Biscuit-Topped Chicken Potpie

When I was a kid and my mom didn't have time to make a real dinner for us, she would occasionally throw some packaged potpies in the oven. They had a deliciously flaky crust, perfectly salty gravy, and not much resembling real vegetables or meat. I loved them. But the thought of eating one of those today makes my stomach curl (I'm not big on the trans-fats these days...). My alternative is this "potpie" with real vegetables and no pie crust...it's actually more like a stew with biscuits baked on top. It's the perfect sitting-at-home-in-a-snow-storm
meal.
This recipe is fairly fast and definitely easy. And you probably already have all the ingredients for it on hand. The topping is made simpler by using a biscuit mix rather than from scratch. But if you don't have any bisquick on hand (like I didn't today), you can make the topping from a regular biscuit recipe like this one that I used (which explains why my topping looks more like real biscuits. If you follow the recipe below exactly, your topping will be smoother on top). Either way, you, your spouse, your parents, your neighbor next door, and even your kids will love it. This is comfort food at its best.

Biscuit-Topped Chicken Pot Pie
Recipe very very loosely adapted from Cooking Light October 2006
Pictures by Kelly

Filling:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped (or 1 cup pearl onions, whole)
2 medium sized potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped*
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables**
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme (3/4 tsp fresh)
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
2/3 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch backing dish.
   
2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and thyme; saute 2 minutes. Add potatoes, saute 4 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Cook about 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are starting to soften.
3. Stir in chicken, mixed vegetables, salt, and pepper. Cook 2 minutes.
4. Combine cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl, whisking until smooth. Add cornstarch mixture and milk to skillet. Reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes, until liquid has thickened.
   
5. Pour vegetable mixture into 9 x 13 in pan.
   

*As always, I like to broil my chicken. It doesn't matter how you cook it for this recipe as long as it's done most of the way through when you add it to the vegetable mixture.
**If you don't have a mixture of frozen vegetables, use a mixture of fresh. I used 3 carrots, 1 green pepper, and some frozen peas and green beans in mine.

Biscuit:
1 1/4 cups biscuit mix (like Bisquick)
1/2 cup milk
1 egg

1. In a medium bowl, combine baking mix, milk and egg. Stir just until combined (there may still be a few lumps in the batter).
2. Spoon batter evenly over chicken mixture. Spread as evenly as possible, though you may have a few "holes" where the biscuit will spread. Bake for 20 or until topping is golden and filling is bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes.

Lemon Meringue Pie

There's lemon and then there's lemon. This is the latter. A good lemon dessert should make you go weak at the knees, and this one does not disappoint. It might even be almost as good as the perfect lemon tart.

To spread the meringue "decoratively" over the pie (as the recipe suggests), take a rubber spatula and smooth the meringue over the entire pie. Then gently press the spatula into the meringue and lift up, leaving small peaks behind. If your meringue isn't quite as stiff, your peaks will tip slightly, as you seen my did.

If you've ever made a pie with meringue, you know that it's in its nature to "weep," or slowly loose volume as the sugar begins to dissolve into a syrup. I've tried every "no fail" trick I've been able to find (room-temperature eggs, cold eggs, adding corn starch, chilling the bowl, etc), and still my meringue weeps. And shrinks, too. So don't be alarmed if your pie has a weeping, shrinking meringue; you've done nothing wrong. Hopefully one day in the future I'll be able to post some tips to making a perfect meringue, but for now, this one will have to suffice. I'm sure you'll manage to enjoy it nonetheless.

Lemon Meringue Pie
Recipe adapted from Gourmet January 2008
Pictures by Caroline

For Crust
Use a store bought crust to simplify things or try this recipe.

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13-inch round, then fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim edge, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang, then crimp decoratively. Lightly prick shell all over with a fork, then chill 30 minutes.
2. Line shell with foil and fill with pie weights or raw rice. Bake until side is set and edge is pale golden, about 20 minutes. Carefully remove weights and foil and bake shell until bottom and side are golden, about 10 minutes more. Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 350°F.

For Filling:
5 large egg yolks
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups water
1/4 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

1. Whisk together yolks in a small bowl.
2. In a heavy medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually add water and milk, whisking until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking frequently as mixture begins to thicken.
   
3. Remove from heat and gradually whisk about 1 cup milk mixture into yolks, then whisk yolk mixture into remaining milk mixture (this will prevent the eggs from cooking too quickly, leaving you with nasty looking scrambled bits).
   
4. Add lemon zest and juice and simmer, whisking constantly, 3 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter until incorporated. Cover surface with wax paper to keep hot.

For meringue
5 large egg whites, at room temperature 30 minutes
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 superfine granulated sugar

1. Beat whites with cream of tartar and salt using an electric mixer at medium speed until they hold soft peaks.
   
2. Increase speed to high and add superfine sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until meringue just holds stiff, glossy peaks.

To assemble pie:

1. Pour hot filling into warm pie shell and gently shake to smooth top. Spread meringue decoratively over hot filling, covering filling completely.
2. Immediately bake until meringue is golden-brown, about 15 minutes. Cool completely on a rack, 2 to 3 hours. Chill until serving.

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Sometimes Caroline and I get together and cook on Tuesday nights so we can watch the Biggest Loser while we eat. Usually we prepare a full course meal complete with meat, vegetables, and a sumptuous dessert. But we're watching the Biggest Loser- people exercising to the point of exhaustion and eating healthy, super low-fat meals while we chow down on chocolate fudge torte! Talk about guilt! So tonight being the second to last episode, we decided we should eat something a little more health-conscious. Aside from the 2 different types of cookies we made, tonight's meal was a low-fat, gluten free, vegetarian success.


I was initially wary of the apples in this soup. But it actually creats a subtle sweetness that completments the nutmeg-y butternut. Serve as a light main course with a green salad and french bread.


Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
Recipe adapted from health.com
Pictures by Caroline

1 tablespoon butter
1 1/4 cups chopped yellow onion
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
1 1/3 cups apple, peeled and chopped
1 1/4 pounds butternut squash, peeled and chopped (about 1 large)
1/4 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/4 cups evaporated milk

1. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add garlic and apple; cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add squash, sage, salt, pepper, and nutmeg; stir 30 seconds or until well-combined. Add broth, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 20 minutes or until squash and vegetables are tender.
2. Place half of squash mixture in blender with about 1/4 cup evaporated milk. Remove center of blender lid (to let steam escape); secure lid. Place clean towel over opening to avoid splatters; blend until smooth. Pour into bowl. Repeat with remaining squash and evaporated milk.
3. Pour blended squash back into saucepan and heat on medium. Serve with a scoop of sour cream or sprinkle of nutmeg.

Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies

Today we offer a cookie recipe to remind you to send us a recipe for the cookie contest...which ends today! It also happens to be my (Kelly's) birthday, and aside from the Le Creuset 5 quart dutch, I mean French, oven I've been pining for, I'd like nothing more than to receive dozens of cookie recipes. So send us one!

And now moving on to our topic at hand: oatmeal cookies. Did you know that Americans used to have an aversion to eating oats? Before 1850, many Americans considered oats to be animal food only. No oatmeal for them, thank you very much. But around 1860, a brilliant German immigrant took his steel-cut oats and marketed them as a delicious, nutritious, and cheap breakfast dish. And then it wasn't long before someone realized that adding oats to butter and sugar would make an excellent cookie. And voila! The oatmeal cookie was born.


So here we have a traditional oatmeal-raisin cookie that is just about perfect. It's chewy, it's moist, it sets up well without being too flat. It's everything an oatmeal cookie should be.

If you're a raisin hater, replace the raisins with chocolate chips and omit the cinnamon and nutmeg (though I personally like having a bit of spice with my chocolate).

Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies
Recipe from the All-American Dessert Book
Pictures by Caroline

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons honey
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups old fashioned oats*
1 1/2 cups raisins

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease several large baking sheets (or use a non-stick mat like a Silpat, which happens to be one of the prizes for the best cookie submitted for our contest!).
2. In a medium bowl, thoroughly stir together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
   
3. In a large bowl combine the butter and sugars. With a mixer on low, then medium speed, beat until the mixture is well blended and ligthened, about 1 1/2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs, honey, and vanilla and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes longer.
4. Beat in the flour mixture. Stir in the oats and raisins until evenly distributed. Let stand to firm up for 10 minutes.
5. Shape dough into balls. Bake for 9 to 14 minutes, or until slightly darker at the edges and almost firm when lightly pressed in the centers. Let cool on cooling rack.

*This recipe calls for old fashioned oats. If you use quick oats instead, your cookies may be less chewy. But they'll still be good.

Turkey and Artichoke Stuffed Shells

As many of you may have guessed by now, we both have a bit of a crush on Italian food...especially pasta. And as much as I love a good old fashioned American meal, to me it seems somehow fitting to end a holiday weekend with a splash of Italy. So this dish is what happens when you take leftover Thanksgiving turkey and force it to become Italian: you get turkey and cheese and basil and tomato sauce and goodness. Aside from mashed potatoes, this is the perfect comfort food.

Since we made this dish before Thanksgiving so we could share it with you, we didn't have any bits of turkey lying about. We therefore used ground turkey (as picture above). It worked quite well and means you can make this any time you want!


Turkey and Artichoke Stuffed Shells
Recipe from Everyday Pasta

Pictures by Caroline

1 (12 oz) box jumbo pasta shells
3 tablespoons evtra-virgin olive oil
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 pound turkey meat, ground, or chopped into small pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 package frozen artichokes, thawed and coarsely chopped*
1 (15 oz) container whole-milk ricotta cheese
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (or 1 1/2 tablesoons dried)
2 tablespoons chpoped flat-leaf parsley (or 1 teaspoon dried)
5 cups marinara sauce
1 1/2 cups grated mozarella cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add pasta and partiall cook until tender, but still very firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 4-5 minutes. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and the garlic and cook until the onion is soft and starting to brown, about 3 minutes.
   
3. Add the ground turkey, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until the meat is lightly golden and cooked through (if using already cooked meat, just heat until warm through). Add the artichoke hearts and stir to combine. Remove from heat and let cool.
4. In a large bowl, combine the cooled turkey mixture with the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, basil, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir to combine.
5. Cover the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with 1 cup of sauce. Hold a shell in the palm of your hand and stuff it with a large spoonful of turkey mixture, about 2 tablespoons. Place the stuffed shell in the baking dish. Continue filling the shells until the baking dish is full (about 24 shells). Drizzle the remaining sauce over the shells and top with the grated mozzarella. Bake until the shells until warm through and cheese is beginning to brown, about 25 minutes.

*We couldn't find any frozen artichokes, so we used canned ones. Just be sure to drain them well.

Happy Thanksgiving

We wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!

May your potatoes be smooth, your turkey moist, and your pie sweet.

Check back on Saturday for a recipe on what to do with all your leftover turkey.

And don't forget to send us a recipe for our cookie contest by next Monday!

Ginger-Pear Cranberry Sauce and Thanksgiving Tips

Thanksgiving has almost arrived, and we have some of our best recipes prepared for you. First, try this ginger-pear cranberry sauce, which would be great on Thanksgiving day or with pork or chicken. If you prefer a more traditional cranberry sauce, check out our holiday feast for a simple sauce, cider brined turkey, carmelized onions, green beans and French apple pie.

Here are a few other recipes to complete your Thanksgiving dinner:

Green Beans with Shallots and Toasted Almonds

Make-Ahead Sweet Potatoes

Spiced Roasted Squash

9-pie Pie Crust

And for those looking for an alternative to pie, try one of these:

Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

Cran-Apple Torte

White Chocolate Bread Pudding

Chocolate Fudge Torte

Ginger-Pear Cranberry Sauce

Recipe by Twolittlechefs

Pictures by Caroline

2 bags (12 oz) fresh cranberries

1 3/4 cups sugar

2 cups water

1 teaspoon orange zest

1 1/2 cups pears, peeled and chopped

2 teaspoons fresh ginger

1. In a large saucepan, add water, cranberries, orange zest, and sugar. Bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes, or until most of the cranberries have burst.
3. Remove from heat. Place in fridge and let cool about 30 minutes. Add pears and ginger. Chill completely and serve.

White Chocolate Bread Pudding

I don't usually like bread puddings. More often than not, they end up being some kind of mushy, soggy bread with runny custard underneath. Ick. But then one day I went to Biaggi's Italian Restaurant with my dad, whose face lit up like a 4 year old at a birthday party when he started describing their white chocolate bread pudding. He persuaded me enough to at least share a piece with him, grumbling about what a waste of a perfectly good dessert it was going to be.

After my first bite, I realized I had been oh so very wrong. Bread pudding wasn't disgusting; it was delicious! It was amazing! What could be better than french bread that has been sweetened with sugar and cream? I was crazy for having missed out on so many years of perfectly good bread pudding!

This recipe is thus far the closest thing I have found to replicating Biaggi's white chocolate bread pudding. It would make a great Thanksgiving dessert for those of you who, heaven forbid, don't love pie. Serve with a white chocolate syrup or warm up some raspberry jam and drizzle it over the top.

*Don't forget to send us a recipe for the cookie contest! The deadline is 1 week from today.*

White Chocolate Bread Pudding
Recipe adapted from Bon Apetit December 2009
Pictures by Kelly

12 ounces French bread, crust removed and cut into 1-inch pieces*
3 cups whipping cream
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
12 ounces good-quality white chocolate, coarsely chopped
7 large egg yolks
2 large eggs

1. Preheat oven to 275°F. Arrange bread cubes on baking sheet. Bake until light golden and dry, about 15 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to rack; cool completely. Increase oven temperature to 350°F.
2. Combine 3 cups whipping cream, 1 cup milk and 1/2 cup sugar in heavy large saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Add 10 ounces white chocolate (about 1 3/4 cups) and stir until melted and smooth. Whisk yolks and eggs in large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in warm chocolate mixture.
3. Place bread cubes in 2-quart glass baking dish. Add half of chocolate mixture. Press bread cubes into chocolate mixture. Let stand 15 minutes. Gently mix in remaining chocolate mixture. Cover dish with foil.
4. Bake pudding 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer pudding to rack and cool slightly.

White Chocolate Sauce
1/2 cup whipping cream
8 oz white chocolate

1. Bring 1/2 cup cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove saucepan from heat. Add 8 ounces white chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Drizzle over bread pudding.
   

*Look for a large (and preferably long) loaf of French bread. Or buy two small ones. Remember that removing the crust will make the bread a lot smaller.

Pork Chops with Sweet Onion Marmellata

These pork chops were good. Really good. The marmellata (Italian for marmalade) is sweet and orangey and kind like putting applesauce on your pork chops, which, of course, is the best way to eat pork.

This recipe is definitely not difficult, but you will need about 30 minutes to season the pork and an hour or so to cook the onions. Serve with Roasted Rosemary Potatoes, which can bake while your onions cook down. Perfect!

And don't forget to become our fan on facebook to enter our cookie contest!

Pork Chops with Sweet Onion Marmellata
Recipe adapted from Giada's Kitchen
Pictures by Caroline

Pork Chops
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
4 to 6 boneless pork chops

1. In a small bowl, combine rosemary, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper. Rub the herb mixture over the pork chops. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 30-45 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Cook pork chops 30 minutes or until no longer pink in the center.
3. Serve with marmellata over the top.
   

Onion Marmellata
1/4 cup olive oil
4 large onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar

1. In a large pot, heat oil on medium high heat. Add the onions. Stir to combine and cook 2 minutes.
2. Add the remaining ingredients.
3. Cover and reduce heat for about 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes. (The original recipe calls for cooking the onions 2 hours. The longer you cook them, the softer and more jam-like they become. If you prefer the onions more intact, cook them for less time).

*Substitute 1 teaspoon dried herb for 1 tablespoon fresh