The timing of a meal is very important to me. I want everything to get on the table at once, and hot! I also don’t want to have to spend time in the kitchen when my guests are enjoying drinks in the living room. I enjoy myself so much more when I know I have a plan that will ensure everything is timed effortlessly. The trick is to start backwards. Its also important to pick meal items that require the same oven temp to do whatever can possibly be done before guests arrive. I have created a few different menus and coordinating timelines and I recently started to save them so in the future I can refer to them for easy (or easier!) planning.
The Menu
Appetizers
Shrimp Cocktail
Spicy Crab Dip
Meat & Cheese platter
Main Course
Filet Mignon with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Reduction
Roasted Parmesan Asparagus
Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Double Stuffed Parsley Potatoes
Dessert
My ‘secret’ Hazelnut Mousse (AKA store bought)
The Plan
5:00 preheat oven
5:20 croutons in oven
5:26 pull croutons
5:30 make platter
5:40 Dip in oven
5:58 put potatoes in
6:00 put out platter & shrimp
6:05 pull dip from oven
6:10 put out dip
6:23 put asparagus in
6:26 start sauce
6:30 start med/well steaks
6:33 start med/rare steaks
6:35 flip med/well steaks
6:36 flip med/rare Steaks
6:38 turn on broiler
6:38 pull potatoes & cover
6:38 pull asparagus & cover
6:39 pull steaks and put on baking sheet
6:39 Put Goat cheese on steaks
6:42 put steaks under broiler
6:43 Pull Steaks
6:44 Sprinkle parmesan on asparagus & place under broiler
My great-grandma GiGi died when I was quite young but there are things I remember and believe it or not, they have greatly influenced how I cook. First, when I cook there is a nostalgia of my childhood. I don’t remember GiGi being in any other room of the house but the kitchen and so I spent most of my childhood there too! The day always included demitasse and anisette poured only out of a decanter kept in the china closet in the hall. Over the years, the aroma of anisette began to permeate the china closet wood and stayed there for years after she passed. Because I, of course, wanted some coffee and anisette too, I got half of what I wanted. She would make me my demitasse but I got ‘special’ anisette from my very own decanter….later, to my disappointment, I found out it was water!
Now I am a home cook and spend all my free time working on one recipe or another. I am always surprised by how much I remember about her tips in the kitchen. I am sure most of it came from my mom repeating things throughout my life. But looking back, GiGi was the first influence and inspiration I had in the kitchen and my love for food.
I thought about GiGi tonight when I was making turkey meatballs and how I doubt she ever made anything but a beef meatball. I think about her every time I make meatballs because I use her meatball tip. She always said that a meatball is ready for frying when it rolls in your hand without the meat sticking to your palm. So I picked up my meat tonight, like I always do, rolled my first meatball and as it stuck just a bit, I knew I needed more breadcrumbs and cheese. After that, they were perfect. It works every time- especially since I never use a recipe for my meatballs. No one in my family does. You just make the meatballs adding a little of this and a little of that.
As a kid, I loved, loved, loved chicken pot pie! Of course, it was always the frozen kind from the grocery store, which I thought was the only way you could get chicken pot pie! To my regret, I became an adult and along with other crushing disappointments about life, like Santa, and that money didn’t just come out of the machine whenever you needed it, I realized what was in those frozen chicken pot pies, and I put an end to my love affair with creamy chicken goodness.
Creamy, comforting chicken pot pie filling. Mmmmm, mmmm Good!
Many years later when I started really rolling up my sleeves in the kitchen, I decided to make my own pot pie. I found the best chicken pot pie recipe that immediately brought me back to my childhood. In my forties, I still love, love, love Chicken Pot Pie! It’s one my favorite meals to make when a cold chill sets into the air and snow gathers on the ground. Nothing warms your bones or your soul more than this perfect, homemade pot pie.
It’s always a surreal feeling when a single bite transports you back in time to a memory, feeling or experience. That’s the power of food and exactly what I love about it.
I make a large batch of filling and freeze half for another time. Portion into individual baking dishes.Cut, shape, season the puff pastry. Remember to cut in some air vent holes to let the steam escape. Bake and serve!
What makes a perfect pot pie?
The perfect chicken pot pie needs to have a tasty and sturdy crust, a well seasoned creamy sauce, tender vegetables and perfect, succulent chicken. This recipe delivers on all of the above and it’s fairly easy to make too!
The base of this recipe is from Ina Garten and it makes a perfect pot pie filling every time. Unlike Ina, I like to recommend the addition of crimini mushrooms because they elevate the classic version, and it really does make it that much better. I also prefer to use puff pastry in place of homemade pie dough- it is a mess saver, a time saver, and buttery flaky crust is just perfect with the pie.
Helpful hints & tips:
The pot pie filling freezes well. This recipe makes about 6 portions so I vacuum seal and freeze in portions of 2. When ready to serve, all you need is to defrost, add pie crust and bake.
Homemade chicken stock really makes a difference. If you don’t keep your own stock on hand, be sure to use a good quality store bought stock. Every ingredient contributes to the flavor.
Creamy chicken goodness that is the ultimate comfort food.
Prep Time45 minutesmins
Cook Time1 hourhr30 minutesmins
Course: dinner
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8people
Ingredients
3whole or 6 split chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on. (You should have 4-6 cups of cooked chicken)
3tablespoonsolive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
5cupschicken stock*good quality or home made is a must!
2chicken bouillon cubes
10tablespoons1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
2cupsyellow onionschopped (2 onions)
3/4cupall-purpose flour
1/4cupheavy cream
2cupsmedium-diced carrotsblanched for 2 minutes
110-ounce package frozen peas (2 cups)
1 1/2cupsfrozen small whole onions
10-16ouncescremini mushroomssliced 1/4 inch and sautéed
1/2cupminced fresh parsley leaves
Frozen puff pastry sheets- defrosted
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin. Cut the chicken into large dice. You will have 4 to 6 cups of cubed chicken.
In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the stock. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and heavy cream. Add the cubed chicken, carrots, peas, onions and parsley. Mix well.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Divide the filling equally among 5-6 ovenproof bowls (This depends on what bowls you are using- I like a hearty portion) Divide the puff pastry dough into squares and roll each piece into a circle about one inch larger than the bowl. Brush the outside edges of each bowl with the egg wash, then place the dough on top. Trim the circle to 1/2-inch larger than the top of the bowl. Pressing it to make it stick. Brush the dough with egg wash and make 3 slits in the top. Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling hot.
