Rain + sickies + pot pie = better than awful day

The kids have been a little sick since Sunday.  Yesterday, it ramped up for Drew and Winslow. And today?  Moi.  You know how in Ghostbusters II, there's an evil pink river flowing through the city?  Just imagine an evil green snotty river, and you'll know what's happening here at the KC in RP.  We haven't tested to see if the slime would make a toaster dance, but we might try.

It's also been raining. I love rain.  We need it.

However. Ahem. On the other hand.

Rain can be so dreary.  So dinner had to be something uplifting, miraculous, more than the beans and rice I had planned (seriously, though, the kids love beans and rice as well as plain ol' lentils), so I went a-cruisin' through my handy-dandy, nift-a-rino Bride and Groom: First and Forever Cookbook that my college friend (who just got engaged and her diamond is bigger than a chocolate chip cookie! Best Wishes, YY!) gave me when Ryan and I got married in 2009.  This cookbook is very very good.  Not only is it gorgeous, but it is also filled with great recipes.  I've only had one mild failure with the beef burgundy, which tasted good, but needed about 2 more hours in the oven.  Just ask my brother. He ate it too, and was free flowing with the criticism.  (I'll just get McDonald's for him next time, so he can have real food.  I'll make something nice for his wife because she did the right thing and pretended to love what I made.)

Anyway, I decided on chicken pot pie.  I've always loved the dish, and have even enjoyed those frozen versions that cost 79 cents at the store, but these days, I much prefer homemade as much as possible.

Chicken Pot Pie, adapted from Bride And Groom: First and Forever Cookbook

1 T olive oil

1 chopped onion

As much garlic as you want, chopped

3/4 tsp dried thyme (use fresh if you want, but use more)

Salt and pepper

1/2 c dry white wine

1 T flour

2/3 c chicken stock

1 jar alfredo sauce (15 oz)

3 c shredded cooked chicken

veggies of your choice: carrots, peas, corn, potatoes.  all should be cooked or canned or frozen (thaw before use)

1 sheet of pie pastry (make it yourself -enough for one pie-or use the premade stuff. This is one of those times I don't mind somebody else making it)

1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 425.

Heat the oil, onion, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook until onion is soft.  Add wine and evaporate until the onions are just a tad wet.  Put in the flour, stir, and cook for 1 minute.  Add the stock, stir around, and let it thicken just a bit (shouldn't take very long at all).

Take the pan off the heat and add in the Alfredo sauce first (yes, you'll notice this is another premade item.  Alfredo sauce is not something I've made well.  A jar'll have to do). Then drop in the chicken and veggies. Add salt or pepper if needed. Roll out the pie dough over the filling.  I guess I should tell you now that I use a round casserole dish for this meal because I can make it a one pot recipe.  If you don't have a stove AND oven ready pan, transfer the filling to an oven friendly casserole dish or even several if you wanna make individual potpies.  Then you'll put the pie dough on.  I don't bother making sure it fits tightly.

Take a pastry brush and brush the beaten egg onto the pie dough.  Bake for 35-45 minutes.  Once you take it out, let it sit at least 15 minutes before serving. It's like lasagna.  If you eat it immediately, not only will you burn the hell out of your mouth, but you'll also get something a bit runnier than it should be.

Forgot to take a picture until we'd eaten supper.  Oopsy.

Drew helped me by building towers of cans and jars.  Can you say brilliant?  I can.  BRILLIANT!  You have to say it loudly with an English accent.

He actually had four things stacked and decided
 that the wasabi sauce needed to be on the floor.

How's that for symmetry?

There, that's where the wasabi goes.  

So there ya have it.  Pot pie saved the day.  And Drew helped.  Let's hope we don't have to do anything drastic tomorrow, like make chocolate cake.