Mrs. Angela's Recipe Book

Drop Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie
Serves 4
Tags: soups and stoups brunch dinner lunch casserole rice, grains and breads poultry vegetables bake poach simmer
Submitted by
Rachael Ray
A Week in a Day
on 10/13/10

Rach shows us how to prepare poached chicken to be incorporated into a tasty chicken pot pie.
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Ingredients

Poached Chicken:

* 1 large chicken (5-6 pounds)
* Kosher salt or sea salt
* 2 medium onions, peeled and halved, attached at root end
* 3-4 ribs celery, halved
* 1 carrot, peeled and halved
* 1 large bundle herbs, including thyme, rosemary, parsley and fresh bay leaves
* 1 lemon, thickly sliced

Drop Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie:

* 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
* 16 button mushrooms, sliced or quartered
* 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
* 1 potato, peeled and chopped
* 3-4 small ribs celery, chopped
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 4 tablespoons butter
* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1 quart chicken stock, homemade or store-bought
* 3-4 sprigs tarragon, leaves chopped
* 1 rounded tablespoon Dijon mustard
* 1 1/2 pounds poached chicken, diced or shredded
* 1 cup frozen peas
* 1 package drop biscuit mix, prepared according to package directions, such as Jiffy brand
* Fresh chives or parsley or fresh or dried dill, finely chopped, to add to biscuit mix

Preparation

To make the poached chicken: Wash and dry the chicken and season the inside and outside with salt inside. Arrange the vegetables in bottom of a large pot and put the herbs and thick slices of lemon on top. Set the chicken on top of the vegetables and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat and gently poach the chicken at a low simmer for 1 hour. Occasionally, skim off any foam that rises to the top. Turn off the heat and let the chicken stand covered for 1 hour more.

Remove the chicken from the pot to a platter. Strain the liquid, then add about 3 1/2 quarts back to the pot. Reduce the liquid over a low flame for about 1 hour more, producing about 2 quarts of strong flavored stock.

Remove the skin of the chicken. Pull the meat from the bones, then dice or shred the meat with forks.

Refrigerate the stock and chicken until ready to use.

This recipe yields about 2 1/2-3 pounds picked meat and 2 quarts concentrated stock.

To make the Drop Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie: Heat a high-sided skillet over medium heat with EVOO, two turns of the pan, add the mushrooms and cook to tender, but not brown, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes. Add the carrots, potato, celery, onion, salt and pepper, to taste. Cover the pan, and cook for 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, heat a pot over medium-high heat and add the butter. Whisk in the flour, then whisk in the stock to form a roux. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 7-8 minutes to thicken and lightly coat the back of a spoon. Stir in the tarragon and Dijon mustard.

Pour the sauce into the vegetables and stir. Add the chicken and peas and transfer the mixture to a casserole dish or individual crocks. This meal can be refrigerated, at this point, for make-ahead dinners.

Pre-heat the oven to 375°F.

Prepare the drop biscuit mix for eight biscuits and stir in a little chives, parsley or dill for flavor. Top the chicken casserole or crocks with drop biscuits and arrange them on a baking sheet. Bake in the center of oven at 375°F until the casserole is warm through and biscuits are lightly golden and crispy at edges. If the chicken filling is still warm from stove top this will take only about 10 minutes. If the chicken is cold, bake for 30 minutes; for the last 10 minutes, remove from oven, add biscuit mix, then return to the oven and cook uncovered until the biscuits are golden.

Roast Chicken

Ingredients

* 2 (4 to 5 pound) chickens, washed and dried
* 4 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1 stick softened butter
* 2 heads, plus 4 cloves garlic
* 12 small potatoes, halved
* 4 small onions, peeled and quartered, attached at root end

* Extra-virgin olive oil, for liberal drizzling
* 6 sprigs rosemary, leaves finely chopped
* 1 tablespoon fennel seeds or fennel pollen
* 1 lemon, halved
* 1 (10-ounce) box frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted, well drained and halved
* 2 limes, halved

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Directions
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.

Liberally season the chickens, inside and out with thyme, and salt and pepper, to taste. Rub each bird with 1/2 stick of softened butter.

Cut the ends off 2 bulbs of garlic to expose all of the cloves for roasting. Put the potatoes and onions in a roasting pan, and liberally drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and salt and pepper, to taste. Dress the whole cut bulbs of garlic with extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Press the bulbs into the rosemary leaves so that some adheres to the garlic, then sprinkle the remainder over the potatoes and onions. Put 1 chicken into this pan. Sprinkle with fennel seed or pollen. Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over the chicken and put the lemon in cavity of bird along with 2 large cloves of crushed garlic. Tie the legs together with string. Add the dressed garlic heads to the pan and roast this bird for 15 minutes at 475 degrees F. Baste the bird with pan juices, then lower the temperature 375 degrees F and roast until the juices run clear, about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Add the artichokes to the pan the last 20 to 30 minutes of roast time, mixing them in with the potatoes and the fennel. Remove the chicken to a cutting board. Let rest for 10 minutes and then carve. Arrange the chicken on a serving platter along with the potato mixture. Pour the pan juices over the chicken. When ready to serve, divide the roasted garlic among the plates and serve with crusty warm bread for mopping.

For the second bird, put it in a roasting pan and douse it with the juice of 2 limes, then stuff the limes into the bird along with 2 large cloves of smashed garlic. Tie the legs and roast for 15 minutes at 475 degrees F, baste, then roast 45 minutes. Remove the chicken from oven to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, remove the chicken from bone and pull the meat into small pieces. Reserve for a make-ahead meal.

Crab Cake Mac N Cheese

Crab Cake Mac N Cheese
Rachael Ray

Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray
Show: Rachael Ray’s Week in a Day Episode: From a Taco to Morocco
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Total Time:

1 hr 10 min

* Prep: 30 min
* Inactive Prep: —
* Cook: 40 min

* Level: Easy
* Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

* Salt
* 1 pound cavatappi or elbow pasta with lines on conchiglie (small fat tube/shell shaped pasta with lines)
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 6 tablespoons butter
* 3 ribs celery with leafy tops, finely chopped
* 1 medium onion, finely chopped
* 1/2 small red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
* 3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
* 1 bay leaf
* About 2 tablespoons freshly chopped thyme leaves, several sprigs
* About 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
* Freshly ground black pepper

* 3/4 pound fresh lump crabmeat, picked for shells and flaked
* 1 tablespoon seafood seasoning (recommended: Old Bay)
* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 2 1/2 cups milk
* Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
* 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
* 1/3 pound, about 1 rounded cup grated sharp white Cheddar
* 1/3 pound, about 1 rounded cup shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese
* 3 tablespoons hot sauce (recommended: Frank’s Red Hot)
* 1 cup panko bread crumbs
* A generous handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
* 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, a couple of handfuls

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Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat, then salt the water. Add the pasta and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, (it will be undercooked). Cool, drain well and add it to a large bowl.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, and 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium to medium-high heat. Add the celery, onion, red pepper, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, lemon zest, salt and pepper, to taste. Cook to tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the crabmeat to the vegetables and season liberally with seafood seasoning. Stir to combine, then remove from heat.

In a medium sauce pot, over low heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter and whisk in the flour. Cook for 1 minute, then whisk in the milk and bring to a bubble. Season the sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg, to taste, and cook for a few minutes, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Add the mustard and the cheese and stir in a figure 8 motion. Add the vegetables and crab, sauce to the bowl with the pasta and transfer the mixture to individual baking crocks or a large casserole dish. This can be made ahead to this point and refrigerated.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

To complete the dish, melt a couple of tablespoons butter in a small skillet, over low heat and add 3 tablespoons hot sauce. Warm through, then add the panko crumbs and toss to evenly coat the crumbs in sauce mixture. Cool the crumbs, then toss in the parsley and 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano -Reggiano cheese. Top the mac n cheese with the spicy crumb mixture. Arrange individual crocks on a baking sheet or put the casserole on baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake until brown and heated through, about 10 minutes. If cooking from cold, the mac n cheese will take 40 to 45 minutes, but add the crumbs the last 10 minutes of baking.

Good Eats Roast Turkey

Ingredients

* 1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey
*

For the brine:

* 1 cup kosher salt
* 1/2 cup light brown sugar
* 1 gallon vegetable stock
* 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
* 1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries
* 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped candied ginger
* 1 gallon heavily iced water
*

For the aromatics:

* 1 red apple, sliced
* 1/2 onion, sliced
* 1 cinnamon stick
* 1 cup water
* 4 sprigs rosemary
* 6 leaves sage
* Canola oil

Directions

Click here to see how it’s done.

2 to 3 days before roasting:

Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 degrees F.

Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to a boil. Then remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.

Early on the day or the night before you’d like to eat:

Combine the brine, water and ice in the 5-gallon bucket. Place the thawed turkey (with innards removed) breast side down in brine. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area for 8 to 16 hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Remove the bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.

Place the bird on roasting rack inside a half sheet pan and pat dry with paper towels.

Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and 1 cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Add steeped aromatics to the turkey’s cavity along with the rosemary and sage. Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skin liberally with canola oil.

Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes. Insert a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees F. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil or a large mixing bowl for 15 minutes before carving.

Almost-Famous Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients

* 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
* 2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
* 2 3/4 cups sugar
* Salt
* 2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
* 1/4 cup sour cream
* 1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
* 6 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
* 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
* 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
* 2 cups sweetened whipped cream
* 1/3 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped

Directions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Brush a 10-inch springform pan with some of the butter. Stir the remaining butter with the crumbs, 1/4 cup of the sugar and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pan, packing it tightly and evenly. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on a rack, then wrap the outside of the springform pan with foil and place in a roasting pan.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese with a mixer until smooth. Add the remaining 2 1/2 cups sugar and beat until just light, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beaters as needed. Beat in the sour cream, then add the pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, 1 teaspoon salt and the spices and beat until just combined. Pour into the cooled crust.

Gently place the roasting pan in the oven (don’t pull the rack out) and pour the boiling water into the roasting pan until it comes about halfway up the side of the springform pan. Bake until the outside of the cheesecake sets but the center is still loose, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Turn off the oven and open the door briefly to let out some heat. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for 1 more hour, then carefully remove from the roasting pan and cool on a rack. Run a knife around the edges, cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.

Bring the cheesecake to room temperature 30 minutes before serving. Unlock and remove the springform ring. To finish, place a dollop of the whipped cream on each slice and sprinkle with the toasted pecans.

This pie is SO delicious! It’s definitely a Rob and Angie favorite.

My modifications: I use ground turkey(a little over a lb) instead of beef, up the veggie content and use refrigerated pie crust.

Beef, Cheedar, and Potato Pie
Ingredients:

* 2 pounds ground beef
* 2 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
* 1 large onion, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
* 2 stalks celery, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
* 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
* 1 large baking potato, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
* 1/2 cup dark beer
* 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
* Salt and pepper
* 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed but cold
* 1 large egg yolk, beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Bake the pie up to 1 day ahead, then reheat in a 350° oven for 20 minutes.

Think this looks decadent?
A Minnesota restaurant is getting creative with their pies, too: Betty’s Pies in Two Harbors(1633 Highway 61, 218-834-3367) mixes entire slices (like banana cream) with three scoops of vanilla ice cream and a splash of cold milk, then serves it all as a shake ($6.25). Make it at home with a leftover slice of pumpkin or chocolate pie.
Directions:

1.

Preheat the oven to 375°. In a skillet, combine the beef, carrots, onion, celery, garlic and potato and cook, breaking up the meat, over medium-high heat until the beef is cooked through and some liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes. Lower the heat to medium, add the beer and cook for 10 minutes. Add the cheese, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Let cool.
2.

On a floured surface, roll 1 puff pastry sheet into a 12-inch round. Place in a 10-inch skillet or deep pie dish. Roll the remaining puff pastry sheet into an 11-inch round. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat mixture to the skillet. Lightly brush the edge of the crust with some of the egg wash, then place the second sheet on top. Press the edges to seal, then trim to a 1/2-inch edge.
3.

Place the pie on a baking sheet. Brush the top with more of the egg wash and cut an “X” into the pastry. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bake for 45 minutes, tenting with foil if the crust darkens too quickly. Transfer to a rack to cool for 15 minutes.

I learned A LOT this year. Here are just a couple of things:

1.Trust your gut! When your gut tells you to get off the bench, GO! You never know what you could be missing out on.

2.Keep your expectations in check.

3.Loving your child doesn’t mean catering to their every want. They NEED discipline!!! You aren’t being mean, you’re being the parent. I’ve heard my fair share of “I don’t like you Momma” this year. I learned that I’m ok with that. Landon doesn’t always have to like me. I’m his mom not his friend.

4.Apparently I snore. Who knew?!? Rob says I sound like a moose. Breathe Right’s Snore Spray seems to help.

5.I like lamb chops. I’ll take two next time;)

6.Good food costs more but it really is worth it. I don’t stop at gas stations that sell crappy fuel so why not make an effort to put quality fuel in your body?

7.A couple means two. ALWAYS!

8.Men are simple. This isn’t meant as an insult (seriously). You can’t read too much into anything a man does or doesn’t do, or anything they say or don’t say. If you do your feelings will be hurt A LOT.

9.If you are cooking good food at home, restaurants start losing their appeal.

10.Growing your own herbs is awesome! It saves you a ton of money and makes your food so yummy!

11.There is a proper way (“the granddaddy way”) to roll up a hose.

12.I do like root beer. In fact, I love it! If you haven’t tried Virgil’s you are missing out!

13.You can’t predict what a kid will like.

14.You can cut your finger (and have to get stitches) from a butter knife.

15.Recycling is easy and everyone should do it!!!

16.Life is precious. Try to live and love each day like it is your last.

Favorite moments of 2009:

February 28th: I will never forget this day. This is the day I met the love of my life. I went with my brother to watch Rob’s first MMA fight. After the fight (yes he won!) he was talking to my brother so I walked down and introduced myself. His response,”Oh! I know who you are”. In that moment I felt something I had never felt before in my life….an extraordinary sense of peace and calm. It sounds kind of silly since I had just met him but in my gut I knew. I knew that the man I had been waiting for my entire life was standing in front of me.
June 22nd: Rob and I moved into our first home together. Wow! What an adjustment! This was when the politeness ended and things got REAL. Poor Rob! I don’t think he had any idea what he was in for. Not only did he have to adjust to occupying space with me but he was now a co-parent to my son. Welcome to hell BABY! Thank goodness we have a big garage which is “Rob’s room”. His little sanctuary where he can escape the madness. I know some people thought we were crazy for moving in together so soon. Maybe we were but I honestly wouldn’t change a thing.
July 3rd: Of course, I included this day. If you know me then you know how much I LOVE my birthday:)
September 8th: Landon’s first day of school. Wow! What an emotional day! I can’t believe how much Landon has grown from baby to little boy this year (much thanks to Rob for that). I am so proud of him!

Favorite Date Place:

The Terminal. This is where Rob and I had our first date and many date nights since.

Favorite Quote:

 “Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being “in love” which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two.”
-St. Augustine

Favorite songs:

“Then” by Brad Paisley, “Beautiful” by Akon, “Mad” by Ne-Yo, “ I Just Call You Mine” by Martina McBride, “Sex on Fire” by King of Leon, “I’ll Be the One” by Warren Haynes, “History in the Making” by Darius Rucker

Favorite movies:

The Blind Side and The Time Traveler’s Wife

Favorite New Hobbies:

 Cooking and Gardening

2009 was an incredible year! I learned so much about love, myself and how precious life is. I am so blessed in my life. I get to wake up every morning with the man that I love lying next to me and my amazing little man across the hall. They mean the world to me!!!