Chicken, Sausage, and Leek Pot Pie

Chicken pot pie is one of those homey foods, like macaroni and cheese, that just feels comfortable on a cool fall night.  This recipe fulfills all those comfort-food requirements, but is dressed up enough to serve to company.

The sausage is really the key to making this recipe amazing.  Don't leave it out!

A note on leeks.  Leeks are usually pretty dirty when you buy them, and even if they look clean, they need solid washing.  Cut of the tops first, then slice the stem part into rounds.  Separate the rounds and put them in a sink or bowl of clean water.  Let all the dirt settle to the bottom, and then scoop out the clean leeks.

Chicken, Sausage, and Leek Pot Pie
Recipe adapted from Jamie Oliver

Ingredients:
1 T olive oil
2 T butter
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces (you can use breasts, but it won't taste as good)
2 medium leeks, trimmed, sliced, and washed
2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
3 sticks celery, finely sliced
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 tsp dried)
2 Tbs flour
1 cup white grape juice or white wine
1/2 cup water
1 1/4 cups milk
Salt and pepper, to taste
8 oz ground italian sausage
1 sheet of puff pastry
1 egg + 1 tsp water

Preheat oven to 425F.  Remove puff pastry from freezer and set out to thaw.

In a large pot heat oil and butter over medium heat.  Add chicken, leeks, carrots, celery and thyme and cook slowly on the stove for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Turn heat to medium-high and add flour, stirring constantly for 1 minute.  Add juice, water, and milk and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low.  Simmer for 30 minutes, or until chicken is tender, stirring occasionally so the bottom doesn't stick.  If sauce is still very thin, simmer uncovered until mixture thickens slightly.

Meanwhile, cook the sausage in a skillet until browned and crumbled.  Mix them into the thickened chicken mixture.

Pour the chicken mixture into a 9-inch pie pan.  Roll out the puff pastry to 1/4-inch thick.  Make an egg wash with the egg and 1 tsp water beaten together.  Rub the rim of the pie pan with the egg wash and then put the pastry on top of the pie.  Trim the edges of the pastry and crimp the edges.  Using a knife, lightly score the top of the pastry in a crisscross pattern, which will allow it to puff without shrinking around the edges.  Egg wash the entire top of the pastry, then place in the oven.

Bake for 30 minutes at 425F.  Let sit 10 minutes before serving.
Serves 6.

Bruschetta Chicken Bake

This is a super easy and fast recipe, and tastes so good.  You can use fresh ingredients if you have them or pre-packaged if you don't.  Either way it's pretty great.

Bruschetta Chicken Bake

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped tomatoes with their juices, or 1 15-oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
6 oz dry stuffing mix (I recommend Pepperidge Farm, or Stove Top will do if you can't find that)
1/2 cup water (may need a bit more if using fresh tomatoes)
1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 T fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped, or 1 tsp dried basil
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400F.  Place tomatoes with liquid in a medium bowl.  Add stuffing mix and water; stir until bread is just moistened (if there is still a lot of dry bread, add a bit more water, but you don't want it soggy).  Set aside.  Spray a 9"x13" pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Place chicken in a single layer in the pan, then sprinkle with basil and mozzarella.  Top with the stuffing mixture.  Bake at 400F for 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
Serves 6-8 as a main dish.

Chicken and Bean Enchiladas

This is my friend Alisha's recipe.  I love that it's so easy and quick, and will feed a crowd!  Oh yeah, and it tastes great, too!

Chicken and Bean Enchiladas

Ingredients:

1 lb cooked chicken, shredded or diced (use canned for quicker prep time)
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 can (15 oz) sliced black olives, drained
1 (4 oz) can green chilies
2 tsp cuim
1 T minced garlic
1 T chili powder
1 1/2 - 2 cups Monterrey Jack cheese, or Mexican cheese mix
1 (28 oz) can green enchilada sauce
8-10 flour tortillas

In a large saucepan or deep skillet combine meat, beans, onion, bell pepper, olives, chilies, cumin, garlic, and chili powder. Cook on medium long enough to saute onions and peppers and set the spices into the filling mixture. Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 400F. Fill tortillas with meat/bean mixture (approx. 1/4 - 1/2 cup in each) and top with 2 T cheese. Fold and roll tortillas to close. Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce into the bottom of a 9X13 or slightly larger baking dish. Place rolled tortillas, seam-side down, in pan, then top with rest of enchilada sauce and remaining cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Serve with sour cream, avocados, chopped tomatoes, and chopped lettuce.

Serves 6-8.

Veggie Mini-Pies

Tonight I had no plans for dinner.  I have been trying to plan a whole week's worth of menus, but I really only tend to come up with about four for a whole week, and I was out of plans tonight.  I decided to see what fun thing I could come up with on the fly, and decided on making some individual-sized pot pies.  I was going to do chicken but all my chicken was frozen, so I went with just veggies.  You could, of course, use chicken (or any meat).  Just throw it in when the recipe says to put in the veggies.  The great thing about pies is you really could throw in or take out most of the solid ingredients and it would still taste great.  So tailor this to what you have in your kitchen, and enjoy a hot beautiful pie for dinner.  This is the recipe the way I made it.

Veggie Mini-Pies

Ingredients:
1 sheet frozen puff pastry
1 T olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
2 sticks celery, chopped
1 cup peas, corn, or mixed vegetables (fresh, frozen, or canned)
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp oregano
1 cup milk, divided
2 T flour
1/2 cup water
1 cup chicken broth
1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 425F.  Remove puff pastry from freezer and lay out to thaw.

In a large saucepan heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and garlic and saute for 1 minute.  Add all vegetables, thyme and oregano and stir for 1 minute, then add 1/2 cup of milk.  Turn heat to medium and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until carrots are beginning to soften, stirring often.  Add the flour and stir in, then the water, broth, and rest of the milk.  Turn the heat to medium-high and bring to a nice boil, then turn down to medium and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, using your individual serving dishes as a guide, cut circles of the puff pastry that are about 1/8" larger than your dish. 

Taste the vegetable mixture and season with salt and pepper as desired.  Divide the vegetable mixture between your serving dishes (mine filled 4 8-oz souffle dishes).  Using the beaten egg, lightly coat the top rim of the serving dishes.  Place a round of puff pastry over each dish, pressing down the overhang, then use a fork to press the edges to the rim.  The overhang and the pressing insure the pastry won't shrink off the edges during baking. 

Brush more of the egg wash over the top of each pie, then place all dishes on a baking sheet.  Bake at 425F for 15 minutes, or until beautifully brown and crispy.  Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 4.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Last night our church had the Relief Society (the women's organization in our church) Christmas Party.  I'm on the committee that plans these activities, so was privy to the menu.  The main dish was a chicken cordon bleu casserole, which was both easy and delicious.  It involves none of the cutting, filling, and wrapping that a traditional chicken cordon bleu entails, but still encompasses all the flavor and texture of the original.  We served it with rice pilaf, steamed baby carrots and parsley, and dinner rolls.  Give it a try!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Ingredients:
Chicken Tenders (enough to cover the bottom of a 9" x 13" pan, about 10)
Ham, sliced to 1/8", about 4-6 slices
Swiss or Muenster cheese, sliced 1/8" thick
Italian breadcrumbs
3-4 Eggs
1/2 cup cream or half-n-half
Thyme (fresh is best, leaves picked)


In a low flat dish (like a pie plate) crack 2 or 3 of the eggs and whisk until the whites and yolks are mixed.  In another low flat dish put the breadcrumbs, reserving 1/4 cup for the topping.  Grease a 9" x 13" pan.
Dip chicken tenders first into the egg mixture, then into the breadcrumb mixture.  Place coated chicken in a single layer to cover the bottom of the pan. On top of the chicken place a layer of ham, covering chicken completely.  On top of the ham make a layer of the cheese.

In a small bowl whisk together 1 egg and the cream or half-n-half.  Pour the mixture over the chicken, ham, and cheese, letting it seep down to the bottom of the pan.  Sprinkle the remaining breadcrumbs over top of the cheese, then sprinkle with fresh thyme.  (Can be covered and refrigerated at this point until you are ready to bake it, up to 24 hours.)

Bake at 350F for  20-30 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F.  Then turn on the broiler and broil for 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese is slightly bubbly and the breadcrumbs are browned.

Serves 8.