Pancakes and Pot Pies

Maya’s banana-oat pancakes are a hit!  I sub 3-4 egg yolks for the whole eggs, and add water as the liquid for the bananas.  So yummy!  I sent the recipe to a friend with twins and they all (parents included) loved them.

Today we also expanded horizons to include meat.  I made a chicken pot pie the other night with some puff pastry that I bought at Thanksgiving but never used (my freezer also used to contain a year-old lump of pizza dough.  Still made good pizza).  I pulsed some of the pot pie in the food processor, then removed some of the chunky stuff to try as finger food and pureed the rest with some veggie broth.

Tonight’s verdict:

Jamie:  YUM!  (open mouth for each spoonful; making happy “mmmm!” noises after each bite)

Theresa:  Yum!  (sniffingly skeptical at first; then open-mouthed and happy)

Audrey:  Pretty good for food.  (Very skeptical stare at first spoonful, followed by a delicate “taste” which barely touches her lips; then she decides it’s okay and eats a bit more.  This happens at every meal, every day, even when she has had the same kale-zucchini-tahini-yogurt for three days in a row.)

Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry Crust

adapted from Eat Live Run

Ingredients:

• 3 medium carrots or half a 1 lb. bag of baby carrots, chopped
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 sweet potatoes or 4 red potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 quart stock
• 1.5 lbs chicken breasts or tenders (I used frozen–didn’t even defrost)
• 1 14 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 6 Tbsp. butter
• 2 small onions, chopped
• 6 Tbsp. flour
• 1/4 cup cream or half-and-half
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 pkg. puff pastry (2 sheets)

Directions:

1. Take puff pastry out of freezer to defrost.
2. In one saucepan, boil 1 quart of stock.  Add carrots, celery, and potatoes to boiling water.  Boil 15 min. or until veggies are tender.  Remove from pot with slotted spoon and save broth.
3. In a second saucepan, fill with enough water to cover the chicken.  Boil.  Add chicken and simmer for 20 min. or until cooked through.  Drain, chop.
4. Melt butter in large skillet or stockpot.  Cook onions 6 min.  Add flour and stir constantly to make a roux.  Cook and stir another few minutes until the roux browns.  Slowly stream in reserve stock (I didn’t use the whole quart; it ended up being the right consistency at about 2.5 cups), stirring, to make the sauce (should be pretty thick).
5. Slowly stir in the cream (or dump it in all at once–I did, and it didn’t seem to matter).  Add veggie mixture, artichoke hearts, salt, pepper, and chicken to sauce.
6. Spread filling in a 9×13″ pan, or one that holds at least 2 quarts.  Unfold puff pastry sheets and fit over the top.  Cut slits in the pastry to let steam escape, and brush with egg wash if you want or care to have shiny, extra crusty top.  If you are hungry and in a rush, skip the egg.
7. Bake for 10 min. at 425.  Cover with foil and bake an additional 20 min.  (I was not sure why the foil–next time I might try without and see what happens.)