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