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.

Parri’s Finger Steaks

Parri’s Version Finger Steaks - Stan Approved 😂

This recipe will feed about 4-5 people.  I recommend you triple or quadruple it for large family gatherings.  A doubled batch fed around 6 people at my house.

Step 1:

Batter/Marinade

1 Egg

2 cups Buttermilk

2 Tbs. Montreal Steak Seasoning 

1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour

1/2 tsp Baking Powder 

1 1/2 lbs Boneless Beef  Sirloin - Cut into strips 

Note:  I cut into strips and then cut them again lengthwise down the middle

Method:

Beat together the egg, buttermilk, Montreal steak seasoning. Add 1/2 cup of flour and baking powder and mix with whisk until consistency of pancake batter.  Add the beef strips and toss until well coated.  Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

Step 2:

Flour Mixture:

2.5 Cups of Flour

2 tsp Garlic Powder

Salt/Pepper to taste 

Method:

Add flour mixture ingredients to bowl and mix.  Remove steak strips one at a time from buttermilk batter and allow excess to drip off.  Dredge each piece in the seasoned flour and place on a parchment lined (or wax paper) baking sheet and freeze at least one hour or overnight.  I prepare everything the night before and cover the floured strips in the pan with Saran and foil and keep it in the freezer until the next day.

TIP: Use small tongs not hands for pulling strips out of batter and tossing in flour 

Step 3:

When you are ready to cook them, add 2-3 inches of canola oil in a deep pot (I used my enameled cast iron pot and it worked great) and heat oil to 370 degrees.  Or you can use my handy wooden spoon trick to check the temp.  See tip below.  Add frozen battered/floured steak strips and fry for around 4 minutes or until golden in color. 

Remove from oil and place on a paper towel lined sheet pan while you continue frying the rest.  

TIP - Oil is ready when you put the handle end of a wooden spoon in the oil and it bubbles around the wooden spoon.  Use this trick each time before adding more strips to fry.

Cane’s Sauce Recipe (for dipping)

1/2 Cup Mayonaise

1/2 Cup Ketchup

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

Mix and store in the fridge 

Hawaiian Style Smoked Pork Ribs on the Traeger

Hawaiian Pork Rib Rub (Enough for one rack of ribs, double if you have two racks)

3 Tbs. Brown Sugar
2 Tbs. Sweet Paprika (I used regular)
1 tsp. Cumin
1 tsp. Onion Powder
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 tsp. Coarse Sea Salt (Hawaiian Sea Salt Preferred)
1/2 tsp. Black Pepper

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and apply to rack of ribs (be sure to pat dry the ribs first)

Traeger 3-2-1 Method

Preheat Traeger to 180 degrees for 15 minutes.  Add pork ribs, bone side down, straight onto the grill.  Smoke for 3 hours.

After 3 hours remove ribs from the grill and turn heat up to 225 degrees.  Wrap ribs in parchment paper (tightly) and then in foil and return to grill (bone side down) for 2 hours.

After 2 hours remove ribs from grill.  Peel off foil and parchment paper.  Brush ribs with drippings and then with bbq sauce.  Toss out parchment paper and foil and return the ribs back to the grill (bone side down) for 1 hour at 225 degrees and then they are done!

This is a super easy method but it does take about 6 hours.

ENJOY

Disneyland Churros

Italian Sliders

This is a new variation of the ham sliders I found and they were a big hit!  I would reccommend doubling the recipe

Ingredients:
12 Hawaiian Sweet Rolls (King's Hawaiian)
1/4 cup pesto
1/2 pound of ham
1/4 pound salami
1/4 pound pepperoni
1/4 pound provolone cheese
1/4 cup sun-dried tomoatoes

Glaze:
4 Tbs. Butter
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp. Garlic powder

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  While keeping the rolls intact, cut them in half.  Place bottom half of the rolls in a  greased 9X13 pan.  Evenly spread pesto on the bottom half of rolls.  Layer ham, salami, pepperoni, provolone cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes.  Place top half of rolls over everything.  Melt butter in microwave safe dish and then mix in italian seasoning and garlic powder.  Brush glaze over rolls and cover with foil. Bake covered at 350 for 25 minutes then remove foil and cook an additional 10 minutes.  Cut individual rolls with a sharp knife and serve.

Ham & Cheese Sliders

These are sooo good and easy to make for a crowd!

Ingredients:
24 Hawaiian sweet rolls (Kings Hawaiian)
1 lb. Black Forest Ham
1 lb. Swiss Cheese
Mayonaise

Glaze:
1 stick Butter
2 Tbs. Brown sugar
1 Tbs. Dijon Mustard
1 Tbs. Poppy seeds
1 tsp. Onion powder
2 tsp. Worcestershire Sause
1/4 tsp Salt
Pinch of Black Pepper

Method for Rolls:
Lightly spray and 11X17 pan or 9X13 for a 1/2 batch with baking spray.  Cut the sliders in half (while attached, don't break apart).  Place bottom half into the bottom of the dish and spread mayo on the top half and set aside.  Cut cheese slices into quarters and layer on the individual rolls (cheese, ham & then cheese again)  Add top half of rolls into the dish and brush generously with the glaze.  cover with foil and cook at 350 for 25 minutes then remove foil and cook an additional 10 minutes.  Take a knife and cut the rolls into individual portions and serve.  Delicious!

Method for Glaze:
In small microwave safe dish heat butter in microwave until melted.  Stir in remaining ingredients and then brush over the top of rolls after they are assembled.

Stacy's Bruschetta

Ingredients:
6 tomatoes (chopped) - I like to use roma tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic (crushed)
Salt to taste
Basil
Olive Oil (good quality)
Balsamic Vinegar
Italian or French bread

Method:
Chop up 6 tomatoes.  Add 2 cloves of crushed garlic.  Add salt to taste.  Use a 3 to 1 ratio of Olive oil to Balsamic Vinegar.  Shred basil into small strips.  Stir together, taste and make adjustments as needed.  toast small slices of Italian or French bread brushed with Olive Oil.  Top bread with bruschetta and add small pieces of mozzerella  if you want.