Chicken Pot Pie

Growing Up

The first dish I ever served up was smashed canned peas and evaporated milk. It was the only thing in the pantry at the time.  I can see my younger sibs lined up like little birds waiting to be fed. I had announced we were playing house, and I was the mom. Ironically, that prophecy would actually come true six years later. I was nine at the time in 1963. We had moved into my grandfather’s Victorian Octagon house in Westfield, Massachusetts. Our real Mom and Dad had fallen on hard times and we found ourselves in need of shelter and food. If it weren’t for family, we would have become homeless. We didn’t know our maternal grandfather, Elmer Loomis. He said we could stay for one week. We stayed 9 months. Mom was pregnant with our youngest. During our visit, Mom made rhubarb pie and the best Concord grape jelly I ever tasted. She also pickled watermelon rind. She could make something out of nothing, which we had a lot of during those lean years in the 50- late 60’s. I suppose I took mental notes that would help me along my stretched years. Here’s a great meal idea everyone will want to eat.

My Chicken Pot Pie recipe is dedicated to Debbie, my younger sister, who remembered I fed her smashed canned peas with evaporated milk when she was 6 years old.

Chicken Pot Pie

1 lb. baby gourmet golden potatoes boil till cooked

2 large carrots peeled and sliced boil with potatoes

15 oz. can peas drained

3 large chicken breasts diced after stewing one hour

½ sweet onion chopped finely

Pillsbury Pie Crust

Seasoning to taste: I used 1/2 tsp. salt, Pepper, garlic powder, celery seed, parsley and can of peas drained well.

To make a gravy:

2 T. butter

1 T. Better than Bullion Chicken

2 cups of chicken stock

2 T. flour

Boil the potatoes, carrots and chicken until tender. Save the broth from the chicken for the gravy.

Bake at 425 degrees for 35-40 min. Cool 10 min. before serving

Mrs. Anderson’s crust shield to prevent the edge of the crust from browning too much. For years, I used aluminum foil crinkled to cover and burned my fingers every time.