Recipe of the Week ~ Chicken Pot Pie

“When you die, if you get a choice between going to regular heaven or pie heaven, choose pie heaven. It might be a trick, but if not…mmmmm, boy!”
(Jack Handey's "Deep Thoughts: Pie Heaven")

I love to cook. I really do. I just wish I had more time to do it. Yesterday, being Saturday, allowed plenty of time to do just that. It was pie night at our house. I made chicken pot pie and blueberry crumb pie. And I must say both were exquisite!

My husband loves blueberries, and I have been wanting to make him a really good blueberry pie for years. Sad, isn't it, that it took that long? Needless to say, he was in heaven last night and declared that it was probably the best food I've ever made! Well then!

CHICKEN POT PIE

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 cup carrots, sliced
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup celery
1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup onion, chopped
2/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
dash of garlic powder
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/3 cup milk
2 (9 inch) pie crusts, unbaked

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. In large saucepan combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Add enough water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, and set aside.



3. In saucepan cook onions and butter over medium heat until soft. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and celery seed. Slowly stir in broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thickened. Remove from heat.
4. Place chicken mixture in bottom of pie crust. Pour sauce over it (there will be extra). Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Brush with egg white. Make several slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
5. Bake at 400 degrees for 35 - 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool 10 minutes before serving.


The Blueberry Crumb Pie recipe is from Allrecipes.com, a favorite website of mine and one I use often. (The "ingredient search" option is brilliant!) Here's a photo of the finished product, garnished with whipped cream and lemon zest. Mmm, pie.........


Jack Handey was so right!!!