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!

Granola, completely taken from Mark Bittman

 (photo courtesy Real Simple)

Nutrition info:

Per 1/4 cup

56 calories

3.6 g fat

1.6 g fiber

1.8 g protein

Introduction:

The basic technique for making granola is always the same; it's what you put in it that makes it special. Think of this recipe as a guideline for a basic granola and then customize it in any way you like; there are lots of ideas in these pages.

Rolled oats are the most common grain, but you can use lots of other rolled and flaked grains, like wheat, rye, quinoa, millet, kamut, or brown rice flakes. Increase or decrease the other ingredients as you like and toss in other ingredients like nut butters, vanilla, or citrus zest. See the variations for some ideas.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups rolled oats (not quick‐cooking or instant)
• 2 cups mixed nuts and seeds: a combination of sunflower seeds, chopped walnuts, pecans, almonds, cashews, sesame seeds, etc.
• 1 cup shredded coconut (optional)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or to taste
• Dash a dash salt
• ½ to 1 cup honey or maple syrup, or to taste
• 1 cup raisins or chopped dried fruit

Steps:

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. In a bowl, combine the oats, nuts and seeds, the coconut if you're using it, cinnamon, salt, and sweetener. Spread evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes or a little longer, stirring occasionally. The mixture should brown evenly; the browner it gets without burning, the crunchier the granola will be.
2. Remove the pan from the oven and add the raisins. Cool on a rack, stirring once in a while until the granola reaches room temperature. Transfer to a sealed container and store in the refrigerator; it will keep indefinitely.

Variations:

Peanut Butter Granola

Any nut butter or tahini will work nicely here; toss in some chocolate chips if you like very sweet granola: Add ½ cup peanut butter and mix with the ½ cup honey or maple syrup until blended. Proceed with the recipe; stir the granola every few minutes while it's baking to prevent the peanut butter from burning.

Spiced Granola

Add another teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon each ground anise and cardamom, ¼ teaspoon each freshly grated nutmeg and ground cloves, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.

Ginger‐Molasses Granola

Crumbled gingersnaps are a great addition to this: Substitute molasses for half of the sweetener and add a 1‐ to 2‐inch piece fresh ginger, grated into the sweetener. Add ¼ cup chopped crystallized ginger along with the raisins.

All Purpose Cleaner

Safe for kiddos, easy on earth and wallet!

All purpose cleaner

4C 1C hot water

2T 1/2T soda

1/4C 1/16C vinegar

Few drops essential oil

Comfort Meatloaf (for my love)

Comfort Meatloaf. 

This one is similar enough to my mother-in-law's, which is Dan's favorite comfort food. Kiddos will not be helping with this one--Big girl is recovering from being sick and Little girl is making beautiful art... it's blissfully quiet! :-)

MOM'S MEATLOAF
2 lbs. hamburger meat 1 tsp. salt 1 med. onion 1 cup milk 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 2 eggs, beaten 1 tsp. pepper 1 cup bread crumbs 1/3 cup ketchup Mix all ingredients together and shape into a loaf. Place in a loaf pan and bake at 375°F for 1 hour. Thanks to Cooks.com! (Full recipe: http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1927,139164-233201,00.html)

The Seven Silly Eaters Bread

This year, Maggie and I decided to give her teachers the book The Seven Silly Eaters by Mary Ann Hoberman and illustrated by Marla Frazee with a "matching" quick bread. We will also the breads to the specials teachers, without the book. Ella's preschool teacher gets a copy of the book, and all three teachers in the room will get the bread.

In the story, each of the seven children has a specific favorite food. In the end (after much hilarity for the children and sleep deprivation for the mama), they combine their favorite foods and eat the result all the time. The recipe is a combination of this Apple Oatmeal bread and this Maraschino Cherry Loaf. The  special ingredients that had to be represented are: milk, pink lemonade (cherries made it pink), applesauce, oatmeal, bread, and eggs. Here's hoping it freezes well!

It's a work in progress so I'm going to keep messing with it until it seems good. The first batch resembled corn bread in texture. But it's pink! :-) And too sweet... will reduce sugar.

Seven Silly Eaters' Quick Bread
1 1/2 C flour
1 C rolled oats
3 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2/3 C sugar (needs less--will try 1/4 to 1/2 C next time)
2 eggs
1 16-oz jar maraschino cherries, blended (I'd de-stem them first if I were you)
2 T milk
3 T oil
1 small grated apple

Mix dry team. Add wet team. Stir to combine. Distribute among four sprayed mini loaf pans. Bake at 350F for 35-45 min. It's Ella-approved! Maggie will try it after school. :-)

Giveaway!

So, I'm trying something. I guess the tie-in with my girlies is that they like nail polish, too. I love the Nail Network, and she is having a giveaway. Click here for info! And good luck!