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Freezer meals

Chicken, Bacon, Spinach and Tomato Pasta Bake

May 17, 2019

You guys, it’s been a while since we had a casserole here on THO. But I have a friend who just had a baby girl (hi Meaghan!). When I thought about what meal I could bring her I was bored with every casserole I had made before.

Enter this Chicken BLT one.

I’ve been on a BLT kick ever since I ordered one at Panera a few weeks ago. So simple! So delicious! My daughter even asked me if I had bought a large package of bacon or something because I had been cooking with it a lot. Does bacon come in bulk? If so, sign me up.

We all loved this dinner, it’s comfort food and it freezes and travels well, so it makes a great dish to share. Like most casseroles there are a few steps, but you could bake it in the same pot as the pasta is cooked in and you stir it all together if you wanted to.

The thing that makes this SO delicious is I cooked the tomatoes and the spinach in the bacon grease so it would take on the bacon flavor. I got the idea from a pasta dish at the Mother’s Day brunch we went to, where I bit into a cherry tomato and was like, that tastes like bacon! Wait, it’s been cooked in bacon grease!  This had to be duplicated. And voila! It works perfectly here. I love when greens are cooked in flavor too.

I didn’t use bacon grease for the roux as I thought it would make the dish too heavy. Instead in the same pan as I cooked the diced chicken (to save time though you could use rotisserie or bake the chicken in the oven and then dice it) I made a roux with butter, onions and chicken stock and just a little cream and parm to make it delicious.

Then I poured it over the pasta to combine it. It’s important to let the sauce coat the pasta first and then add the tomatoes, spinach and bacon so you don’t burst the tomatoes or crumble the bacon too much.

Then you toss it all together and add this delicious parm and panko topping that really mimics the toast in a BLT.

Drizzle the top with a little olive oil so it turns brown in the oven (channeling my inner Giada here since she does this topping for every casserole she makes).

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until the panko turns golden, and then when you remove it, add another little crumble of bacon because why not?

True story, when I was taking these photos, I was getting my kindergartener ready to go to LaCrosse practice, and I took a few bites from this plate. It was so ridiculously good that the whole time we were at practice I was counting the minutes until we could go home and have this for dinner. (I finished reading My Brilliant Best Friend to keep my mind off of it thankfully).

Here’s to new babies, comfort food, and good books!  Happy Eating, xoxo Katie

Chicken, Bacon, Spinach and Tomato Pasta Bake

Ingredients:

1 pound penne pasta

1 pound of bacon

2 c. cherry tomatoes

4 c. packed fresh spinach

1 Tbsp. olive oil

3 chicken breasts, diced (or meat from 1 rotisserie chicken)

1 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

1 onion, diced

4 Tbsp. of butter (½ a stick)

¼ cup flour

2 cups chicken stock

¼ cup cream

½ + ⅓ cup freshly grated parmesean

⅓ cup panko

Directions:

Cook pasta in salted water according to package, drain, and return to pot, drizzling with a little oil so it doesn’t stick. While it cooks, fry bacon (may need two pans or to work in batches if pan is too small). Once it’s cooked, remove and place on paper towel lined plate. Pour off all but 2 T. of the bacon fat. Add tomatoes and spinach to remaining bacon fat and cook on medium heat, tossing in pan instead of stirring so you don’t break tomatoes. Cook for 3-4 minutes until spinach is wilted and tomatoes are slightly blistered, taking care not to overcook. In another large pan, heat olive oil on medium high heat, then add diced chicken, salt and pepper. (If using precooked or rotisserie chicken you can skip this step). Cook until chicken is nicely brown, then remove from pan on a plate and set aside. In the same pan, melt 4 Tbsp. butter, and then add diced onions. Cook until onions are soft, about 4-5 minutes. Then whisk in flour for 1 minute. Then add chicken stock and whisk well. Then whisk in cream and ½ cup parmesan and mix until its melted into sauce. Taste for seasoning, adding salt if needed. Pour this mixture over the pasta and stir to combine. Then add the cooked tomatoes, spinach and chicken. Seperate 3 strips of bacon, and cut up the rest and add to the pot. Gently combine all these ingredients so as not to break the tomatoes and then pour them into a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Combine panko and remaining ⅓ cup parmesan and sprinkle over the top, then drizzle with a little olive oil. Cook at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until panko is slightly browned. Remove and sprinkle with remaining 3 strips of bacon, cut up.

Calzones: Broccoli and Cheese, Turkey and Summer Squash

April 28, 2013

Baby is only a few days away, and I am done packing the freezer.  I filled it with my Broccoli and Cheese and Turkey and Squash calzones today.  These are actually one of the most requested recipes I have – no doubt because I always give out these beauties when my mom friends have babies.  I am ready for the crazy summer nights when I pop these in the oven while cuddling baby, pouring a glass of white wine and hanging with the kiddos.

I first found the recipe for the Broccoli and Cheese calzones in an Everyday Food magazine. And somewhere along the way, whenever  I made them, I also made a Turkey and Squash version I came up with for my meat-loving husband. What makes these such great freezer food is that 1 hour in the kitchen makes 16 calzones that handle the freezer so well.  You can throw these from the freezer to the oven and in no time have a warm, healthy but comfort-food dinner.

The ingredients are easy to have on hand (you can get your dough frozen or fresh).  It is amazing that this simple cast of characters makes such a yummy meal! It is warm, gooey, cheesy broccoli heaven out of the oven, and I stocked up on my favorite marinara sauce for dipping: Rao’s Marinara.  All their varieties of sauce are good (Vodka and Arribbiata are favorites in our house too). I wait for it to go on sale for $6/jar, which somehow makes it feel even more luxurious since it is often $8-10. I think I started using it because it is the kind Ina Garten always uses too, FYI.

First you saute the red onion and garlic, then add the broccoli and stir.  You can add red pepper flakes but I leave them out for the kids. After you stir this together, you let it cool.

Then you add the cheese mixture: ricotta, parm and mozzarella. (Hence why you let it cool first, so they don’t melt.)

Then you divy up your 2 lbs. of dough into eight pieces.

Stretch them out, then spoon the broccoli mixture on each:

Then you seal them up and put 2 slits in each one.  Then wrap each in Glad Press N Seal (no, this is not a sponsored post, I wish!).

Then lay them on a cookie sheet to freeze flat, and after they are frozen solid you can toss them all in a zip lock bag. When you pull them out of the freezer, cook them on parchment paper for 35-40 min at 400 degrees.  Don’t forget the marinara!!

SO easy and good. My kids love broccoli, so they are a big hit too, making all the work worth it, of course. The turkey calzones are similar, though I add Fontina cheese for a grown up, gooey  delicious factor. And I used whole wheat pizza dough for the grown ups, to make it slightly healthier then the pizza we will no doubt be ordering twice a week.

Here are the recipes, turn on some Pandora, and set your self up for the week/month!

Broccoli and Cheese Calzones (printer version here.)

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
  • Flour, for rolling dough
  • 2 packages (1 pound each) balls fresh or frozen pizza dough, thawed if frozen
  • 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded (6 ounces) part-skim mozzarella cheese
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • Prepared tomato sauce (optional)
  • 1 medium red onion, finely chopped

Directions

  1. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium. Add onion; cook until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add broccoli, garlic, and pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl; set aside to cool.
  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Form calzones: Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, stretch each piece out, first to a 3-by-4-inch oval, then stretch again, this time to a 6-by-8-inch oval. (Let dough rest a few minutes if too elastic to work with.)
  3. Stir cheeses into cooled broccoli mixture; season generously with salt and pepper. Assemble calzones: Spread a rounded 1/2 cup broccoli mixture over half of each piece of dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border; fold over to form a half-moon. Press edges to seal. With a paring knife, cut 2 slits in the top of each calzone.
  4. Using a wide metal spatula with a thin blade, transfer calzones to 2 baking sheets lined with parchment or waxed paper; reshape if needed.
  5. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes. Serve with tomato sauce, if desired.

Cook’s Note

To freeze: Prepare recipe through step 3. Tightly wrap each calzone in plastic; freeze until firm. Transfer calzones to resealable plastic bags; label and date. Freeze up to 2 months. To serve, unwrap calzones, and place on parchment-lined baking sheets; bake without thawing until golden, 35 to 40 minutes.

 

Turkey and Summer Squash Calzones (printer version here.)

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped

  • 4 shallots or 1 medium onion, chopped

  • 1 lb. ground turkey

  • 1 zucchini, chopped

  • 1 summer squash, chopped

  • 1 t. onion powder

  • 1 t. garlic powder

  • Flour, for rolling dough

  • 2 packages (1 pound each) balls fresh or frozen pizza dough, thawed if frozen

  • 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

  • 1/2 cups shredded (6 ounces) part-skim mozzarella cheese

  • 1/2 cup cubed Fontina cheese

  • Coarse salt and ground pepper

  • Prepared tomato sauce (optional)

  • Directions

  1. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium. Add onion and garlic; cook until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add ground turkey. Cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink,, 5 to 7 minutes. Add zucchini and summer squash, cook for 5 min. more until they are soft. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, 1 t. salt, and 1/2 pepper. Stir and cook 1 min. more. Transfer to a medium bowl; set aside to cool.

  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Form calzones: Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, stretch each piece out, first to a 3-by-4-inch oval, then stretch again, this time to a 6-by-8-inch oval. (Let dough rest a few minutes if too elastic to work with.)

  3. Stir cheeses into cooled turkey mixture; season generously with salt and pepper. Assemble calzones: Spread a rounded 1/2 cup turkey mixture over half of each piece of dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border; fold over to form a half-moon. Press edges to seal. With a paring knife, cut 2 slits in the top of each calzone.

  4. Using a wide metal spatula with a thin blade, transfer calzones to 2 baking sheets lined with parchment or waxed paper; reshape if needed.

  5. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes. Serve with tomato sauce, if desired.

Cook’s Note

To freeze: Prepare recipe through step 3. Tightly wrap each calzone in plastic; freeze until firm. Transfer calzones to resealable plastic bags; label and date. Freeze up to 2 months. To serve, unwrap calzones, and place on parchment-lined baking sheets; bake without thawing until golden, 35 to 40 minutes.

 

Lasagna with Spinach and Zucchini

April 19, 2013

Of course, the freezer list of meals to make before baby has to include Lasagna.

 

 

I took a look at the Pioneer Woman’s Lasagna before I made this, and although hers looks yummy (I am totally going to try Mozzarella Slices next time, maybe cottage cheese), I really love veggies in my lasagna and lean meat. So I put in spinach and zucchini, used Dreamfield’s pasta, but made my sauce like her. After looking at a lot of lasagna recipes, I find that they are infinitely flexible, so I add what I like.  Sometimes artichokes, spicy sausage, red peppers.  I was going for a healthy meal after baby arrives, so I tried to fit my ‘salad’ in my lasagna for a no-fuss night (although greens with Italian dressing goes so well with lasagna too).  So feel free to play around with this recipe and try your favorite ingredients. Here are all the ingredients I used:

First I simmered my meat with garlic (I used 1 lb. turkey, 1 lb. grass fed beef since I was doubling it), then added some zucchini, making sure to season this with 1 t. salt and 1/2 t. pepper:

Next I added tomatoes, and I swear by San Marzano tomatoes.  I can’t remember where I started using whole tomatoes and crushing them with my hands :

But I love the rustic texture.

Then add the seasonings – parsley, basil, salt and pepper, and stir.  Allow to simmer away for 20-30 min. depending on how much time you have.

While this is cooking, make sure the lasagna noodles are cooked and drained.  I like to add a drizzle of oil after they are cooked to prevent sticking.  Then you assemble the ricotta mixture:

I like to add the spinach next, half to the cheese mixture and half to the sauce.  Then, you assemble.  Then, layer bottom of 13 x 9 pan with sauce from jar so noodles don’t stick (about 1/2 a cup). Then add noodles, ricotta mixture, mozzarella, noodles, meat sauce mixture, jar sauce mixture, noodles, repeat. Finish with thick layer of mozzarella. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze if freezing after this step.

Don’t the green specks look pretty? You can use basil or parsley too (which is more traditional in the cheese mixture).  But I am trying to sneak in nutrition where I can, and I know my kids eat the cheesy part.

Please note that I always double these ingredients.  It is such a luxury to invest 1 hr. of work and have enough food for the weekend AND a pan in the freezer. (I often give one away to someone who just had a baby or something.)

Lasagna with Zucchini and Spinach (printer version here.)

2 T. olive oil

2 cloves of garlic minced

1 lb. ground turkey, beef or sausage

2 zucchini, chopped

2 cans whole San Marzano tomatoes

2 T. dried parsley flakes

2 T. dried Basil

2 t. salt & 1 t. pepper

1 package lasagna noodles

2 eggs

1/2 cup Parmesan

3 cups part skim ricotta

1 10 oz. frozen package of spinach, thawed and drained

2 c. shredded mozzarella

1 32 oz. jar of favorite pasta sauce (I love having extra sauce, no dried out noodles!)

Directions:

Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions, being sure to add salt and oil to the water so they don’t stick.

Cook meat and garlic together until meat is fully cooked, then add zucchini and cook for 5 minutes more.  Add tomatoes, squeezing each until it is in big chunks. Add parsley, basil, salt and pepper, and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, stir together ricotta cheese, eggs, parm, 1 t. salt, and add half of the spinach to the ricotta mixture, the other half to the meat mixture. (I like to see specks of green in the ricotta. You can add all the spinach to the meat mixture if you like).

Then, layer bottom of 13 x 9 pan with sauce from jar so noodles don’t stick (about 1/2 a cup). Then add noodles, ricotta mixture, mozzarella, noodles, meat sauce mixture, jar sauce mixture, noodles, repeat. Finish with thick layer of mozzarella. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze if freezing after this step.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 25-30 min until top is bubbly. If frozen, cook for 45-50 min covered with foil, checking to see if cheese is melted and middle is warm.

 

Lemongrass Coconut Chicken over Grains

April 13, 2013

Now that I am getting ready for baby in a few weeks, I am all about making meals to freeze. I will share some of my favorites as I make them this month, because finding new meal ideas to freeze ahead are one of the biggest requests I get.

As I started to think about what to make, I looked to the meals that I have bought and liked in the freezer aisle.  At the top of my list was this entree from Kashi:

 

I always feel great after I eat this, and knew it froze well, so I thought, what if I recreated it at home? Turns out it is super easy:

I was also excited to get to use this ingredient that friends and healthy food writers have been raving about:

This is supposed to be the healthiest fat we can eat, though I used it as a flavor booster, with the healthiness factor as a bonus (always my priority levels).

You start with these grains, and while they cook according to their packages:

You make the yummy sauce for the top with these ingredients:

Note the jalepeno – I decided to leave it out since my kids don’t love spicy, but if you do, leave it in!  I was so happy to discover how easy this dish is.  First you melt the 2 T. of the coconut oil on med-high heat, then saute the aromatics in it:

I can’t believe how much the pureed Lemongrass and Ginger speed up this dish, and you don’t even notice the difference.  If you can’t find these ingredients in these tubes, try to get the original and just use about the same amount (1 T.) of minced ginger, and about six 1-inch pieces of lemongrass stalks (about 2-3 stalks, tops trimmed) removing them after the sauce has simmered.  Then you add the chicken:

Then after the chicken has turned mostly white, add the cocount milk and lime juice, simmering on med-low for 10 min. to infuse the flavors:

After 10 min, mash this mixture of flour and coconut oil together and add to sauce thicken it (it does a beautiful job! It is just like thickening a french sauce with butter and flour):

When it is all cooked, add the veggies (I love how the frozen bag of stir fry veggies felt like I was eating the Kashi meal since they are perfectly cut, also super speedy):

Cook until veggies are cooked through, then serve over combined grains.  If you are freezing them like I did, just lay out 3 medium sized containers, letting sauce cool before assembly:

 

Ready to freeze! I did layer grains with sauce on top, so each container is like the entree, even though this picture looks like I froze them separately. It was so good I made a second batch the next day and we ate if for dinner – the kids were licking their plates.

Lemongrass Coconut Chicken (printer version here.)

1 c. wheat berries – cook according to package

1 c. red quinoa (use regular if you can’t find red) – cook according to package

1 c. brown rice – cook according to package


2 T. coconut oil

1 large shallot, chopped*

2 garlic cloves, chopped

3 T. lemongrass

1 T. ginger

3 chicken breasts, thinly sliced (I try to use organic)

1 t. salt

1 can light coconut milk

2 T. lime juice

2 T. flour + 1 T. coconut oil

Bag of stir fry veggies (broccoli, carrots, snap peas)

* If you like it spicy, can add 1/2-1 jalapeno minced with shallot and garlic, or serve with Sriracha sauce.

Directions:

Cook grains according to package directions. Rice will take longest, around 50-60 min, and a rice cooker helps, so put it on first.  Then wheat berries and quinoa should be around the same time, so you can cook them together on stove, around 15 min. Look at packages to get amount of water needed.

While the grains cook, melt coconut oil on Med-High heat in a large fry pan. Add shallots and garlic, saute for 3 min until fragrent.  Add lemongrass and ginger, saute for 1-2 min.  Then add chicken, and sprinkle with 1 t. salt.  Cook 3-5 min., flipping over until chicken is mostly all white.  Then add coconut milk, and simmer for 10 min.  While it cooks, mash together 1 T. coconut oil with 2 T. flour, then add to chicken/coconut milk mixture to thicken it.  Cook for a few minutes then add veggies. Stir to combine and warm up veggies.

Serve over combined grains when hot, or freeze in portion sized containers.

 

Please let me know what your favorite make ahead freezer meals are!!

Butternut Squash and Kale Lasagna

March 15, 2013

Happy Almost St. Patrick’s Day! We are headed up north for spring skiing, and have a corned beef and cabbage boiled dinner to eat up there, but I wanted to at least give you an Orange, Green and White meal for the weekend. Butternut Squash and Kale Lasagna!

 

 

I first tried this recipe from Cooking Light.  The recipe below is SEVERELY edited from their version which is much healthier I am sure. (You can find their recipe here if you are interested.) I was making it and I was like, what? 6 pieces of lasagna? How does it even stay together? Dry veggies? With no fats or salt? What? Soooo, as you can imagine, I had to tweak this.  This is the comfort food version. Complete with Mario Batali’s Béchamel sauce.  It is worth this extra step, but if you are in a pinch for time Alfredo sauce works (I almost can’t believe I am saying that, but if it gets dinner on the table faster, ok).

 

Kale and Butternut Squash Lasagna (for printer version click here):
Ingredients:
1 Butternut Squash, cubed (or 1 12-oz package pre-chopped fresh squash)
½ c. water
3 cups chopped kale
2 T. olive oil
2 T. minced garlic
3 cups Béchamel Sauce (recipe below)
6 oz. Gruyere cheese
4 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
S & P
Cooking Spray
12 Lasagna Noodles (No-Boil or already prepared al dente according to package)
3 tablespoons chopped pecans or walnuts (Warning: My kids disliked these, I loved them, so skip them or only put on half if serving to munchkins.)
Ingredients for Béchamel (from Mario Batali at www.foodnetwork.com):
5 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups milk
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Directions for Béchamel:
In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium-low heat until melted. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Over medium heat, cook until the mixture turns a light, golden sandy color, about 6 to 7 minutes.Meanwhile, heat the milk in a separate pan until just about to boil. Add the hot milk to the butter mixture 1 cup at a time, whisking continuously until very smooth. Bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from heat. Season with salt and nutmeg, and set aside until ready to use. Yields 3 cups.Directions for Lasagna:

Pre-heat oven to 450:

Place butternut squash in microwave safe dish. Add water, cover with plastic wrap tightly, then pierce 2 or 3 times to let steam escape. Microwave for 5 min. or until tender. Drain.While squash is microwaving, heat up oil on medium high heat in large pan. Add garlic and cook for 1 min. until fragrant. Add kale, seasoning with ½ t. salt and dash of pepper and saute for 3-4 min. Add butternut squash and stir to combine, set aside.

Make bechamel sauce. While still hot, add half or Gruyere and all of the Parmesan cheese to sauce, stir until melted.  Reserving other half for top of lasagna.

Coat Baking dish with cooking spray, then spread 2/3 c. bechamel sauce on bottom. Lay 3 noodles on top, then top with ⅓ of squash and kale mixture, then 2/3 c. bechamel sauce. Repeat two more times, ending with noodles and remaining sauce on top. Cover with foil; bake at 450 for 15 min. Remove foil, sprinkle remaining Gruyere on top with nuts. Bake uncovered at 450 for 10 min. or until lightly browned and sauce is bubbly.  Let stand 5 min. before serving.

 

Wishing you the happiest of St. Patrick’s Days!!! xoxo Katie

 

Chicken Pot Pie & Make Your Own Chicken Stock

November 21, 2011

Yesterday, I had 3 kids sleeping and hadn’t gotten to the grocery store. I looked at the contents of my fridge, and this is what I found:

A 5 day old rotisserie chicken,3 packages of mushrooms intended for another purpose, and heavy cream.  What to do?

First, I made a stock out of said rotisserie chicken which also used up my veggie drawer carrots and celery.

 

For Stock:

1 chicken carcass

1 Onion, cut in half

2 Carrots, cut in half

2 celery stalks (or use the center with the leaves, has flavor)

4-6 cloves of garlic

1 t. peppercorns

1/2 T. salt

4-6 c. water (fill until it covers chicken)

a bouquet garni (a bundle of herbs) that included parsley, rosemary, and thyme…

Then I put it on high until it came to a boil. (Julia Child says to skim the the surface 2 or 3 times at this stage, there is sometimes a foamy matter that rises up.)

 

Once it comes to just a boil, lower the heat to simmer, (Julia again comes to mind, since she says leave the heat low enough so that a few bubbles surface every so often. She is so specific! And that is exactly what happens when my burner is on its lowest option.) Cover half the pot, simmer for 2 hours, taste to season with more salt. Let cool, strain, store in fridge for 3-4 days or store in freezer.  Once you do this a few times, you don’t need a recipe and you can use up whatever you have: leeks, scallions, sage, parsnips, turnips. They all flavor stock beautifully.

After I made stock, I assessed the freezer.  My tendency to stuff my freezer with possible meal options pays off yet again. I made Chicken Pot Pie with some frozen veggies (mostly peas, carrots & corn), frozen all natural chicken breasts, and frozen puff pastry shells. If you haven’t heard of these before, they are fantastic:  http://www.puffpastry.com/products.

I like this product because unlike puff pastry, which needs time to thaw, this can go strait from freezer to oven and in 30 min you have a little bowl your kids love. For a chicken pot pie recipe, I like Ina Gartens which can work substituting puff shell pastry for her recipe below.  As for the mushrooms in my fridge, check out the stuffed mushroom appetizer recipe that follows:

Chicken Pot Pie

(From Ina Garten)

Prep Time:30 min
Cook Time:55 min
Serves:4 individual pot pies
Ingredients

  • 3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 5 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
  • 2 chicken bouillon cubes
  • 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 2 cups yellow onions, chopped (2 onions)
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups medium-diced carrots, blanched for 2 minutes
  • 1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas (2 cups)
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen small whole onions
  • 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

If you want to make your own pastry, Ina offers this recipe:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
  • 1/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
  • 1/2 to 2/3 cup ice water
  • 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
  • Flaked sea salt and cracked black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin. Cut the chicken into large dice. You will have 4 to 6 cups of cubed chicken.

In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the stock. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and heavy cream. Add the cubed chicken, carrots, peas, onions and parsley. Mix well.

For the pastry, mix the flour, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the shortening and butter and mix quickly with your fingers until each piece is coated with flour. Pulse 10 times, or until the fat is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water; process only enough to moisten the dough and have it just come together. Dump the dough out onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Divide the filling equally among 4 ovenproof bowls. Divide the dough into quarters and roll each piece into an 8-inch circle. Brush the outside edges of each bowl with the egg wash, then place the dough on top. Trim the circle to 1/2-inch larger than the top of the bowl. Crimp the dough to fold over the side, pressing it to make it stick. Brush the dough with egg wash and make 3 slits in the top. Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling hot.

The Mushrooms? Why stuffed mushrooms for a Thanksgiving Appetizer, of course. So easy and SO good.
Stuffed Mushrooms: 

Mix:
1/2 c. Italian Bread Crumbs
1/2 c. Parmesan or Pecorino Romano Cheese
1T. Parsley
2 T. Olive Oil
Add any additional ingredients you like: capers, sauteed meat & onions, fennel, mint, rosemary etc.

Stuff 12-24 mushroom caps such as cremini or button mushrooms with 1 tsp- 1Tbsp of stuffing. Bake on a
greased baking sheet for 20 min. at 400 degrees.