Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

This recipe is a favorite in our house. This recipe will make two chicken pot pies so you can freeze one and make it one day when you are pressed for time. Great comfort food for those cold days.

Prep time: 30 minutes

• 1 cup chopped onion (Approx. 1 large onion)
• 1-1/2 cups diced potatoes (Approx. 2-3 large potatoes)
• 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
• 1/2 cup margarine or butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken broth (I melt 1 bouillon cube (Knorr) in two cups of hot water)
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 4 cups chopped cooked chicken breasts (2-3 chicken breasts)
• 2 refrigerated pie crusts (or you can make you own pie crusts)

Chop or cube the chicken breasts and place on frying pan with butter until cooked. Set aside.

While chicken breast are cooking. In a large pot or dutch oven saute potatoes in margarine for 5 minutes. Add onion and frozen vegetable. Saute for another 10 minutes. Add flour gradually to sauteed mixture, stirring constantly for one minute.

Remove only one pie crust from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature.

Gradually stir into the vegetable mixture the chicken stock and the milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Stir in salt and pepper. Add chopped chicken, stirring well.

Preheat oven to 400F.

Option 1:

For the pie that is being baked right away, fill pie crust with chicken/vegetable mixture and top with pie crust. Cur vents into the top crust. Place pie on a cookie sheet to prevent any drips in your oven.

Bake for 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Enjoy!

Option 2:

For the pie that is being frozen for later use, let chicken/vegetable mixture come to room temperature. Pull remaining pie crust from the refrigerator and fill pie crust with remaining chicken/vegetable mixture and top with pie crust. Cur vents into the top crust. Place in pie crust box. Seal and freeze.

To bake at a latter date: De thaw and place pie on a cookie sheet to prevent any drips in your oven. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy!

Weeknight Easy Rolls

No Kneading, No rise time
Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Time to table: 30 minutes
Makes 12 rolls

• 1 package active dry yeast (2-1/4 teaspoons)
• 2 cups warm water
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 1/4 cup of vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 4 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons (yes, tablespoons) baking powder
• 2 teaspoons table salt
• Chopped fresh or dried herbs such as chives, sage, rosemary etc.

Preheat oven to 425F. Grease the cups of a muffin tray with standard-size cups. I like to grease them with cooking spray.

Stir together the yeast and the water, set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil and egg.

In another bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt. With a wooden spoon, stir in the flour mixture a cup at a time until just mixed, adding a portion of the yeast-water mixture between additions.

Stir in herbs.

With two wooden spoons, one to scoop and the other to scrape, fill the muffin tins. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Cool for 5 minutes.

Best Served hot but will keep for two to three days.

Nothing But Pumpkins

Today I was reminded by the cool breeze (dare I say frigid breeze) as I was walking my dog that autumn is upon us. So in light of this new development I was inspired to start decorating for the season. This year I have decided to put down the knife and paint instead or carve my pumpkins.

Taking into consideration that I can barely manage a presentable 2 eyes and a mouth on a pumpkin I'm going to venture a guess that these might just be out of my league. Inspirational none the less!!

Boo!!

CUBA!!! Our recent trip to Guardalavaca, Cuba.

The swans and Octavio

The Spa

Bananas

What a view...

Happy Birthday Octavio!!!!













Thanks to the staff for arrnging this last minute surprise !!!

The view from our room.

Cold water spa.

Octavio Snorkeling