Chicken Pot Pie for the Soul (Recipe Included)

"Chicken Pot Pie for the Soul."  Last night I was making dinner for my family and it hit me.  Why not write something about how food really affects our lives and how comforting it can be?  I was using my Moms homemade chicken pot pie recipe to warm up our bellies before we sat down to watch "Survivor".   It's been one of the recipes I mastered early on in my days of cooking, and a go-to comfort meal at our house.

Food.  Love it or hate it, we all need it.  To survive, sometimes to sooth, to entertain.  I love to eat it, and love to cook food, but I dislike that it always seems to land around my middle.  I think it's a talent to be a good cook, and a way to express your creative artistry.  I sometimes think it is theraputic for me to bake a cake or cookies.  It's the same thing with making comfort foods like homemade pot pie, mashed potatoes, homemade macaroni and cheese, which are some of my favorites.

Anyone can cook, but to be a good cook takes experience, time, patience, creativity, and love,...There are different kinds of cooks.  Those who have a passion for it.  They live to try new recipes off of the internet, Pinterest, from friends, from cookbooks and then there are those who just open a box of Hamburger Helper and call it dinner.  Once again, I'm not judging, but I prefer to be the first of the two.  I wasn't always this way though.  I didn't appreciate cooking and how much fun it could be making something from scratch or moulding a pile of ingredients, into a masterpiece.  It really wasn't until we had our first child that I really made the cross over to really caring what I made and wanting to be better at it.

Ahhh, the smell of home!  This is where the smells of a cake or a slow cooker meal hits your nose as you come in the front door.  Our Mom instilled this quality in me, I used to love walking into our front door and smelling a fresh batch of cookies or muffins she had baked.  Another experience with this for me, was one of the times my husband I were house hunting.  We were out looking at places in freezing temperatures.  We walked in the front door of this 100 year old farmhouse, and the seller of the house had this pot of soup on the stove.  I know it's a tip realtors tell their sellers, cook a batch of cookies or a pie, so when potential buyers come in it makes it feel more like home.  But it works!  The smell of that soup still lingers in my memory, and that farmhouse is still to this day (owning two houses since) in my mind and dreams...

They say the way to a mans heart is through his stomach.  I think this is true for men and women alike.  There's nothing like making a fabulous meal for friends or family and sharing it with them.  I feel like food brings people together.  Your kitchen can be the heart of your home as well.  When cooking, a lot of the time my family ends up in the kitchen with me, helping or snacking on the ingredients while waiting.  Or think of how many times you meet up with friends for coffee or for a dinner.  How many times you have people over to share your home and a meal?  How about when someone has a new baby or is sick and you make them a meal to help them out?  It's a beautiful gift you may have, and simple to share.



Just the other night I prepared a new recipe for a broccoli, cheese and chicken casserole.  I carefully selected the recipe and purchased the ingredients to wow my family with this hearty dish.  It came out of the oven, and it smelled good but I had my doubts.  The top of this casserole had crushed Ritz crackers on top and it had a resemblance to dog food.  You know, the kind that comes out of a can?  Luckily my family was adventurous enough to try it, and I will be honest it was a strike out.  None of us liked it, only a corner of a 9X13 pan was eaten, and the rest went down the garbage disposal.  However, how would we have known if I didn't try something new?  It very possibly could've been a mouthwatering, delicious meal that was added to our weekly staples.  Not so much this time, but maybe the next new recipe I whip up will be a hit?

Last night I thought about writing this blog, and I texted T and one of my friends about including this recipe today.  Did I really want to share one of my all time favorite recipes?  The answer is yes.  I even took pictures as I made the chicken pot pie last night to share.  It came down to this:  I think if you give three people the same recipe to follow, and the same ingredients to make something it will turn out slightly different each time.   It can become yours.  Everyone has their own spin on things and ways to make things.  Seasonings they prefer to use or are comfortable with.  I decided not to be selfish and to share one of my all time faves with you, in hopes that it may become one of yours too.  I don't have an actual written recipe so some of the amounts are estimates.  Enjoy!  Our mothers recipe for "Chicken Pot Pie for the Soul".....

Embrace Your Sparkle,

B


INGREDIENTS:

* One large skinless boneless chicken breast
   -Or 2 cups of cooked, cubed chicken

* 2 stalks of celery, cleaned and chopped up

* 1 1/2 c. corn (can be frozen or canned)

* 1 1/2 c. baby carrots chopped up

* 1/3 c. diced onion

* 4 red potato's or 1 large russet potato.  Peeled, steamed ant cut into cubes

* One ready made pie crust

* One can of Campbell's (reduced fat) Cream of Chicken Soup & One can of water

*Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Salt for seasoning

Note: Instead of using fresh vegetables, you can use a bag of mixed frozen vegetables

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

* Spray your pan with cooking spray and cook your chicken breast until there is no pink. Season with salt and pepper.  Once cooked, cube chicken up and set aside.

* In a large pan, saute all veggies in cooking spray and season with  garlic salt and pepper. 

*Once veggies are tender, toss the cooked chicken in the same pan and toss around for a minute or two.

* Add the can of Cream of Chicken soup to the veggie/chicken mixture & add one can of water as well.  Stir and simmer until soup starts to thicken. (Usually about 5 minutes)

* Line your pie plate with bottom layer of pie crust while waiting for the above to thicken.

* Pour the soup,veggie and chicken mixture into the pie crust.  Layer the top crust over the ingredients and pinch the edges.  Put a small slice in each quarter of the top of the pie crust for venting. (You can brush top of pie crust with milk or egg whites to make a glossy golden brown top)

* Bake for 45 minutes or until crust is golden brown.  Let pie sit out for approximately 10 minutes to cool and set.

* Enjoy!










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