Semi Homemade Chicken Pot Pie Updated

 

An updated version of an old favorite..

This has been updated to include more chicken, the way John likes it.  Of course if you like lesss meat stay with the original published on May 9, 2011.  It was a very rare lazy day for me. I followed my bodies lead and took it very slow today.  So this is what John got for dinner tonight.

Semi Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

6 ounces pre diced onions
2 cups frozen hash brown potato cubes
2 heaping tablespoons margarine
1 box of Pillsbury ready made pie crusts - you will need both
1 pound frozen mixed vegetables
16 ounces pre cooked chicken diced
1 large deep dish pie pan
1 foil lined cookie sheet

In a large fry pan or wok melt the margarine on a medium low heat. Add the onions and saute for about 5 minutes. Lower the temperature to a lower heat and add the frozen potatoes and cook until soft. Add the chicken and the vegetables and keep on a low heat until 45 minutes before dinner. Unroll the first crust into an un greased pie pan. Pat the pie crust in place. Add all the mixture from the pan and pack it very firmly into the pie crust. dampen the edges of the pie crust and unroll the second pie crust on top. Wet the entire top of the pie crust with a small amount of water. Roll the bottom and top edges together and crimp anyway you would like. There are no bonus points for perfect thumb prints or crimps. Make 4 slits around the top of the pie crust and another vent hole in the center. Place in a cold oven and bake at 325 for 45 minutes,  a little longer if you like a darker crust.

You will notice two things about this recipe. First I did not add additional seasonings. I find that when making semi homemade items everything is usually very well seasoned to begin with. Secondly that I place the pot pie in a cold oven. I use a glass pie dish and I do not want it to crack so I put it on a cookie sheet lined with foil into a cold oven. It is better for the pie dish to heat up very slowly. When I remove the pot pie I leave it on the cookie sheet. It is very important that you do not put hot glass baking dishes on a damp or cold surface when taking it out of the oven.  So the cookie sheet is perfect in two ways. First it will catch any over flow and second just leave the pot pie on the cookie sheet until both are cool.

This serves 4 to 5 people. For a vegan pot pie just leave out the chicken.

Impromptu Improvement

 Today’s impromptu improvement is a COVID19 work at home issue.  John’s computer chair has seen better days.  The duck tape covered arm rests were becoming sticky.  So with a large fabric scrap and no pattern a solution was implemented.  

I took measurements and added a bit of wiggle room for seams.  Then elastic was pulled through, chinched and sewn.  Pulling the elastic through was the hardest part of the project. It really put my hands to the test with the upholstery fabric.  Pulling the elastic through also took the most time.  

John was surprised that I came up and implemented the solution so quickly.  Although I did not get it finished before his nap ended. He really likes the end result. Sorry the pictures are in the wrong order.  

An Empty Nest

 The best part about being an empty nester is that I can hang freshly spun yarn in the kids bathroom for as long as I want.  I get to look at the new skeins and decide what they should be. Even think about if I should stash dive for similar color ways to spin more for a bigger project. With absolutely no one saying that they need the shower, you have to move your yarn.

Ground Hog Day Perhaps

 The monotony of COVID19 has settled in.  Get up. Walk around the block.  Eat breakfast. Do chores. Knit a hat. Maybe spin some yarn. Eat lunch . Listen to a book and knit. Eat dinner. Go for a walk around the block. Also binge watching television shows, some from the last century. 3 months down about 18 months to go. Can I do this, that depends on the day. Really it does.  I am almost out of deep cleaning.  I am waiting for cooler temperatures to tackle the garage.  How is everyone one else doing?

Relaxing

 I spent the day relaxing.  I played chicken with a bobbin of yarn that I was plying and won.  I washed enough hand spun yarn for a nice woven shawl.  I spent a lot of time spinning.  I am thinking of using the lighter colors for a sweater, but do I start it now or when I reach the next size down?  I even found time to knit a little.  

Our big treat of the day was a trip to the post office to mail some letters.  When then drove around to see what was still open.  We lead such an exciting life.  

New Patterns

 I published 2 new knitting patterns this week. They are available on Raverly and LoveKnitting.com.  

The first is called Square Dance. Pictured below.  This is a scarf with 3 special yarns dyed by Lily of Merinoyvino on Etsy.  Only one skein is needed unless you want a longer scarf.  

The second is called Trisha’s Shawl. This started out as a table runner but morphed into a shawl for summer.  The yarn is called Anne and is available at Grandma’s Spinning Wheel in Tucson, Arizona. If you don’t live locally in Tucson, Vicky will ship the yarn to you.  

These are fun and easy projects that would make great holiday gifts.  

 

Worn Out DPN’s

 Well it is that time again.  I have worn out another set of U.S. size 13 (9.0mm) rosewood double pointed knitting needles.  Because I knit so many hats a year my wooden knitting needles tend to wear out fairly quickly.   I like rosewood because they last longer than the much less expensive bamboo needles.  I usually can get 50 to 60 hats out of the bamboo knitting needles.  I can usually get a 2 to 3 of years out of the rosewood knitting needles.  

By worn out I really mean that the wood is splintering.   No amount of sanding or beeswax will fix them at this point.  I really hate splinters and I don’t want the kids to get them either.  So I pulled out my spares and will throw out the much loved double pointed knitting needles.  Then I will look for a good sale to replace my spares.