Chicken Pot Pie

2 C diced cooked chicken (2 chicken breasts - -I sometimes pan fry them until they are just done and sometimes boil them)

2 C diced potatoes, blanched (2 medium potatoes)

1 C carrots, blanched (2 carrots)

1 C chopped onion

1 C sweet green peas

6 T butter

6 T flour

2 C chicken broth (may use that from boiling chicken)

1 C milk

Salt, pepper, seasonings (I use about 1/2 t or more salt and 1/4 black pepper, and about 1 t chicken bouillon)

Fresh parsley, finely chopped

1 recipe Double Pie Crust

Cook chicken breasts until they are just done, then cover and set aside. Cube chicken into 1/2 inch cubes.

Place diced potatoes and carrots in boiling water and blanche vegetables until they are just beginning to soften, (about 7-8 mins). Remove and rinse in cold water. Set aside.

Melt butter in large saucepan. Saute celery and onions in butter until almost tender, (2-3 mins). Add flour and cook another 2 minutes to make a blonde roux.  Add chicken broth and cook until sauce begins to thicken. Add seasonings and milk and cook until sauce again thickens.

Add potatoes, carrots, chicken and peas to sauce.  Pour into a 9 inch pie crust and tover with top crust. Make slits in top crust to vent pie. Bake pie in 400 degree oven for 30-40 minutes until crust is golden brown and vegetables are tender.

Hint: The pie will taste better if you season the sauce just a little because the vegetables will balance out the flavor.

Shared in RS Program February 26, 2012.

From Esther West-Emeril Lagasse, Esther grew up and got married!

Double Pie Crust

2 C flour
2 t salt
1/2 C cold shortening
1/2 C cold butter
1/2 C ice-cold water

Cut cold shortening and butter into flour and salt until it resembles course crumbs. Add enough water until a soft dough forms. Divide dough into 2 balls and wrap each in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate dough until it is chilled, before making crusts, about 30 minutes or more.

(I take my dough out of the fridge a couple of minutes before I roll it out so that it can warm and soften slightly. I then knead it only about 5 times so that it rolls out well but isn't tough.)

Shared in RS Program February 26, 2012.

From Esther West-Emeril Lagasse, Esther grew up and got married!

Skinny Texas Cheese Fries

Skinnytaste.com

Ingredients:

2 medium potatoes (2/3 lb total), russet or yukon gold, washed and dried, skin on
2 t olive oil
1 t smoked paprika
1/4 t chili powder
1/4 t onion powder
1/3 t garlic powder
1/8 t cumin
coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper
1 slice center cut bacon, cooked and finely chopped
1/3 C sharp shredded cheddar cheese
2 T diced scallions
1 T sliced pickled jalapeno (jarred or canned)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheet with foil for easy clean-up.  Lightly coat with cooking spray.  Cut each potato lengthwise into 1/4 thin slices, then cut each slice into 1/4 inch fries.

In a large bowl, combine cut potatoes and oil; toss well. Add seasoning (paprika to salt & pepper). Toss to coat.

Place potatoes in a single layer on a lightly greased large baking sheet. Bake uncovered for about 25 minutes or until tender crisp, turning once half way through (depending on thickness, this may require more or less time).

Remove from oven, place fries into two small oven safe dishes (or one large dish for sharing), top with cheddar cheese, sliced jalapenos, scallions and bacon bits, and return to the oven for about 2 minutes, or until the cheese melts. Serve warm with low-fat buttermilk ranch dressing.

In RS Program April 8, 2012.

Light Baked Potato Soup

Yield: 4 servings
From Cooking Light Oct 2010

4 (6 oz) red potatoes
2 t olive oil
1/2 C chopped onion
1 1/4 C lower-sodium chicken broth
3 T all-purpose flour
2 C 1% low-fat milk, divided
1/4 C reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 t salt
1/4 freshly ground black pepper
3 bacon slices, halved
1/3 C shredded cheddar cheese
4 t thinly sliced green onions

Pierce potatoes with a fork. Microwave on HIGH 13 minutes or until tender. Cut in half; cool slightly.

While potatoes cook, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; saute 3 minutes. Add broth.  Combine flour and 1/2 C milk in measuring cup; add to pan then add the remaining 1 1/2 C milk. Bring to a boil; stir often, being careful to not let the milk boil over. Cook 1 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream, salt and pepper.

Arrange bacon on a paper towel on a microwave-safe plate. Cover with a paper towel; microwave on HIGH for 4 minutes. Crumble bacon.

Scoop potato into soup and discard potato skins. Coarsely mash potatoes into soup using a potato masher. Ladle soup into four bowls and top with cheese, green onions, and bacon.

In the RS program March 18, 2012.

Shredded Beef Tacos

1 (4 lb) lean roast
2 t black pepper
1 large onion, diced
1 (7 oz) can chopped green chilies
2 t chili powder
1 t cayenne pepper
1 T garlic powder
2 t ground cumin
1 cube beef bouillon

Trim the roast of any excess fat and cut into four pieces. Rub with black pepper and place into a slow cooker.  Add the onions, green chilies, chili powder, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, cumin, and beef bouillon.  Pour enough water to cover 1/3 of the roast.  Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours. Add water if needed to keep the roast from drying out. When meat is done, remove from slow cooker and shred the meat into bite sized pieces using two forks.  Return the meat to the slow cooker and allow to cook in leftover juices for about 20 minutes.

Shared by Michelle deOliveira, in the April 15, 2012 RS program.