Turkey Pot Pie - Easy, Easier and Easiest

Last Monday was Pi Day.
Pi as in 3.14 etc. etc. etc.

I am afraid of pi because I'm not mathy.
Unlike my husband and one of my children (you know who you are), who think it's fun to do math problems as a way to pass time. I'd rather read every book in the library (twice) than face an algebraic equation.

The worst grade I ever got in high school was a D in algebra. It was devastating and alarming to my parents. I'm not sure why it was so alarming - it's not like there hadn't been signs all along.
Tears over dividing fractions, a panic attack about the Pythagorean theorem, a complete meltdown trying to master that base ten thing that I knew was going to be completely pointless for getting along in life.
So a math tutor was called in. He was a creepy junior high teacher who probably did this on the side for extra cash. Now I was forced to do extra math. And I barely remember a thing about it except this: he later made obscene phone calls in the middle of the night to our home.

No wonder I'm a mathophobe.

Now pie...that's something I totally get.
So in order to make both the family math nerds and myself happy on Pi Day (which is on 3/14 - get it?) I made turkey pot pie.
I've avoided pot pies before because my memories of them are not particularly good. I recall gluey gravy, minimal vegetables and very little meat. (Swanson's, I'm talking to you.)
I was determined to make a pot pie that was better than that and would be a snap to put together.

Before the biscuit crust went on

Look at all that filling! The meat is from a rotisserie turkey breast I got at the grocery store. If your store doesn't have them, use a rotisserie-cooked chicken which I'm sure you can find. (Of course it will then be chicken pot pie.)
And vegetables! Lots of good ones. No sticky gravy either, just a quick sauce made from two ingredients. The biscuit topping comes together in about a minute. No rolling or cutting.

As Ina Garten would say "How easy is that?". Pretty easy.
But if you want to make it even easier, don't bother with the biscuit crust. Use a sheet of puff pastry over the filling. Prick it with a fork a couple of times and bake.
Easiest of all? Refrigerated biscuit dough.

You may think it's late in the season for something as homey and filling as this. Keep in mind a couple of things:
Cold rainy evenings.
Late lacrosse and baseball practices.
Hungry kids.
More cold rain.

Pot pie = perfect dinner. Even I can do that math.

Turkey Pot Pie
adapted from Gourmet and Epicurious


For filling:

4 cups shredded roasted turkey, breast meat or breast and dark meat

2 medium leeks, cut vertically down the center then sliced

2 large carrots, cut into 1/2" pieces

2 celery ribs, cut into 1/2" pieces

1/2 lb. mushrooms (preferably cremini), trimmed and quartered

1 10 oz. bag frozen baby peas, thawed

1 tsp. chopped thyme (fresh or dried - if using fresh, increase to 1 Tbsp.)

3 Tbsps. unsalted butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups evaporated 2% milk

1 1/2 cups lower sodium chicken or turkey stock


Preheat oven to 400F.
Cook leeks, carrots and celery in butter, with thyme and a sprinkling of salt and pepper, in a covered 12" wide shallow pan, over medium heat. Stir occasionally until vegetables are almost tender, 10-12 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook uncovered,  stirring occasionally until tender, 5-7 minutes.
Sprinkle with flour and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Stir in evaporated milk and stock, scraping up any brown bits at the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
Stir in shredded turkey, peas and salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer to 3-4 quart baking pan.

For biscuit crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsps. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 cup coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

6 Tbsps. cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" pieces

1 1/4 cups buttermilk, well-shaken

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper into a medium bowl. Add both kinds of cheese and toss to coat. Blend in butter with a pastry cutter or your fingers until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk and stir just until stiff dough forms. Drop dough onto filling in a 8 large mounds, leaving space between biscuits.

Bake until biscuit topping is puffed and golden brown, and filling is bubbling, 35-40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Garlic Oven Fries

I know you think of me as a chocolate person (if you think of me at all).
But I am hereby on the record as saying: I cannot resist a french fry.

I'm pretty sure I'm not alone with this weakness. You might be like me and hardly ever order them for yourself. But let's see a show of hands from those of you have never stolen a few fries off your kids' plates.
See. I knew it. Not one of you.

Because even though we are adults here and we know that french fries are not exactly a "healthy choice", they are irresistible.

And how about garlic fries? Did you ever have garlic fries? Apparently they are a big deal in northern California and that is where I first tasted them. It was a beautiful, sunshine-filled day in Sonoma and we were at the Healdsburg Bar & Grill. The fries were hot, crispy and garlicky. Shared with old friends on that sunny patio, they were perfection.

A Google search turned up lots of ways to make garlic fries, including several for making oven-baked fries. While it's unlikely that any of the world's greatest french fries are baked in an oven (they'd be called french bakeds then, wouldn't they?), it seems like a good idea for the home cook. I'm not really into the whole boiling oil thing. Partly fearful of first degree burns, partly too lazy to clean it up.

So oven-baked garlicky fries it is.
These were a HUGE hit at the dinner table. Whatever else I served with them was completely superfluous. And it mattered not one bit that they were baked not fried. The technique is a little more involved than you're regular oven-baked fries. But you will be rewarded with lots of browned crunchy bits and noticeable but not overwhelming garlic flavor. As well as the eternal love and gratitude of those dining with you.


Garlicky Oven Fries
from Cook's Country magazine


6 garlic cloves, minced or put through a garlic press

6 Tbsps. vegetable oil

3 large russet potatoes, scrubbed and each cut into 12 wedges

2 Tbsps. cornstarch

1 1/2 tsps. salt

3/4 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 475F.
Combine minced garlic and oil in a large bowl and microwave until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer 5 tablespoons of the oil (leaving the garlic in the bowl) to a rimmed baking sheet. Tilt baking sheet, coating the entire surface.
Add potatoes to bowl with remaining oil and garlic and toss to coat. Wrap bowl tightly with plastic wrap and microwave on high power until potatoes are translucent around the edges, 3-6 minutes, shaking bowl to redistribute halfway through.
Combine cornstarch, salt, pepper and garlic powder in a small bowl. Sprinkle over hot potatoes and stir to coat. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on prepared baking sheet and place in oven, Bake, turning once, until deep golden brown and crisp, about 40 minutes. Serve at once with an additional sprinkling of sea salt if desired.

Hey Good Lookin', Whatcha Got Cookin'? Mardi Gras Jambalaya

When my kids were little we had a Buckwheat Zydeco cd that we played over and over and in the car. How a family in New England became enamored of a Lousiana zydeco band, I don't know. I have no recollection of how that cd came to be in our possession. All I know is, I never minded listening to it umpteen times in a row because the music is so infectiously happy.

Wikipedia says zydeco, a form of Creole music, is

Usually fast tempo and dominated by the button or piano accordion and a form of a washboard known as a "rub-board," "scrub-board," "wash-board," or frottoir, zydeco music was originally created at house dances, where families and friends gathered for socializing.

That cd (and movie, The Big Easy) is probably the closest I've ever gotten to New Orleans. It's one of those places I've always wanted to visit, mostly for the food. Paul Prudhomme, Emeril, beignets, muffaleta, gumbo at Galatoire's  and breakfast at Brennan's has filled my foodie dreams for years.


Doesn't look like I'll get there in time for Mardi Gras this year, but I'll go some day. 
Meantime, I kept myself and the family happy with a big pot of jambalaya. It sounds like "jumble" doesn't it? And that's pretty much what it is. A hearty mix of sausages, chicken, vegetables and rice. It's smoky and spicy and easy to make - no special skills required. The ingredient list might look long, but once you have it all prepped, the meal comes together  quickly. The original recipe says it serves 10 people. Since we weren't throwing any kind of party last night, I cut it in half and added some shrimp just for good measure. This version will serve about 6.
And as they say in Louisiana,
 Laissez les bon temps rouler!*

Jambalaya
adapted from Bon Appetit


6 oz. applewood smoked bacon, diced


12 oz. fully cooked smoked sausage (such as linguica), halved lengthwise, 
cut crosswise into 1/2" thick semi-circles


8 oz. andouille sausage, quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/2" cubes


1/4 lb. smoked ham, such as Black Forest, or tasso, cut into 1/4" cubes


2 celery stalks, chopped


3 med. onions, chopped


1 red bell pepper, chopped


1 green bell pepper, chopped


1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breast, cut into 1" pieces


1/2 lb. raw medium shrimp, chopped


1 Tbsp. paprika or smoked paprika


1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme


1 Tbsp. chile powder


1/4 tsp. (or more to taste) cayenne pepper


2 10-oz. cans diced tomatoes with green chilies


1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth


1 cup long grain white rice


3 scallions, chopped


1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped


Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350.
Cook bacon in a large pot over medium-high heat until brown but not crisp, stirring often about 8 minutes. Add smoked sausage, andouille and ham. Saute until meats begin to turn brown in spots, about 8 minutes. Add onions, celery and bell peppers and cook until vegetables begin to soften, stirring occasionally. Mix in chicken and cook until it turns white on the outside, stirring often. Mix in paprika, thyme, chile powder and cayenne. Cook one minute. Add diced tomatoes and broth. Stir to blend well. Mix in rice.
Bring jambalaya to a boil. Add shrimp, cover pot and place in oven. Bake until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, approximately 45 minutes. Remove from oven, uncover pot. Mix chopped scallions into jambalaya and sprinkle with parsley.


*Let the good times roll!

The World's Best Chocolate Cookies for a Friend

What can you do for a friend when she's having what is most assuredly the worst day of her life?

Anything she wants.

And after that, you can make her a big pile of something chocolate.
She may not feel like eating it today, but I bet she will soon.

When a friend is hurting, it's sometimes hard to know what to do. A lot of us turn to food. We're not always sure if that's the right thing but it's never is the wrong thing. Baking makes us feel less helpless.
So I took out the recipe I had for the richest and most intense chocolate cookies. In fact, these are entitled "The World's Best Cookies". Then I added chopped up Reese's cups, because a little peanut butter makes everything better.
Seems like a pretty decent idea when someone you love is having the world's worst day.

The World's Best Chocolate Cookies
adapted from a recipe by Cindy Prentice on Local Betty, recommended by my friend David Ekizian

1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

2 Tbsps. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp. salt

3 eggs

1 cup + 2 Tbsps. sugar

2 tsp. light corn syrup

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

9 oz. bittersweet chocolate

3 oz. unsweetened chocolate

2 tsps. vanilla

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips OR 1 cup chopped Reese's cups

Preheat oven to 325F. Line 2 cookie sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt into a small bowl. Set aside.

Place both kinds of chocolate into a medium bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Melt chocolate, stirring occasionally, then set aside to cool slightly.

With an electric hand mixer, beat eggs, sugar and corn syrup on low for one minute. Blend in melted butter, chocolate mixture and vanilla. Beat on low until smooth and thoroughly blended. Resift flour mixture into chocolate mixture and blend on low speed. Stir in chips or peanut butter cups. Batter should be soft and glossy. Cover bowl and let stand for 10 minutes.

Using a small ice cream scoop (or a tablespoon), place cookie dough onto prepared baking sheet, about 3" apart. Bake 12-14 minutes, rotating baking sheets halfway through. Do not overbake! Cookies will be soft, but stable, and will no longer look wet.
Let stand on cookie sheet one minute then remove to cooling rack.