Chicken Pot Pie

The weather has been crazy lately, going from warm to freezing in a matter of hours. However, at the moment it happens to be a chilly, rainy night which has put me in the mood for one of my favorite cold weather foods, Chicken Pot Pie. Ive never really used a official pot pie recipe from a cook book, just sort of wing it each time, so if there is something in the recipe below that you happen to not like, just omit it for another of your favorite vegetables.

Ingredients: 

Milk

Fresh: Carrots

Potatoes

Chicken

Canned: Corn (drain the liquid)

Peas (drain the liquid)

Cream of Chicken

Seasonings to Taste

Cornstarch

Two Pie Doughs

One Egg Yolk

Chop the Potatoes and Carrots and place in a large bowl

Add in the Peas

And Corn

Cut the Chicken into cubes

Then season and fry until cooked

Pour the Cream of Chicken into the vegetable mix

Then add 1/2 a can of Milk

Mix thoroughly, also adding the spices to taste and about 2 Tbls. of Cornstarch to help the mixture thicken when baking

Stir in the Chicken pieces

And pour into the prepared pie shell

Cover with the other Dough

And fold both edges into the center (you can flute the edges and trim off any excess dough, this is just how i prepare mine so the outer crust is thicker)

Mix the Egg Yolk with a small amount of Milk and use it to Egg wash (coat) the crust

Cut some slits in the top so the filling wont bubble over and place into a pre-heated 350 F oven and bake for 45-60 minutes or until the Crust comes out golden brown

Once done, remove the Pie from the oven and let rest for 30 minutes or so to set

Then slice and serve

The flavor was a little mild, next time ill double the spices, but the chicken and vegetables turned out nice and tender, and the crust buttery and flaky the way I like it. 

Chocolate Chip Cookies

The Chocolate Chip Cookie is one of the most iconic baked goods of all time, simple yet rich and deliciously flavored, people have been enjoying this wonderful treat since Ruth Wakefield first discovered the amazing combination of broken chocolate bars and cookie dough in 1924. The recipe below however is not the original which is still printed on the back of all Nestle Chocolate Chip Bags, this one is a favorite of mine from the "Joy of Cooking".

Ingredients: 1 Cup plus 2 Tbls. All Purpose Flour

1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

1 Stick Butter (softened)

1/2 Cup Sugar

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Egg

1/4 tsp. Salt

1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla

In a large bowl, cream together the Butter

Sugar

And Brown Sugar until thoroughly mixed

Beat in the Egg

Salt

And Vanilla incorporating well

In a separate bowl, combine the Flour and Soda

Then sift together

Add the dry ingredients in small amounts, mixing until smooth

Stir in the Chocolate Chips with a rubber spatula so they don't get broken up by the mixer

Drop by the spoonfuls two inches apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet

Bake in a preheated oven at 375 F eight to ten minutes or until golden brown on the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan to finish cooking all the way through, or remove them right away for a gooey centered cookie.

Instead of using packed brown sugar, i went with a loose, coarse brown sugar which gave these cookies a nice crispness on the outer layer, but a chewy soft center. I also doubled the recipe for more yield and should have added in a extra 1/2 cup of chocolate chips, but none the less they were still delicious.

English Muffins

The English Muffin in my opinion is a fancier version of a Biscuit, like a cousin from a richer side of the family that was raised proper and walks with a tiny cane and monocle being all snooty to all the other morning breakfast items, except Orange Juice, NO ONE disrespects Orange Juice. Ive also never understood why we call them English Muffins, they don't resemble any other muffin shape I have ever witnessed in life, though I'm sure it has nothing to do with that and something more to do with where they originated. However this is all just my interpretation of a delicious Bread product that I have enjoyed for many years now so I thought Id give it a go at making some from scratch.

Ingredients: 1 Cup plus 2 Tbls. Warm Water (105-115F)

2 1/4 tsp. (1 Package) Active Dry Yeast

1/2 Cup Milk (room temperature)

2 tsp. Sugar

1 tsp. Salt

3 Tbls. Butter (room temperature)

4 Cups All-Purpose Flour

Cornmeal (for dusting)

In a small bowl, mix together the Yeast

And 2 Tbls. Water, let sit 3-5 minutes in a warm area

In a large bowl, combine the Milk

Water

Sugar

And Salt mixing thoroughly

Stir in the Yeast mixture

Then gradually add in 2 cups Flour

Blend well

Cover the bowl with cloth and let rise in a warm area for 1-1 1/2 hours

Beat in the Butter

And 2 remaining cups of Flour

Pour the Dough onto a smooth surface

Knead until smooth

Place the Dough onto a surface dusted with Cornmeal

And roll out to 1/2 inch thickness

Use a cutter (or glass) to cut the Dough into rounds

Then place them onto a strip of wax paper and let rise until doubled in size

Melt a generous amount of Butter in a large skillet (or griddle)

Place a couple of Dough rounds into the pan

And cook until both sides are golden brown

Serve while warm with various toppings and assorted fruits

All I can say is now that Ive had fresh non store bought English Muffins, Ill never be able to enjoy any other kind. The buttery texture with the soft chew are amazing, they taste nothing like pre-made ones and are light and fluffy on the inside, making them perfect for different butter, jams, and honey.