Conference turris::cooks

    
    I made a batch of homemade turkey pot pies the last time I cooked
    my DEC turkey.  I made individual ones using those rectangular alum.
    pans  @ 5x3x3.    I rolled out the dough and cut it to size lining
    the bottom and sides, filling the pan and then covering to tops
    with another piece of dough.  Then I baked them in the oven.  I
    don't remember exactly how long but I'll guess 375 degrees 45 min.
    until the tops just turned golden.
    
    I wanted to be able to freeze them for reheating later.
    
    Here are some of the problems I've encountered.
    
    The top crust was well done but the inner crust was mushy; especially
    the side touching the filling.   Should I have covered the top crust
    with alum foil when I baked them and baked longer?
    
    Since you can't use metal in a microvave you have to wait till those
    buggers defrost by themselves.  I've heard that you can defrost
    them in metal.  Is this true?  If not are there similar type pans
    that are microwaveable?
    
    I have defrosted them [letting them stand] than re-baked them at
    350 for @30 minutes but found that most of the moisture was removed
    from the pie and what I was left with was a mushy pie with turkey
    and vegetables; no liquid.   Can I put them in the oven frozen just
    like Swanson's?
    
    I have also tried removing the pan [while still frozen] and then
    popping them in the microwave.  But the crust comes out real spongy
    and mushy as well.
    
    
    Help!  What have/am I doing wrong?  
    
    Someone told me I should bake the pie crust in the pan by itself
    first.  Then add the ingredients, put the top crust on and freeze
    it.  Then when I defrost and re-bake I won't have a mushy pie and
    the top won't be dried out.
    
    Any advise from you oven experts?
    
    Bill

    I am sure the aluminum pans are more convenient and much lighter,
    but I find that using glass dishes to bake pies ensures that the
    bottom crust gets baked to a nice golden color (aluminum doesn't
    seem to do this for me).  You might try that, otherwise, the advice
    to bake the bottom crust first, then fill, is a good option.
    
    Paula
   

    It also helps if you brush the bottom crust with egg white before
    putting it in the oven for the initial cooking.  The egg white forms
    sort of a glaze that seals the crust and helps keep the filling
    from seeping in.
    
    							Pat

When I make pot pies, I skip the bottom crust entirely.  I make the top crust 
out of biscuit dough with herbs.  It always comes out great, but I've never 
frozen them.  

As I recall the Swanson variety, they were frozen with uncooked crusts, and 
the botton crust was always soggy.

Perhaps prebaking and glazing the bottom crust, and leaving the top crust raw 
would get you the desired results.

						     
							- JP

    I have a Betty Crocker Cook book at home that has only make ahead
    dinners in it.  I am pretty sure that it has pot pie recipies in
    it.  I will look when I go home tonight and write down the recipie
    and put it in this file for you with all the directions for freezing
    and such.
    
    
    Liz

I know most COOKS participants are in the New England area, but perhaps 
there's someone out there who can help me.

Since we've lived in Texas, we've really started to get into the cuisine
here.  Southwestern cuisine is so much more than I ever dreamed; when I
lived in North Carolina I thought it consisted solely of tacos and
enchiladas. We've also enjoyed the New Mexico Mexican cuisine, which is the
subject of this note. One of our favorites is Adobe Pie.  I have scoured
the bookstores and leafed through every regional cookbook I can find, but
have not located a recipe. 

Adobe Pie is molded in the shape of an igloo.  It's served in a puddle of 
one or two sauces.  The interior is shredded chicken with seasonings, along 
with some corn kernels and peppers.  Around the chicken center is a 
bready cornmeal layer about 1/2 inch thick.  The whole thing is topped with 
a dollop of sour cream, and ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm it's so good.

Does anyone have a recipe?????

							Pat

    pat,
    
    Could it be tamale pie that you're thinking of? Tamale pie
    has shredded beef or chicken with a tomatoey sauce, corn
    kernels, green or red chili peppers and topped off with corn meal.
    Don't know about the igloo shape, tho. I fix it like a "shepards
    pie" with bottom layer of meat/sauce then layer of corn, then topped
    with corn meal. If this is what you're looking for, I'll try and
    post a recipe from a local cookbook.
    
    pat
    

Mom's still in New Mexico (I grew up there) and I checked for the adobe
pie recipe with her....you were right when you said it was a fancy version
of a tamale pie... Mom said it's popular around Albuquerque lately.
The difference is that they grease a round oven-proof bowl and line it
with thick corn meal mush, fill the center with the cooked shredded chicken
and corn kernels in a mild chile sauce, and top it with more cornmeal mush.
The dish is then baked in the oven approx. 30 minutes or until hot...
unmolded and garnished.

I'll try to remember to get the recipe for tamale pie out later this week...
I don't really USE a recipe, I just add things until it's right...hardly
a safe recommendation for a novice when dealing with chiles.  All this
talk of home makes me HUNGRY...

This is an easy one that can be made in any ovenproof bowl.  It uses up lots
of leftovers:

In the bowl, mix diced turkey meat with leftover veggies (a mix of corn, 
carrots, peas, onions, broccoli, potatoes, sweet potatoes, anything).  If you
don't have leftover veggies, use fresh diced veggies, or bagged frozen mixed
veggies, and microwave till they are cooked.  

Dump the leftover gravy into the mix, or make a quick gravy by melting a 
tablspoon of butter and adding a tablespoon of flour, and frying for a few 
minutes.  Add 1 cup chicken/turkey broth, or bullion.  (This can be thickened
further with leftover mashed potatoes.)

Microwave the entire mix until hot and bubbly.  Taste and add seasoning if 
needed.

In another bowl, prepare a batch of Bisquick "Rolled biscuits" (recipe on the
back of the box), adding 1 teaspoon thyme leaves to the dry mix. 

Pat this into a crust and cover the pie.  Bake as directed for the biscuits.

    
    I have a chickie pie recipe that my husband loves.........
    
    			      Chicken Pie
    
    	1 to 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast
        3 to 4 medium potatos
        1 Tbsp. butter
        1 can of Cream of Chicken soup
        Vegetables (I usually put in a can of peas and a can of carrots).
        2 frozen pie crusts
    
    
    	Peel and cut potatos in small pieces.  Boil these while you're
        preparing the chicken.  Cut up chicken into small pieces.
        Cook chicken in a saucepan with about a tablespoon of butter.
        When chicken is cooked, add the cream of chicken soup.
    	Fill the soup can with water (or milk if you prefer) and add 
        this to the chicken as well.  Add the vegetables.  Stir.  At
        this time, the potatos should be done.  Drain and add to the
        chicken mixture.  When this mixture starts to boil, it's done!
        Pour mixture into frozen piecrust.  Take another pie crust,
        roll it out, place on top of the pie.  Poke about 4 holes in
        the top of the pie with a fork.  Bake this at 350 degrees for
        30-35 minutes.  
    
        Enjoy!!

    This is how I've done it (no precision here - I "winged" it - haha?)
    Yields you a chicken soup AND a pot pie!  How's that for economy?
    
    Make chicken soup:  Simmer 1 chicken with most of fat trimmed off
    	1 carrot
    	1 stalk celery
    	pepper corns and a pinch of salt
    	bay leaf
    
    	Simmer several hours and drain through large colander.  Let solids 
    	cool 15 minutes and pick off meat with a fork and knife, cutting it
    	into bite-size chunks.  Put smaller shreds back in broth and chill
    	in canning jars for later use.  Put chunks in a container and
    	chill.  Also the carrot, cut in chunks.
    
    Pot pie:  
    	Make a double pie crust with 1/2 margarine, 1/2 crisco, unbleached
    		flour,and some wheat germ. (See recipe books for details.)
    	In bottom crust, put chicken chunks, carrot slices/chunks, cooked
    		potato chunks, and peas.  Add pearl onions if you like.
    	In a jar shake 3/4 cup broth with 2 TB  cornstarch until blended.
    		(add powdered milk if you want it creamy.)  
    	Pour liquid over filling, cover with top crush, slash, and bake
    		at 450 for 15 minutes, followed by 350 for 45 mins.
    
    This was really delicious and my husband LOVED it.  He even ate it cold
    for lunch.
    	
    
    
    	
    

quick and easy.. made up at the last minute.  i think it needs a bit more 
spice but you know what they say, 'you can always add it, but you can never
take it out' so anyways...

1 lb. boneless chicken breasts, cut into real small chunks
3 small potatoes, cut into small chunks
1 1/2 cups frozen pearl onions and peas
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 onion in small slices
olive oil
salt and pepper
white chicken sauce (see below)

sautee the chicken in some olive oil, add the garlic.  cook till the chicken
is no longer pink.  season with salt and pepper.

microwave the potatoes with some water for 3 minutes.   check. micro up to 
6 minutes after stirring once.  (this may vary with ovens.) microwave the peas 
and onions till done, bout 1 1/2 minutes.  drain both.

take refrigerator pie crust and put into pan.  pour chicken in first, add
potatoes and peas/onions.  spinkle onion slices over this.  pour white sauce
over and put top crust on.  cut four small slits in top crust.

bake at 425 for 10 minutes, turn down to 350 for another 20 minutes. serve
with french baquette and cranberry sauce.

white/chicken sauce:
-------------------

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup milk
salt and pepper

your basic roux with chicken broth.  melt butter, add flour.  use wire whisk.
add chicken broth, stir till smooth.  add milk, stir till thickened and 
right consistency.  kitchen bouquet can be used for darker sauce.

    Hi,
    
    I don't do anything fancy.
    
    1 can low salt cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup
    4 carrots - peeled and sliced - jullienne is always fun
    1/2 cup broccolli or brussel sprouts in bite size peices
    1 cup water
    pepper
    thyme, oregano
    1 1/2 cup diced turkey
    
    par boil or "nuke" the veggies to al dente.
    Mix all ingredients and put in oven for 30 minutes - until bubbling.
    
    I serve with garlic bread and a salad.   My husband likes to add
    bread crumbs or pie crust over the top before baking.
    
      

    Here is a recipe I use - very simple very good - made it on Friday and
    there was nothing left.
    
    Take leftover mashed potatoes mix with one egg and line buttered pit
    plate, bake in 400 degree oven for about 15 min.
    
    Filling left over turkey meat chopped add chopped celery, peas, touch
    of lemon juice about 1/4 c mayonnaise mix well put into potatoe shell
    and bake until good and hot.  I never measure, but I would say about
    2-3 cups of turkey meat - 1/2 to 3/4 cups of celery and about the same
    peas - whatever suits your taste.  
    
    
    

    This isn't exactly turkey pie but it is quick & easy and always comes
    out A-ok.
    
    Turkey Leftover Casserole
    
    2 +/- Cups Cut up Turkey
    1/2 gravy (if you have it..)
    2 +/- Cups Cooked Egg Noodles
    
    
    heating - Combine the following in a sauce pan/double-boiler and heat until
    almost boiling.
    
    1 cup milk
    1/2 tsp salt
    1/4 tsp pepper
    1 TBSP flour
    1 small onion - chopped
    1/4 cup chopped green pepper
    1/4-1/2 lb sharp cheese 
    
    Put about a 1/2 cup of leftover gravy (if you have it...) in the bottom
    of a 9X13 pan.  Add in 2 Cups cut up turkey and add in the noodles. 
    Cover with the chese sauce.  You can top the whole thing off with
    crumbled potatoe chips or crackers.  Other things such as mushrooms,
    scallions, leftover veggies, etc... can be added.   
         
    Ellen 
    

    Has anyone used Filo dough for the top of a chicken pie?  Would it be
    as good as making a crust?
    
    

    Well, it would certainly be different that a normal pastry crust -
    probably good as well.  When I make chicken pot pie, I make a crust
    with cornmeal and chives in it.  That makes a nice combination with
    chicken, and the cornmeal-enhanced pastry seems to stand up better to
    being microwaved at lunchtime here at work - doesn't get nearly as
    soggy.
    
    /Charlotte

    Phyllo is the only crust that I use for chicken pot pie.  I only do
    a top crust (no bottom or sides) that is 4 layers of phyllo spread 
    with melted butter and then another 4 layers spread with butter. 
    (Tuck the edges under.)  The crust is crisp and light.  Try it!
    
    Penny 

    I was recently visiting Amish country and tried an Amish-style chicken
    pot pie.  It was really good and I was wondering if anyone had a
    recipe?
    
    It was different from other pot pies in that it had no crust. Rather,
    it had dumpling-type things in it (sort of the texture of gnocchi).
    There was also some carrots and potatoes but no other vegetables.
    
    If someone has a recipe, I'd appreciate it.  My sister is dying to try
    this one again. 
    
    Thanks,
    
    Janice

 Can you believe I've never made a pot pie? I took a bunch of ideas from this 
 note and created (according to my wife) the best chicken pot pie she has ever
 had. She likes this conference alot. She says meatloaf and pot pie 2 dishes
 she loves I can now make. She's happy (therefor I keep out of the dog house)

 What I did:

 1/2 - 3/4 pound leftovers from an oven stuffer roater julliened small
 1 can  whole potatoes (home fry type) and I quartered them
 1 sm can sliced carrots
 1 box frozen peas with pearl onions
 1 can cream of chicken soup
 1 Box pillsbury pre-made pie crust. (It's in the fridge section)

 Combined all ingredients (except pie crust!) in big sauce pan. Then as it got 
 warm added one soup cans worth of real milk.(red cap). Prepared the pie crust
 per directions (wicked easy). When soupy mixture was ready, added to pie 
 shell (in a glass pie plate). Filled to just about top. Placed top crust on
 and fluted (this satisified my gourmet touch) the edges. Baked for 35 minutes
 at 350 oven. Awesome! and quick to make.

 - Dave