Delicious Chicken Pot Pie

Source: http://www.recipezaar.com/Delicious-Chicken-Pot-Pie-10744

This is hearty comfort food at its best! I'll admit I went into this with a bad attitude. It was a weeknight and I was tired, cranky and all I wanted to do was go to sleep! I pressed on since I did not want to waste the ingredients. Once I started chopping my mood started to get better and when it came to the filling and it started to thicken, I could tell it was going to work out. This dish turned out great, exactly what I think a pot pie should be. It is not light, it is full of fat and calories...its freakin' fabulous. Enjoy it with a smile and then MAYBE go for walk later.

Ingredients

1 cup potato, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup carrot, chopped
1/3 cup salted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 cups chicken, cooked and chopped (I used 3 skinless boneless chicken breasts simmered in chicken broth, bay leaf, fresh ground pepper and savory seasoning to taste (sold in a grinder in the spices section, sometimes labeled "country seasoning")
2 pie crusts (either store bought your own recipe. I used the Pilsbury rolled pie shells that come two to a pack).

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Saute onion, celery, carrots and potatoes in butter for 10 minutes.

Add flour to sauteed mixture, stirring well Cook one minute stirring constantly.

Combine broth and half and half.

Gradually stir into vegetable mixture.

Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly.

Stir in salt and pepper; add chicken and stir well.

Place crust into a 9" pie dish and top with second pie crust. Cut slits to allow steam to escape.

Bake for 40-50 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly and cooked through.

Next up: Pork Kabobs with Onion Cakes & Peanut Sauce

Tilapia with Veracruz Sauce

Source: Tom King

Flavors: savory, spicy, tangy

This recipe was such a pleasant surprise. Easy, light and full of flavor. This is definitely a keeper. I can see making this on a monthly basis. Tip: Aldi is great place to find frozen fish, Tilapia and Orange Roughy are normally in stock, both of which work in this recipe.

I served this dish with grits flavored with a little butter and coleslaw.

Ingredients:

1 Tsp Olive Oil

3 Garlic cloves, sliced thin

28 oz can Tomatoes diced

4 Tsp Capers (yum, where have you been all my life?)

10 Green olives (chopped/sliced)

2 Jalapenos, pickled (1/4 of a small can)

2 Bay leaves

1 Tsp Oregano (I used Italian seasoning)

4 Tilapia fillets (1/2 inch thick)

Salt and pepper to season the fish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat olive oil, add garlic and cook until golden.

Drain tomatoes and cook 15 minutes. Reserve the liquid.

Remove any seeds from canned jalapenos and dice them. Cans of pickled jalapenos can be found with Mexican foods.

Add jalapenos and remaining ingredients and cook 30 minutes or until sauce has a good consistency.

Heat 2 Tbsp of butter in a oven proof skillet or dutch oven. Season the Tilapa fillets with salt and pepper to taste. Cook a couple minutes then turn the fish. Spoon the sauce over the fish. Cover the skillet or dutch oven and put in a 375 degree oven. Cook approximately 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Eat well!
~Laura

Next up: Chicken Pot Pie