Carla's Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

Makes two pies

Ingredients:

2 boxes Pillsbury Pie Dough (Refrigerator Section)

2.5 lbs of cubed Cooked Chicken - set aside

1 cube of Butter

1 medium Onion - diced (can omit if you don't like onions)

3/4 cup of Flour (approximately) - I used a little less than 3/4 of a cup

2 cups of Milk or Half/Half

1 cup Chicken Broth

1 small jar of Alfredo Sauce

1 Tbs. Minced Garlic (I left this out)

1 can of Cooked Carrots (drained)

2 cans of cooked diced Potatoes (drained)

1 can of Corn (drained)

1 cup of Frozen Peas

1/2 tsp Salt

Pepper to taste

Prep:

Spray pie pan with non-stick spray and add bottom pie crust.  Pierce 6-7 times with a fork and set aside.  Pour 2 cups of milk or half/half in liquid measuring cup.  Pour 1 cup of chicken broth in measuring cup.  Dice onion and set aside.  In a strainer, pour the can of carrots, potatoes, and corn and set aside.

Method:

In large pot you will start a roux by sauteing the onion in the cube of butter.  When the onions are translucent and starting to caramelize, add 1/2 cup of flour.  Use a whisk and stir to combine and cook the flour for about 20-30 seconds. This will resemble a paste. Then add about 1 cup of Milk or Half/Half and stir with the whisk to incorporate.  Add 1 cup of Chicken Broth, again while stirring constantly with a whisk. Then add about 1/8 cup of flour, again....while stirring constantly with a whisk.  Then you will add the last cup of Milk or Half/Half (Keep Stirring).  Now add the jar of alfredo sauce and garlic (if you choose) and stir to combine.  This should be the texture and thickness of gravy. Add salt/pepper, carrots, potatoes, corn, frozen peas, and chicken.  Stir to combine.  I added more salt and pepper at this point.  Your sauce should now resemble the picture above.

Note: If you don't want to add the onion, just leave it out and make the roux with the melted butter and follow the same instructions adding more milk and flour if needed.

Scoop mixture into prepped pie pans leaving it domed in the middle.  Add top pie crust, folding under the overlapping edges, and then pinch to seal. Pierce top of pie with a fork about 10 times. 

Bake at 375 for about 45 minutes.

Note:  This is a great recipe to make ahead and freeze.  If you are baking a frozen pie, pull it out and leave it on the counter for a couple hours before you put it in the oven.

Cafe Rio Recipes

Cafe Rio Chicken

1 small bottle kraft zesty italian dressing
1 Tbs. chili powder
1 Tbs. cumin
3 cloves garlic (minced)
5 lbs chicken breasts

Cook all together in crock pot for 4 hours, shred meat & cook an additional hour

Cafe Rio Pork

1 pork roast or pork loin
1.5 cans coca cola (classic)
1 cup sugar
1 (7 oz.) can chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
1 tsp. (heaping) dry ground mustard
1 tsp. (heaping) cumin
1 tsp. garlic (minced)

Remove chilis from the can of adobo sauce (if you leave them in it's much hotter).  Add all ingredients (except pork) in a blender.  Rinse can of adobo sauce with coke to get all the sauce out.  Blend until well mixed.  Place pork in a crock pot and pour sauce over it.  Cook on low 7-9 hours or until pork pulls apart with a fork.

Cafe Rio Rice

3 cups water
4 tsp. chicken bouillon
4 tsp. garlic (minced)
1/2 bunch of cilantro
1 can green chilies
3/4 tsp salt
1 Tbs. butter
1/2 onion
3 cups rice

Blend cilantro, green chilies & onion together in food processor.  Bring water to a boil and add all ingredients.  Simmer covered for 30 minutes.  Or just dump in a rice cooker.

Cafe Rio Dressing

1 pckg. buttermilk ranch dressing
2 tomatillos
1/2 bunch of cilantro
1 clove of garlic
Juice of 1 lime
1 Jalapeno (I leave this out)

Make ranch dressing as per packet instructions.   Take the husks of the tomatillos.  Use the seeds of the jalapeno if you like spicy dressing (I don't add any).  Use a food processor to blend all ingredients together well and then refrigerate.

Assemble however you like.  We love the cook at home tortillas from costco.  Add cheese and black beans and chopped lettuce.

Thanks Kathleen!

Tex-Mex Chicken Soup

Tex-Mex Chicken Bean Soup

Take a whole chicken with the skin on. Wash and remove "extras" that may be left inside of bird cavity. Put in large pot and put in just enough water or chicken stock to cover it. Add some salt, pepper, chicken/poultry seasoning, and 1 and a half Tablespoons of Tex-Mex Seasoning. (recipe will follow). Boil on low-med. for 3-4 hrs. covered. Remove chicken from pot and shred it. (You can also use frozen tenderloins, breasts, or whatever you have on hand.) To the flavored stock add:

handful of diced celery

2 chopped carrots

1 whole onion, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, chopped and de-seeded

1 small can of diced tomatoes


Add back the shredded chicken and add 1/2 c. of rice. Continue on low boil until rice is fully cooked.

At the very end, add 2 cans of black beans that have been drained and 5 bouillon cubes.

You MUST garnish this with sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese or it won't be the same......ok???!!!!???!!!!


Tex-Mex Seasoning Mix

1/4 c. dried chili powder

4 t. paprika

2 t. salt

2 t. ginger

1 t. black pepper

1 t. cumin

1 t. onion powder

1 t. garlic powder

1/4 t. thyme

1/4 t. cayenne pepper


Mix all ingredients and store in airtight container.

**Also great on grilled meats, in chili, bbq sauces, soups, casseroles etc. ***

Kathleen's Chicken and Rice

My friend Kathleen recently made this recipe for a potluck and I will warn you it looks a little scary but holy crap it's GOOD!

Ingredients:
6-7 chicken breasts
1 bottle of italian dressing
8 oz. cream cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
Cooked Rice

Directions:
Throw chicken and italian dressing in crockpot and cook for 8 hours. Shred chicken and put back in the crockpot and add the cream cheese and cream of chicken. Stir and cook for an additional half hour. Serve over rice.

Chicken Enchaladas

1 lb. of cooked cubed chicken
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cups of cheese
salt/pepper to taste
tortillas

Cook and cube chicken. Combine all of the other ingredients minus the tortillas in a medium pot and cook over medium heat until smooth (continually stirring). Spray a 9X13 pan with nonstick spray. Add some chicken and sauce in the tortilla, roll up and place in the pan. Repeat until pan is full and then pour the remaining sauce over top, making sure all the tortillas are covered. Sprinkle with lots of cheese. Bake at 350 until warm and bubbling.

Teriyaki Chicken

Another Brunson Recipe!

Chicken Breasts and Thighs
Yoshida's Teriyaki Sauce
French Bread Rolls

Super easy! Marinate chicken all day in the teriyaki sauce and BBQ until done. We usually eat these on Safeway's soft french bread rolls.