Em's Mini Meals(and sweet treats!): Chicken Pot Pie for 2

Em's Mini Meals(and sweet treats!): Chicken Pot Pie for 2: Happy Holidays fellow foodies!  I have finally taught myself how to make pot pie for 2. Or pot pie for one with leftovers for lunch or anot...

Chicken Pot Pie for 2

Happy Holidays fellow foodies! 
I have finally taught myself how to make pot pie for 2. Or pot pie for one with leftovers for lunch or another dinner! 
This is a hands on meal and not one for the early learner. 
I can tell you that I made this start to finish on a week night and ate by 7pm. Not bad! 


Ingredients: 

1 pre made pie crust(I recommend Pillsbury and not store brand, whoa what a difference)
1/4 cup frozen butter beans
1/4 cup frozen corn
1/4 cup frozen green beans
1/4 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup fresh diced carrots
1 chicken breast
1/4 cup white wine
2 Tbs butter
2 Tbs olive oil
3 Tbs flour
4 garlic cloves, smashed
1/2 small onion, diced
1 1/2 cups milk OR chicken stock
salt/pepper to taste
1 small casserole dish(mine is 6x9)

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 350. 
Place chicken in small pot and cover with water. Bring to boil, reduce to medium. Cook chicken until fork tender. 
While chicken cooks, proceed with rest of recipe. :)
Spray casserole dish with cooking spray. Roll out pie crust as thinly as possible and cut in half. Place one half in bottom of casserole dish. 
Combine peas, beans, carrots, and corn in microwave safe bowl. Add about 1/4 cup water. Microwave for 5 minutes. Put aside. 
Preheat medium saucepan to medium heat. Add olive oil and onion. Cook onion for about 1-2 minutes then add garlic. Continue to cook for about 2-3 more minutes. Add white wine and cook another 2-3 minutes or until wine reduces. 
Add butter to pan and once melted add flour. Cook for about 3-4 minutes. Its important to allow flour to cook to get rid of flour taste, otherwise your sauce will taste like flour. Add stock or milk. You may want to add more stock or milk depending on how thick you want your sauce. Salt and pepper to taste. 
Once chicken is cooked, take out of water and dice/shred into bite sized pieces. 
Combine veggies, sauce and chicken in bowl. Taste again for seasoning. Add salt/pepper if needed. Pour into pie crust lined dish and top with other half of crust. 
Seal edges together and cut about 4 small slits into top of crust. 
Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes or until top is golden brown and bubbly. 

Tips! 

• store your frozen veggies in freezer ziploc bags for longer life span
• when you bring your chicken home from the grocery, store in individual freezer bags 
• stock up of frozen veggies when on sale, these guys make great go-tos for casseroles or any meal!
• Save your time dicing garlic and just smash the clove, pick the cloves out of the sauce before mixing with other ingredients. 
• freeze your butter for longer shelf life, still able to cut off whatever you need when cooking
• buy Publix snack size bags of carrots. these make GREAT servings for any meal, AND they keep longer in their individual packages. I used one full bag for this recipe

Lentil, Kale and Sweet Potato Stew

Tis the season to make soul warming food! As the cold air rushes in, I am inspired to make soups and stews to warm up! This stew would serve 4 hearty portions or 2 with leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day!


There are many benefits to this stew recipe!

1. It is loaded with super foods like kale and sweet potatoes. 
2. It is healthier than most as it calls for water and not sodium filled stocks. 
3. It freezes beautifully! 
4. I like to freeze in individual sized portions so that I have a quick go to for lunch or dinner!

Ingredients: 

· Olive Oil
· salt and pepper to taste
· 1 red onion (finely chopped)
· 7 carrots (thinly sliced coins)
· 3 garlic cloves (finely minced)
· 1 cup lentils (rinsed)
· 2 teaspoons cumin
· 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
· 6 cups water
· 1 sweet potato (peeled and finely diced; about 1 cup)
· 1 bunch kale ( rinsed and finely shredded)

 Directions: 

In a heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat, add about 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering and hot, add the onion. Season with salt and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, or until soft.


Add the carrots and cook for 3 more minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 more minute. Add in the rinsed lentils and cook for about 2 minutes, toasting in the oil. Add the cumin and chili flakes, and continue to toast for another minute, or until fragrant. Add the water and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce to a very low heat and gently simmer for about 10 minutes.


Then, carefully stir in the sweet potato and kale. Cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until the lentils are cooked through but not mushy. ( you may need to add a little more water, add until you get the consistency you wish for!)
Once cooked, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil.


Tips for the working girl(or guy!) 

1. Wash and shred your kale the day/night before 
2. Peel and dice sweet potato. Store in fridge in a bowl of water. 
3. Rinse your lentils. 
4. Dice your carrots, garlic and onion the day/night before. 
5. With the previous tips, you can make this soup in 30 minutes on a work night!
6. Great News! You can now buy frozen kale! It comes ready to go straight from the freezer! Huge time saver AND allows you to have kale on hand. 

Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Risotto

So I am going to keep this quite simple.

First, risotto is made with Arborio rice. If you shop at Publix, they carry this rice and it comes in a red/green/clear bag.

Follow the risotto instructions on the bag. Easy peasy.

(most risottos tell you to use “warm” chicken stock. I never do that. I just use room temp stock from a box. I have listed the ingredients below for both risotto and add ins, look at bag of rice for quantities. :)

Ingredients: 

1 bag arborio rice

1 onion

fresh garlic

white wine of your choice

32 oz box, chicken stock

unsalted butter

fresh Parmesan cheese

olive oil

1 butternut squash

1 4oz log goat cheese

1 handful fresh basil leaves, confettied

First, risotto is made with Arborio rice. If you shop at Publix, they carry this rice and it comes in a red/green/clear bag.

Follow the risotto instructions on the bag. Easy peasy.

(most risottos tell you to use “warm” chicken stock. I never do that. I just use room temp stock from a box. I have listed the ingredients below for both risotto and add ins, look at bag of rice for quantities. :)

If you want to make it butternut squash/goat cheese/basil……before starting risotto, start cooking squash. Squash and risotto take same time to cook. You can EVEN roast your squash ahead of time and let it chill in fridge.

·         Cut butternut squash in half lengthwise, remove seeds and sprinkle with olive oil, salt/pepper.

·         Place on foil lined cookie sheet and bake @400 for about 30 minutes or until fork tender.

·         Allow it to cool, then cut out in small bite sizes.

·         (a lot of people like to peel/dice their squash before baking, but I find it to be quite difficult. Totally your call)

·         Once risotto is finished cooking, stir in squash and one small log of goat cheese broken into small pieces.

·         Top with fresh basil when serving! J

Snickers Pie

This recipe is dedicated to my a-mazing brother in law. Snickers pie is a personal favorite of his and he orders it every time he goes to a local restaurant on Tybee. I decided for this weeks family dinner to make my own version and well, I must say, I nailed it. Not only is this recipe divine, but it was super simple to make. 
The presentation was equally spectacular, but I forgot to take a picture!


Ingredients: 

1 package Oreo cookies(use about 1.5 rows)
1 stick unsalted butter: melted
1 bag Snickers minis
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
chocolate syrup (optional)

Directions: 

In a food processor, add the Oreo cookies and blend until the texture of cookie crumbs. Add the melted butter and blend until well combine.

Place the ground crumb mixture into a 9- or 10-inch deep-dish pie pan and press onto the bottom and up the sides evenly. 

Refrigerate the crust for at least 30 minutes before you add the filling. (I just stuck mine in the fridge while I worked on the filling)

Place Snickers and peanut butter in microwavable bowl. Microwave on high for 30 second increments until melted/combined. (takes about 2 minutes) Allow mixture to cool. 

Combine 2 cups of heavy cream and 1/4 cup granulated sugar in separate bowl. Beat at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Don't over whip! 

Slowly fold Snickers mixture into whipped cream. Pour into prepared pie dish. Refrigerate 3-4 hours. 

Before serving, combine other cup of heavy cream and 1/4 cup sugar in bowl. Beat at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Top pie with whipped cream. 

For fun, I chopped up some Goobers candy and sprinkled over top the whipped cream. 

As I plated each piece, I drizzled chocolate syrup over top. 

This pie turns out to look like a restaurant quality dessert. Next time I promise to take a picture! 

(this isn't my pie....but gives you an idea! Mine was topped with whipped cream!)

Chick Pea and Cous Cous Salad

Another great summer salad for lunches or as a side for a weeknight meal.
Super simple and yummy!


Ingredients:

1 box Near East basil israeli cous cous, cooked according to package directions
1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 fresh garden tomato, diced
1/2 cup feta cheese
5-6 basil leave, confettied
balsamic vinegar
extra virgen olive oil

Directions:

Cook cous cous according to package directions. Set aside to cool.

In medium mixing bowl, combine cous cous, peas, tomato, feta and basil. Sprinkle a small amount of vinegar and olive oil to coat. Toss all ingredients together to serve.

Cooks Tip:

I like this salad as a work week lunch. In that case, I only mis the peas and cous cous and store in the fridge.
The morning of, I add some of the diced tomato, feta, basil, vinegar and oil. I don't like the idea of the tomato and other ingredients sitting together all week. Totally a personal choice, but thought I should share!

Fresh Peach Fruit Crisp

It's peach season! Mind you, if you are in Georgia, make sure you get your hands on SC peaches because they are hands down the best.
I LOVE peaches and anything involving fresh peaches, from sliced peaches to cobbler to homemade ice cream.
Living alone, I have NO business making a cobbler for 8 so I am always thinking of ways to make smaller servings. :)
Meet my fresh peach fruit crisp.


Ingredients:

2 fresh peaches, peeled and cut into small bites
1/2 tsp corn starch
1/8 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup quick cooking oatmeal
1/2 tsp cinnamon- divided
2 Tbs cold butter, cut into small cubes
2 small ramekins

Preheat toaster oven(or oven) to 375.

In small bowl, combine peaches with 1/4 tsp cinnamon and cornstarch. Distribute peaches equally between the 2 ramekins.

In another small bowl, combine dry ingredients. With hands combine dry ingredients with butter.

Top peaches with equal amounts of oatmeal topping.
Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

Servings: 2