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.

Canned Apple Pie Filling

4-5 cups of sliced apples
3/4 cup water
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 cup Sugar
1/8 tsp walt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbs. corn starch

Boil apples until barely tender.  Add sauce to apples and bring to a boil.  Place apple mixture into canning jars, and and water bath for 25 minutes.  Just pour this filling into a pie shell and bake.  It's better than the store bought apple pies.

(Carol Hansen)

Pear Pie

Mix together:
6 medium pears, sliced
3 Tbs. lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbs. flour

Place in unbaked pie shell and top with crumble topping.

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp mace
1/4 cup butter

Bake @ 425* for 30 - 40 minutes

(Carol Hansen)

Lemon Meringue Pie

1 1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup plus 1 Tbs. corn starch
1 1/2 cups water
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
3 Tbs. butter
2 tsp. grated lemon peel
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 drops of yellow food coloring (optional)

Need one baked pie shell.  Preheat oven to 400*

Mix sugar & cornstarch in large saucepan.  Stir in water gradually.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thicken and boils.  Boil and stir 1 minute.  Stir at least half of the hot mixture gradually into egg yolks and blend quickly with a whire whisk.  Blend into hot mixture in saucepan.  Boil and stir 1 minute.  Remove from heat; stir in butter, lemon peel, lemon juice and food color.  Pour into pie shell.

Spoon meringue onto hot pie filling, carefully sealing meringue to edge of crust.  Bake until light brown, about 10 minutes.  Let cool.

(Carol Hansen)

Cherry Pie

1 Qt. cherries
3 Tbs. flour
2 cups sugar
1 Tbs. vinegar
1 tsp. almond extract
Red food coloring, if desired

Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil.  Check for desired tast and thickness.

*She loves freezing pitted bing cherries and making Bing Cherry Pie. 

(Carol Hansen)

Chocolate Pie

2 cups milk in double boiler, or cook in heavy pan on medium heat.  Mix 1/4 tsp. salt, 2/3 cup sugar, 2 Tbs. cornstarch & 3 Tbs. cocoa.

Add enough milk to dry mixture to make a smooth paste.  Add two egg yolks beaten slightly.  Add this to the milk in the pan and cook until thick.  Add 1 tsp. vanilla.  Pour in baked pie shell.  use remaining egg whites to make a meringue, if desired.

Variation
She likes to eat this pie warm with whipped cream on top.  Make it festive by pouring a few M&M candies on the top of the whip cream before serving.

You can also line your pie shell with sliced bananas and pour the chocolate pudding over the top.

(Carol Hansen)

Butterscotch Pie

Melt 1 Tbs. butter in large skillet, allow to fry until lightly browned.  Add 1 cup brown sugar and 4 Tbs. milk.  Let cook for 5 minutes.

In a separate bowl mix 3 slightly beaten egg yolks, 1 heaping Tbs. flour and 1 cup of milk.  pour some hot mixture into the egg mixture, mixing quickly with a wire whisk.  Return mixture to brown sugar mixter and cook until thick.  Pour into the pie shell.  Use remaining egg whites to make a meringue, if desired.

(Carol Hansen)

Pineapple Jello Pie

1 1/2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice
2 eggs beaten (not frothy)
1 cup sugar

Bring to a boil over medium heat

Add 1 pckg. small lemon jello.  Cool on counter, not in refrigerator.  Whip one can of chilled evaporated milk and fold into pineapple mixture.  Place in graham cracker crust.  Makes two pies.

(Carol Hansen)

Banana Cream Pie

Cut one banana and place in bottom of baked pie shell.  Mix 1 small pckg. of Jello vanilla instant pie filling and prepare as usual, stirring one minute.  Add 2 cups of vanilla ice cream, slightly softened.  Mix until smooth.  Pour into pie shell and top with whip cream before serving.  Chill 1-3 hours.

Variation
She likes to add her bananas to the top of the pie instead of the bottom.  That way they don't get mushy if you don't eat it right away.  Another variation is to add a few frozen raspberries to the top of the pie along with the bananas.

If you want coconut cream pie, just brown some coconut and sprinkle it on top or mix plain coconut in as you blend the ingredients.

(Carol Hansen)

Apple Pie

6 cups tart apples
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbs. butter

Peel, core and slice apples to desired thickess.  Shake apples in a back with sugar mixture and pour into pie shell.  Top with butter.  Bake @ 450* for 10 minutes then reduce to 350* for 30 minutes.

(Carol Hansen)

Blackberry Pie

2 quarts fresh or frozen blackberries.  Add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of sugar depending on sweetness desires,
4-5 Tbs. corn starch, and 1 Tbs. lemon juice.  Add some red food coloring for bright color.  Bring to a slow boil over medium heat and check for sweetness and desired thickness.  Top filling with a few slices of butter and bake @ 400* for 10 min.  Reduce heat and back @ 350* for 25-30 min. 

P.S. Coat crust with flour and sugar

(Carol Hansen)

Vanilla Wafer Crust

Mix together 1 1/2 cups fine vanilla wafer crumbs (about 36 wafers) and 6 Tbs. melted margerine.  Press into pie pan and chill.  *I like to add a little brown sugar to enhance the taste.  The crust stays together better if it is baked a little.

Recipe Courtesy of
Carol Hansen

Graham Cracker Crust

Combine 1 1/4 fine graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar (I like brown), and 6 Tbs. melted margerine.  Mix together and press firmly into pie pan.  bake at 375* for 6-9 minutes or until edges are browned.

Variation
Chocolate Cookie Crust - Don't add anything but margerine and bake like the graham cracker crust.  This is a great shell to layer ice cream in for summer pie.

Perfect Pie Crust

This is Judie's super easy, perfect every time, pie crust.  This will make enough for two double pies.

Cut together:

3 cups of flour
1 1/4 cup shortening
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

Beat 1 egg, add 5-7 Tbs. ice water, and 1 Tbs. vinegar.  Add to flour mixture, lifting together gently with a fork.  Brush the edges with egg yokes and sprinkle with some sugar.  Bake @ 425 for 12-15 min.

Miniature Key Lime Pies

I found this recipe on one of my favorite recipe blogs and decided it was worth a try. I made it for our Easter dinner and decided it was Palmerlicious worthy.

Ingredients:
9 mini graham cracker pie crusts
5 egg yolks
1 (14oz.) can of sweetened and condensed milk
1/2 cup of key lime juice or regular lime juice
2 drops of green food coloring
Cool whip or home made whip cream (see below)

Combine ingredients and whisk together. Scoop into mini graham cracker crust pies and bake at 350 for 10-11 min. Let cool and keep in the fridge until your ready to serve. Add whip cream on the top.

Whip Cream
1 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar

combine and use and electic hand mixer blend until you have soft peaks.