Pot Pie

My oldest daughter decided to straighten her hair. So, I am going to take a poll to see what you think. I prefer the curls. She was born with dark straight hair then after a couple of months her blond curls came in and we have never known anything else. What do you think?

Straight? Curly as before? You are welcome to vote here. The next day she washed her hair and the curls were instantly back. I remember how my Grandmother always would curl her hair and Allie has instant curls.

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving or a great day yesterday. Did you eat a lot of turkey? Do you have a lot left? My husband loves leftover turkey. How do you eat your leftover turkey? My husband's favorite way is to make a sandwich. My son doesn't care since he just loves turkey. Growing up, my Mom always made a turkey pot pie the next day. My husband is afraid of pot pies because he thinks there are peas hiding out in there. I made his pea free.

Turkey/Chicken Pot Pie
Filling:
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 large russet potato, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
8 oz. button mushrooms, sliced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
salt and ground pepper
3 cups cooked turkey/chicken, cut into bite size pieces

Cream Sauce:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp hot pepper sauce
Salt and ground pepper

Crust:
1 cup unsalted butter
3 cups all purpose flour
8 oz. chilled cream cheese
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground white pepper
1 large egg, beatened

Directions:
To make filling:

1. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and potato. Saute for 5 minutes.
3. Add the garlic, bell pepper, and mushrooms. Saute for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
4. Stir in the crushed red pepper, salt, and pepper to taste.
5. Stir in the turkey/chicken meat until incorporated.
6. Set aside the filling.

To make the cream sauce:

1. In a large saucepan, melt the 1/2 cup unsalted butter over medium heat.
2. Add the flour and whisk until smooth.
3. Whisk in the stock and cook over medium heat until sauce thickens.
4. Add the cream. Also, add the hot sauce, salt, and white pepper to taste.
5. Pour the cream sauce over the chicken mixture and mix well.

To make the crust:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Cut the 1 cup of butter into 16 pieces.
3. In a food processor, pulse the butter with the flour until crumbly.
4. Add the cream cheese, salt, and white pepper.
5. Pulse just until the dough forms a ball.
6. Set the dough onto a clean surface dusted with flour.
7. Roll the dough to 1/4 inch thickness.
8. Cut the dough about 1 1/2 larger than the container using for the filling.

To assemble Pot Pies:

1. In 1 1/4 cup individual oven safe bowls with the chicken filling.
2. Lay the dough over the dish, making the dough hang evenly over the dish.
3. Brush the dough with the beaten egg.
4. Place the dish or bowls onto a cookie sheet lined with tin foil/parchment paper.
5. Bake the Pot Pies for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
6. Serve immediately. 

Recipe adapted from The Pastry Queen Cookbook by Rebecca Rather.

One year ago.....................I made Buffalo Chicken Dip.

Did you already know............
-The average Thanksgiving turkey weighs 15 pounds.
-An average Thanksgiving turkey is 70% white meat.
-A group of wild turkeys are called a rafter.

PQ Baby shower

Welcome to our virtual baby shower for Emily of Ruf Love! What an exciting time. She is having a baby boy. To celebrate this gift of life, PQ members wanted to express our congratulations to Emily. Emily of A Gilt Nutmeg is the gracious host so please stop by the PQ site and Emily's site to see what each one of us made to honor Emily and her family.

 Since this was a PQ virtual baby shower, I decided to make the Emergency Fruit Crostatas in mini form. The crust is wonderful. Plus it has fruit in it! 

Mini Fruit Crostatas
1 cup sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chilled unsalted butter
4 Tbsp ice water
1 cup fruit

Directions:
Crust:

1. Cut the butter into small pieces or grate the butter for smaller pieces.
2. In a food processor,  pulse 1/2 cup sugar with the flour and salt.
3. Add the butter and pulse about 3 to 5 times or until the mixture is crumbly.
4. Pour 1 Tbsp of water at a time through the food processor's feed tube.
5. Pulse the dough until the dough begins to hold together.
6. Remove the dough and shape into a ball.
7. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Fruit Prep:

1. Chop any large pieces of fruit to the size of a blueberry.
2. Add the fruit to a bowl and toss with about 1/2 cup of sugar.
3. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Crostatas:

1. Preheat oven to 450 F degrees.
2. Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness.
3. Using the rim of a large glass, cut out circles from the dough.
4. Press the dough into a muffin tin.
5. Into the center of each dough in the tin, spoon about 1 1/2 Tbsp of the fruit.
6. Fold the dough slightly over the fruit.
7. Sprinkle with the remaining sugar.
8. Bake the crostatas for 12 minutes or until the edges of the crust brown.
9. Allow the crostatas to cool in the muffin tin for about 10 minutes and remove.

Recipe adapted from The Pastry Queen cookbook.

Did you already know...
-About 4 million babies are born a year in the U.S.
-There are around 107 boys born to every 100 girls born worldwide.
-For the first 6 weeks from conception all embryos develop as females.