Ridiculous Chicken Pie

Mmmmm. Oh my. This is good. Really good.

Please do me a favor and go into your kitchen right now. Melt a Tablespoon or 2 of butter over medium heat and add a couple of handfuls of sliced baby bella mushrooms and a few carrots, peeled and diced. After about five minutes, add 3 or 4 Tablespoons of flour. Stir it around and then slowly stir in 2 cups of chicken broth. Add some frozen peas and frozen corn, and some cooked chicken, either shredded or chopped. Add salt and pepper to taste (but remember to taste it first before adding salt; the broth may give it enough flavor on its own). You know what I think would also be really good in this? A couple of eggs, hard-boiled and then peeled and chopped. Trust me. I would have added them myself but Little is allergic to eggs.

As the mixture thickens over a medium heat, walk on over to the cabinet and pull out a mixing bowl. Mix 2 cups whole wheat flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Then, using either your hands or two knives or a pastry cutter like the one my lovely mother-in-law got me for Christmas last year, cut in 2 Tablespoons softened butter and 3 Tablespoons honey. Bring it all together by stirring in 3/4 cup milk until everything is moistened.

Pour the chicken and vegetable mixture into a large casserole. Pull apart pieces of the biscuit dough and place all over the top. Bake in a 400 oven for 25-30 minutes, until the biscuits are nice and golden brown.

Here is the casserole before it went into the oven...


Here it is after the oven...


And here it is just before it went into my mouth...


Mmmm. Please enjoy!

Chicken Asparagus Bake

As I cooked this dish, I started to sing, "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas..." The red bell peppers and green asparagus made me think of the holidays, and I might just revisit this meal in December for that very reason. But, I'll admit, I'll probably revisit before then as well.

Start by melting 2 Tablespoons butter in a pot. Add one finely chopped red bell pepper and about four cups of sliced mushrooms. Cook in butter for about five minutes; then stir in 3 Tablespoons flour, a little bit of nutmeg, and a little bit of salt or chicken boullion. After a minute, stir in 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, 1 cup cooked, shredded chicken, and 1/2 pound fresh or frozen asparagus, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces. Pour mixture into casserole and top with breadcrumbs. Soft breadcrumbs work well in this dish, so I just threw the end pieces of a loaf into the food processor for a quick homemade version. Bake at 400 for 30 to 40 minutes.


Enjoy!

Lentil-Syle Taco Salad

I didn't even know what to call this one. But it's good. You should try it.

Start by peeling and cubing a butternut squash. Place on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, and roast in a 400 oven for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. While the squash cooks, finely chop an onion and saute in a little olive oil. As the onion becomes tender, add 2 cloves minced garlic, one cup dry lentils, one Tablespoon chili powder, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon dried oregano. Stir around a minute and then add 2 and a half cups chicken broth. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 25-30 minutes.

After about half an hour, uncover the lentil mixture and add one can of diced tomatoes (lightly drained) as well as the butternut squash. Stir it all together and let it sit over low heat for 5-10 minutes. Serve over tortilla chips and topped with cheese. It would probably also make a good taco filling!


Enjoy!