Placatingly Poignant Pot Pie

One of those simple comfort foods that has all the necessary components. Gravy and butter, the rest is just filler if you ask me. A simple crust would suffice for most but for those truly discerning individuals nothing less than a puff pastry crust will do for their pot pie. So with no expense spared I give you the ultimate chicken pot pie. Simple in its makeup yet confoundingly delicious.

Yield: One 9'' Pie Pan

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Chicken Breasts
• 1lb Puff Pastry (Recipe Here)
• 1/2 Cup Frozen Peas
• 1/2 Large Onion (Diced)
• 2 Celery Stocks
• 1 Carrot
• 1 Parsnip
• 1/3 Cup Flour
• 2/3 Cup Milk
• 1 tbsp. Celery Salt
• 2 tsp Black Pepper
• 2 tbsp. Butter
• 2 1/4 Cup Chicken Stock

Recipe:

Dice the onion, and chop the celery, carrot, and parsnip. Be sure to peel the parsnip and carrot before chopping.

Place the chicken, celery, carrot, and parsnip in a pan along with 1/2 cup chicken stock. Cover and boil on med heat for 15min. Turn the chicken over about half way through. Once cooled, dice the chicken.

Sauté the onion in butter in a sauce pan.

Cook until translucent.

Add in the pepper, celery salt, and flour. Quickly stir until incorporated.

Slowly add the milk and remaining 1 3/4 cup chicken stock, stir until everything is mixed.

Continue stirring until mixture begin to thicken. Remove from heat.

Combine the sauce and veggie/chicken mixture.

Roll out half of the puff pastry to about 14'' round.

Gently press into the bottom of the pie pan. Press against the pan edges, trim and discard the excess.

Place the filling in the bottom of the pan just below the pan edge. There will be excess filling.

Repeat the process of rolling second half of the puff pastry to 14'' and lay over the top of the filling. Press the edges together, trim and discard the excess. Poke a few holes in the top crust.

Bake at 425F for 25-30min or until golden brown.

Dig in and enjoy the goodness! Never you mind how much butter there is.

Seemingly Mundane Munchylicious Pizza

As I've mentioned before pizza tends to get a bad rap because there's so many places out there making awful pizza. What's even more awful is it's not cheap to eat this crap either. So stop being placated by mundane, complacent, listless fake cheese topped wafers. I give to you the common place pizza toppings you've grown to know and love with salami for a twist but now transformed into something truly amazing when prepared fresh. It will lift the woeful stagnant veil of complacency that has kept you warm these many years in one fell aroma filled whiff. On a last note though, I make all pizzas with a pizza stone. You can't match the results any other way, crunchy bottom crust and even cooking.

Yield: One ~15'' Pizza

Ingredients:

• 8-9 oz Tomato Sauce
• 1/2 of Pizza Dough ~525g (Recipe Here)
• 2 tbsp Corn Meal
• 2 tbsp Honey
• 1/2 tbsp Salt
• 1/2 tbsp Italian Seasoning
• 1/4 tbsp Basil
• 1/4 tbsp Oregano
• 1/4 tbsp Pepper
• 2 Cloves Minced Garlic (Optional)

Toppings:

• 1 lb Mozzarella Cheese
• ~6 diced mushrooms
• Salami
• ~1/4 Sliced Onion

Recipe:

***Before you start anything: Turn your oven to 525F and put in the pizza stone. Allow it to sit at 525F for at least 30min. Should be ready by the time you finish everything else.***

Combine the tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, oregano, basil, pepper, salt and garlic (if desired, you know you want to).

Roll out the pizza dough to 15'' diameter on a floured surface.

Sprinkle the corn meal evenly over the dough and lightly press into dough.

Make sure your wooden paddle is lightly floured.

Transfer the dough corn meal side down to the paddle.

Roll up the edges to form the crust. You can apply light water to the edges to make it stick if necessary.

Evenly spread the sauce around the dough. Drizzle the honey over the sauce.

Throw on the cheese, you won't quite need the whole lb of cheese. Munching on the extra is acceptable.

Sprinkle on the onion.

Next the mushroom.

Then the best part...salami!!!

Take your pizza stone out of the oven and carefully transfer your pizza to the pizza stone

Bake at 525F for ~12min or until desired doneness. Salami isn't nearly as oily as pepperoni so if it sticks up from the pizza at all it will burn. Some of mine got a little burnt so I put new ones half way through (that's why the pizza looks a little funny with some cooked well and others lightly).

Remove and enjoy! Careful though, hogging the crushed peppers and Parmesan cheese will not guarantee the pizza is yours. It's so good that it doesn't need any of that cover up.

Here's another pizza perfect moment:

Pizazzy Pizza Dough

Pizza is one of those often abused and neglected culinary creations. It has been reduced to being microwaveable, freezer safe for seemingly forever, and ready in 5min. Every time a frozen pizza is heated somewhere an Italian cries. For such an easy to make eternal chief of the delicatessens it is sad how haphazardly and lackadaisical it's preparation has become. Well now's an excellent time to turn from your ardently slothful ways, right a wrong, and stop an Italian from crying. Behold, I give you a simple and easy pizza dough for the basis of all your future creations.

Yield: 2 Pizzas

Ingredients:

~5 1/4 Cup Flour (656g)

1 1/2 Cup Warm Water

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

2 tsp Yeast

2 tsp Salt

1 tbsp White Granulated Sugar

Recipe:

Add the yeast and sugar to the warm water.

Allow to sit for about 5min until the water gets frothy.

Combine the flour, salt, olive oil and yeast mixture. Mix with a stand mixer and dough hook for 5-7min or knead by hand for about 15min until the dough is lightly tacky to the touch. The dough should not stick to the sides of the bowl but should lightly stick to the bottom. Add a little more flour if necessary to achieve proper consistency.

Transfer the dough to a greased bowl and cover with a cloth or plastic wrap.

Place in a warm spot (like a warm oven) for 45min or until doubled.

Where you go from here is up to you. All meat, veggies, red sauce, white sauce, the possibilities are limited only by your mind. If your head's spinning feel free to refrigerate the dough and use the next day.

A True Shepherd's Pie

Aww shepherd's pie, that interesting Irish dish that for some reason seems to be made with beef almost everywhere these days. I mean since when did shepherds watch cows? I don't know about you but if I'm going to break bread with the shepherds I definately won't insult them by swapping the meat on them. So to keep it cordial and for my taste buds' sake, I'll have lamb in my shepherd's pie.

Yield: About six gracious portions.

Ingredients:

Shepherd's Pie Filling

• 2lb Ground Lamb
• 1/4 Cup Butter (1/2 stick or 4 tablespoons)
• (1) 15oz Can Whole Corn
• (1) 1lb Bag Peas and Carrots
• 2 Medium Sized Onions-Diced
• 4 tbsp Worchester Sauce
• 1 tbsp Salt
• 1 tbsp Pepper
• 1/4 Cup Beef Broth

Mashed Potatoes

• ~2.5-2.75lb Potatoes
• 5 tbsp Sour Cream
• 1/4 Cup Butter (1/2 stick or 4 tablespoons)
• 1/2 Cup Milk
• 3 Clove Garlic-Minced
• 1 tbsp Salt
• 1/2 tbsp Pepper

Recipe:

Dice the onions, mince the garlic, slice or quarter the potatoes and prepare the veggies.

Prepare a pot of boiling water and boil for 10-15min until the potatoes are soft enough to easily insert a fork into.

Drain the water and mash the potatoes, add the butter and continue to mash until mostly smooth and butter is melted completely.

Add the garlic, sour cream, milk, salt and pepper. Continue to mash until incorporated.

Optionally, you can add some extra whipped texture by using a hand mixer for about 2-3min. Set mashed potatoes aside.

In a frying pan on medium heat melt the butter and cook the onions until translucent, about 5min.

Add in the lamb, break up into small chucks and cook until most of the pink is gone.

Add the remaining veggies, stir around, then add the beef broth, worchester sauce, salt and pepper. Allow this to stew for about 10min.

First layer the filling on the bottom, then add the masked potatoes on top. If you like, you can rough up the top with a fork for appearance. (if using a 9x13 baking dish, you may need to scale back the mashed potatoes or filling; either is quite yummy on it's own anyways :) )

Place in a 400F oven for 30min. For extra browning you can use the broiler.

Let it cool down and enjoy a helping with your local shepherds. On second thought, who likes sharing anyways?

I like adding extra worchester sauce to mine too when I eat it. You can also use HP sauce if you want, but I can drink worchester so that's my poison.