Classic Chicken Pot Pie is the most comforting of all the comfort foods in the world and this recipe is super classic with the very basic of ingredients which makes it a crowd pleaser. And it starts with a roux and we know that anything starting with a roux is bound to be DELICIOUS !!
CHICKEN POT PIE (recipe for 1 pie) 2 pie crusts (top & bottom) either homemade or store bought 1-2 cans Veg-all mixed veggies 1/3 c. butter 1/3 c. flour 1/3 c. diced onion 1/4 t. salt pinch of sage or poultry seasoning 1/4 t. pepper 1 3/4 c. chicken broth 2/3 c. milk 3 cups cooked chicken Roll out pie crusts if necessary. Drain veggies. Melt butter in saucepan, stir in flour, onion, seasonings. Cook stirring constantly until mix is bubbly. Stir in broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened. Stir in milk. Add chicken and veggies. Pour into pie crust. Sometimes there's a little filling leftover so just eat it because it's that good. Place top crust and crimp edge well.
Prick top crust and bake at 425 for about 35 minutes until crust is well done and prick holes bubble a bit.
Now for the ice cream cake. This is adapted from a recipe found in a Duggar book. This year we actually had ice cream cake for breakfast. A bit unusual, but fun for everyone involved.
Emily's Ice Cream Cake 24 ice cream sandwiches 2 small cartons of Cool Whip chocolate syrup caramel syrup 3 crushed Butterfinger candy bars Unwrap ice cream sandwiches and make one layer in 9x13 pan. Top with 1 carton Cool Whip. Squeeze chocolate syrup and caramel syrup over whipped topping (as much as you'd like). Sprinkle with half the Butterfinger crumbs. Create another layer just the same. Place in freezer until time to serve. You might need to let it thaw a little before cutting.
Our older kids all went to a Bible Camp up North many summers. This baked oatmeal was a breakfast staple. One that Emily loved and looked forward to.
This recipe was first shared on my bulk cooking video here.
BIBLE CAMP BAKED OATMEAL 3/4 c. vegetable oil 3/4 c. white sugar 3 eggs 1 1/2 c. milk 1 t. salt 1 1/2 T. baking powder 4 1/2 c. quick cook oats (regular work fine, too, it'll be a little firmer) 1 t. cinnamon 3/4 c. raisins or any dried fruit you like (optional) Mix all ingredients together. Pour into greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with brown sugar if you'd like. Refrigerate overnight. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes until oatmeal is set. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. I often split this into two smaller square pans, wrap with plastic wrap and then foil and freeze for up to 3 months. To bake I set it on the counter before bed and bake in the morning for a little less time than a full pan - about 25-30 minutes. This keeps well in the fridge once baked and can be warmed up on the following mornings. You can watch this recipe in action on A Country Life.
Stew. Is there anything more comforting on a fall day? I thought not!!
I first showed this Crock-Pot Venison Stew here on YouTube.
CROCK-POT VENISON (BEEF) STEW
3 pounds venison, cubed (1 inch) 6 med. red potatoes, unpeeled, 1 inch cubes 6 carrots, cut into 1/2 inch slices 1-2 large onions, cut into large chunks 2 cups V-8/home-canned tomato juice 3 T. quick-cooking Tapioca 2 t. Worcestershire sauce 1 T. beef bouillon 1/4 t. pepper Dredge meat in flour seasoned with garlic salt and pepper. Quick fry in hot melted lard or shortening just to brown the outside. Place in crock-pot (6 quart). Add all ingredients. Slow cook on low for 5 1/2-6 hours or until meat and veggies are tender. I've made a lot of stew recipes over the year and this one from my sister-in-law is always the favorite. I think it's just so simple and doesn't have any surprising flavors. Just good comfort food especially when served with warm crusty bread. The full video including the recipe can be found at A Country Life.
I'm a huge sucker for chapter books. Often, I don't know who enjoys the books more, me or the kids listening.
I've teamed up with FrontGate Media as a reviewer and I've reviewed some great books and DVDs. This time they sent a chapter book....Alleluia!!
Young Whit & the Traitor's Treasure by Phil Lollar & Dave Arnold
Adventures in Odyssey is a popular Christian radio program and now John Avery Whittaker has made his way to the pages of this first in the series historical mystery. Although the back book cover recommends this book for 10+, my 10, 6, and 5 year olds are all enjoying the story.
More important though, is that I'm enjoying it because let's face it, come bedtime story time if the book is a dud I'm going to nod off and start making up sentences not even written on the pages. You've done that, too, right?
FrontGate Media is giving away multiple copies so be sure to click over there and enter to win.
Enter to win here. Of course, if you don't win or would like to score yourself a copy today, you can click over to Amazon. If you'd prefer it's also available at Focus On the Family.
I recently had another 3 day bulk cooking session where I cook for about 3-4 hours with plenty of large family distractions each day. In the end I stock up the fridge and freezer with food that'll last 3 weeks or more.
A few recipes I haven't ever shared at my blog so below you'll find the recipes for:
Tater Tot Casserole
Savory Chicken
Chicken and Rice Hotdish
Pizza Crust (thin style)
Tater Tot Casserole (makes 3 large family size casseroles)
6 pounds ground venison (or beef or turkey, whatever floats your boat)
2 onions, diced
6 cans cream of anything soup or use the link above and make your own.
6 cans Veg-all, drained slightly
4-6 bags tater tots (depends on how many tots your family likes)
Brown meat and onion. Drain grease if necessary. Mix in large bowl: meat, soups, veggies. Divide into 3 greased foil casserole pans or 3 gallon freezer bags.
If freezing in foil pans, top with tater tots, saran wrap and then foil wrap. Freeze for up to 3 months. To bake: remove casserole from freezer in the morning, set on counter to thaw throughout the day, bake at 400 for 40-60 minutes depending on how thawed the casserole was and how crispy you like your tater tots. Sometimes kids like this served with ketchup.
If freezing in bags do not add tater tots. To bake: thaw casserole mixture thoroughly in fridge, squeeze into greased casserole dish, top with tater tots and bake at 400 for 35-55 minutes depending on how crispy you like your tots.
Savory Chicken Sandwiches (I only made a single recipe of this - double or triple if desired)
3 pound bag of boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup italian dressing
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
2 Tbsp. minced dried onion
2 tsp. powdered bouillon or creamy soup base - chicken, beef or vegetable
Place all ingredients in crock-pot. Cook on high for 4 hours. Shred chicken and place back into liquid. Keep warm and serve on a bed of lettuce or buns. My kids like to add BBQ sauce to their sandwiches.
Cube raw meat into bite sized pieces. Combine soup and milk in large bowl. Grease 3 large casserole pans - 10 x 13 OR extra deep foil pans. Add about 2 cups of soup/milk mix to each pan. Add 1 1/2 cups rice to each pan, add about 2 cups of soup/milk mix. Sprinkle 1 cup cheese, add 1/3 of the cubed chicken, pour over remaining soup/milk mix (2 cups/casserole), dot with a couple Tbsp. butter and sprinkle with remaining cheese about 1 cup/casserole. Saran wrap and foil wrap each pan. Freeze flat; this will be quite soupy. I froze mine on a cookie sheet for stability.
**Be sure all the rice is "tucked in"; if it's out of the liquid it will get hard and not soften all the way.
**Since I'm freezing raw meat I like to buy fresh, unfrozen chicken so that I'm not refreezing raw meat. Doing so increases the chance of freezer burn.
To bake: Thaw completely in fridge (1-2 days); remove foil and saran wrap and bake at 275 for 2 1/2 - 3 hours. Stir once early on and then no more stirring. Check to be sure meat is cooked thoroughly.
Dissolve yeast and salt in water; allow to rest for 8 minutes.
Combine flour and salt in large bowl.
Pour yeast mixture over flour and stir with a heavy spoon.
Turn dough onto floured surface and knead for 2 minutes.
Divide into 6 pieces. Wrap in saran or put into quart bags and freeze without letting it rise first.
To bake: Thaw dough. Roll out to desired thinness. We like very thin crust that gets crunchy so I roll it out to the edge of my 14" and 16" pans. Allow to rise if you like a thicker crust or bake immediately for a thinner crust.
Bake at 500 degrees for 5 minutes. Then add sauce, cheese and other toppings bake for 3-7 minutes longer until crust is done and cheese is bubbly.
