Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

I got this recipe from a dear friend of mine, Hannah who I met over 10 years ago in an AOL chat room. No, it wasn't "Single and Looking", it was "Food Chat" where I met a ton of great people and talked about food (and silliness) all day. I met several of them face-to-face, but Hannah is the only one I've met up with more than once.

I haven't seen her for some time now (my fault), but I do get to talk to her just about daily on Facebook. This is a recipe she sent through to a few of us and the only change I made was to add white chips in with the cranberries and the kids devoured these in no time!

Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies
Printable Recipe

Preheat oven to 350º and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper (this may be reused for baking more than one batch and your cookie sheet stays clean). I mix all cookies by hand because I think it really makes a more tender dough.

1 stick margarine or butter at room temperature. If margarine make sure that it has at least 60% fat content.
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar NOT packed in a measuring cup
Cream above ingredients until well incorporated and fluffy then add and mix:

1 large egg (also at room temperature)
1/2 t. vanilla

Mix dry ingredients:
1/2 scant t. baking soda
3/4 c. all-purpose flour (Note: I made these on a humid day and needed 1 cup flour)
1 c. old fashioned oats (not instant - the ones that take about 5 minutes to cook)

Add to the 'liquid' mixture to form a fairly stiff dough.

Chop about 1/3 c. craisins (dried cranberries) and mix into the dough. There should be enough so that every cookie has a few pieces of the fruit.

Drop by rounded teaspoons on cookie sheet about 1 1/2 - 2 inches apart.

Bake for about 12 minutes until the bottom is lightly browned and you can smell the cookies ... if you time the first batch all batches will be consistently baked and not too dark.

Remove to cooling racks and cool completely. Keep well in a tin or plastic container.

Strawberry Bread with More Fruit - Lucky Leaf Premium Pie Fillings

I've been baking for many, many years now - I was at least 10 when I started making sugar cookies and I'm not quite sure how old I was when I started making apple pies, but I know it was more than 25 years ago. I've used all sorts of fillings for pie, mostly homemade, but there are times I've relied on canned pie fillings.

I've not been disappointed, really, but it's not the same as the real deal. There's always more 'gunk' than fruit and sometimes the fruit itself just isn't very appetizing. Lucky Leaf recently revamped their fillings to be less 'gunky' and more fruity, and I think they've succeeded.

I was sent two cans of filling - one apple and one strawberry - along with a cookbook for recipe ideas. I couldn't find a better use for the apple pie filling than the apple and ginger tart in the cookbook, so I made that and it was gone so quickly that I never got a chance to take a photo.

The strawberry filling was a bit of a challenge for me. I find it hard to know what to do with strawberries when they aren't in season, so I had to think a bit. I took a recipe I already had for Strawberry Bread and altered it slightly to use the pie filling instead of the usual frozen strawberries.

This time the kids were at school so I had a chance to get a photo or two, but once they were home, the bread was gone instantly. In other words, there really is a lot of fruit in those cans and it's not lacking in flavor or overprocessed.

Strawberry Bread
(the unaltered version is linked above)
Printable Recipe

1 can Lucky Leaf Premium Strawberry Pie Filling
4 eggs
1 c cooking oil
1 1/2 c sugar
3 c all-purpose flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 c chopped nuts

Stir first 4 ingredients together well then add dry ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in nuts and pour into 2 9x5 inch greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

*I top ours with cinnamon sugar.

You can find Lucky Leaf Premium Pie Fillings at your local grocer, and for a FREE copy of the cookbook, you can find it here: http://luckyleaf.com/RecipeBook.aspx

National Brownie Day

Did you know there is a National Brownie Day? Well, there is and today is it. Grab yourself a brownie and feel no guilt. I love an excuse to have chocolate and I wholeheartledly embrace this celebration!

Embrace it with me and leave a comment with contact information here for a chance to win a $30 gift set from Cheryl&Co.. That's right - thirty dollars to spend on thick, rich brownies or decadently iced cookies or any number of delectable treats offered up by Cheryl&Co. If you need more convincing, visit the website and if you don't rush right back to comment, then there's no help for you.

In the meantime, this recipe is a favorite at our house - rich and gooey brownies the kids can never get enough of.

Decadent Brownies
Makes one 9x13 pan
Printable Recipe

2 sticks unsalted butter
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs - slightly beaten
3/4 cup dark cocoa powder
1 cup flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Put butter into 9x13 pan and place in oven until butter is melted.
Pour butter into a large bowl and add sugar. Stir until well blended. Add vanilla and eggs and stir well. Add cocoa powder and blend until smooth.
Sift in flour and stir gently until combined.
Pour into prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until set but not stiff - don't overbake!

**Contest ends 12/15/2009 at 11:59 PM

Sweet Pumpkin Cornmeal Mush

Sweet Pumpkin Cornmeal Mush

What the rest of the world calls 'polenta', those of us with a Southern and Midwestern family influence call 'cornmeal mush'. Normally we eat it savory, smothered in butter, salt and often times, cheese.

Wanting to do something a little different, I decided to go sweet, with pumpkin, and the result is velvety and divine. Leave out the very small amount of butter and this can easily go vegan.

Sweet Pumpkin Cornmeal Mush

Sweet Pumpkin Cornmeal Mush
Serves 8
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Printable Recipe

3 cups water - divided
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup finely ground cornmeal
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup packed brown sugar - divided
1/3 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Blend together 1 cup water and cornmeal - set aside.
3. Combine 2 cups water and pumpkin puree in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and pour in cornmeal slurry, stirring constantly with a wire whisk.
4. Reduce heat to low and continue stirring until thickened, which is almost immediately.
5. Remove from heat and stir in 1/3 cup brown sugar, vanilla, butter and pumpkin pie spice. Blend well.
6. Pour into 8 small (1 1/2 cup capacity) oven-safe bowls.
7. Stir together 1/3 cup brown sugar and pecans. Top each bowl evenly with mixture.
8. Place bowls on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, or until brown sugar is melted and bubbling. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Grandma's 'Sketti

Grandma's Sketti

This is another of my grandmother's recipes that was never written down and never submitted to a church cookbook. She made it very often when we were younger and it was such a favorite of ours that when she didn't make it one of my brothers would get upset about the missing 'sketti.

This is a true comfort food to me. Each time I make it I'm transported to Grandma's summertime kitchen. The chef in me wants to embellish it; add garlic and Parmesan. If I did that, though, the flavor would change enough that it wouldn't be Grandma's and the comforting effect would be lost.

This was beef-a-roni way before it was ever a boxed or canned mainstream product and I refuse to call it goulash, no matter what everyone else says.

Grandma's 'Sketti
Printable Recipe

1 small onion - chopped
1 pound ground beef
1 can (46 ounces) tomato juice (Grandma always used sodium-free because of dietary restrictions, I use the real deal)
2 cups uncooked macaroni (elbows) If you want specifics, Grandma used Mueller's.
salt and pepper to taste

Cook onion and beef together until beef is well browned. Drain any fat. Add tomato juice and macaroni. Cook over low heat, covered, until macaroni is tender about 10-12 minutes or so.

Serve with buttered bread and love.

Foodbuzz 24,24,24: There's No Place Like Home

What's the number one thing kids miss while away from home at college? The food. My oldest daughter, in her second year at Kutztown University in Pennsylvania, can attest to that and tells me so often. Many times she calls home to find that we're having one of her favorite foods for dinner and she'll say, “I want to come home!”

Cassidy is one of my biggest fans, and as such she talks to her friends about my blog and my work quite often. She told me that her friends wanted to come home with her and have dinner. I wanted to do just that for quite some time and when it came time to submit a proposal for the January Foodbuzz 24,24,24 Event, I decided that a dinner based on comfort foods stepped-up a bit would be just the thing. We were all excited when I found my proposal was accepted!

I had Cassidy ask her friends ahead of time what their favorite comfort foods were and also which food they missed the most while away from home. There were the expected answers; mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese and meatloaf, but I didn't want these kids to come here for the same-old-same-old, whether it was comforting or not, so I did things a little differently than usual and planned my menu around their favorites, but all with a twist

The Guests: L to R - Jamie, Chase, Jillian, Julianne, Artie, Shauna and Cassidy. Aren't they the best looking bunch of kids ever? I highly suspect those two handsome boys were the source of all the laughter.

The guest list was all sophomores – six from my daughter's college and one from another:

• Cassidy (my daughter) is a Pre-Med major originally from Bethlehem, Pa and her favorite comfort food is meatloaf.
• Jamie Volansky is a Communication Design major originally from Hunterdon County, New Jersey and her favorite comfort food is chocolate.
• Chase Armand is a Communication Design major originally from Malvern, Pa and his favorite comfort food is chicken pot pie.
• Jillian Mirenzi is a Theater major originally from Wilkes-Barre, Pa and her favorite comfort food is pierogies.
• Julianne Spadine is an Elementary Education major at West Chester University and she is originally from Springville, Pa.
• Artie Dowdy is a Special Education major who 'hails from Landenberg, Pa'.
• Shauna Kane is a Biology major originally from Tamaqua and her favorite comfort food is macaroni and cheese.

View Larger Map

We covered eastern Pa and a little bit of New Jersey fairly well.

There are two guests I didn't have favorites for simply because they were late additions, or stand-ins, rather. They turned out to be great substitutes, though and I'm very glad they both came.

The night started with my 'servers' (a.k.a. Declan and Erin, two of my kids) seating everyone and getting drink orders. They took orders all night, making sure we weren't sending out food that anyone didn't want, and the smaller children even entertained from time-to-time. Dinner and a floor show, what more could you ask for?

The first course was two different appetizers, Halushki Pierogi and Macaroni and Cheese Soufflés with Bacon. The pierogi were made for Jillian, with a filling closer to Halushki (cabbage and noodles) than the traditional filling as one of Jillian's most-missed foods was Halushki.

Jillian with the Halushki Pierogi and Macaroni and Cheese Souffle with Bacon

The Macaroni and Cheese Soufflés with Bacon were something I devised completely on my own. Shawna's favorite is mac and cheese and I wanted to do something a little more than just plain old mac and cheese, so I thought a soufflé would be good. I was dead-on, I'm told – that particular dish was an overall favorite for the evening.

Next up was the soup which was a Roasted Red Pepper and Cheddar with simple rolls. I didn't get much back when the dishes returned, and Artie said it was one of his favorites.

Shauna with Roasted Red Pepper and Cheddar Soup

The salad for the evening was based on one of the guests who was not able to come. He said his favorite comfort food was macaroni salad, so I served Pasta with Pesto, Green Beans and Fresh Mozzarella. That was one of Jamie's favorites for the night.

Julianne and Pasta with Pesto, Green Beans and Fresh Mozzarella

Then we served Triple Berry Sorbet. Yes, real sorbet. I know it's not considered a comfort food, but I also know these particular guests were looking for a little more than just home-cooking. I added this in and everyone liked it. The servers were back in the kitchen asking for their own, so I knew it was good.

Triple Berry Sorbet

The entreé was rather large; Panko and Romano Crusted Chicken Filets, Mini-Meatloaves Stuffed with Spinach and Mozzarella, Chicken Pot Pies with Puff Pastry, Mashed Golden Baby Potatoes, Roasted Baby Vegetables and Chile Relleno Corn Pudding. I think by this point the guests were all a little full, but as far as I could tell – between them and my own family – the chicken and meatloaves were the stand-out here. My second-oldest daughter, Megan, was playing the tri-role of server, photographer and guest – covering the empty spot left by the 8th guest – and she was in the kitchen asking me to send her entreé out with smaller portions because she was so stuffed at that moment.

Cassidy and a little bit of everything!

Chase really likes pot pie

Full or not, there was dessert to be had, so without delay the dessert tray of Chocolate-Crusted Chocolate Tarts, Chocolate Covered Cheesecakes and Carrot Cakes was set out for everyone to choose from. As can be expected, the two chocolate desserts were the hits and at that point I suspect everyone was ready to burst.

Jamie and the triple-threat

I didn't make my way out of the kitchen all too often; both from wanting the guests to be able to enjoy themselves without 'mom' checking on them and also the fact that I'd just rather stay in the background and watch everyone have a good time. From what I could tell (lots of hysterical laughter going on), I think they did.

I told them I'd have a dinner party a week if I could afford it and I do hope to do this again sometime soon for the kids who missed out this time. I really enjoyed meeting Cassidy's friends, and being able to feed people, no matter who they are, is always fun for me, so for all of your thank-yous, kids – I must say, Thank You, back.

A couple other Thank Yous go to all of my children for being a part of this and helping out with things; to my mother-in-law, Pat for loaning us several very necessary items without which the night would have been a disaster (read, tablecloth, napkins, chairs and sorbet cups) and several of my friends who answered polls for me, helping to set the menu.

The Recipes
------------------
One thing you know if you read here often is that I am a non-recipe type cook. I have them and I post them, but I rarely ever actually use them. So, when it comes time to share with others what I've created in my kitchen, sitting down to type it all out can be painstaking.

I've linked recipes that I've already posted or gotten from elsewhere (some have slight changes made that I'm hoping are obvious: the carrot cakes were done in large muffin tins, the pot pie has a puff pastry top-crust etc.) but here are the rest. For the roasted baby vegetables, that was a simple toss with olive oil, garlic and rosemary before being baked until done. The chicken was simple filets in a basic breading using equal parts panko and grated Romano cheese. I've done my very best to get it all down, but if you have questions, please don't be afraid to ask.
-------------------

Halushki Pierogies
Makes 24
Printable Recipe

Pierogi Dough

2 cups flour
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup water

Make a well in the center of the flour. Add eggs, water and salt into well. Mix together from the outside in and knead until smooth. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes.
Divide dough into workable pieces and roll thinly with a rolling pin or pasta machine. Cut with a 3” biscuit cutter and fill each with desired filling before folding in half and pinching edges to seal. Drop into boiling salted water and cook until they float. Fry in butter or serve as-is.

Halushki Filling

½ head cabbage - sliced thinly
1 large onion - sliced thinly
½ stick butter
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups seasoned mashed potatoes

Heat butter in a heavy skillet and add onion and cabbage. Cook until soft and golden and all liquid has evaporated. Season with salt. Combine mashed potatoes and cabbage mixture until well blended. Use to stuff pierogi skins.

Mini Meatloaves Stuffed with Spinach and Mozzarella
Serves 12
Printable Recipe

1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound lean ground pork
1 package stuffing mix
2 eggs
½ cup milk
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
12 large spinach leaves
½ cup marinara sauce
Mix together ground meats, stuffing mix, eggs and milk. Grease 12 large muffin cups. Press half of the meatloaf mixture into each muffin cup. Top each with a spinach leaf and mozzarella. Top with remaining meatloaf mixture and back in a 350 degree F oven for 25-30 minutes. Spread each meatloaf with marinara sauce and bake for another 5 minutes.

Macaroni and Cheese Soufflés
Serves 8
Printable Recipe

3 eggs – separated
½ cup cooked acini di pepe
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
2 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt
2 slices bacon – cooked crisp and crumbled

Heat butter in a saucepan until melted. Add flour and mix well. Pour in milk slowly, whisking all the while. Blend egg yolks well and temper with the milk mixture. Once yolks are tempered, add back into the remainder of the milk and whisk well until thickened. Remove from heat and add salt and cheese. Cool to room temperature. Once cooled, whip egg whites until stiff. Stir bacon bits and acini pasta into the cheese sauce. Fold egg whites carefully into pasta and cheese. Pour into well-greased ½ cup capacity soufflé dishes. Set filled dishes into a cake pan and add water to the pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the soufflés. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 30-40 minutes or until puffed and golden.

Chile Relleno Corn Pudding
Serves 8
Printable Recipe

1 stick butter - melted
1 cup sour cream
1 egg
2 cups corn kernels
2 cups creamed corn
1 box corn muffin mix
1 small can diced green chiles - drained
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Combine all and pour into a greased casserole dish. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 30-40 minutes, or until golden on top.

Triple Berry Sorbet
Makes 6 cups
Printable Recipe

3 cups frozen mixed blueberries, raspberries and blackberries
2 cups water
2/3 cup sugar

Blend everything until smooth. Strain to remove any seeds. Put into a 9x13 cake pan and freeze. Scrape with a spoon and put into small dishes for serving.

Sunday Dinner: Chuck Roast

Chuck Roast

Chuck Roast
Potatoes
Carrots
Gravy
Green Salad with Tri-Colored Peppers
Dinner Rolls

I do believe chuck roast is one of the finest foods known to man. It fits my new 'slow' outlook on life and is well worth the wait. It absolutely takes me home - simple, delicious and hearty. I was able to pick up a boneless chuck pot roast for $1.99 a pound yesterday. That's a huge savings over what they normally cost, and right now I was very grateful for that find.

Chuck comes from the shoulder area of a steer and gets more exercise than the nether regions of the animal, so it can be tough if not cooked properly. Chuck benefits from a long slow roast in liquid, also known as braising. Add vegetables toward the end of cooking time for a one-pot meal you can't go wrong making.

Chuck Roast and Vegetables
Serves 8
Printable Recipes

One 4-pound boneless chuck pot roast
2 tablespoons oil
6 cloves garlic - chopped
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon large grind pepper
herbs such as thyme or rosemary - as desired
8 large potatoes
1 pound bag peeled baby carrots
flour

In a large roasting pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the roast and brown on all sides. This really only ensures flavor - it's been found that it does nothing to seal in juices. Top with salt, pepper, garlic and herbs. Add enough liquid to come about 1/3 of the way up the side of the roast. This can be beef stock or just plain water. I also sometimes add a tablespoon or so of tomato paste for extra flavor.

Roast, covered, in a 300 degree F oven for 2 1/2 hours. After that time, add the potatoes and carrots, recover and put back into the oven for another 1 1/2 hours - 4 hours total time. Remove from the oven and let stand, covered, for 20 minutes. Remove roast and vegetables and heat remaining liquid over high heat. Thicken with flour and water as necessary, adjust seasonings and serve with roast.

Your roast should be fork-tender and very easy to serve. There's no cutting involved, simply dole out large forkfuls of this along with the roasted veggies and plenty of gravy.

Sunday Dinner

Orange Chicken Breasts
Harvest Rice
Italian Seasoned Green Beans
Popovers
(Our family needs to double the chicken and popover recipes)

Orange Chicken Breasts

2 T margarine
4 boned and skinned chicken breasts
1/2 c chicken broth
1/4 c honey
1/4 c orange juice, frozen concentrate -- thawed
1 T lemon juice
1 T cornstarch
1 t curry powder
Salt and pepper -- to taste
6 orange slices
2 T toasted almonds

In skillet melt butter; brown chicken lightly on both sides; remove
and set aside. Mix together chicken stock, honey and orange juice
concentrate and lemon juice. Blend in cornstarch and curry powder.
Pour into skillet, bring to a boil, stir until thickened. Season to
taste with salt and pepper. Return chicken to skillet and finish
cooking for about 5 minutes. Do not overcook. Arrange chicken on
platter and garnish with orange slices and toasted almond slices.
Spoon sauce over. Serves 4.


Harvest Rice

2 T butter
1/4 c onion, minced
2 ribs celery, including tops-diced
1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced
1/4 t sage
1/4 t marjoram
1/4 t thyme
1 T red wine vinegar
1/4 c green onion tops, minced
3 c cooked long-grain rice
1/4 c chopped pecans
1/4 c parsley, chopped
1/4 c Parmesan

Heat butter in a large skillet. Saute onion and celery until soft. Add
mushrooms, sage, marjoram, thyme and vinegar. Simmer over low heat 10
minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine vegetable mixture with green
onions and rice. Stir in nuts. Spread in an ovenproof casserole. Sprinkle
with parsley and cheese. Bake 15 mins or until heated through. Serves 6-8.


Italian Seasoned Green Beans

1 lb fresh green beans, cleaned
2-3 T olive oil
1 t oregano
1 t basil
1 clove minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
OR
1 T Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb in place of garlic, oregano and basil

Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and garlic (or Mrs. Dash) and green beans.

Saute until the beans are tender-crisp. Add oregano and basil and toss until combined well. Add salt and pepper and serve.


Popovers

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 T cooking oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

In mixing bowl, beat ingredients together until just smooth (batter
will be thin). Place a well-greased 3 1/2-inch muffin or popover pan
in a 450º F oven for 3 minutes, or until a drop of water sizzles
when dropped it is dropped in the pan. Remove pan from oven and fill
each cup half full with batter. Bake in a 450º F oven for 15
minutes. Reduce heat to 350º F and continue to bake 20 to 25 minutes
longer. A few minutes before removing them from the oven, prick each
popover with a fork to release steam. Serve immediately. Makes 6
popovers.

The Pot Pie War

Pot Pie! That wonderful dish of meat and potatoes in a rich gravy tucked away between two flaky pie crusts, a true comfort food. Right? Wrong. At least if you're Pennsylvania Dutch it's wrong.

I came from a family that made traditional pot pie-a lovely stew baked in a crust, the stuff you could buy in single serving size from the freezer at the supermarket (only better) and named the same. So, when I met my mother-in-law and the subject of pot pie came up I was entirely confused by her version.

I argued that my family's version was right, even the one in the store had the same name! No, she insisted, pot pie was so named because it was made in a pot and what we were eating was simply called "Chicken Pie" because well, it was.

I had to concede there. I mean, where on earth did the name "pot pie" come from in reference to what the rest of us were eating? The name the PA Dutch were using seemed far more fitting~they were, in essence, making a chicken pie, but they were making it in a pot.

So, for your perusal, recipes from both sides of the battle, the traditional Pennsylvania Dutch version, and the one the rest of us eat, even if it is poorly named. Either way, there's no arguing the fact that both are delicious.

Pennsylvania Dutch Pot Pie

Pennsylvania Dutch Chicken Pot Pie
(added February 18, 2013)
Printable Recipe

One 3 - pound chicken or 2 pounds chicken breasts - bone and skin on or off
8 cups chicken stock - divided
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bat leaf
salt and pepper to taste
3 large potatoes scrubbed, peeled, cut into quarters then thickly sliced
1 double pie crust

1. Heat 6 cups stock and garlic in a large heavy-bottomed pot to boiling. Add chicken, bay leaf and thyme and reduce heat to simmer. Cook until chicken is completely cooked through.
2. Remove chicken and bay leaf, cool until chicken is easy to handle. Remove skin and bones and cut into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
3. While chicken is cooling, heat stock back to boiling and add potatoes. Reduce heat once again to a simmer and cook until potatoes are halfway done.
4. Roll pie dough to 1/8" thickness and cut into 1-inch squares. Add remaining 2 cups stock to pot, bring to a slow boil and drop dough squares into stock. Add chicken back into pot and cook until pie squares look "slippery". Remove from heat and serve.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chicken Pot Pie

1 chicken
3 onions
pastry (they don't specify here but, mom-in-law uses a basic pie dough)
4 potatoes
Salt & pepper

Wash, clean and cut chicken into individual portions. Place a layer of
chicken in the bottom of a large iron kettle and cover with thick
slices of raw potato, then with slices of onion and salt & pepper.
Roll dough out rather thick and cut in 2 inch squares and place on
top of onion. Continue until kettle is filled having the top layer of
pie dough. Add water to cover contents halfway. Cover kettle tightly
and cook over a low flame until chicken is tender.

Pennsylvania Dutch Cook Book - Fine Old Recipes, Culinary Arts Press, 1936.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dutch Pot Pie

3 eggs
1/2 c milk
1 ts soda
1/2 ts salt
parsley, minced
1 tb butter, melted
1/2 c cream
3 c flour
potatoes
butter

Beat eggs, add milk, cream, soda, salt and melted butter. Mix well.
Gradually add flour until dough is stiff enough to roll. (May require
up to 4 cups). Roll on floured board and line a cooking kettle with
the dough. Place a large piece of butter in bottom of kettle and add
peeled and quartered potatoes alternately with small pieces of the
dough. The top layer should be potatoes. Sprinkle with salt, pepper
and minced parsley. Dot with butter. Add 1 1/2 to 2 cups water. Bake
at 350-F about 3 hours.

Pennsylvania Dutch Cook Book - Fine Old Recipes, Culinary Arts Press, 1936.

Chicken Pot Pie

1 cup potatoes, diced
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup chopped carrots
1/3 cup melted margarine
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 cups chopped cooked chicken
2 frozen pie crusts

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. Pour into a
shallow 2 quart casserole dish. Top with pie shells. Cut slits. Bake at 400F
for 40-50 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly and
cooked through.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
***This is one of those things that I just don't have a recipe for. My basic method is to make pie dough for a 2 crust pie and then make a basic chicken stew; chicken, potatoes, carrots, onions, and gravy; and then line a 9x13 pan with 1 pie crust, add the "stew", top with the remaining crust and cut a few slits in the top. I bake the whole thing at 350° until the crust is a golden brown and the "stew" is bubbling up through the slits in the dough. Check out the recipe I eventually posted HERE.

When the Cat's Away...

My husband doesn't fully appreciate my cooking skills. Not that he's ungrateful or anything like that, he just has so many food issues that he doesn't get to enjoy much of what I make. He feels badly about this and often watches us eat something with this pitiful "I wish I could have that too" look on his face. He's just too particular about textures and flavors etc. None of it makes sense so I'm not going into what he will or won't eat (for example; he loves pasta, can't live without cheese, but he won't eat macaroni and cheese, not even the good homemade stuff).

Well, his loss and more for us, right? Not usually. He IS the man of the house after all and so I try to cater to his tastes. However, he is away until Sunday night and we are free to eat whatever we want! This is a rarity so we are taking full advantage.

This is one of the recipes he will not eat but that the rest of us love. It's very simple, few ingredients, but the combination is great. Don't leave out the garlic and olive oil when sauteeing the chicken, it really DOES add a whole different and wonderful dimension to this dish.

Anne's Chicken Spaghetti

1 lb dry spaghetti
1 - 20+ oz jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into one inch dice
3 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic
2 c finely shredded cheddar-room temperature

Cook spaghetti to desired doneness, drain, toss well with olive oil and keep warm.

Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add olive oil until it "shimmers".
Add minced garlic and stir quickly--please don't let the garlic burn!
Immediately add chicken and sautè until cooked through and browned.

Add sauce to the chicken and simmer until heated through.

To serve, either place all the spaghetti into a large shallow bowl and top
with sauce and cheddar, or put into individual bowls topping each with a
generous sprinkling of cheese.

I also sometimes put all the spaghetti into a large baking pan, top with the
chicken and sauce, sprinkle the cheese on it and then bake in the oven at 350° for
about 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted well.

A healthy green salad and fresh, chewy bread round this out well.
This serves about 6 here, maybe 8 in a family that eats less heartily.