Fall Comfort Foods

I love the beginning of the fall season...especially the food!  Our meals always change along with the weather and fall brings lots of crock pot soups and chili's and of course chicken pot pies. I wanted to share 2 recipes I used this past week that are FABULOUS and so so easy.

The first is an awesome chicken pot pie recipe.  This particular recipe makes enough for 3 pot pies...yes 3!  I cooked one and put the rest of the filling in a gallon sized Ziploc bag and tossed it in the freezer.  Now I have 2 extra chicken pot pies that just have to be thawed and cooked :) 

Homemade Chicken Pot Pie  

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Ingredients:

• 12 TBSP (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2 cups chopped sweet onions (2 small onions or 1 large onion)
• 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 6 cups chicken broth 
• 3 tsp salt (use less if you are using store-bought or previously salted chicken broth)
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 cup cream
• 6 cups shredded chicken (this is about how much you get from an average whole chicken)
• 2 cups medium-diced carrots, blanched for 2 minutes (I used a bag of frozen carrots & peas)
• 3 cups small-cubed potatoes, blanched for 2 minutes
• 1 (10 to 12-ounce) package frozen peas
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
• 3 recipes for a 9 inch double crust pie
• 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
• Coarse sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Preparation:

Preheat over to 350^o.  In a large pot, melt the butter.  Add the onions and saute over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Slowly, add the chicken broth to the butter mixture, stirring constantly.  Bring to a simmer, and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring, until thick.  Add 3 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and the 1/2 cup cream.  Add the shredded chicken, carrots, peas, potatoes and parsley. Mix well.  Remove from heat.

Line the bottom of three – 9 in. pie pans with pie crust.  Fill each pie crust with 1/3 of the chicken mixture.  Cover each pie with the top crust and seal and crimp the edges.  Brush the crusts with the egg wash and cut several slits in the top of the pastry to allow steam to escape.  Sprinkle the top of each pie with the coarse sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

Bake the pot pies in the preheated over for 60-75 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling and very hot.  Allow to cool for at least ten minutes before serving.

The 2nd recipe is one I cooked last night.  It was so so so easy.  I love recipes I can throw together before I run out the door in the morning (because I'm always running late to work) and it's all done when I get home.  This is a crock pot taco soup that is delicious!  It also makes a LOT.  

Taco Soup

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Ingredients:

• 2 cans of kidney beans
• 2 cans of pinto beans
• 2 cans of corn
• 1 large can of diced tomatoes
• 1 can tomatoes and chile's
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1 packet ranch dressing mix
• 1 lb browned ground turkey or hamburger (optional.)
• shredded cheese and sour cream for embellishment

Preparation:

Brown meat if you are going to use it, drain fat and add to crock pot stoneware insert (the meat. not the fat). Sprinkle seasoning packets on top of meat. Drain and rinse the beans and add. Add the ENTIRE contents of the corn and tomato cans.  Stir.  Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5. I think the longer you cook soup, the better, so if you have the time, opt for cooking on low. Stir well, and serve with a handful of shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream.