Chicken Pot Pie

While my husband and son are adventurous in their food choices….they’ll try just about anything….my tastes are a little boring in comparison.  However, American comfort food never fails to satisfy all of us.  My recipe for Chicken Pot Pie is adapted from three different Cook’s Illustrated pot pie recipes.  I preferred the crust of one but the sauce from another and the use of leftover chicken from yet another one.  So with a little trial and error I put together my own blended recipe.  Yes, it means making your own crust but it’s so worth it.  The butter crust is flaky and savory…store-bought doesn’t even come close.  Normally, I use the  leftover meat from a Costco rotisserie chicken for the sauce.  The pan I use is one that can be used on top of the stove and in the oven…this one to be exact.  This way there is one less pan to wash because I cook the sauce and bake the pie all in one pan.  (Note: this recipe is for cooks with a moderate amount of experience)

Easily my favorite comfort food: Potatoes and Onions

Potatoes & Onions

For my first official post I chose the dish that says, “Everything will be alright.  Don’t worry. Things will look up.”

There’s no real right or wrong way to make this dish.  I don’t have a set recipe but there are couple of things to remember.  Add the onions when the potatoes are almost halfway cooked otherwise they will burn.  I normally use red potatoes for this dish but other types can be used.

Here’s what you need for a large single serving or 2 smaller servings:

-4 or 5 small or medium red potatoes

-vegetable or olive oil

-salt and pepper

-half an onion cut into wedges

-fresh herbs

Cut the potatoes into wedges while you heat up a nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Rinse and dry the wedges a bit and then add some oil to the pan.  Place the wedges cut-side down carefully into the pan.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cover pan with a lid.  Cook for about 10-12 minutes and check potatoes to make sure they aren’t burning.  When nicely browned, flip each wedge carefully with a fork and then toss the onion wedges on top of potatoes.  You don’t need to use the lid again if you want crispy potatoes. Cook until the second side of the potatoes is browned and the onions have cooked.

When done, I sprinkled the potatoes with some lemon thyme we have growing on our balcony to brighten the flavor.

These potatoes come out crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

A plate of these never fails to please.  <unintentional rhyme>