I don’t have a picture for this recipe, but wanted to write it down so I don’t forget it! I’ve made it twice in the past couple months and it’s delicious! The garlicky sauce that the veggies and meat are mixed in is wonderful. My husband licked the pot clean when I made the sauce.

The pie has one crust on top. You can purchase frozen pie crust in the grocery store, but if you have a food processor, it comes together in a couple minutes.

I listed all the meats in the title, as it’s been made with all of them.

Turkey, Chicken, or Pheasant Pot Pie

Make the Crust

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups flour (I use King Arthur’s white whole wheat)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled & cut into small chunks
• 3 1/2 Tbsp. ice cold water
• 1 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

Put it Together:

• Combine flour, butter, & salt in food processor. Pulse until crumbly. This is about 10 1 second pulses.
• Stir water and vinegar in a small bowl.
• Pour half the water-vinegar mixture in processor. Pulse to combine (about 8 1 second pulses). Pour remaining liquid in and pulse til it comes together. (8-10 1 second pulses). Sometimes I have to had a bit more water.
• Shape into a small ball, cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
• This recipe makes enough to make a top crust of 13 x 9 inch pan.

Make the Filling

Ingredients

• 6 Tbsp. butter
• 4-6 cloves garlic, minced (be generous with this)
• 2/3 cup flour (I use white whole wheat by King Arthur)
• 3 cups chicken stock/broth (or use water to make 3 cups if not enough broth).
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 small potatoes, diced (I left peel on)
• 2 cups chopped/sliced carrots
• 3-4 celery stalks, sliced
• 1-2 cups frozen peas
• 2  cups cooked chopped/shredded turkey, chicken, or pheasant.
• Cayenne pepper or crushed red peppers to taste
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• salt and pepper to taste

Put it Together

• Make the filling: Heat the Olive Oil in a large pot. Add onion, potatoes, celery, carrots, thyme, & cayenne/crushed red pepper flakes. Sauté until tender crisp – about 5-7 minutes. Add frozen peas and add meat of choice. Set aside.
• Make the sauce: Melt 6 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet. Add garlic and sauté for a minute. Add flour and whisk until a thick paste forms. Add the stock one cup at a time. Whisk after each cup. Season with salt and pepper. Add to vegetable/meat mixture, stirring to combine.
• Finish it: Pour mixture into a greased 13 x 9 inch pan. Roll out your pie crust on a lightly floured board til it hangs slightly over the 13 x 9 inch pan. Finish the edges with fork prints or as you wish. Cut slits in the top. Put in 375 degree preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Brush the warm crust with a bit of butter. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches remind me of comfort food from my childhood. My Mother would make homemade tomato soup or use the Campbell’s condensed soup that we added milk to. I don’t have my Mother’s recipe and I’ve tried several different variations of tomato soup over the years. This one below is my current favorite. I initially found a similar soup from Sandra Lee, Food Network, and made some changes to suit our family.

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Ingredients:

• 2+ cups of diced onion
• 2+ tsp. minced garlic
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 4 cans (14-16 oz.) of roasted diced tomatoes (have used regular diced tomatoes when roasted diced not available, which does happen in my area of the country).
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup dry vermouth or dry sherry
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped (I’ve used dried when fresh is not available, but there’s something special about fresh basil)
• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
• 1 cup 2% milk or cream

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium pot. Add garlic and onion and saute 2-3 minutes.
2. Add remaining ingredients, except for milk/cream.
3. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer 10-15 minutes.
4. Remove pot from heat, and using an immersion blender, puree the soup.
5. Add the milk and heat soup. Serve with additional basil if desired.

I like to serve this with grilled cheese sandwiches. I use whole grain breads, any cheese you like (provolone, sharp cheddar, smoked cheddar are some variations I’ve used). It’s also fun to make the grilled cheese in a Panini press or my George Foreman grill.