Pot Pies

Pot Pies are a great dinner time meal, and they are so easy, inexpensive, and a great way to stretch a little bit of food that would only serve one person into enough to serve 4 or 6 people easily.  This recipe will adapt easily for chicken, turkey or beef.

Preheat your oven 400 degrees

chicken, (about 1 cup chopped), turkey or beef
2 or 3 carrots
2 or 3 cloves of garlic
2 stalks celery
1/2 medium onion
5 or 6 mushrooms
peas, corn, green bean (1/2 cup each)
1 cup chicken stock (beef stock if you use beef)
2 Tabs butter
2 Tabs flour
1 cup milk
dried thyme, paprika, parsley, pepper, and any other spices you like
1 cup Bisquick
1 egg
1/2 milk

First chop your aromatic vegetables, (the carrots, onions, celery, garlic)  Get these ready to saute in some butter and olive oil.  Chop your mushrooms and set them aside for later.

 In a dutch oven pot, saute your aromatic vegetables.  Make sure to add a little salt and pepper to your vegetables to bring out their flavor.  Cook just until softened.  I use about 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter.

Next you need to add about 2 tablespoons of flour and cook for about 3 or 4 minutes to remove the flour taste.  This will be the base of your thickener for the pot pie, (so do not rush this step).

Everything will now be a nice golden color and it smells wonderful.  Kind of like Thanksgiving morning.

Now add your broth.  I usually save my chicken stock when I cook my chicken, (it's perfect for these pot pies).  If your making a beef pie you will want to use beef stock, (I also save my beef stock when I cook a roast, there's so much more flavor than what you get in a can, and there's less salt.)

Now add your sliced mushrooms.  Let the stock cook for about 15 minutes until it starts to thicken up.

While the stock is cooking this is a good time to get the rest of your vegetables ready.  Since I garden during the summer - I can pull these vegetables out of my freezer and have them ready for the pot pies.  If you don't garden, you can buy a bag of frozen mixed vegetables, thaw them out and use them.  Or better yet buy some fresh veggies to use.  Yummy, and oh so good when you use fresh.

Add the rest of your vegetables and stir them in.

 Add your chopped meat. ( I had 1/2 of a chicken breast and 1 chicken leg.  By itself it would have only fed one person, but when I am done, I will have enough to feed 4 to 6 people. )

Stir everything and add your milk.  You can use whole milk, (I've used cream, and even skim milk in a pinch).

 Now add your spices.  Thyme, paprika, parsley, anything else that your want to flavor the sauce.  Continue cooking for about 10 more minutes to allow the flavors to develop and meld together.

If your pan is oven proof, you can save cleaning another pan and put the topping right over the filling.

Today, I'm going to put my filling in a non greased casserole dish.  Make sure your dish is deep enough that your have enough room above the filling for your pie topping.

 For the topping today, I'm going to use 1 cup Bisquick, 1 egg, 1/2 cup of milk, 1/2 teas thyme, 1/2 teas pepper

You can make a pie crust topping - VERY GOOD!
You can open a can of biscuits - VERY GOOD!

It's your choice what to put on top of the pot pie, depending on your family's desires and how pressed for time your are.

Mix the pot pie topping

Pour the topping over the pot pie.

Bake for about 30 minutes

 The top will be golden brown and the casserole hot and bubbly.  This smells wonderful!!


NOTE:  In a pinch for time, I have even used a can of cream of chicken soup, a bag of frozen vegetables, chopped meat and a can of refrigerator biscuits to make a quick pot pie.

This is your creation, and you can personalize it your way.

Now this says - Welcome home to dinner.  I'll serve a fresh made salad and this chicken pot pie to my husband, and I can hear him smacking his lips about how good it is.


So next time you have just a small amount of leftover chicken, turkey, or beef and some vegetables - go make a pot pie,  And let me know how it turned out.

Creamy Italian Dressing

My husband LOVES the Olive Garden's salad and the dressing, almost as much as he loves my homemade Creamy Italian Dressing.  And it's so easy and inexpensive.

1/2 cup mayonnaise  (I use low fat)
1/3 cup white vinegar
1 teas vegetable oil
2 Tabs corn syrup
2 Tabs  Parmesan cheese
2 Tabs grated Romano cheese
1/4 teas garlic powder, (or 1 glove minced garlic)
1/2 teas Italian seasoning
1/2 teas dried parsley flakes
1 Tabs lemon juice
1/2 - 1 teas sugar (this will depend on your taste for sweetness)

Place all the items, (EXCEPT the sugar) in a blender.  Blend on medium for about 1 minute.  Taste and if you want it sweeter, start with 1/2 teas of sugar, (that's all I use).  Blend for another 30 seconds.  Taste for sweetness.  If needed, add a little more sugar - this is depends on your family's taste.

That's it!!

You now have a wonderful Creamy Italian Dressing for only about 50 cents.  And it keeps beautifully in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

Over a wonderful Romaine chopped salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, black olives, red and green peppers - YUMMY!!  And so inexpensive!!

Give this a try and let me know what you and your family think.

Honey Pork Roast

This is by far the BEST roasted pork recipe that makes your Sunday meal stand up and cheer.  Every time I make this, my husband always asks me to repeat it again SOON!!  And it is so easy!!!

2 pound boneless port loin
salt  and pepper to taste
1/4 cup honey
2 Tabs orange juice
2 Tabs olive oil
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teas unsalted butter

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees

 Place your pork in a roasting pan, and season it to taste.  In addition to the salt and pepper, I also added a little garlic powder and onion powder, (because we like it, but it's not necessary).

 Next mix together, honey, orange juice, olive oil and thyme.  (in the summer I use fresh thyme, in the winter I use dried thyme - both work equally well).

Pour over the pork loin

 Next, add the chicken broth to the pan, around the pork loin.  (I usually baste my pork during cooking, but it's not necessary.

Bake until internal temperature is 150 degrees, (about 45 - 60 minutes, depending on how hot your oven bakes and how large your pork is.).  Mine usually takes 45 minutes.

 Remove the pork and cover it with foil to keep it warm.  Strain the juices into a saucepan.

Over medium heat, cook until juice reduces and is slightly thickened, then add butter.  Stir till butter is melted, (about 30 seconds).  Your sauce will be a wonderful golden color, and it smells delicious!!

Serve this wonderful magical syrup over your pork slices.  A tossed salad, some potatoes and vegetables - you have a meal fit for a king in only a little over an hour, (start to finish).

Give this a try and I promise this recipe will be part of your family's "serve again" request.

Let me know how they enjoyed it.

If you have leftovers, shred the pork add some honey barbecue sauce and this makes great sandwiches.

Lemony Lemon Bread

Spring is here, Easter is this weekend, and lemons are on sale this week!!  Since I am not a chocolate fan, (I know, unusual for a woman - but not to worry my dear husband makes up for it), I just love lemon baked goods.  When I saw that large lemons were 39 cents each, my mouth started watering for a slice of my Lemony Lemon Bread.  And the best part is you get 2 breads for about $5.00.  It takes a little work, but SO worth the time.  Let me show you:

Preheat your oven at 350 degrees.  Spray and flour 2 loaf pans.  (this way the oven is hot and ready to go)

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups sugar
5 large eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup + 4 Tabs grated lemon zest
3 cups flour
1/2 teas baking powder
1/2 teas baking soda
1 teas kosher salt
3/4  cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1 teas pure vanilla extract
1 cup confection's sugar
1 1/2 Tabs freshly squeezed lemon juice

First you want to grate your lemon peel and then squeeze the juice from your lemons.  Depending on the size of your lemons you will need about 6 medium, 8 small, or if you get the very large lemons you only need 4.  I was able to look through the lemons and find 6 very large lemons,  4 lemons gave me more than enough lemon zest.  (I'll put the extra in a zip lock bag and freeze it so that I can use it later).

In a large bowl cream the 2 sticks of butter and 2 cups of sugar, until light and fluffy, (about 5 minutes), on medium speed

Once you get the mixture light and fluffy, add your eggs, (1 at a time) and beat them in.   NOTE:  if you have extra large eggs, you can use only 4).

 Now add in 1/3 cup of the freshly grated lemon zest, and mix in.

In a separate bowl, sift together: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix together.

In a small bowl combine buttermilk, vanilla, and 1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice.  Mix together.

 Now starting with the flour mixture, add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture.

 Next add 1/2 of the buttermilk mixture to the butter mixture.

Now add another 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture.

Now the remaining 1/2 of the buttermilk mixture to the butter mixture.

Now add the remaining 1/3 flour mixture to the butter mixture.

 You will end up with this wonderful this lemony cake batter mixture.  Gosh this smells wonderful and looks golden and sunshine yellowy.  I wish you could smell this wonderful mix.

Now divide the mixture evenly between the 2 loaf pans And bake for 45 to 60 minutes until done, (depending on how hot your oven bakes).  These 2 loafs were done in 45 minutes.  Test the center of the loaf with a toothpick, if it comes out clean, the loaf is done.





While the loafs are baking; in a small saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup sugar with 1/2 cup of the lemon juice, (you will still have 1 1/2 Tabs of lemon juice left for the glaze on top).  Cook over low heat until the sugar is dissolves, stirring occasionally.  Set aside.

Once the loafs are done, let them cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn them out onto a rack placed over a sheet pan

While the loafs are still warm, slowly pour the lemon syrup over the top of the loafs.  I also use a spoon to scoop up the syrup that drains onto the sheet pan and spoon that back over the top, so I can get all the great lemony flavor into the cake loafs.  Let loafs cool.

In a small bowl stir together the 1 cup of confectioners sugar and 1 1/2 Tabs of remaining lemon juice to make a glaze.  Drizzle this over the top of the completely cooled loaf.  Then sprinkle the remaining 4 Tabs of lemon zest over the top of the 2 loafs.

These loafs are so light and lemony, they just taste like springtime!!  My neighbor will really appreciate the loaf we give them.  The first loaf doesn't last very long around our house, so I have to give the second loaf away fast!!

Just wrap the loaf in plastic wrap and it keeps well in the refrigerator.  Or, better yet, make these beauties up while the lemons are cheap, freeze them and have them all summer long.

Enjoy this wonderful treat, we do.  Great after dinner treat, or a mid-day snack.

Chicken Enchiladas

Yesterday, I noticed at the supermarket they were selling 2 chicken enchiladas for $4.99, (no sides, just the enchiladas).  I thought, that's highway robbery!!  I can bake a whole pan for that much, or less.  Let me show you:

 Gather your supplies - there really is no recipe:
leftover chicken - I have a breast and wing from dinner a couple nights ago, (that will make 8 enchiladas, easily)
cheese - Mexican blend
Enchilada sauce - red or green your preference, (sometimes I use my homemade sauce)
onion, olives, garlic, re-fried beans, (and anything else you want to add)
chili pepper, salt, pepper, and any other spices you like

First, I remove the meat from the chicken bone and cut it into bite sized pieces.  There's maybe 1 cup here, (you don't need much meat)  You could use cooked beef, pork, turkey - I just use whatever meat I have leftover.

 Now I chop up 1/2 of an onion and 2 cloves of garlic - again this is your preference as to how much you want to add, (we like a lot of garlic).

Next I chop up a hand full of black olives, (about 1/2 cup).  We like black olives, if you don't leave them out.  Again, add what you like to your enchiladas.

Add your seasonings:  salt, pepper, chili pepper, cayenne pepper, (depending on how hot you want it and what seasonings you want, it's all a matter of taste)

Add 1/4 of a 10 oz can of Enchilada sauce, to the ingredients in the bowl and mix together.

Now add about 2 Tabs of Enchilada sauce to the bottom of the baking dish.  The size of the dish will be determined by the number of enchiladas you will be making.  If you are making 8-10 you will want to use a 9 inch dish.  I am only going to make 6 tonight so I am using an 8 inch dish.

Warm your tortillas in the microwave for 1 minute, so they are easier to roll and work with.

Now slather a spoonful of re-fried beans on 1/2 of your tortilla.  Add 1 spoonful of meat filling

Next add 1 sprinkling of cheese

 Now roll 1 1/2 turn of the tortilla, to tuck in the filling.

Fold up the sides, so the filling doesn't fall out.

 Finish rolling up the tortilla

Nestle in the tortillas, seam side down in the baking dish

 Once your baking dish is completely full, and all the enchiladas are packed in tightly, pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the enchiladas.  Now sprinkle and another layer of cheese over the the top.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 45 minutes - basically until they are completely warmed inside and the cheese is melted.

LOOK - I still have 1/2 of a bag of cheese left, 1/2 a can of re-fried beans left and enough filling to make another 4 enchiladas, (I'll freeze the filling and use it later, when I'm in a hurry)  I'll use the beans and some of the cheese to finish out our meal.

 Boy do these look yummy.  And they smell wonderful.  My husband will love these.

Here's the finished dish.  I added some quick homemade Spanish rice, some homemade guacamole, some sour cream, heated up the rest of the re-fried beans and topped them with a dash of cheese, chopped a little letter and tomatoes.

You would easily pay over $10 - $15 in the restaurant for this meal and yet I made 2 meals for under $5, and my husband will have 2 enchiladas for his lunch.

Keep watching and I'll post the Spanish rice and guacamole recipes in future posts.

Hope you try making enchiladas at home, and your family enjoys them as much as we do.