Easy Chicken Pot Pies

With the weather being so hot and miserable I was trying to find something to cook that would not take to long to be in the kitchen...Okay so I cheated a little on this one, but hey it was 80 degrees in my house when I got home from driving back from the grocery store with NO air conditioning...(Does that sound like whining)?

I decided to either make Tuna Stuffed Tomatoes or Easy Chicken Pot Pies..Connor chose and the Pot Pies won. Within 20 minutes I had them all assembled and popped into the oven...(using the oven on such a hot day was not the wisest idea, but when it comes to comfort food who cares)
They were very yummy and all were happy...

Until next time....make ThymeforGourmet....

Easy Chicken Pot Pies

Ingredients:
Oven 350
2 - 14.5 oz cans veg all (drained)
3 packets chicken gravy mix (prepare as directed on package)
1 pre-cooked whole chicken (shredded)
1 pkg. ready made pie crust

mix the veg all, chicken and 1 1/2 cups gravy together in a medium size bowl...spoon into individual ramekin's...cut crust rings to fit tops with a little hanging over...puncture tops to let steam out...
Brush with and egg wash if desired and bake till crust is brown (approx 40 minutes)

Serve with extra gravy if desired on top...

Braised Short Ribs on Garlic Mashed Potatoes

So I have really been watching the new Cooking Channel 232..I have to tell you this tops the Food Network by far. I do know that they are affiliated in the network..However, they are bringing back some oldies..Just to name a few...Julia Child, Jamie Oliver, Ching-He-Huang, Chuck Hughes (Chuck's Day Off)..Using so many fresh ingredients and so many new idea's..It is endless in helping ones mind in creating sure BLISS for your mouth...

I do have to tell you that John is surely enjoying himself in sampling all the new things that are calling my name to try them...

I really have fallen in love with Chuck's Day Off...He owns his own restaurant (He really does not have a day off...does anyone that owns their own business??) His culinary skills are incredible..You get the feeling that you are sitting across the table from him....(Oh Boy do I:) I have truly become a follower...

He was making this dish but included Green Beans with Poached Tomatoes...I made the dish exactly the way he said to but I actually put it into the Crock Pot after I brought the liquid to boil..I roasted mixed vegetables instead but still made the Garlic Mashed Potatoes...

"Pure Heaven delivered in a dish" is what John said after licking his bowl...I hope you try this and let me know what you think....

Until next time..... Make ThymeforGourmet

Gadget of the Week Meal

So the gadget of the week was a Homemade Pasta Cutter. I showed you pictures of the pasta rolled and cut. I decided to make Fettucini Alfredo with Chicken, Broccoli and Mushrooms. I served this with Iceberg wedges drizzled with a Vinagrette dressing garnished with radishes and garlic french bread....I had one of my very good friends visiting from Santa Cruz and we had been on the lake all day...Needless to say, everything was so mouthwatering delicious and refreshing that I didn't even have a 1/4 cup leftover for me to nibble on for breakfast...BUMMER!! Pasta dishes are alway's better the next day..

Deal of the Week

Wow,



Did I find the best deal this week. I stopped by the Paso Robles Produce on Golden Hills Rd. in Paso Robles, CA. I just needed some lettuce for dinner last night and to my suprise it just happened to be



20 lb. for $12 Wednesday..I was a little confused so the very kind family that owns this facility explained to me that you fill up your basket with any produce item of any kind till the basket weighs 20 lbs. Ok. now I'm thinking to myself..Is this for real?? Avocado's were .99 cents a piece on the price above them...I was needless to say..STOKED!! I got everything here provided for $12...My Avocado's alone would have just cost me $4..What a deal...They also have what they call the .20 cent Tuesday..What this means is that produce items are .20 cents ea. or .20 cents per lb. Can't beat that deal either.



Paso Robles Produce is a local family owned business on Golden Hills Rd. They are really wonderful people. They try to accomodate any requests that you might have. Bringing in mostly all local products..



If your looking for great prices, great produce and want to support your local farmers, then this is your place to go...Check them out for yourselves..You will definately be impressed...




www.pasoproduce.com



Till next time...make ThymeforGourmet

Tomatoe & Provolone Sandwiches EW challenge #2

So purchased the most incredible bread this morning and could not wait to try these sandwiches. Fresh Huge tomatoes from the garden, along with the Basil I used in the Mayonaise..It was so delicious that I had to make a Johnny version so I did a little alteration for his sandwich, afterall he is the meat eater of the house.(I added grilled chicken and some mixed green's..Oh and a little horshradish to the mayo for some kick...Let me just say there was not a crumb left)..Absolutely delicious especially in 103 degree weather...Quite refreshing and oh so good...

Hope you enjoy like we did...Until next time...

Let's make ThymeforGourmet

Ingredients

1 small clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon or basil or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Pinch of salt
8 slices whole-grain country bread
4 slices provolone cheese (about 4 ounces)
2 large or 3 medium tomatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), sliced 1/2 inch thick

Preparation

Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler.
Mash garlic on a cutting board with the side of a chef’s knife or a spoon until a paste forms. Transfer to a small bowl and combine with mayonnaise, tarragon (or basil), lemon juice, pepper and salt.
Place bread on a large baking sheet and broil until lightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn the bread over and divide cheese among 4 of the pieces. Continue broiling until the cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes.
Assemble sandwiches with tomato and the garlic-herb mayonnaise. Top with the melted cheese bread.

(John's Sammy: I added a little horshradish to the mayo, grilled chicken breast and mixed greens...so delish..)

Tomatoe-Corn Pie EW Challenge #1

So last night was the first of my Eating Well 10 meal challenge...
Tomatoe-Corn Pie. I do have to say that I have never made a pie crust before with Whole Wheat Pastry flour and Olive Oil, but you know what they say. "Alway's follow the recipe to the T the first time and then after that you can switch it up". So I did.

I prepared the dough ahead of time, wrapped and placed in the refrigerator for about 1 hour. I prepped all the other ingredients and then started to assemble what was going to be my first semi whole wheat pie crust. I started to roll out the dough, and was not very pleased how it rolled out and was cracking in places. I pieced it together (not very pretty to my standards) added the ingredients and popped it into the oven. All in all it didn't look that bad...(definately not a Martha Stewart product)

We had friends over for a sort of pot luck, they brought the Pork Tenderloin, I made the Tomatoe-Corn Pie and a Mixed green salad with a vinagrette dresssing. Desert was an Upside-Down Berry Cornmeal cake. Everything was delicious...They all went back for seconds on the Tomatoe-Corn Pie..It was a big hit.

Ingredients

Crust
3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
5 tablespoons cold water

Filling
3 large eggs
1 cup low-fat milk
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 1 large ear; see Tip) or frozen
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preparation
To prepare crust: Combine whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a large bowl. Make a well in the center, add oil and water and gradually stir them in to form a soft dough. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Roll the dough into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to a 9-inch pie pan, preferably deep-dish, and press into the bottom and up the sides. Trim any overhanging crust. Line the dough with a piece of foil or parchment paper large enough to lift out easily; fill evenly with pie weights or dry beans. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil or paper and weights. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour.

To prepare filling: Whisk eggs and milk in a medium bowl. Sprinkle half the cheese over the crust, then layer half the tomatoes evenly over the cheese. Sprinkle with corn, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and the remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Layer the remaining tomatoes on top and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Pour the egg mixture over the top.
Bake the pie until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes before serving.

I think next time I will double the crust recipe just so I have the extra to make it really fancy like I prefer it to be...

Until next time...Make ThymeforGourmet...

Country Picked Cherries

Beautiful Bounty of Cherries...
What to fix besides eating them out of the bowl one by one?

Cherry Jalapeno Mexican Pork or a Fruit Mix Salad...
Look for it this week right here...