π Day! What’s for Dinner?

A friend reminded me that pie day (that’s π day, 3.14, March 14) is coming up soon! Somehow I remember this holiday too late every year to actually make a pie for it. Even though it’s written plainly on my calendar (yep, there it is just like last year– a “14” right smack in the middle of the month).

I am currently avoiding sugar like the plague (well, actually, I haven’t been around the plague so that one is much, much easier to avoid), so rather than a decandent pie for dessert, I’m going for Chicken Pot Pie for dinner. One thing I like about making Chicken Pot Pie from scratch is that it’s pretty easy, rather flexible, and I get to use one of my favorite ingredients: Better Than Cream of Soup. Gravy that’s sooo good for you! What a dream!

Here’s what I do for an easy, yet homemade chicken pie (this makes two pies, and if you only eat one, freeze the other and you’ve got dinner done for another day or for a friend also!)

Ingredients:

Vegetables, chopped and lightly steamed

these can be fresh, frozen, or canned–whatever you like or are used to. If I have time, I chop up a potato, a couple of carrots and celery stalks and steam them in the microwave for a few minutes. Then I add in some frozen peas, corn maybe, lima beans, whatever I feel like. If I’m in a hurry and I’ve got them, I just use a bag of mixed frozen vegetables.

Chicken, cooked and chopped.

For my preferences, 1 large breast is enough. Or maybe a little more. I usually have some already in the freezer, which saves a little time on the prep.

2 or 3 cups of Better Than Cream of Soup, however much looks good to you!

Of course is you don’t have any on hand or time to make it, you can use any gravy or cream o’ soup you like. The cream o’ soup from a can would need to be thinned somewhat with milk or water. If you use soup from a can, cut back on your spices or leave them out all together.

Spices

Whatever you like on chicken–try Cheri’s Rotisserie Chicken Spice Mix or just add some salt, pepper, and thyme.

Chicken bullion

reconstituted in a little water, maybe 1/4 cup

Mix all your ingredients and put the mixture in your desired dish(es). You can use pie plates, casserole dishes, or a cake pan, whatever you like that fits the amount you have. Then use your favorite pie crust recipe to cover the top or if you prefer something easier, make the biscuit recipe below and either roll it out and put cookie cutter shapes on your pie (this is fun with little kids who appreciate fun food) or use the drop biscuit version and just get the dough on and cook the thing already. I suggest having the filling hot in order to have the biscuits cook through.

Biscuits (from my well used Better Homes and Gardens cookbook)

2 cups flour (I use white wheat, use what you like)
1 Tblspn baking powder
2 tsp sugar (optional really)
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup oil or applesauce (it really calls for shortening, margerine, or butter)
2/3 cup milk (or a full cup if you want to drop the dough instead of roll it out)

Mix the dry, then oil, then milk.

This made enough dough to amply cover two pies.

bake at 450° for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Your family will love it so much it will be all the way around the table in 3.14. Oh, I crack me up (insert knee slap). Though according to our dinner table conversation, my AP calculus son tells me that’s just half way around…