Chicken Pot Pie-Holly Martineau

Pastry: 2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces
4-6TBS of ice cold water

FILLING:2-3 chicken breasts (bone in or boneless, about 1lb)
3 Yukon Gold or russet potatoes (or really, whatever you have, sometimes I use a yam or turnip!)
3 carrots, chopped
2 tsp chicken bouillon granules
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cold water or chicken broth
1/2 cup frozen peas, or broccoli, or both

You can really throw anything you want into this pie! Get creative! Make your pie crust. Google it if you don't know how. Or come over. But the trick to not over work the crust, otherwise it will be tough.

Boil chicken about 18 min, reserve water. Add potatoes and carrots to chicken water and summer until veggies are semi tender, about 12-15 min. Meanwhile, chop up the chicken. Remove the veggies from the simmering broth with a slotted spoon and set aside with the chicken pieces. Measure the broth and add water if necessary, to make 2 1/2 cups. Return to the pan and simmer stirring in bouillon and salt. (You could skip this step and just use 2 1/2 cups of canned chicken broth.)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Stir the flour into the cold water in a small bowl or measuring cup. Stir into the broth and increase the heat to medium. Stir constantly until the broth thickens. Add the chicken to the broth along with the potatoes, carrots and peas. Stir to combine. Pour filling in to the pastry-lined pie dish cover with the top crust, seal and flute the edges, and cut a slit in the top for the steam to escape. Back 40 min, or until the crust is light brown. Serve Immediately.

Chinese Haystacks-Holly Martineau

Cook some rice, enough to feed your family.

1 pound grilled or broiled boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or 3 cups chopped cooked chicken
course salt, fresh ground pepper
Chow mien noodles
2 celery ribs, diced
1/2 c slivered/chopped raw almonds
1 20 oz can of pineapple tidbits, drained
Mandarin Oranges
1/2 cup coconut
maraschino cherries
Cut up veggies like green pepper, red pepper, lightly steamed carrot slices
Shredded cheese

Chicken gravy. Use your own tried and true gravy recipe, or use this trashy, but yummy one: 1 can condense cream of chicken soup1 cup sour cream1/2 cup milk Serve all the condiments over rice.

Baked Chicken and Potatoes Italiano- Holly Martineau

6 medium Russet potatoes, peeled and quartered lengthwise
2 medium white onions, thickly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil, divided6 chicken thighs
6 chicken drumsticks(OR you can use 6 chicken breasts instead of the other cuts of chicken)
2 TBS FRESH rosemary leaves, or 2 tsp dried Coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Place potato and onion pieces in a sheet pan and drizzle 2 TBS olive oil, stir/toss to cover them all.
Remove the skin from the chicken pieces if desired. Rub the remaining 2 TBS olive oil all over the chicken. Place Chicken among the potatoes on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the rosemary on the chicken. Sprinkle the salt and pepper generously over all. Bake for 30 min. Turn the potatoes and onions and continue baking until the chicken is cooked through and the veggies are tender, 15-25 more min. Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately with a green veggie, and butter beans and bread.

Homemade Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

8 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 cups milk
1/4 cup butter
2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 pinch paprika

Directions:
Cook macaroni according to the package directions. Drain.

In a saucepan, melt butter or margarine over medium heat. Stir in enough flour to make a roux. Add milk to roux slowly, stirring constantly. Stir in cheeses, and cook over low heat until cheese is melted and the sauce is a little thick. Put macaroni in large casserole dish, and pour sauce over macaroni. Stir well.

Melt butter or margarine in a skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and brown. Spread over the macaroni and cheese to cover. Sprinkle with a little paprika.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes. Serve.

NOTE: I would top it with cheese instead of the breadcrumbs, and only bake it until cheese was melted, or maybe broil it until crispy. -Heidi Wood

Pigs in a Blanket-Heidi Wood

INGREDIENTS:

8 hot dogs
4 slices (3/4 oz each) American cheese, each cut into 6 strips
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 375°F. Slit hot dogs to within 1/2 inch of ends; insert 3 strips of cheese into each slit.
Separate dough into triangles. Wrap dough triangle around each hot dog. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, cheese side up.
Bake at 375°F. for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

**I skip the cheese and slice the hotdogs lengthwise for my kids.

Curry Chicken & Rice- Lorie Gardine

2 T. olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 tsp. curry powder
1/2 c. plain yogurt
3/4 c. heavy cream
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1-14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
(If you like tomatoes, use 2 cans)
1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
(Or shredded chicken breasts)
2 c. white rice, cooked according to package directions
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil. Once the oil runs quickly in the pan, add the onions. Cook until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with curry powder and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add yogurt and cream and simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper and tomato. Remove from heat. Stir in chicken. Serve over rice with cilantro sprinkled on top.