Chicken Pot Pie

One of our favorite dinners, especially when I have extra crust in the freezer. When I was prepping for the Easter Meat Pies I made a couple of extra batches of crust. It's like money in the bank.

Pate Brisee Recipe, with Pepper -

Ingredients -
1/2 tsp salt
1 pinch granulated sugar


1 tsp black pepper
5-1/2 Tbsp (2/3 stick) sweet butter, chilled

3 Tbsp vegetable shortening, chilled
1/4 cup ice water

Method -
Sift the flour, salt, pepper, and sugar together into a bowl; add butter and shortening and cut them into dry ingredients with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture is like a coarse meal.
Sprinkle on and blend in enough of the ice water to make a workable dough, mixing water in lightly with a fork.
Turn dough out onto your work surface and, using the heel of your hand, smear the dough away from you, about 1/4 cup at a time. Scrape up the smeared dough into a ball, wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. 

The Pot Pie -

Ingredients
1 pound Rotisserie Chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 3/4 cups milk 
1 10-ounce package frozen mixed vegetables
1 tablespoon fresh thyme 
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper 
Pate Brise dough

Directions 
Heat oven to 400° F.
Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and cook, stirring, until they begin to soften, 6 to 8 minutes (do not let them darken). Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Add the wine and cook until evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the milk and simmer until the sauce thickens 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the chicken, peas, thyme, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Transfer to a shallow 1 1/2- to 2-quart baking dish.
Lay the crust on top, pressing to seal. Cut several vents in the crust. Place the pot pie on a baking sheet and bake until bubbling and the crust is golden brown.

Pasticcioish

What?
We have been watching Chef Michael Symon's cooking videos every night at dinner. It reminds me was watching the Mike Douglas show at dinner when I was little. A couple of nights ago he made Pasticcioish. It was suggested we have this for Easter but I had other plans.

I opted for a night during the week after Easter. I made the sauce on Saturday so tonight I just had to make the Bechamel Sauce and cook the pasta. Then in the oven for 30 minutes and we were done!

During the video, Chef Symon mentioned that his mother uses a long thin pasta that was like spaghetti but had a hole it in. I found that pasta at Fresh Market.

The sauce was tasty. I think we would have preferred our usual Bolognese sauce. The cinnamon in the sauce is not something we are accustomed to.

The Bechamel Sauce was spot on if I do say so myself.

I made 1/2 of the recipe and we have enough leftover for a whole meal.

Click here for the recipe.

Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers

And we start off the week strong. Cheesesteak stuffed in pepper. Winner!

Ingredients-

2 bell peppers, halved

1 tbsp. oil1/2 large onion, sliced

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 lb. sirloin steak, thinly sliced

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

8 slices provolone

 

Method-

Preheat oven to 325º. Place peppers in a large baking dish and bake until tender, 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook until soft, 6 minutes. Add steak and season with more salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Stir in Italian seasoning.
Add provolone to bottom of baked peppers and top with steak mixture. Top with another piece of provolone and broil until golden, 3 minutes.
 

Happy Easter

This was weird. This was the first Easter that I have not celebrated with my sister and her family. Just Chris and I this year. Even the cats were snoozing for most of the day.

But what do I make for dinner???

We started with the world's smallest antipasto tray. Just enough for 2 of us and we wanted to save room for dinner. This was a small container that I picked up at Fresh Market.

The entire dinner came from The Complete Cooking For Two Cookbook. The recipes resulted in perfect dishes. Roast Rack of Lamb with Whiskey Sauce. Pan-Roasted Asparagus and Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes.

Roast Rack of Lamb with Whiskey Sauce.
Ingredients:
1 rack of lamb (8 ribs), frenched and well-trimmed of fat.
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon oil

Whiskey Sauce:
1 shallot, minced (~3 tablespoons)
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon flour
5 tablespoons Scotch whiskey (or another type)
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper

Method:
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, place a rimmed baking sheet on the rack, and preheat to 425º.

Pat lamb dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.  Carefully lay the lamb in the skillet, meat side down, and cook until well browned 3 to 4 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium, and, using tongs, hold the rack upright to brown the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes longer.  Transfer the lamb to the hot baking sheet in the oven and roast for 12-15 minutes until the center reaches 125º on an instant-read thermometer (for medium-rare).  Transfer lamb to a carving board, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour off all but 1 teaspoon of the fat remaining in the skillet and return to medium heat until shimmering.  Add the shallot and rosemary and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the flour until incorporated.

Off the heat, slowly stir in 1/4 cup whiskey, scraping up any browned bits, and let sit until bubbling subsides about 1 minute.  Carefully return skillet to medium heat and simmer until whiskey has almost completely evaporated 2 to 3 minutes.  Stir in the broth and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened slightly and reduced to 1/3 cup, 3 to 5 minutes.

Off the heat, discard the rosemary sprig and whisk in the remaining tablespoon whiskey, parsley, butter, lemon juice, and any accumulated lamb juice.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Cut the lamb racks into individual chops by slicing between the ribs, and serve with the sauce.

Next time I will let the meat get to 128˚. It was not too rare but a touch more cooking would not have done any harm. And I will double the sauce. We ended up with just enough. I do not think more would have gone to waste.

Pan-Roasted Asparagus
Ingredients-

1 tbsp butter
2 tsp olive oil
lb fresh asparagus spear, trimmed  
Salt and pepper
1 tsp lemon juice


Method-
Heat butter and oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add half of asparagus to skillet with tips pointed in 1 direction and add remaining asparagus with tips pointed in opposite direction. Using tongs, distribute spears in an even layer. Cover with a lid and cook until asparagus is bright green and still crisp about 7 minutes.
Uncover, increase heat to medium-high and cook until the asparagus is tender and browned on one side, 3 to 4 minutes. Using tongs to transfer spears from center skillet to edges of skillet to ensure even browning. Season with salt and pepper to taste, drizzle with lemon juice and serve. 
 

 Cheese Scalloped Potatoes
Ingredients-

2 oz mild cheddar cheese, shredded (1/2 cup)
1 1/2 tsp corn starch
1 oz Parmesan Cheese, grated (1/2 cup)
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 tsp minced fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp dried
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
12 oz potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4 thick
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Method-
Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425˚. Toss cheddar and 1 tsp corn starch together until well combined. Toss Parmesan and remaining 1/2 tsp corn starch together until well combined in a second bowl.
Heat oil in an 8-inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened and lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth, cream, potatoes, salt, and pepper, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until potatoes are nearly tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
Off heat, stir in cheddar mixture and press potatoes into even layer, removing any air pockets. Sprinkle Parmesan mixture evenly over top and bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer potatoes to wire rack and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

We had a nice Chianti on the wine rack. Perfect pairing!

And dessert? I decided on just one pie. I think Chris liked Rice Pie best so that is what I made.

 This is my favorite pie recipe for Easter. Click here to try it yourself.







 

11 Years of This And a Pattie Melt

When I realized that today was my 11 year anniversary of starting this blog I was surprised. I can still remember that day of baking and the glass of wine I had at the end of it all. I still wish I could pick up the phone and call my Mom. Heck, I wish I could pick up the phone and call my Dad.

Tonight for dinner I made a recipe from Chef Symon. Yes again with Chef Symon. We love watching his videos. And this dinner was really, really good.

The pork pattie melt. The pickles with the Sauerkraut, it was perfect. The patties maybe could have been a little thinner but who can complain!


On the anniversary note. I gave some thought to what I should post. I decided on my favorite post for each of the past 11 years.

August 2009. The 100th Post. This is the only cookie recipe you will ever need. Mom's Chocolate Chip Cookies.

January 2010. Lenore's Chicken Soup. More family recipes.

December 2011. Deviled Bones. Love the Christmas leftovers.

April 2012. The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of. Seriously. Sweet dreams will be the result of this food.

August 2013. The Last Saturday at My Parents House. This was a tough one. Everything I cherished was coming to an end. The one place I could call home was going to be someone else's home. Hopefully, it will still be a home filled with love.

January 2014. Becco. I love Lidia.

February 2015. Cheesy Frankfurtuers, Potatoes, and Peppers. Childhood memories.

January 2016. This is the 2nd most searched recipe on the blog, Short Rib Farrotto with Carrots and Parsnip. 

July 2017. My Perfect Vacation Day.

April 2018. My Mom's Anginette Cookies.

June 2019. Lobster Oreganato. Wow. 

Here is to another 11 years of blogging. Rock on!

Fettuccine Alfredo

Good Friday. What a season of Lent this has been. Tonight we had one of our comfort foods.

The pasta recipe as always is from Tide and Thyme. I only made 1/2 of the recipe. Just enough for the 2 of us.


Fettuccine Alfredo -

Ingredients-

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces

Dried egg fettuccine

1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 cup) 

Method-

Melt butter in a large saute pan.

Cook fettuccine in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente.

Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain fettuccine in a colander.

Immediately toss the fettuccine with butter and salt in the sauté pan, then slowly add 3/4 cup cheese, tossing constantly and adding enough of the cooking water to keep pasta moist.

Season with salt and pepper to taste, then sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Michael's Pasta with Meat Sauce Part 2

Of course, we had leftovers from our meal on Saturday night, Michael's Pasta with Meat Sauce.
As soon as I realized there would be leftovers I knew what I was going to make. Baked Macaroni with 3 kinds of cheese.  Ricotta, Parmesan, and Mozzarella.

I tossed the leftover pasta with the 3 kinds of cheese, even used the same pan and topped the pasta with some breadcrumbs, parsley, and more Parmesan. Into a 400˚ oven for 20 minutes and dinner was ready.

Palm Sunday Dinner...

Well. Here we are.
Watching Palm Sunday Mass on YouTube.
Eating dinner like it was any other Sunday.
I did do a quick, socially distanced Meat Pie drop off at my Sister's and my Brother's. My sister gave me 2 homemade facemasks in exchange for the Meat Pie. Usually, we have dinner at my Sister's house with my brother and his wife. I decided to make one of my favorite Springtime dishes,  heck any time of the year I can find them, Stuffed Artichokes. I love the recipe I use, It tastes the closest to my Mom's recipe that I have found. Thank you FoodBlogga for sharing this one.

Michael's Pasta with Meat Sauce.

During this quarantine, Chris and I have started watching daily videos posted by Chef Symon. I first heard of him from the show The Chew. I actually made a recipe of his from the first episode.
We had his Mac and "Cheese" the past 2 nights for dinner. Tonight we made his Meat Sauce.
I have to admit his technique was very different from what I learned from my Mom. But I will try anything once.
What an amazing sauce we ended up with. Okay not breaking up the meat first is a good idea. Adding the onions after the meat is browned seemed to work too. Chris loved this sauce.
We also had it with homemade bread, always a nice addition. Click Here for Recipe!

Mom's Pizzagaina and Some Bread

 

I did not make my Mom's Meat Pies last Easter. I was to busy or whatever but I had to make them this year. I did not double her recipe and I still ended up with 3 regular pies and one small pie.
Again I used the Pate Brisee recipe and added Black Pepper. This crust never fails me.

Pate Brisee - (this recipe is for 2 pies, top, and bottom crusts)
Ingredients
6 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
22 Tbsp sweet butter, chilled

12 Tbsp vegetable shortening, chilled
1 cup of ice water

Sift the flour, salt, and pepper together into a bowl; add butter and shortening and cut them into dry ingredients with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture is like a coarse meal.
Sprinkle on and blend in enough of the ice water to make a workable dough, mixing water in lightly with a fork.
Turn dough out onto your work surface and, using the heel of your hand, smear the dough away from you, about 1/4 cup at a time. Scrape up the smeared dough into a ball, wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Eleanor Lombardi's Pizzagaina
Ingredients-
2 pounds baked ham, diced

1 pound pepperoni, skinned, diced and boiled, drained (boiling removes excess grease)
1 pound sweet sausage, fully cooked, drained
1 pound basket cheese, diced

Mix all ingredients. Roll out a quarter of the dough. Place the crust in a pie dish. Use a pie dish with handles if you have one. You will want to check the bottom of the pie to see if it is browned. Add half of the meat and cheese mixture to the dish. Break and mix 3 eggs (each pie requires 3 eggs) and pour over the top of the meat. Roll out another quarter of the dough. Place on top of the meat. Crimp edges. Cut 3 slits in crust. Bake 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes. (I baked mine for an hour and 15 minutes). Repeat this for the second pie.

With the meat recipe, you may end up with enough for more than the two pies. Let just say it is one of those Easter miracles. I usually make enough dough for 6 pies just in case.  The crust recipe above is only for 2 pies. I prefer to make the crust in small batches. Making enough for 6 pies at once is more than my kitchen or I can handle.  The crust can go in the freezer so it is "like money in the bank."

When the pies are in the oven keep an eye on overflow. The egg might spill out the slits. It may be a good idea to put some foil under the pie dishes on the lower rack. As long as the egg does not spill over your house will smell amazing.

The bread was my go-to recipe for Italian Bread. The dough is amazing to work with and the Crust and the crumb are always perfect.
Interestingly I got a text from my nephew today asking if I had my mom or my Aunt Marie's Spinach Bread recipe. Sadly I did not but I think this dough would probably work. 
The recipe is from Noshtalgia. The recipe is called No-Knead French Bread but we use it as Italian bread. I let the dough rise longer than the recipe calls for. That is usually, because I have other things going on than just making the bread. The dough is beautiful to work with. Click here for the original recipe.