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Here's my own recipe for yummy chicken pot pies, using my brand new Breville Mini Pie Maker. I also use this recipe to make handheld pies. You may want to include cooked potatoes, mushrooms, onions or peas and carrots to this recipe according to your own preference, but pre-cook before adding any of these ingredients to the filling so that those veggies will be yummy tender.
FILLING INGREDIENTS:
2 cups chopped and shredded, *roasted chicken breast
2 tbsp flour
1 tsp Knorr chicken boullion granules
1/2 tsp Lawry's garlic salt
A sprinkle of pepper
About 1 cup chicken broth
*ROASTED CHICKEN BREAST:
Place chicken breasts skin side up on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Generously sprinkle with salt (I use kosher salt) and pepper. Place in pre-heated 350 degree oven; bake for about 35 minutes or until done; meat temperature should be about 165 degrees inside. Don't overcook! Remove from oven when done; allow to cool. Strip and discard skin and bones, then chop and shred chicken meat into chunks. All done! I usually roast and prepare a large pack of chicken breasts, then divide pieces into 2-cup portions and freeze, to be used as needed.
CHICKEN PIE FILLING:
Combine flour, chicken boullion granules, garlic salt and pepper in a large sauce pan. Slowly add chicken broth, stirring constantly. Continue stirring over a medium heat until sauce begins to bubble and thicken. Add chopped roasted chicken pieces to sauce. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
PASTRY:
3-1/2 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 stick butter, chilled well and cut into 1/2" pieces
1/2 cup vegetable shortening (I used lard for a very flaky crust)
5 tbsp (or more) ice-cold water
Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter and shortening until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add enough cold water for the dough to come together and form a ball. Knead until smooth. Let rest for 10-15 minutes.
BREVILLE MINI PIE MAKER:
Roll out dough, top and bottom crusts; fill and cook in pie maker, according to manufacturer's instruction.
TO MAKE HANDHELD PIES:
Roll out dough and cut out 5" or 6" circles. Fill each circle with cooled chicken filling (about 2 tbsp per circle). Fold in half and crimp around edges; slash top to allow steam to escape. Brush tops of pie with an egg wash (1 egg slightly beaten with a little milk or water added). Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Place pies on a foil-lined cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes or until pies are golden brown.
Found this crochet booklet on the clearance rack at JoAnn's for only $1.97. These designs are darned cute, so I thought I'd test one out. The little Shells and Picots poncho (pictured) hardly took any time at all to crochet. It's an uncomplicated design, but the yarn I pulled from my bag is just a bit scratchy because of the sparkly thread that runs throughout the yarn. I would use a softer yarn next time, something with a more comfortable feel against the skin. We'll see if the girlies like capes and ponchos and then go from there. I plan to add a tie string at the neck, with little pompom ends.
