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Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Chicken Pot Pie Cheater

Hullo there folks!
A quick introduction to The Single Mommy Diaries may be in order:
This blog isn't only for single moms though I know they will relate to the daily adventures that stem from being such. This blog is for anyone who is time-crunched and looking for some fun shortcuts and humor to help move from "surviving" into "living" (without moving directly into the local insane asylum).
So whether you are young and single, married and mature, childless or childful (?) these posts are for you and your life.

Although there is a caveat....if you are a single mom and your child is under the age of three then you're just gonna have to suck it up. That's pretty much your identity for the next few years but have no fear, you will re-emerge onto the scene of life with a new-found sense of humor, a classy and experienced attitude and an unfortunate apprehension of white pants. I raise my glass to you my friend, you can do it!




My first post is a recipe. Enjoy!

The working mom’s best friend: the rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.
This is God’s gift to you my friend, utilize it.
Don’t go overboard as the succulent little guys are loaded with sodium but if you can find the time to get one during your lunch hour, you’ll have the base for your dinners over the next few days. This is my favorite recipe and the one I pull out when I invite folks over for dinner last minute on a work night. Super fast and super easy, everything we’re looking for in a recipe (notice I left that joke wide open…fill in your punch line at will). Just make sure that you have a bag of frozen mixed veggies in the fridge and that you remember to grab some frozen pie shells at the store. Also grab a head of broccoli or brussels sprouts to steam for a veggie side dish. If you start your kid early enough, he or she will most likely eat brussels sprouts. They are so sweet and have a fairly decent texture. The trick is to NOT OVER STEAM THEM! If your kiddos refuse to eat veggies then we’ll talk about that at a later time. The frozen veggies in this recipe will solve the food pyramid puzzle of the day.

The Chicken Pot Pie Cheater:
First things first. Grab your large skillet and make a white sauce. HA! Yes, it sounds complicated and I totally used that cooking term for my own self-serving, pseudo-culinary-intellectual purposes. But I digress…..
Make a white sauce, which is as easy as melting 2 tablespoons of butter (or a not so tasty but healthier substitute) over low heat, stirring in 2 tablespoons of flour or cornstarch. Then stir in 1 cup of milk to make your “white sauce”. You can actually use any combination of veggie or meat broth, depending on your mood and pantry. Cook and stir until smooth, thickened and gently simmering. You want enough of the sauce to use as a base for your pot pie innards…not soupy but definitely the consistency of your favorite pot pie from childhood. You can always add more of the liquid or more of the flour to get it to the consistency that you’re after. Don’t forget to add salt and pepper to taste. That’s crucial or your pot pie will taste a tad bland.
Take your rotisserie chicken and shred/cut pieces out of the breast. You’ll probably use at least half of the bird for this dish. Don’t worry; you’ll still have enough left over for tomorrow’s dinner (shredded chicken and cheese quesadillas or shredded chicken over pasta and sauce). Put the chicken pieces straight into the pan with a few handfuls of frozen veggies (again, this is up to you and your definition of what’s yummy). Keep it on low heat and stir around for a few minutes, place into a pie dish and unroll a pie sheet over the top, crimping the sides down. Pop it into a 375 oven for about 10 minutes, just enough to make sure it’s sufficiently hot and that the crust is a golden brown. You’re all set! The beauty of this dish is that the chicken is already cooked and warm from the sauce and if your veggies were frozen when they went in, they’ll retain their shape without going mushy in your final product. Boil some water on the stove and steam whatever veggies you have around and you’ve got a full meal in 20 minutes tops. And not just any meal, we’re talking a homemade-ish type meal. It’s so unbelievable yummy too. If you’re not a natural chef (and if you are, please send me your shortcuts!) be careful about cooking this when Persons of Importance are around. It’s total false advertising regarding your culinary prowess! :-)

14 comments:

  1. Welcome to the Blogosphere! Love the recipe and hope i become even THAT domestic some day!!!

    Beautiful blog design too...Annabelle sure has a knack for creativity and beauty!

    Miss you! Check out my blog: http://ardentadventurer.blogspot.com/

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  2. Mmmmm, now I'm HUNGRY!!!! Can't wait to add this to my recipes! LOVE YOU A BILLION!!!!!

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  3. Came over from you sister's site to say hello! Welcome!

    This sounds incredibly yummy by the way!

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  4. Welcome to blog land. Dropped by after reading your sisters blog. I know your sister must have done your background-it just looks like her. I am trying to learn how to do my own backgrounds so I can create my own look.

    Come by my blog some time

    Cheri
    www.itssoverycheri.blogspot.com

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  5. I, too, stopped by from your sister's blog :-) Your blog is so cute! And thanks for the recipe, I'm always looking for quick, easy things to make during the school year when I work all day!

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  6. Welcome to blog land, you are gonna love it! =)

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  7. Just popped over from anna's blog. Welcome to blogland. Thanks for the cheater recipe, I love the rotisserie chicken.

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  8. Came over from your sisters blog(actually just found out her and I went to AHS haha.small world)....Welcome to the blog world!! You'll be hooked in no time :)

    Even tho I'm not a Chicken Pot Pie person, that recipe looks neat!!

    Have a wonderful night/day
    xoxo

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  9. I stopped by your blog and as a matter of fact, I joined today.
    Hi. My name is Miss Jody. I stalk your sis's blog.{you don't really kmow me..i'm joking here}
    But I follow your sis's blog and I just think she's fab!
    This food recipe is making me hungry.
    Love youyr blog! :)

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  10. HI!!!! So glad to meet ya!!

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  11. Just wanted to say hi! That recipe sounds soo tasty!

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  12. Great recipe idea. And the photo of you and your daughter is absolutely lovely. Thanks for sharing your experiences :)

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  13. Hi I came over from your sister's blog! Welcome to the blog world! Great recipe!=)

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  14. ...Annabelle sure has a knack for creativity and beauty!

    Work from home India

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