chopped onion (you can also use 1 T. dried onion flakes)
1/3 c. finely chopped green pepper (chop the whole thing and freeze the rest for next time)
1 1/2 t. salt
2 lbs. ground beef
1/4 c. ketchup

Combing all ingredients but ketchup. Press into a loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Drain grease. Spread with ketchup. Bake another 15 minutes. Let stand 10 m inutes before slicing. You can freeze up to 3 months. YIELD: 8 servings

BLACK PEPPER GRAVY

2 T. butter
2 T. flour
2 c. milk (I like whole milk)
1 t. salt
3/4 t. black pepper

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in flour and saute until light brown. Add milk whisking constantly. Add salt and pepper.

CREPES WITH CREAM AND STRAWBERRY SAUCE

I love cream filled crepes. After sampling them at different restaurants, I tried out several recipes and came up with the following three that are my favorites. For a delicious variation, try making French toast with cinnamon-raisin bread. Use the cream in between two pieces of toast and then top it with the strawberry sauce. Now you have stuffed French toast and you didn't even have to go to IHOP! These take a bit of time and several different pans and bowls but they are well worth the effort.

CREPES

1 1/2 c. flour
1 T. sugar
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 c. milk
2 T. butter, melted
1/2 t. vanilla
2 eggs

Mix flour, sugar, and salt. Stir in remaining ingredients. Spray a crepe pan or small skillet-the one you would fry eggs in. Heat the pan to medium. Use about 1/4 c. of batter for each crepe. Pour batter into pan smoothing it with the back of a spoon to cover holes. It will look like a very thin pancake. When the batter begins to look dry around the edges, use a fork to flip it over. Stack finished crepes between waxed paper. You can freeze them for up to two months. I like to make a double batch and then roll scrambled eggs, cheese, and bacon in them for a yummy breakfast.

CREAM FILLING

1 c. heavy whipping cream
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
2 c. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla

Mix cream, set aside. Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Fold into whipped cream.

STRAWBERRY SAUCE

1/2 c. sugar
2 T. cornstarch (This is to thicken the sauce. In a pinch I've used flour but it turns the sauce cloudy instead of pretty and clear like a gel.)
3/4 c. water
1 T. lemon juice
1 t. strawberry extract
1/4 t. red food coloring
4 c. sliced strawberries (Buy these in bulk during the summer when they are on sale and then freeze in 1 cup portions to use all winter for smoothies and desserts.)

To assemble crepes, put cream in the center. Roll up and then top with strawberry sauce. Yum!

TWICE BAKED POTATOES

My kids beg for these potatoes. They are addicting. It takes a bit of work to create this dish but it is well worth the effort.

TWICE BAKED POTATOES

4 large baking potatoes
6 slices of bacon, cooked and cut into pieces
1/2 c. shredded cheddar
2 green onions, sliced
sour cream
cream cheese
butter

Wash the potatoes, poke with a fork, and wrap them in foil. Bake at 350 degrees for about 2 hours. When the potatoes are done baking, slice them in half and scoop the potato out of the skin. Be careful to keep the skin intact. In a separate bowl, mash the potatoes with sour cream, butter, and a couple of ounces of cream cheese. I don't measure these ingredients. Just dump until it looks and tastes good. Scoop the potatoes into the halved skins. Sprinkle with black pepper. Top with bacon, then cheese, then onions. Bake just long enough to melt the cheese. You will end up with 7 halved potatoes Enjoy!

MARINATED CHICKEN SKEWERS

We decided we needed to grill one more time before winter sets in. We got this recipe from my husband's sister JW. She is an awesome cook! Every single time she visits she makes amazing meals. This marinade is simple and delicious. Today we used it to make chicken skewers. Our other favorite way to use it is on London Broil. It gives great flavor to both the beef and the chicken. Try it, you'll like it!

MARINADE

1/4 c. soy sauce
2 T. vegetable oil
3/4 t. oregano
3/4 t. black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1 lb. of meat - chicken or London Broil

Mix seasonings, add chicken pieces. Refrigerate in a quart-sized Ziploc bag for at least one hour. Spear chicken pieces on skewers. I like metal skewers for my family because I don't have to soak them. I use bamboo skewers when I have company because then everyone gets their own skewers. Grill for about 5 minutes, turn over and grill for about 5 more minutes.

If using London Broil, pound meat to 1/4" thick. With thick pieces of meat, you may have to slice it in half to be able to do this. Grill for about 5-6 minutes on each side for medium cooked meat. We like ours pink and juicy. Add a couple of minutes per side for more well done meat.

TRADITIONAL WHITE BREAD

The smell of baking bread has got to be one of the best scents in the world. It's comforting and inviting and makes my mouth water. I've experimented with a lot of bread recipes. Many were crumbly and dry and ended up in the trash. With this recipe, one loaf is usually eaten immediately before it can even cool completely. This recipe from the Betty Crocker Bridal Edition cookbook-with a few of my additions. Get your mixer ready, grab some butter and honey and get ready to enjoy a tantalizing loaf of homemade bread!

TRADITIONAL WHITE BREAD

6 - 7 c. all-purpose flour
3 T. sugar
1 T. salt
2 T. shortening
2 pkgs. yeast (4 1/2 t.)
2 1/4 c. warm water
2 T. butter to melt over baked loaves

I also add the following ingredients:
1/4 c. vital wheat gluten
2 T. dough enhancer

I get it from a local grain/health food store. If you can't find these items you can omit them.

1. Mix 4 c. flour, sugar, salt, shortening, and yeast. Add warm water. Beat with mixer on low 1 min. Beat on medium 1 minute. Stir in enough remaining flour, 1 cup at a time, to make dough easy to handle. (I usually add 6 1/2 cups flour.)
   
2. Knead 10 minutes by hand or about 4-5 minutes with electric mixer. When dough is smooth and springy place in large greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise one hour until doubled.
3. Grease 2 loaf pans. I use clear Pyrex pans. Dark ones brown too quickly.
4. Gently punch down dough. Divide in half. Roll into two rectangles. Roll from one end to make a loaf. Pinch bottom and side seams to seal. Place seam side down in greased pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 30 minutes until doubled.
5. Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in the center of the oven.
6. Bake at 425 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes until loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Remove to wire rack. Brush with butter. Let cool completely before wrapping.
   

SANDRA'S CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

This is the recipe my mom always used for chocolate chip cookies. The copy I have is covered with flecks of spilled ingredients and brings back great memories. I remember writing it down shortly after I got married. I re-wrote it for myself so that I could get the ingredients added in the correct order. Fourteen years ago I didn't know what I was doing and would frequently end up with a ruined mess in the kitchen. Years later, I finally have the recipe memorized. Everyone has their favorite recipe for this comforting cookie-this is mine.

SANDRA'S CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

3/4 c. white sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 c. shortening
2 eggs
1 tsp. soda dissolved in 1 T. hot water
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. salt
3 c. flour
1 bag chocolate chips

Cream together sugars and shortening. Add eggs. Add soda dissolved in water. Add vanilla and salt. Gradually add flour. Bake at 350 degrees for 9 - 11 minutes.

SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA

You will not believe how packed with flavor this pasta dish is. The name carbonara is derived from the Italian word for charcoal. It is believed that it was made as a hearty meal for coal miners and that it was possibly named after the black flecks from the bacon and black pepper. I've combined a couple of recipes to make the one we like best. This is not remotely low-fat but boy is it yummy.

SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA

1 lb. uncooked spaghetti
1 clove of garlic, chopped
6 slices of bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 eggs
3/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese-not the powder in the green can!
1/4 t. pepper

Begin boiling salty water for spaghetti noodles. While pasta is cooking, saute garlic and bacon together in a skillet. Set aside. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, cheese, and pepper. When spaghetti is done, drain it and then add the egg mixture stirring constantly until eggs coat spaghetti. The heat from the pasta will cook the eggs. Add the bacon and garlic, including the drippings. Stir together, serve with a salad and enjoy!

GRANDMA NIDA'S APPLESAUCE OATMEAL COOKIES

These are the cookies that legends are made of. Seriously, secret family recipe. Story has it that when Grandma passed away, her freezer was filled with delicious baked goods. Several dozen of these cookies were included in the stash. The family savored every last crumb of every special cookie and roll that she had stored. When we first got married these were the only cookies my husband wanted. He would not eat any other type of cookie. I quit making cookies until I finally gave in and learned how to make this family favorite. I must admit, they are pretty terrific. Confession: I've let my kids eat them for breakfast. With all of the oatmeal and applesauce they've got to be better than sugared cereal, right? Happy baking!

GRANDMA NIDA'S APPLESAUCE OATMEAL COOKIES

2 c. sugar
1 c. shortening
2 eggs
2 c. applesauce
2 t. baking soda
4-5 c. flour
2 t. nutmeg
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. salt
2 c. raisins (optional)
2 c. oatmeal
2 c. chocolate chips

Cream sugar and shortening until fluffy. Add eggs. Add spices and salt. In a separate bowl stir soda into applesauce. Add applesauce and soda mixture alternately with flour a 1/2 cup at a time. Mix well. Add raisins, oatmeal and chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoon on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees until slightly brown, about 11-14 minutes.

CURRIED CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI

This is one of those dinners that everyone loves. It's easy to make and the ingredients are readily available. If you are taking a meal to someone this one is fantastic. It could even be used as a freezer meal. My oldest requests it when it's her turn to choose what we are having for dinner. I found it browsing through my MIL old Taste of Home cookbooks. I hope you like it too.

CURRIED CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI

2 c. cooked rice (you can also substitute brown rice or barley)
2 c. cooked chicken, chopped (Usually 2 chicken breasts or cook 3 and use one for chicken salad tomorrow!)
1 pkg. (16 oz.) frozen broccoli or stir-fry vegetables
1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 T. lemon juice
1/2 t. curry powder
1/4 t. salt
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

In a 1 1/2 quart baking dish, layer rice, then broccoli, then chicken. In a separate bowl, combine soup, mayonnaise, lemon juice, curry powder, and salt. Pour mixture over chicken. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and microwave at 50 % power fo 8 - 10 minutes. Yield: 6 servings.

FETTUCCINE ALFREDO

I love Italian food! One of our favorite meals is homemade pasta with Alfredo sauce. My kids love this. You can cheat and use store bought pasta in a pinch, but if you feel adventurous, go for the homemade version!

ALFREDO SAUCE

3 oz. shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano
4 T. unsalted butter
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1/2 t. kosher salt

Place butter in a small saucepan. When melted, add cream and salt. Simmer for 5 minutes. Toss pasta with sauce, then add shredded cheese just before serving.

Optional: Toss in some chicken, steamed broccoli, or a grind of fresh pepper.

EGG PASTA

4 large eggs (1/2 cup)
1/2 c. water
3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 t. salt

Combine eggs, water, flour, and salt. Mix in mixer for 30 seconds. Knead with dough hook for 2 minutes. Hand knead for 2 minutes. Let rest for 20 minutes. Divide into fourths. Roll out into sheets and then into fettuccine strips. I use a pasta roller/cutter that attaches to my mixer. If you don't have a pasta cutter, a pizza cutter works just fine to cut into fettuccine strips. If you have trouble with the dough sticking to the roller, dust your pasta sheet with flour. This helps immensely.

To cook fresh pasta, boil in very salty water for 6 minutes. Pasta will float to the top of the water so stir occasionally to keep it cooking evenly. Drain in a colander.

You can make the pasta ahead of time and dry it. To cook dried pasta, boil for 7 minutes.

Always make the sauce first, then make the pasta, then boil it. This way you avoid having the noodles stick together. You can re-warm the sauce for a minute just before tossing it with the pasta. Enjoy!

CANNED TOMATOES

This season I planted 15 tomato plants. My hope was to have several quarts of tomatoes stored for the winter. I love to use them in homemade spaghetti sauce, casseroles, and soups. When you can't have fresh, home-canned is next best to choosing something canned off the store shelf. For the last several weeks I've been able to can between 4 and 5 quarts of tomatoes.

Canning makes me nostalgic. I remember picking and snapping green beans from my Grandma O's huge garden. Sometimes she would pay us enough to buy a Popsicle at the small town market down the street. I would watch my Mom and Grandma slice corn off of the cob and peel and pit peaches in the fall. The kitchen would get steamy (no central air back then, Grandma didn't even have a swamp cooler-still doesn't). I was always so grateful for their hard work and preparation to make sure we had enough food put away until the next season. Thanks Grandma and Mom!

Remember, before canning anything it's always advisable to contact your local extension office to ensure food safety.

Here's the recipe I follow for canned tomatoes:

CRUSHED TOMATOES

22 lbs. of tomatoes yields 7 quarts.
Lemon juice
Salt

Inspect jars for cracks and chips. You can re-use the rings but never re-use the lids.

Sterilize jars and lids. I run the jars through the dishwasher. Keep them hot until you pour the tomatoes in. This way you avoid cracking cold jars with your hot tomatoes.

Boil lids and rings.

Wash tomatoes.
Boil tomatoes for one minute.
Dip hot tomatoes into cold water.
Peel skins.
Core and slice into quarters.
When all tomatoes are peeled, gently boil in a large pot for 5 minutes.

For acidification of quart jars add the following:
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 teaspoon of salt

For acidification of pint jars add the following:
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon of salt

Spoon tomatoes into jar using a wide funnel. Wipe jar rims clean. Place lids. Tighten screw bands.

Place jars in water bath canner. Water should be at a rolling boil and should cover jar lids by 1 inch. Water must stay at a rolling boil the entire processing time.

Process quarts 60 minutes (at 6,000 ft altitude).
Process pints 50 minutes (at 6,000 ft altitude).

Remove from canner promptly and cool with at least 1" between jars. Lids should start to seal and tomatoes cool.