Chicken Pot Pie

Once again, the Pioneer Woman has convinced me to try something new. This time…it is pie crust. Just for the record, I have made pie crust before, and I was not very successful, so I gave it up.

But chicken pot pie is another thing. I love chicken pot pie. I have never made a chicken pot pie…for fear of the crust. But her pie crust recipe looked rather simple and so I tried it. The crust was easy to make and so I continued on with the chicken pot pie. I am sure the butter and heavy cream added to the wonderful taste of this pot pie. If you have this cookbook, you will find the step by step directions/pictures on page 126. I very carefully followed step number 10 which notes that the rustic looking crust is a good thing. Here is her recipe for the perfect pie crust.

Ingredients

1-½ cup Crisco (vegetable Shortening)
3 cups All-purpose Flour
1 whole Egg
5 Tablespoons Cold Water
1 Tablespoon White Vinegar
1 teaspoon Salt

Preparation Instructions
In a large bowl, with a pastry cutter, gradually work the Crisco into the flour for about 3 or 4 minutes until it resembles a coarse meal. In a small bowl, beat an egg with a fork and then pour it into the flour/shortening mixture. Add 5 tablespoons of cold water, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir together gently until all of the ingredients are incorporated.
Separate the dough into halves. Form 2 evenly sized balls of dough and place each dough into a large Ziploc bag. (If you desire a thinner crust, divide dough into thirds.) Using a rolling pin, slightly flatten each ball of dough (about ½ inch thick) to make rolling easier later. Seal the bags and place them in the freezer until you need them. (If you will be using it immediately it's still a good idea to put in the freezer for about 15 to 20 minutes to chill.)
When you are ready to use the dough to make a crust, remove from the freezer and allow to thaw for 15 minutes. On a floured surface roll the dough, starting at the center and working your way out. (Sprinkle some flour over top of the dough if it's a bit too moist.) If the dough is sticking to the countertop use a metal spatula and carefully scrape it up and flip it over and continue rolling until it's about ½ inch larger in diameter than your pie pan.
With a spatula, lift the dough carefully from the surface of the counter into the pie pan. Gently press the dough against the corner of the pan. Go around the pie pan pinching and tucking the dough to make a clean edge.

Family Room Redo

5 Simple Steps to a Room Redo

1. Find Inspiration – Mine was my birdhouse collection
2. Choose a color palette – I continued my warm kitchen colors into my family room
3. Budget – We included new carpet, an entertainment center and a new TV
4. Shop for Décor – This is the best part for me! It was called a couple of days at the flea market with Kellee
5. Have a work party – My room needed tall, willing friends
   

I love my new family room. It is warm and cozy and even in the cold winter, the little touches of outdoor decor makes me feel like I'm sitting on my porch.

Best White Cupcakes from Scratch!

I have multiple cookbooks that are dedicated solely to cupcakes. Is anyone surprised by that? Here is the recipe I made to take to Pastor Burhop's church a few weeks back. They turned out great and the frosting was equally as yummy.

Classic White Cupcakes -         
the notes in italics are the high altitude adjustments I made

 
 

1 3/4 cups sifted cake flour      plus 3 tablespoons (I used regular flour and did not actually sift it)

2 teaspoons baking powder      less 1/2 teaspoon

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup milk                            plus 2 tablespoons

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups sugar                     less 3 tablespoons

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

3 egg whites                             plus 1 egg white

 
 

Preheat oven to 350 and prepare the muffin pans with non stick spray and flour or paper cups.

Resift the sifted cake flour with the baking powder and salt.   Combine the milk and vanilla.   Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. 

Alternating the flour mixture with the milk mixture, blend half of one, them the other into the butter mixture.  Mix well after each addition and repeat.  Mix until well blended.

 

In a separate bowl beat the egg whites until stiff, but not dry.  Fold them into batter.

 

Pour the batter into the muffin pans, filling at least halfway.  Bake for 15 to 20 mintues, until the cakes test done.

 

Remove  the pans and turn out the cupcakes onto a wire rack to cool. 

 

Yeild 24 cupcakes. 

 

 

Classic Buttercream Frosting

 

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened

2 1/4 cups powdered sugar

liquid food coloring

2 tablespoons milk

 

Place the softened butter in a large bowl.  Gradually add the sugar by sifting a small amount over teh butter and stirring to incorporate.  Continue until all the sugar is blended in .   Beat hard with a wooden spoon or an electric mixer  until the icing is pale and fluffy. 

Beat in the milk.  Add food coloring if desired.

Irish Frosting

St. Patrick's Day is coming up...so the recipe search for "Irish Food" brought me back to Martha Stewart's Cupcake Cookbook. Her suggestion for St. Patrick's Day cupcakes is a batch of Brown Sugar Pound Cakes with Baileys Irish Cream Frosting. Here is my opinion. I don't think it matters what kind of cupcake, or sandwich or beer you plan to enjoy on St. Patrick's Day...just be sure to include this frosting. Lucky for me, butter was on sale this week! Enjoy this recipe.

Baileys Irish Cream Frosting

3 sticks of unsalted butter, room temperature

1 pound (4cups) confectioner's sugar, sifted

3 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream liqueur

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter until smooth. Reduce speed to medium. Add the confectioner's sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scaping down sides of bowl as needed, about 5 minutes total; after every two additions, raise speed to high and beat 10 seconds (to aerate frosting).

2. Add Baileys and vanilla, and beat until combined and smooth. Use immediately, or refrigerate up to 5 days in an airtight container, bringing to room temperature and beat on low speed until smooth before using.

I get by with a little help from my friends (and family)

For the past couple of years I have helped out with the Valentine dinner at church. The youth group usually spends the whole day slaving away in the kitchen and transforming the fellowship hall into "Mount Olive Garden". Well, this year was no different except for the fact that I think this was our best menu yet. It was simple yet elegant and very easy to prepare. I really can't take credit for it either. Between DeAnn, Lauren, Sam's Club, a few phone calls to Mom and one of those paperback Pampered Chef recipe books, we did! Here is what we ended up with.


Fresh Green Salad with Heart Shaped tomatoes a la Sandra
Marinated Mushrooms
Fresh Baked Bread Baskets
Vodka Penne Pasta from DeAnn
Italian Sausage
Bacon wrapped Green Beans from Lauren
Heart-Shaped Berry Shortcakes from the Pampered Chef
Creamy Fudge Hearts
Lemon Water with Cranberries thus the phone calls to Mom

And here are a few of the recipes.

Vodka Penne Pasta
6 oz chopped Canadian bacon
2 garlic cloves, minced
Olive oil
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1/8 tsp of cayenne pepper
2 cups of heavy cream
1/3 cup vodka
1/2 cup parmesan
1/2 tsp salt
1 pound penne pasta

Drizzle olive oil in pan and gently saute the minced garlic for a few minutes. Add the Canadian bacon, cayenne pepper, and vodka, saute for about 5 more minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and let simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes. Boil the pound of penne pasta and drain. Right before you are ready to serve, add the heavy cream, parmesan cheese, and salt to your sauce. Stir until the cheese is melted and add the penne.


Lemon Water with Cranberries
2 ½ cups water
1 ¾ cup sugar
2 tablespoons finely shredded lemon peel
3 cups lemon juice
Water
Ice cubes
Lemon slices and Cranberries

In a medium saucepan combine water and sugar. Cook over medium heat till sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and cool.
Add the lemon peel to the sugar mixture. Cover and let stand at room temperature for one hour.
Strain the juice mixture. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.
To serve, fill glasses with one part fruit mixture and three parts water. Add ice and cranberries and serve. Garnish with lemon slices.

Bacon Wrapped Green Beans
1 (12 ounce) package bacon, strips cut in half
1 (16 ounce) package frozen cut green beans
2 tablespoons brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a casserole dish.
Set out the bacon, green beans and casserole dish in a little assembly line. Lay out a half strip of bacon. Place a small bunch of green beans onto the strip of bacon and roll up into a bundle. Place the bundle into the casserole dish, seam side down. Repeat with remaining bacon strips and green beans. You can pack these pretty tight in the pan, just know that if the bacon is touching another bundle they take some prying to get apart. Sprinkle with the brown sugar and salt and pepper. Bake in the preheated oven until browned and heated through, about 20 minutes.

Mocha Brownies

A little bit of coffee and a whole lotta butter – this IS what makes a great brownie!
This recipe comes from The Pioneer Women Cooks a wonderful cookbook that I received for Christmas. The best part of this cookbook is all the wonderful step by step photos that show you exactly what to do. The worst part of this cookbook is comparing my finished product to the photo of PW’s finished product. It might not look the same, but the taste is all that matters and these brownies tasted fabulous. The ladies at Bible study tonight didn’t care about the calorie content of this dessert, they were actually a little disappointed that I cut the icing recipe in half. So, indulge! Grab a pound of butter and enjoy these brownies!

Brownies

Four 1-ounce squares unsweetened chocolate
½ pound (two sticks) butter
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups all purpose flour

To make the brownies – preheat oven to 325 degrees, spray an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick baking spray.
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate in 30 increments, being careful not to let it burn. Set aside to cool slightly.
In a medium mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs.
With the mixer on low, drizzle in the melted chocolate. Add the vanilla and mix.
Add the flour and mix, just until combined. Do not over mix.
Pour the batter into the baking dish. Spread to even out the surface. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the center is no longer soft.
Set the brownies aside to cool completely before icing.

Mae’s Mocha Icing

½ pound (2 sticks) butter
5 cups powdered sugar
¼ cup cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
½ to ¾ cup brewed coffee, cooled to room temperature

In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and powdered sugar, cocoa powder, salt and vanilla.
Mix until slightly combined, then add ½ cup coffee. Whip until icing is desired consistency, if the icing is overly thick, add more coffee. It should be very light and fluffy.
Spread the icing thick. Refrigerate until the icing is firm, then slice into squares. Makes 16 brownies.

Name This Animal

Cleaning out cupboards, closets, and other spaces that need organizing, might sound like a New Year’s Resolution, but it’s something that I do all year long. I don’t ever put this chore on my “to do” list. I usually just open a drawer to get something and the next thing I know…I have the entire contents of the said drawer dumped all over my counter and thus begins a cleaning project. Sometimes, I find things I have lost and sometimes I find things I didn’t even know I owned, which brings me to this cute little cookie cutter that was rumbling around in a large tin with all my other cookie cutters. I don’t know where it came from, I don’t think I have ever used it, and I don’t even know what kind of animal it might be. But I do know what “to do” with a cookie cutter like this… I gave it to Kellee.