Archive for the ‘Comfort Food’ Category
It’s that time of year isn’t it? Where we feel bombarded by food and drink and leftovers seem to abound; and although Adam and I happen to be those people who do like leftovers, there are times when you can only eat the same thing over and over for so long. But because we had steaks and a 21 pound turkey on Thanksgiving, let’s just say we had quite a bit of meat leftover.
Now one of my favorite Post-Thanksgiving or Christmas traditions are fresh turkey sandwiches made from the leftovers. I love them with a bit of cranberry sauce or even spiced up with other flavors…the possibilities are endless. Still, after a weeks worth of sandwiches and still a ton of turkey left, we were starting to get a little sick of the monotony. So what a better way to add some excitement into the mix than to find some new recipes that we could use the turkey for.
After a huge heavy meal like Thanksgiving, I really should be trying to find a recipe for some type of salad, but not this time…I knew exactly what I wanted to do with that turkey…POT PIE! I must admit that I’m not a typical pot pie lover, largely because I have always thought of them as being overly bad for you and steered clear. However, as I have gotten older, I have begun to realize that life is too short and we need a little rich food in our lives once in awhile. And who better to go to when it comes to rich food than Paula Deen. I mean the woman loves her some comfort food! ;) And since I have yet to try making any recipe of hers, I thought I would see what she had to offer in the pot pie department. Well lucky for me the recipe I stumbled across on Food Network is her famed ‘Lady and Son’s’ Chicken Pot Pie that is an entree at her family restaurant; and at $18.99 on the menu, this dish better knock it out of the park!
Thus, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to try a dish of hers and see what pot pie is really all about. We all know Paula likes her some rich ingredients so I was fully prepared for this not to be light. I also was going to be using turkey instead of chicken…I mean the whole purpose was to use up some of all that bird we had, right?
‘Lady and Sons’ Chicken Pot Pie
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen
- Prep Time:
- 20 min
- Inactive Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- 30 min
- Level:
- Easy
- Serves:
- 4 servings
Ingredients
- 4 sheets frozen puff pastry
- 1 egg, beaten
- 4 chicken breast halves, or 2 cups leftover cooked chicken
- Seasoned salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1/3 cup butter
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 quart heavy cream
- 1/4 cup chicken base
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/2 small yellow onion, minced
- 1 cup frozen green peas, cooked
- 1 cup chopped cooked carrots
- Pinch fresh grated nutmeg, optional
- Special equipment: 4 (2-cup) individual baking dishes
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cut each sheet of frozen puff pastry into 1-inch strips, 8 inches long. On a large cookie sheet, weave strips into a lattice large enough to cover each pot pie. Brush beaten egg onto each lattice square. Bake for 5 minutes, or until dough has risen and turned light golden brown. Set aside until ready to assemble pies. Leave oven on at 350 degrees F.
Filling:
Season chicken with seasoned salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and saute until cooked through. Remove from heat and cut into chunks. Alternatively, you may use precooked chicken.
In a large saucepan, melt butter and then slowly add flour, stirring until consistency of peanut butter, but not brown like a roux. Slowly add cream and keep stirring. Add chicken base, garlic, and onion and stir until thickened. Add peas, carrots, nutmeg, if using, and cut up chicken. Remove from heat. Fill 4 individual oven-proof bowls with chicken mixture and then top each with a pre-cooked lattice square. Bake for 5 minutes or until bubbly. Any remaining pie filling may be frozen.
I cut this recipe in half to only make two pies. I figured they would be big and filling enough that we likely wouldn’t eat a whole pie (and oh was I right!…which I’ll get to). So when I got going I really wasn’t sure what to expect from this recipe. From the looks of the ingredients, I knew it must be rich from the amount of cream and butter it needed, but I was interested to see the consistency. Adam eats those frozen pot pies from time to time and they always seem to be a tad runny inside the pie crust, so I was dying to see what Miss Paula came up with. I was also intrigued by the fact that she uses puff pastry as the crust and I wasn’t sure if I would like that twist or not.
So, I moved on and began by pouring a glass of wine (always a good first step ;)), chopping up the veggies, and thawing the puffy pastry. After the pastry is thawed, it is cut and made into a lattice shape and baked.
I must admit at this point I was getting excited because I do love some puffy pastry. It did seem a bit excessive to use an entire sheet of pastry for one pie, but I figured it was worth it so I went with it.
This dish actually comes together really quickly and once you start adding all of the ingredients together, the pie filling comes together fast. And when it is ready to go in the baking dishes, it has the consistency of mashed potatoes…THICK; and what is so odd is there are no potatoes involved, just butter, flour, and cream. With the addition of peas, carrot, and onion, this mixture was ready for the individual baking dishes and the puff pastry topper. Finally, the pies then go back in the oven where they get all bubbly and the “crust” browns a bit.
Looks good huh? I presented this in front of Adam and his eyes just lit up, and I must admit it sure does come out pretty. The lattice puff pastry just gives it some flair. But underneath, this dish was comfort food on steroids for sure…way tasty! Paula is not messing around when it comes to the richness. But as I said before…everything in moderation is the key.
As we dug in, I was taken over by the flavor…it is rich for sure, but the addition of nutmeg surely gives it a comfort sweet taste. The puff pastry is lighter than a regular crust, which really is a nice complement to the heaviness of the filling. Still, this dish IS VERY heavy! Both of us could only get through half of our pies; and when we were done we both agreed it really needed more turkey, or chicken, or whatever meat you are using. In fact, I would almost double what Paula says, because it would really cut down on the creaminess.
TASTE: This dish was certainly no short of amazing. Paula truly does know her stuff; and although heavy ingredients, they certainly do give this dish the right taste and texture. Let’s be honest, with a dish like pot pie, you really don’t want to go light. It’s go big or go home in my book and this is definitely the ‘Go Big’ version. So between the texture and the puff pastry, you certainly have a dish that screams comfort and warmth!
EASE OF PREPARATION: I was surprised at just how easy this dish was to put together. I have to admit I have never made a rue before, but that is essentially what the beginning stages of this dish are. You do have to watch it pretty closely and keep stirring, but before long it is crazy how this goes from a few ingredients to pure amazingness.
COST: These pot pies are easy on the wallet too. Considering we had the turkey, butter, and flour on hand, all I needed was the puff pastry, veggies, and cream, none of which were outrageous. And even if you had to buy all of the ingredients, none of them are very costly; and since this can easily make one large pie to feed a crowd, it is fairly cost effective.
COMPLEXITY: None of the tasks required are hard at all…, really just a lot of stirring and adding an ingredient here or there. It is amazing how pretty this looks when it comes out, because a child could really make this. The lattice shaped crust, I think, are what make this dish go from simple to purely gourmet.
PORTION SIZE: As I mentioned above, this dish is heavy and filling. We could each only eat half of our pies, so just two pies could easily feed a few people and they would be satisfied. You could also make a large pie and serve a salad alongside for a great complete meal. 😉
So I’ll say ii again, the creaminess was good, just needed another stronger contrasting flavor and texture. But overall, I was totally impressed by this dish; and although I wouldn’t want to eat it everyday, I definitely would want to make it again. I give Paula Deen’s Lady and Son’s Chicken Pot Pie 4 1/2 ‘Little Piggies.’
Stay tuned for another post this week, I am running a little behind because of the holidays, but I want you all to still enjoy some good reviews!
It has been snowing what feels like non-stop up here in Indiana, and I knew we would have to deal with this reality eventually when we decided to move back to the Midwest, however, I am not sure I was quite prepared for it. You know God has a sense of humor when he doesn’t let you inch your way back into dealing with the cold and snow! :) The reason I mention this is because I have noticed that since having to “brave the cold” has become a mandatory part of life these days, I seem to be craving a lot of warmer dishes. You know…comfort food. Comfort food has for sure been on the brain and I don’t know how many times I have mentioned to Adam lately that I want fried chicken.
Now if you know me, you know the words "fried" do not come leaping across my lips all that often, but when I think comfort food, this is usually a dish that comes to mind. Now don’t get me wrong, I like fried dishes of a lot of varieties, but any type of chicken in fried form is good in my book…Fingers, Wings, Legs, etc. I’m not picky and am willing to give it all a try; and when you pair those yummy fried treats with anything else I love, you got yourself a deal. That would be exactly why this next place caught my eye on an episode of Travel Channel’s "Man vs. Food." It paired of the best yummy comfort foods….Chicken and….wait for it…..WAFFLES!
Glady’s Knight and Ron Winan’s Chicken & Waffles has been serving up this unique combination to its Atlanta patrons for many years, but the idea has been around since the 30’s. Chicken and waffles began being served in Harlem, New York when many celebrities would hang out into the wee hours of the morning. Often, they would get hungry and couldn’t decide if they wanted breakfast or dinner, so they gave them both! Gladys Knight decided to continue the tradition in Atlanta and along with Ron Winan and Shanga Hankerson, developed this famed spot that still gathers crowds to this day.
Although it is definitely different, I was very intrigued when I first heard of the combination a few years ago. What’s not to like? Salty fried chicken wings and sweet waffles…yum! But I still wasn’t completely sold, and it wasn’t until I saw the following clip that I knew I had to get me a taste of this combination at some point in my lifetime, and the sooner the better…
Sure…it still sounds like an odd combination, but after seeing that clip it is hard not to want to give them a try, right? Luckily for us, on our anniversary trip to Orlando, we planned it so we would make it to Atlanta on our first night and right about dinner time. So sure enough, we arrived that evening and maneuvered through the streets of downtown Atlanta and found this spot very easily. We were both a little road weary by this point and not sure if fried and heavy food was really what our stomachs wanted, but who knows when we would be able to visit again, so for the sake of the blog, we sucked it up…I know our lives are rough 😉
Like I said…this place is very popular, so we had to wait a little for a table. So while we were waiting, I decided to look around a little bit. I was very impressed with both the decor and our surroundings. This is not some old timey or worn out joint. It actually has the feel of a higher end restaurant with tall booths, nicely upholstered and decorated walls, and great lighting. The walls were decked out with photos and albums from over the years of Gladys and the Pips, which definitely added to the class and appeal.
Luckily, we didn’t have to wait long, and as we were walking to our table, we passed some dishes on other tables, and my mouth began to water. I did not need to peruse the menu long if at all. I’d known for a long time exactly what I was going to be ordering…the Midnight Train. That would be 4 fried jumbo chicken wings and an original waffle. Adam, on the other hand, knew he would likely get to try many bites of my plate, so he opted to try another dish, a traditional southern classic, Smothered Chicken. We also got a few sides…collard greens, their house potatoes, and the macaroni and cheese (I mean duh…a given when Adam is ordering), and we didn’t have to wait long at all!
Yeah… it definitely was a lot of food; and looking back, we likely could have just shared my chicken & waffles with sides and still been plenty stuffed. The wings themselves were massive and I was barely able to eat 2. Still, they were extremely good! The flavor of the wings was very unique, not one I had ever had before. They were crispy and juicy like a wing should be, but the batter had a unique ingredient that provided a bit of sweetness. Adam was convinced it was maple syrup or molasses. Dunno, but whatever it is, it was good.
The waffle itself was pretty standard…not the best I’ve ever had, but still good, and I did enjoy how its simple flavors and texture paired with the fried chicken. Adam loved the smothered chicken. I didn’t much care for it, but I’m also not a big fan of food with gravy. We also both agreed that the Macaroni was AWESOME! As of the other side dishes, I have found that I do no particularly like collard greens 🙂 and the potato casserole….ehh. Still, overall it was a very tasty meal.
SIGNATURE DISH: I would say that the name of the restaurant makes it pretty clear. Their midnight train of chicken & waffles is what made this place famous. However, they have a wide array of other classic soul food favorites as well that they have given their own flair too.
TASTE: The wings were extremely impressive…some of the best I’ve ever had. They are large and meaty and definitely a hearty portion. At first, I wasn’t convinced 4 wings was going to cut it, but when I could barely make it through two, I knew these wings were something special. What made them so great was their unique sweet flavor and the fact that although fried they were not overly greasy. The other dishes we tried were equally good and definitely filling, but the wings were definitely the superstar here.
AMBIANCE: As I mentioned above, I was impressed with the decor and overall appearance of this spot. It reminded me of a swanky or upscale crooner bar with its deep wood tones and rich colors. And because their typical dishes are down home soul food, you honestly would expect a much different looking place, but instead it is much more upscale than you would think.
PRICE: Although these are down home meals, their prices do not necessarily reflect that. I think to match their higher end look, their prices are a bit high too. The midnight train is fairly reasonable at $10.50, but some of their other entrees like the smothered chicken are $14.50. In the grand scheme of things, these prices are not exorbitant, but I would think that simple soul food is not typically priced as high.
SERVICE: Our service was not great. Our waiter was nice, but not very jovial or patient. I’m not sure if it was just us or that he didn’t really want to be there. Either way, he just seemed a little short. Perhaps he could tell we were not from those parts…:) Regardless, I felt we were treated as outsiders.
We were exhausted and hungry by the time we arrived at Gladys Knight and Ron Winans‘, but outside of that, we really did enjoy ourselves for dinner. It was nice to have a warm home cooked meal; and although filling, it didn’t leave you feeling gross or heavy when you left. I loved the sweet and salty combination of my chicken & waffles. Heck…for the chicken wings alone, I’d be "Goin’ Back to Find…" ;) I give this soul food hot spot 3 1/2 ‘Little Piggies.’
I was gazing at the photos that feature this week’s post and I am shocked that it has already been almost 4 months since we visited this place. I guess that’s a testament to how it settles with you, because it truly does not feel that long ago. Plus, I looked so tan and happy in my shorts…wow it’s hard to believe I am now contemplating Thanksgiving meals and Christmas decorations. Time just goes way too quickly my friends.
But this week I want to showcase a happening spot that is not necessarily in a “destination city,” but rather a good ol’ Midwestern local that could easily be a stopping point along the way. For the past 5 summers, Adam’s family and I have been spending a week in South Haven, MI, about 2 1/2 hours away, right on Lake Michigan. It is a beautiful little city, chalked full of quaint old homes, shops, and restaurants; and our next feature spot just happens to be only 45 minutes away. So as we planned our trip this past summer, we knew we were going to have to take advantage of the proximity and pay Rosie’s Diner in Rockford, MI a visit.
Rosie’s Diner is just that…an old school dining car that was made popular in the 40’s & 50’s. The car itself actually dates back to 1946 when it was located as the Silver Dollar Diner in New Jersey. Back then it was featured in many “Bounty” commercials, with a well known character, “Rosie the Waitress.” It remained in Jersey until 1991 when Jerry Berta purchased the dining car and relocated it to Michigan to sit alongside his existing 1947 Jerry O’Mahoney Dining Car, which served as an art gallery. Then, to complete his dining car collection, Jerry purchased the Garden of Eatin’ car from Fulton, New York in 1994. So yes that is correct…there is not one, but THREE old-time dining cars that sit together on this property; and as of 2006, a new owner, Jonelle Woods and her husband, took over the establishment and have been busy re-introducing this traditional diner feel with a modern flair, which includes an updated menu with some old family recipes that Jonelle had handy. Additionally, they have recently began finishing renovations on the adjacent dining cars, turning one into a rockin’ sports bar and the other that is soon to be an ice-cream parlor.
Sound good so far? Well, Rosie’s happened to catch our eye on an episode of Travel Channel’s “Diner’s, Drive-ins, and Dives,” and at first glance we were sure this was going to be a place we were going to like…
What’s not to like…a fun atmosphere, fresh home cooking and diner classics…sign me up!
So we headed on up after we packed up from our week of vacation for one last meal together. You would think with three dining cars lined up together this place would be hard to miss, but nonetheless, Adam and I were so busy checking out our GPS to make sure we didn’t, that we drove right by it! 🙂 Luckily it was an easy fix and quite a site when we finally did pull into the lot…
I mean it really does look like you have stepped into the past when you drive up and even more so when you step inside. So we quickly settled in and perused the menu, because we were all starving! I knew after watching the clip that I definitely wanted to try some of their special Cobblestone French Toast, but a burger and onion rings sounded great as well. Luckily my father-in-law also wanted to try that toast, so we got an order for the whole table to try. (I think he and I ate most of it though)! Adam wanted to try the Beef and Noodles he had seen prepared on the show…leave it to my hubby to go for the comfort food dish. 😉 My sis-in-law and mother-in-law pretty much stuck to typical diner fair of soup and sandwiches, however my brother-in-law was BOLD and went with something I have seen other places, but never have been daring enough to order myself…the Fat Burger…a double cheese-burger that has 2 full-size grilled cheese sandwiches as the bun…Yup you heard me right!
I was not kidding about the 2 grilled cheese sandwiches, a.k.a the bun of the fat burger. But I tried a bite and I must admit it that it was pretty freaking good! I seriously doubt that I could stomach the whole thing, but the one rich bite was awesome. My burger was also good…just a good ol’ standard diner burger, cooked perfectly, seasoned well, and a great bun to complement.
Still, what was really amazing was that French toast…OMG! The chunks of apple were seriously tasty and the whole dish just melded together perfectly…not too sweet with a great punch of cinnamon, and not overly greasy. As I said, the father-in-law and I had no problem polishing it off. Adam seemed to enjoy his beef & noodles, but I don’t think it was the best thing he has ever eaten. He mentioned he would have liked more of the gravy, which was very tasty.
As a whole, everyone seemed pretty impressed with their food; and what was even better is they are known for their pies, so pie was definitely on the to-go list to enjoy later (which was also very yummy). And for you families out there, this joint even has a miniature golf course out back…how fun is that?
SIGNATURE DISH: Although they are really just known for their diner fare, they do have a few dishes that they seem to specialize in. Their Cobblestone French Toast is definitely a one-of-a- kind special, as well as they have every kind of pie under the sun, homemade no less. Also, the beef & noodles is a family recipe. As for their other dishes, they are fairly typical of most diners, but definitely have that homemade touch.
TASTE: Overall I think we were all pretty impressed with each dish we had. Some of the things were definitely much better than others (a.k.a. the French toast), but everything I tried was definitely tasty and worth the visit.
AMBIANCE: If you are looking for a diner with that old timey “diner feel,” this is the one to visit. These diners look and feel like they must have 60 years ago, but modernized enough to feel comfortable… and well… let’s admit it, sanitary. We didn’t get to experience the other 2 dining cars, but the concept seems pretty cool. Overall, I just love how it felt to step into a place that literally felt like a step back in time.
PRICE: Good ol’ Papa Bear (Adam’s dad) picked up the bill, so I don’t exactly know how much the meal was. But from the looks of the menu, their items seem pretty standard and reasonably priced. Also, they give you really good portion sizes, so I would say it is well worth it.
SERVICE: Our waitress was very cute, fun, and friendly. See did a great job with our large order and remembered each and every thing that we asked for. In fact, the whole wait staff seemed very happy to be there and genuinely had great attitudes as if they were having a lot of fun!
We truly enjoyed our visit to Rosie’s Diner and I would definitely go back. Very deserving of 4 ‘Little Piggies.’
