Chicken and Root Vegetable Pot Pie

I wasn't feeling like myself. In fact, I hadn't cooked since late-January. When work and life get in the way, our hobbies are the first thing to go. For me, that meant no time in the kitchen for the past few weeks. But just like riding a bike, you get back to feeling like "you" in no time when it's your favorite thing to do. 

Yesterday I was looking for comfort and a dish that would give me something to "do" in the kitchen. For the first time in weeks, quick and easy wasn't the goal. So, I luxuriated in chopping and relaxed into dough rolling. With some good tunes, there's nothing better. 

It's days like this that I'm reminded that I truly LOVE this. The goal for the day was just to enjoy myself. At the end, we were had a warm and cuddly bowl of Chicken Pot Pie. 

The basis for this pie are tasty root vegetables, including potatoes, pearl onion, sweet potatoes and flavor-packed parsnip. Above ground peas, mushrooms and thyme complete the pie. 

The majority of prep time is spent chopping up all of the veggies. Do your best to get things about the same size. This will ensure things will cook at the same rate.

Cooking is quite simple for this dish, just an easy simmer in chicken stock and wine. This also keeps the fat low, since you're not browning or sauteing any ingredients. Good quality stock (preferably homemade) and white wine add lots of flavor.

Mid-way through the cooking you'll add chicken and continue to simmer until cooked through. Then using a slotted spoon, you'll remove the vegetable mixture to a bowl. The cooking liquid will be the basis of a creamy sauce.

To avoid clumping, whisk together the milk and flour before adding to the hot stock and wine mixture. Ahh...doesn't it feel so good to be back in a cute apron? So much more like you than a business suit.

Cook the cream sauce until thickened. A good indicator of thickness is when it is viscous enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Vegetables and cream sauce united!

Roll out thawed puff pastry. Feel the grit of flour in your fingers and feel like you're finally home. With any luck, you'll have some on your face.

Baked to oooey gooey perfection. Relax you're back. You're you again.

Chicken and Root Vegetable Pot Pie
4 cups chicken stock (preferably homemade)
2 cups white wine
2 cups frozen green peas, thawed
1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
4-5 parsnips, peeled and diced
1 (10oz) package frozen pearl onions
1lb cremini mushrooms, quartered
1lb skinless, boneless chicken breast, cubed
2/3 cup flour
1 1/2 cups fat free milk
3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Cooking spray
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring chicken stock and white wine to a boil in a large dutch oven. Add peas, potatoes, parsnips, onions and mushrooms. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add chicken and simmer for another 10-15 minutes; cook until potatoes have softened and chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken and vegetables to a bowl, using a slotted spoon.

In a bowl whisk together flour and milk, taking care to avoid lumps. Increase heat to medium and whisk in the milk/flour mixture. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened. Add chicken and vegetable mixture to cream sauce and stir in thyme, salt and pepper. Spoon into greased individual oven-proof bowls or a 9x13 baking dish.

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour over a clean surface. Roll out dough to and cut in individual squares to cover bowls or an 11x15 rectangle. Brush beaten egg around edges of baking dish (or dishes). Place dough on top of dish and press into egg-washed edges. Brush top of dough with egg wash. Cut slit into the top of dough to allow steam to escape. Place on a foil-lined baking dish and bake for 30 minutes; or until filling is bubbling and dough is golden brown.

Herbed Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Cheese plate, glass of wine, cocktail meatball, back to the cheese plate, more wine, bite of cookie, keep the wine coming, another meatball, okay just a splash more of the Cabernet... ooh, there's a cheese plate at this party? Welcome to my week. Five nights of holiday parties in a row... here we go Christmas.

File this one under "my life is hard" ridiculousness, but in all seriousness, this kind of partying can wreak havoc on one's waist line and liver. So a little planning ahead on Sunday is providing a fresh, vegetable-forward soup to help balance out sugar, fat and alcohol. Won't make up for the lavish indulgences, but at least it will make me feel slightly less gluttonous.

Apples lend a tartness to complement the sugar-y sweet squash, with fresh herbs as punctuation.

Use a sharp vegetable peeler to remove that pesky skin from the squash. No matter if you hack and knick it a bit, the forthcoming puree will mask a multitude of peeling sins.

Saute to soften, then in with the herbs and broth; simmer to tender town.

An immersion blender would be fantastic here. In other "my life is hard" news, I don't have one of those, so a food processor or blender will work just as well.

Pureed perfect. Be sure you're stocked up on Gatorade and saltine crackers... this week's going to be a doozy.

Herbed Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
1 butternut squash, peeled and roughly chopped
3 small apples, peeled and roughly chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 teaspoon fresh sage, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
S&P

Over medium heat, melt butter with olive oil. Add onions to butter and oil and cook until softened, about 8-10 minutes. Add butternut squash and apples, cooking until the outer edges begin to soften. Add vegetable stock, herbs, S&P and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook until squash is fork tender, about 30 minutes.

Puree squash mixture with an immersion blender or in two batches in a food processor or blender. Season to taste and thin with extra stock, if needed.

Serve hot.