Dan's Pot Pie and Oil Pastry

Everybody loves Dan's pot pie (turkey or chicken--it's great either way!). He made one for a sick friend and they begged for the recipe, but he told them he "just does it by feel." Well, that's what makes him such a good cook. However, he wanted to give me a bit of help, so this is his recipe with my approximation of ingredients. The best you're going to get, I think!

Dan's Famous Pot Pie

This is how *I* make pot pie.

I pre-cook all the veggies in a large pot. (I was going to include a small amount of rice in this one to help as a glue, up to you). Once they are warmed through I add the chicken and herbs. Stir stir stir….

I add in a small amount of thickened stock/gravy. It shouldn’t be soupy! Nice and thick and just a little wet. It should stick together somewhat.

We make it in a big Dutch oven. My ratios are a bit different than his--I keep the meat to maybe 1/3 of the overall ingredients; he's closer to 1/2. Obviously he's better at this, so trust him. I just can't help putting in more veg! (or I don't add right--I don't claim to have "the feel.")

ingredients:

leftover chicken (usually from a baked whole chicken; we eat one meal and use the leftovers for pie)

any leftover veg you have handy (I know, really specific)

Carrots

Celery

Potato (mashed is fine--see his note about rice)

Beans (why not?)

Broccoli

Onions

Garlic

Frozen corn

Frozen peas

Frozen mixed veg

~anything but peppers, eggplant, tomatoes~

Cook in a pie shell. Homemade, store-bought, whatever you like (oil pastry recipe follows). I paint the top with some oil or butter first; Dan does not. Again, follow his tips and you won't go wrong! And yet I insist on improvising!

Heart Association Oil Pastry

2 1/4 C AP flour
3/4 t salt
1/3 C cold (skim) milk
1/2 C plus 1 T oil

(To prebake a one-crust pie, bake 12-14 minutes at 450F. I'd also use less salt for that.)

Carrot Amazingness

Jackie made this for Michelle's birthday this year. She brought it IN to the restaurant and we LIT CANDLES and ate it there! It was amazing. Truly. Never shall I eat another carrot cake--this is the only recipe to have!

Carrot Cake

   

Ingredients

Cake                                                                     

• 2 cups granulated sugar                                
• 1 cup vegie oil                                                
• 4 eggs                                                                  
• 2 cups all-purpose flour                                  
• 1 tsp baking powder                                       
• 1 tsp baking soda                                           
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups grated carrots
• butter/spray for greasing

Frosting

• 1 stick softened butter
• 1 pkg (8 oz) softened cream cheese
• 1 lb. powdered sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup pecans, (finely chopped) 

Directions:      

For the cake:  Preheat the oven to 350^o .  Mix together the granulated sugar, oil and eggs in a large bowl.  In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and combine.  Then add the carrots and mix well.  Pour the batter into a greased and floured Bundt (boont) pan and bake until done, about 50 minutes.  Leave to cool completely.     

Meanwhile, for the icing:  In a larger bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese together.  Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and blend.  Then mix in the pecans.  Spread the icing on the cooled carrot cake.  It makes a lot of icing - much more than you need.

Warning:  I never said it was good dietary-wise.

But it is yummy!