Quick and Easy Chicken Pot Pie

As much as I enjoy making my own stock, pie crusts from scratch and fresh farmers market veggies, there are times when I just don't have the time...or motivation, or time or desire or time to make a pot pie from scratch! This is especially true in the heat of the summer. 

So when my daughter asked for chicken pot pie for dinner, I wanted to say no, how about ... pretty much anything else. Instead, I went the quick and easy route - store bought rotisserie chicken, store bought pie crust, some fresh and some frozen veggies, and even gravy from a package. I know, some of you stopped reading at "store bought" but for the rest of you who don't mind the easy way out on occasion (and seriously, who hasn't earned an easy night now and then), you'll love how this pot pie reminds you of the ones your mom made when you were a kid (or the frozen ones she threw in the oven). They don't call it comfort food for nothin'.

Ingredients

1 rotisserie chicken (3-4 c chicken)
1 tbsp butter
2 packs instant gravy powder (or 2 cups gravy)
2 c water
2 c chicken stock
2 carrots, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 tbsp tomato paste
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp chipotle powder
1/2 c grated cheese
1 c frozen corn
1 c frozen peas
1  double pie crust, store bought

Directions

1. Pull apart chicken into small chunks.
2. Set aside.
3. Melt butter in large sauté pan over medium high heat.
4. Add onions and stir . Cook for 3 minutes.
5. Add garlic. Stir for one minute.
6. Add spices. Stir for another minute.
7. Add tomato paste. Stir for 1 minute.
8. In large bowl or 4 cup measuring cup, whisk together gravy powder, water and stock.
9. Add to sauté pan.
10. Add chicken. Stir.
11. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5-10 minutes until mixture starts to thicken.
12. Remove from heat,
13. Add cheese.
14. Stir.
15. Add peas and corn. Stir.
16. Let sit while you roll out pie crusts.
17. Line 9 inch pie plate with bottom pie crust.
18. Pour in chicken mixture.
19. Quickly top with remaining pie crust.
20. Cut in vent holes in the top crust.
21. You may want to wrap a bit of foil around the edges to prevent over browning (but take it off after the first 20 minutes of baking).
22. Place in oven for approximately 40-45 minutes until golden brown.

Easy Caramel Pumpkin Pie

This dessert is as easy as pie! No, seriously, this pie is simple so even novice bakers will produce a delicious dessert. The addition of dulche de leche evaporated milk gives the pie a sweet side but also a bit of a flavour twist that my husband loved more than a traditional pumpkin pie. The kids loved it too so leftovers didn't last long!

PS - I call it caramel pumpkin pie cause dulche de leche is just too long!

Serving: Serves 6-8

Ingredients

1 can (14oz/398 mL) or 1.5 cups pure pumpkin purée (not pie filling)
1 can (300 mL)  dulce de leche flavoured sweetened condensed milk (I use Eagle Brand®)
2 eggs
2 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ginger

½  tsp nutmeg

Pinch of salt
whipped cream (optional)
9-inch (23 cm) unbaked pie shell (if you want to make your own try the pie crust recipe here.)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 ºF (220 ºC)
2. In large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, and spices.
3. Pour into unbaked pastry shell.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes.
5. Reduce oven temperature to 350 ºF (180 ºC) and bake an additional 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted two inches from edge comes out clean. If edges start to burn too early cover crust edges with foil.
6. Cool.
7. Store in refrigerator.
8. If desired add whipped cream before serving.

Pie Pops are fanstaSTICK!

Above: The perfect 3-inch pie pop. From pops big

From pie pops

Gotta love a dessert that takes about 30 minutes from start to finish and has an off-the-chart cute factor!

Let’s face it –a stick adds FUN and POP to the mundane whether it’s frozen water (popsicles), sugar (lollipop), or processed meat (corndog – hmmm perhaps it should be cornpop).

When I saw Bakerella’s and Luxirare great pie pops I had to try it myself. I took Bakerella’s advice and went the easy route for my first foray into the world of stick pies. And although I usually prefer to make things from scratch, I must be honest and say that I think they tasted great with the pre-made help.

And talk about simple… cut out round dough pieces, place a stick on it, add some filling, complete with another layer of crust and egg wash. “Pop” in the oven for 15 minutes and they are ready!

I did a little experimenting – I added a little extra strip of crust over the stick to help keep the stick stuck and I tried one batch in mini muffin tins to maximize the filling. The first batch, I made a bit smaller than Bakerella's as I managed to get 15 pie pops out of one crust. But to be honest the pie to crust ratio was wrong - unless you really love crust! My kids, however, loved them. My husband much preferred the muffin tin version which was the perfect three bite pie. When I made the mini muffin tin versions I put the stick across so it touched both ends, in the hopes of keeping the stick in place. It seemed to work! They also took about 20 minutes to bake.

Try these – for co-workers, kid parties or even a rainy day… these pie pops are guaranteed to bring smile to everyone with whom you share them. Enjoy!

Update: I tried these with a three inch circle cutter and it was the perfect combo of filling and crust! I also added a sprinkle of coloured sugar to them. This gave the pie pops a great "crunch".
Notes:

• use paper lollipop sticks not plastic
• I baked the pie pops at 350 degrees
• any pie filling will do
• I used "cookie" 6 inch sticks by Wilton but if you are only making the smaller versions the smaller Wilton lollipop sticks will be fine 

From pie pops

From pie pops

From pie pops

From pie pops

From pie pops

From pie pops

From pie pops

From pie pops

From pops big

One and half inch and mini muffin tin pie pops. From pie pops