Did you grow up eating those delicious Swanson frozen pot pies? I sure did! We loved those little things. Since last year I thought about trying my hand at a homemade vegetable pot pie. I thought I’d have to adjust a chicken pot pie recipe but then I found Ina Garten’s!
The other day I realized I had most of the ingredients, the weather was cool (a great day to use the oven!), G was planning on getting our Christmas tree… Doesn’t a comforting pot pie sound good on a cold tree-decorating night?
Bea went down for a late nap around 2:30 so I started this baby at 3 thinking I’d be done around 4 or so. Boy was I wrong! Making a pot pie from scratch, at least for me, took 3 HOURS!! (Although there’s no reason I shouldn’t have known since it says it clearly on Ina Garten’s recipe.) In fact, when it didn’t look like it’d be cool enough for the GRUMPY kids I had to make them some pasta RIGHT QUICK since they couldn’t wait.
So, if you feel like trying this I recommend you try it on a lazy Saturday or Sunday afternoon when you don’t have to be anywhere. It’s totally worth it.
To make the pie crust you need:
CRUST INGREDIENTS:
3 c all-purpose flour
1.5 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 c vegetable shortening (yes, Crisco! I think you could use butter instead.)
1/4 lb cold, unsalted butter, diced
1/2-2/3 c ice water
1 egg beaten with 1 TBSP water (do this RIGHT after assembly & before baking)
Flaked sea salt & cracked black pepper (I just had coarse sea salt)
Make the dough first as it needs to chill for at least 30 minutes in the fridge. **NOTE: you can always buy pre-made dough if you are short on time!**
Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder in a large bowl OR mix in your food processor (I don’t *yet* have a food processor.) Add Crisco (vegetable shortening) & butter and cut with a pastry cutter (or pulse about 10 times if using food processor) until you have pea-sized bits. (Bumps?)
Important: do not overwork the dough! I just started making pie dough for the first time last month and have learned the hard way. I also learned what happens when you *think* you forgot to double the amount of water for a double recipe but you actually didn’t forget. VERY tough dough.
But I digress…
If you’re doing this by hand, add the ice water and knead just enough to make the dough come together. By food processor, the same idea: process JUST until it comes together. Using your hands form a ball, wrap in plastic & refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Now you’re ready to start your filling. You’ll need:
By the way: these vegetables are not set in stone. You can use whatever you have on hand: green beans, broccoli, asparagus tips etc.
FILLING INGREDIENTS:
4 TBSP butter
4 TBSP olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 fennel bulb, top & core removed, thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 c all-purpose flour
2-1/2 vegetable stock (or vegetarian chicken flavored bullion)
1 TBSP Pernod, Vermouth or white wine
1 pinch saffron threads (optional)
1-1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 TBSP heavy cream
1-1/2 c potatoes, diced (about 1/2 lb)
1-1/2 c carrots, peeled & diced (4 carrots)
1-1/2 c butternut squash, peeled & diced
1 c frozen corn
1/2 c peas
While the dough’s chilling, chop all your vegetables! This is not as bad as it sounds. Though it isn’t good.
Dice your potatoes too. Great news: you don’t need to peel them. But I would give them a quick scrub. Throw them in a pot of water so they don’t turn black.
Now, heat your oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the butter.
Add the onions & fennel, stirring to coat with the fats. Cook for about 10-15 minutes or until translucent. Add flour, lower heat & cook for another 3 minutes stirring to coat evenly.
Now, for the stock, use good vegetable stock OR, in a pinch, as I usually am, I use this:
Add the stock, booze (optional!), saffron, salt & pepper bringing to a boil.
Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the heavy cream & season to taste with more salt & pepper.
Now boil the potatoes in salted water for 10 minutes. When they are fork tender (but not mushy!) lift out with slotted spoon (save the water!) and add the hard veg (i.e. carrots, squash) and boil for 5 minutes. Drain well. Add the potatoes and all other vegetables (including parsley) to the sauce and stir to combine.
You are finally ready to assemble your pie!
In my typical fashion, I didn’t even think about what dish I’d actually bake these in until I was ready to put the whole kit & kaboodle into a dish. D’OH!
I ended up using 2 small casserole dishes (for personal pot pies) and 1 medium sized casserole dish. I have no idea why I don’t have photos of the assembly. It might be due to two small children clamoring for food, any food, while I assembled them.
Bake on a cookie sheet for 1 hour or until top is lightly browned and filling is bubbling.
Make the dough first as it needs to chill for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.
Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder in a large bowl OR mix in your food processor. Add Crisco (vegetable shortening) & butter and cut with a pastry cutter (or pulse about 10 times if using food processor) until you have pea-sized bits.
Important: do not overwork the dough!
If you’re doing this by hand, add the ice water and knead just enough to make the dough come together. By food processor, the same idea: process JUST until it comes together. Using your hands form a ball, wrap in plastic & refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
While the dough’s chilling, chop all your vegetables!
Dice your potatoes too. Great news: you don’t need to peel them. But I would give them a quick scrub. Throw them in a pot of water so they don’t turn black.
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the butter.
Add the onions & fennel, stirring to coat with the fats. Cook for about 10-15 minutes or until translucent, stirring occasionally. Add flour, lower heat & cook for another 3 minutes stirring to coat evenly.
Add the stock, booze (optional!), saffron, salt & pepper bringing to a boil.
Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the heavy cream & season to taste with more salt & pepper.
Boil the potatoes in salted water for 10 minutes. When they are fork tender (but not mushy) lift out with slotted spoon (save the water!) and add the hard veg (i.e. carrots, squash) and boil for 5 minutes. Drain well.
Add the potatoes and all other vegetables (including parsley) to the sauce and stir to combine.
Preheat oven to 375.
Assemble pie: add vegetable filling to casserole dish (you can use 1 large one or 4 small ones or really whatever you want). Roll out dough and cut to fit the top of your casserole with enough left over to cover the lip of the dish. Brush pie crust with the egg wash before placing in oven.
Bake on a cookie sheet for about an hour or until crust is golden brown & filling is bubbling.
Notes
If you are short on time you can always buy pre-made dough. Also, if you really hate Crisco, just replace that amount with more butter.
Just before I got married I had an early mid-life crisis and flew down to South America for a few months. The traveling changed my life for the better. Besides doing without a lot of things I thought I needed, long bus rides gave me time to STOP. Working as an animation producer just prior had not helped me learn to deal with stress and a racing mind. These 8 hour bus rides gave me time to stare out the window – which was a good thing. Was there an actual physiological change that occurred? I DO think so! For the first time in years I felt calm & relaxed. I wasn’t thinking about what I “should” be doing with my free time. Sometimes at the various bus stops vendors would hop on to sell food. A plastic baggie of coconut water, chips (homemade??) or maize (what you call corn) on the cob. The corn (called “elote”) was always my first choice! A large ear of corn in foil, open the foil to find a nice hunk of white cheese and a wedge of lime. Yum yum yum!!
This summer I started making my version of elote.
I really don’t measure when I make this! You can adjust amounts to your liking.
INGREDIENTS:
- corn on the cob
- cotija cheese (or feta if you can’t find cotija)
- 1 lime cut into sections
- chili powder
- salt & pepper
- OPTIONAL: crema mexicana
It’s pretty simple. I shucked the corn, brushed it with olive oil & grilled for a few minutes, turning as it browned. Next time I’m going to peel back the husk & tie it with twine so that the husk can be used as a handle. Of course, you have to remove the silk regardless.
Now, this is optional: drizzle either crema Mexicana or smear with mayonnaise. Or skip this step altogether…I like this step because it is the glue that sticks all the tasty things you are about to drop onto the corn.
Dust with salt and chili powder over each ear (to your liking.)
Crumble cotija cheese over the corn. Cojita is a dry crumbly white cheese sort of like feta. Substitute feta if you can’t find cojita near you.
Drizzle either crema Mexicana or mayonnaise over corn.
Dust with salt & chili powder.
Crumble cotija cheese over corn.
Serve with lime wedges!
Notes
Try this: Peel husk back withOUT removing it, tie together with twine. Remove silk threads. Brush with olive oil & grill until darkened. You can now use the husk as a handle when eating! I’m going to try this next time…
**UPDATE: Native Foods no longer has this happy hour! Very sad as we looked forward to it every Friday. Maybe it will come back periodically?**
Last night I took the girls to Happy Hour at Native Foods. It opened about a month ago on Ocean Park Boulevard between 29th & 30th. We used to go to the one in Culver City once in a while. Like twice a year. Since it opened here a month ago, G’s been once and I’ve already been twice (two Fridays in a row!)
This time I took the kids solo. We parked our massive stroller outside, walked in & ordered at the counter. All the starters & sides are 50% off during Happy Hour. We ordered accordingly:
Saigon Roll. A really tasty wholesome wrap accompanied by a spicy/sweet dip. YUM! I love these.
Bowl of Black Bean Soup. I could take or leave the soup. I make a fair amount of soup myself in the wintertime and found this one to be just so-so. It had some croutons in there that immediately turned to mush. Plus, the flavor was very one-dimensional. Can you tell I’ve just watched “Around the World in 80 Plates?”
Seasoned fries. (I recommend the sweet potato fries but my kids don’t like them. Bea liked the seasoned fries.)
Sweet Potato Fries (Photo taken last visit…)
Native Chicken Wings with Ranch. (I got these instead of the kids’ chicken nuggets b/c I knew my kids wouldn’t eat the rice and they didn’t need the lemonade.)*
Mini Greens Salad. This is an excellent, pretty little salad that is piled precariously high in an adorable little bowl. I dumped mine out on the large plate so I could toss it in the dressing better. This is no lame-o salad you typically get for $5.00. (Keep in mind – you get it for $2.50 during Happy Hour!)
I also got a glass of chardonnay for 50% off. Nice!
NOTE: I do NOT recommend the kids’ Macaroni & Cheese. It’s in a milky/watery sauce. Last time I was there, neither of my kids liked it and they were really hungry.
I took the pix LAST Friday when we went with our friend Elsie. Last night I was the only ahem…adult there and I had NO free hands to take pix!
My bill came out to $16 and change. Of course I had to leave a big tip for the greasy booth we left behind but still a great deal! We were all stuffed full of mostly healthy fare (‘cept for the fries) + a nice glass of wine. Not bad.
NOTES:
- Although there is patio seating, wine & beer are currently only allowed inside.
- Be sure to get a Native Foods frequent diner card. I have been twice and already got a free non alc drink.
Btw: G is a meat-a-tarian and he likes it!
Native Foods
2901 Ocean Park Blvd.
(310)450-3666
Park behind (off of 29th Street), at a meter on Ocean Park OR take the #8 Blue bus which goes from Westwood to Main Street (and not sure where it goes from there). I highly recommend the bus so you can have a couple of glasses of wine!
NATIVE FOODS
Happy Hour:
Fridays
3-6PM
50% off all appetizers, beer & wine.
Let me know how you like it!
*Incidentally – they also have Native Foods in Boulder and at several locations in Chicago! Check their site for more.
Add any toppings you like. I tried some with meat substitute but nobody liked it so I stopped. I also put shredded cheese on half of them since M hates melted cheese.
Yesterday I made them with 1 sliced jalapeño (jarred) on each of mine. I then sprinkled taco sauce on top of that. Yes, that thick nasty taco sauce you get at Ralph’s. I don’t care!! I love it!! Spicy ketchup!!
Bake for 5-7 minutes. Won tons should be getting browned at the edges. Once you figure out how your oven works (I use the toaster oven to avoid heating up the house in the summer!) you can decide how many minutes.
There is always that tenuous moment when you present new food to the kids. It definitely helps if they haven’t snacked since lunchtime though.
She LOVED them!
Bea didn’t like them until I broke hers up. I don’t think she has enough back teeth to really chew them. Now she loves them! (Bea not pictured.)
M thinks she has long black hair when she wears this hat.
We used to take them when we went hiking, skiing or kayaking. Those were the days! I always preferred these to Power Bars (old school), Tiger’s Milk & even Cliff Bars thinking they were less processed/chemically.
Also, I wanted something portable for the kids & me that wasn’t loaded with extra sugar. I can’t believe how easy they are to make. These are great little energy bars – and a healthy power snack to keep in your purse.
I think they also help keep you regular. If you know what I mean.
You should be able to get everything at your regular grocery. Nothing fills me with dread more than the thought of a trip to Whole Foods. I actually like the store but it’s not near my house, it’s pricey & it’s just a li’l too much sometimes. Holy cow I was amazed to find everything I needed at Ralph’s & Trader Joe’s!
Here’s what you’ll need:
INGREDIENTS:
1 c dried blueberries
2 c cashews
1 c dates, pitted (Medjool work best)
1/2 a vanilla bean
zest of one lemon
1. Toss blueberries in your food processor. I know, I know, in the past I’ve bragged about using my blender for everything. And I did this time too. But if you are lucky enough to have a food processor – use it.
Dump blueberries into a large bowl.
2. Now process your cashews. They should be in a fine dust. Not like mine. Here’s where things went wrong. (I chopped the dates first but they made the stickiest, crazy mess so I decided next time I’ll do the cashews first.) Anyway, by the time I got to the cashews my blender had had it. It smelled like smoke and then the two black rotors with black rubber teeth, that need to stay clenched together, melted down, spewing black rubber, followed by a VERY BAD SOUND and a less bad but still bad SMELL. After that, the blender ceased to function.
Is this where bragging gets you?
Anyway, that explains the whole cashews in my bars. Yours won’t have those. But if they do, big deal?
Before the blowout.
Add the chopped cashews to your bowl.
3. Now chop the dates. This’ll be an ooey gooey sticky mess. Like someone stepped on a giant raisin. Except in your blender. Only you’ll be using your food processor for this.
I did the blueberries & dates first!
Add ‘em to the bowl.
4. Finally, add the lemon zest & scrape out the innards of a half of a vanilla bean. That’s that really dark stuff on top.
5. This ain’t pretty but knead it by hand. You’ll want to combine it as thoroughly as you can unless you don’t mind biting into a pure clump of lemon zest.
Could my hand BE any less photogenic? Oh wait, that’s what it actually looks like in person.
6. Spread the mixture into the bottom of an 8×8 (or something close) baking dish. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes before cutting.
Bea loves ‘em!
Maddie feels differently about them.
What’s Maddie doing back there? Who didn’t fold the laundry?
These will keep well in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks according to internet lore…
Homemade Blueberry Lara bars – nuts & fruit, what more could you want?
Ingredients
1 c dried blueberries
2 c cashews
1 c dates, pitted (Medjool work best)
½ a vanilla bean
zest of one lemon
Instructions
Toss blueberries in your food processor. Dump chopped blueberries into a large bowl. They won’t chop perfectly but as long as they’re sort of torn you’re in good shape.
Now process your cashews. They should be in a fine dust. Add the chopped cashews to your bowl.
Chop the dates. This’ll be an ooey gooey sticky mess. That means you’re doing it right! Add ‘em to the bowl.
Finally, add the lemon zest & scrape out the innards of a half of a vanilla bean. That’s that really dark stuff on top.
Knead it by hand. You’ll want to combine it as thoroughly as you can unless you don’t mind biting into a pure clump of lemon zest.
Press the mixture into the bottom of an 8×8 (or something close) baking dish. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes before cutting.
Notes
Properly wrapped, these should keep well in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
(I tried it with vegetarian ground “meat” but I didn’t care for it so ignore that in the photo!)
