About the author: Nikki is turning her love of crafting into a full time career by starting her own small business making handmade jewelry. Whenever she is not making jewelry she is knitting, crocheting, sewing, drawing, cutting, gluing, and in general driving her husband nuts with her need to have “just one more project.” Blog :: etsy store
Do you have a ton of holiday meal leftovers? Don’t feel like cooking again for a while? Why not make pot pies for the freezer. This recipe will make either two large pies or twelve mini pies. Ingredients are flexible, use what you’ve got. No leftover ingredient is unwelcome in a pie.
How-to
You can either use store bought pastry (or premade piecrusts) [but if you are into being a little frugal - making it is very easy - try martha's recipe works every time]. You might like to only cover the top of the pie, as top and bottom pastry can be very filling – your choice though to put pastry on the top only or give the pie a top and bottom.
In a very large pot, add Chicken breast cut up into bite size pieces (or left over turkey, chicken, lamb, roast, pork….etc.), a packet of french onion soup mix, chopped basil and garlic (or other herbs) and some olive oil – cook these together over medium heat until the chicken is almost done cooking, or if you are using cooked leftovers – just to brown them a little and combine the flavors – should take just a couple minutes.
Then add to the pot: diced potatoes and heaps of chopped veggies – whatever your family likes – tomato, carrots, mushrooms etc. (sometimes I make half and half batches and add peas later as not everyone is a fan, that is the joy of mini pies, everyone can have exactly what they want.)
Then add a can of cream of potato soup, a can of cream of chicken soup [alternatively - if you don't have canned soup on hand add some cream and chicken stock and mashed potato to thicken] and a bottle of Beer (I think so far Guinness has been my favorite.) Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cook on the stove for 25 minutes stirring lightly to prevent the bottom from burning.
Spoon out the mixture into the waiting tins (either with or without pie crust bottoms) cover the pies. I freeze most of mine without baking them.
If you are connecting the crusts, pinch them like you would a pie. If you are just covering the top, then simply push the edges down onto the pie container. Add a little design of left over pastry – a circle or square or leaf shape on top (held on with a little water or egg white) to designate which ones have peas or pepper etc for the rest of the family.
To cook the pie right from the fresh batch on the stove – place in 350 F oven for 25-30 minutes, then let cool for 5 minutes, enjoy!
To cook the frozen pies – preheat oven to 350 F and cook for 50-60 minutes, then let cool for 5 minutes, enjoy! We are happy to eat leftovers now!
Want to contribute to whipup – read our submission guidelines – January: New Year – resolutions – new ideas – post holiday frugality
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