Soccer Mom

This is my first time as a soccer mom. All of our games are scheduled during prime dinner making and eating time. So, I am sending out a request to all you who have done this before. What meals have you made on game night that work for your family?

Chicken Pot Pie--A Recipe in Three Incarnations

This is a recipe that our family has enjoyed for years. It's been through a few changes. I offer them all to you here, perhaps one will become your family favorite too.

Recipe #1

I originally got this recipe from Emily's sister-in-law, Joy. Here it is unadulterated.

3 cans Cream of Potato soup

16 oz. frozen vegetables

2 C. cooked, diced chicken

1/2 C. milk

1/2 tsp. thyme

1/2 tsp. pepper

2 frozen pie crusts, thawed

1 egg for topping

Mix soup, veggies, chicken, milk, thyme and pepper in a large bowl. Roll out one pie crust and put in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Put filling into pie crust. Roll out second pie crust and spread over filling. Crimp edges. Cut slits in pie crust. Beat egg and brush on top of pie crust. Bake at 375 for 40 min.

This is a good recipe, but I knew there was no way I was going to buy frozen pie crust and do you know how hard it is to find mixed veggies with no lima beans or green beans? (Aaron doesn't like lima beans and I hate frozen green beans.) So, I decided to change it up a bit. This is my version, call it Chicken Pot Pie ala Missa.

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup

1 bag frozen peas and carrots

1/2 can each corn and green beans

2 potatoes, peeled, diced and cooked

2 C. cooked, diced chicken (I always season this with salt, pepper and garlic powder before I saute it.)

1/2 C. milk

1/2 tsp. thyme

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 recipe Lion House Pie Dough (follows)

Mix together the filling ingredients in a large bowl. (I recommend mixing the soup and milk together first, you can whisk them together and not have soup lumps.) Divide the pie dough into thirds, roll out one third and put it in a pie plate. Put the filling into the pie plate. Roll out the second pie dough and top the pie with it--don't forget to cut slits in the top, then crimp the edges. (The third piece can be saved for later, wrap it up well in plastic wrap and tin foil and freeze it, or you can have pie for dessert too, hooray!) Bake at 375 for 40 min.

Lion House Pie Dough

1/2 C. butter or margarine

2/3 C. shortening

1 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp powdered milk

3 C. flour

1/2 C. cold water

Mix together the butter and shortening. Add the sugar, baking powder, salt, and powdered milk, mix. Add 1/2 the flour, mix. Add the water, mix. Add the other half of the flour. Mix until the dough comes together. Makes three pie crusts. (I love this recipe because I don't have to cut the butter into the flour, I can make it in my KitchenAid, and I don't have to fuss with everything being cold.)

Now, as you can see, this recipe takes A LOT more time. It's really good, my family has eaten it with gusto for years, however, the time commitment makes it less than ideal. So, recently, I solved one of my problems with this recipe when Hannah wanted Shepherd's Pie for dinner and Maggie wanted Chicken Pot Pie. Thus Chicken Pot Shepherd's Pie was born.

1 can Cream of Chicken soup

16 oz bag frozen peas and carrots

2 C. cooked, diced chicken

1/2 C. milk

1/2 tsp. thyme

1/2 tsp. pepper

6 servings instant mashed potatoes, made according to package directions

1/2-1 C. shredded cheddar cheese

Mix the soup, veggies, chicken, milk and spices together. Put in a greased 9x9 pan. Top with mashed potatoes and cheddar cheese. Bake at 375 for 40 minutes.

Really, any veggies your family likes would be good in this. The frozen peas and carrots are what we like, but don't be limited by frozen, canned or fresh work well. Those of you who are rotisserie chicken people could make this with a rotisserie chicken. That would save time. There's also the canned chicken option. I would say this recipe feeds around six people. Especially if you take the extra time to make a salad or other side dish to go with it. I usually figure there is veggies in it, and I've already gone through all that work, do we really need something else? Don't forget the thyme either. It's just a little bit, but it really makes this meal.