Chicken Pot Pie (CCTC p. 122)

On Monday, October 26, I made "Chicken Pot Pie" from America's Test Kitchen's "The Complete Cooking for Two Cookbook" (p. 122).

The Process: This recipe took a very long time! This took about 3 hours to make, inclusive of the time to make the pie dough, plus another 45 minutes of wait time while the dough chilled in the fridge. I wound up doubling the recipe because I already had on hand double the amount of chicken called for on the recipe. So instead of making two pot pies in 12-ounce ramekins, I made three pot pies in 20-ounce stoneware soup bowls.

The Verdict: 10 out of 10. I can't really think how this could be improved -- certainly the best chicken pot pie I've ever had.

The Cost: approx $12.60 for 3 servings.

Whisking flour, sugar and salt together for the dough.

Cubing the chilled butter. Ice water is ready to be mixed into the dough.

Grating the frozen butter into the flour mixture.

Cutting the grated butter into the flour mixture.

Sprinkling the ice water into the mixture.

Stirring and pressing dough with spatula.

The final dough, just before shaping into disks.

Halving the dough and shaping each half into a disk.

Wrapping the disks in plastic wrap before refrigerating for an hour.

Chopping the carrots.

Chopping the onion.

Chopped onion.

Rolling out the dough.

Cutting rounds of dough slightly larger than the circumference of the bowls.

The three rounds.

Folding under the edges of the rounds.

Crimping the edges and slicing vents into the rounds.

Slicing the celery.

Adding onion to melted butter.

Adding carrots and celery to the onion & butter.

Mincing the garlic.

Taking the parbaked crusts out of the oven.

Preparing the thyme.

Adding the thyme and garlic to the mirepoix.

Adding flour to the mixture.

Adding chicken broth.

Adding the heavy cream.

Trimming the chicken breast fillet.

Placing the chicken in the sauce.

Chopping the parsley.

Making sure the chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Shredding the cooked chicken into bite-size pieces.

Adding the parsley and frozen peas to the sauce.

Adding the shredded chicken back to the sauce.

The final sauce.

Filling the 3 soup bowls in preparation for baking.

Filling the 3 soup bowls in preparation for baking.

Adding the pastry crusts to the top of the filled bowls.

The pot pies, fresh from the oven.

Letting the pot pies cool a bit before eating.

The finished product!

The finished product!

The finished product!

Banana Bread (CCTC p. 354)

On Sunday, October 25, I made "Banana Bread" from America's Test Kitchen's "The Complete Cooking for Two Cookbook" (p. 354).

The Process: Took about 15m to prep and 40m to bake. Very easy and fun recipe to make. I wound up baking it at 350 F for 30 minutes, then switching to convection bake at 300/325 F for an additional 8 minutes or so.

The Verdict: 10 out of 10. I can't really think how this could be improved.

The Cost: approx $1.50.

Toasting the walnuts.

Greased 5.5" x 3" pan.

Chopping the toasted walnuts.

Finished chopped walnuts.

Whisking flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and walnuts.

Melting the butter.

One VERY ripe banana.

One ripe banana, ready to be mashed.

Freshly mashed banana.

Adding melted butter to mashed banana.

Adding egg to the mashed banana.

Adding vanilla and yogurt to the mixture.

Whisking the mixture until smooth.

Folding the banana mixture into the flour mixture.

Pouring the batter into the tiny loaf pan.

Baking the loaf in the toaster oven at 350 F.

Taking the loaf out of the toaster oven.

Cooling the loaf on a wire rack.

The final loaf, ready to be sliced.

Sliced banana bread.

Finished product!

Totally delicious, with or without butter.