Hey all. My name is Tricia. I am Tami’s younger sister. It was cold out the other night and I wanted something warm. I love comfort food. And it shows.( Hopefully soon I will get my exercise program going). Anyway I decided on making some chicken potpies. I have these cute oval pyrex bowls that make an individual serving size. They worked perfect. Here is what I did to make these babies.

Bring 6 cups(48 oz) of chicken broth to boil in a stock pot. Add 1/2 of an onion, 3 large carrots chopped into cubes and 3-4 potatoes chopped into cubes. Boil for 10 minutes. Next add 1 can of green beans. (I used a pint of green beans I canned over the summer)Also add 3/4 cup of frozen corn and 1 cup of frozen broccoli.Boil for another 10 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups of cooked chicken. Next make a thickening of flour and water.(Make sure to whisk well to get all the lumps out. Nobody likes lumps). Add thickening to the boiling pot slowly, stirring constantly until the broth is thick. Turn heat off and let set.

Next it is time to make the crust. I know some might think it is hard to make your own. I also thought that, but my sister Tracy convinced me to try once again. And I did and really it wasn’t hard at all. I used the recipe for a double crust. It takes 2 cups of flour,1 teaspoon of salt,2/3 cup of shortening and 5 to 7 tablespoons of ice cold water. Mix flour and salt. next add in shortening. Cut shortening into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or two knives. Cut shortening until it is the size of peas. Next add ice cold water, mixing as you go. Use enough water to make into dough. Place dough on a well floured surface. Take small amount of the dough to make small crusts to cover the bowls unless you are using a large pan and the just use all the dough. Roll out dough and place over the bowls. You can crinkle the edges or just leave them plain. I did both. Now it is time to bake . Place bowls on a cookie sheet and bake in a 350′ oven for 15-20 minutes or until crust is golden brown.Now it is time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Sit back and enjoy the warmth and comfort of your potpie. YUMBO!!

So here is the recipe

CHICKEN POT PIE (Tricia)

The cast of characters:

1 1/2 cups of cooked chicken,cubed

1/2 onion chopped

6 cups of chicken broth(48 oz) I use low sodium

3-4 potatoes peeled and cubed

3 large carrots peeled and cubed

1 can green beans

3/4 cup frozen corn

1 cup frozen  chopped broccoli

Double pie crust recipe (see below)

Bring chicken broth to a boil. Add onions, carrots and potatoes. Bring back to a boil for 10 minutes. Add remaining veggies and boil for 10 more minutes. Add cooked chicken. Make a thickening with flour and water. Slowly add to the pan stirring constantly. Once thickened remove from heat. Make a double crust recipe . Fill oven proof bowls with the chicken mixture. Top bowls with pie crust. Place bowls on a baking sheet. Bake at 350′ for 15-20 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Pie crust (Tracy)

Single crust

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup shortening

4 to 5 tablespoons ice cold water

Double crust

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup shortening

5 to 7 tablespoons ice cold water

Mix flour and salt. Add shortening. Cut in shortening with a pastry cutter or two knives until pea size. Slowly add water, mixing as you add until dough is forming. Place dough on a floured surface and roll out with a well floured rolling pin.