Just in case you need more food at this point, here are some suggestions!
Special potpie
Potpie:
2 TBS butter
½ C chopped onion
¾ C chopped carrots
¼ C plus 1 TBS flour
2½ C chicken stock/broth
1 TBS chicken bouillon
½ C heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
optional: a pinch or two of truffle salt
a couple sprinkles of red pepper for a little heat
1 C frozen peas
2½ C shredded chicken from a rotisserie chicken (or home made)
Biscuits:
2 C flour
¼ tsp. baking soda
1 TBS baking powder
6 TBS chilled butter, cut into chunks
1 C buttermilk, half and half or cream
dash of salt
dash or two of red pepper (Cayenne)
2 TBS minced jalapeno
3 TBS chopped scallion
Melt butter in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat, add in onion and carrots and saute for 2-3 minutes, stirring often until onions begin to wilt and turn translucent. Sprinkle flour into pan, remove from heat and stir until combined. Return to heat and cook for a minute more, stirring constantly.
Slowly add in chicken stock, 1/3 of it at a time, stirring constantly and scraping up any browned bits from pan. Filling will begin to thicken just after it begins to bubble. Sprinkle in chicken bullion and truffle salt (if using) and stir to combine. Remove from heat, add in heavy cream, stir, place back on heat and allow it to reach a simmer. Remove from heat and season to taste with salt pepper and red pepper.
To make biscuits: Combine flour baking soda and baking powder in a work bowl and whisk together. Add butter and using a pastry cutter, a fork or your fingers work butter into dry ingredients until it becomes crumbly. Gently fold in buttermilk, half & half or cream just until it all comes together. Add salt, red pepper, jalapeno and scallions and fold it until it is all incorporated.
When ready, using hands, grab a small biscuit-sized piece of dough and plop it over top of potpie filling allowing a small bit of space between each «plop» of dough.
Finally, when ready to bake, add shredded chicken and pour filling into a lightly oiled baking dish or cast iron pan(s). Top with biscuit dough by plopping biscuit sized scoops, almost touching, over top of filling.
Bake in a preheated 425-degree oven on a middle rack for 18-22 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown and cooked through (depends on size of biscuits).
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Easy strawberry cheesecake
Crust:
30 Graham Crackers
5 TBS melted butter
2 TBS sugar
Filling:
16 oz. softened cream cheese
2 TBS sugar
1 lb. strawberries
16 oz. heavy whipping cream
Garnish:
5 strawberries, sliced
additional whipped topping
Crush graham crackers in food processor. Add melted butter and sugar and pulse to incorporate. Press mixture into bottom and partially up the sides of a springform pan. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes to firm.
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Fold cream cheese mixture into whipped cream. Puree strawberries in food processor. Fold strawberry puree into mixture until fully blended.
Spread evenly into crust. Freeze for 2 hours. Allow to thaw 30 minutes before serving. Garnish with sliced strawberries and additional whipped topping.
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Chocolate peanut butter pie
13 TBS unsalted butter
1 C all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
9 oz. peanut butter sandwich cookies such as Nutter Butter
1/3 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
2 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
4 large eggs
1 C sugar
1/2 C peanut butter chips, plus more for garnish
Peanut butter cream:
1 8-oz. block cream cheese, at room temperature
1-1/4 C creamy peanut butter
1/2 C marshmallow creme
1 C heavy cream
1/3 C mini semisweet chocolate chips, plus more for garnish
Whipped topping:
4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1 C heavy cream
1/3 C sugar
For brownie: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate with 1 tablespoon of butter and then dust with flour. Tap out any excess. Microwave 4 tablespoons butter in a small microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals until melted, about 1 minute. Add peanut butter cookies to bowl and process until fine crumbs have formed. Pour in melted butter and pulse until cookies are wet like sand. Press cookie crumbs into bottom and completely up sides of prepared pie plate.
Whisk flour, cocoa powder and salt in a medium bowl. Melt semi-sweet chocolate and remaining 8 tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning, about 2 minutes. Stir in eggs and sugar until well combined. Gently fold in the flour mixture until well combined. Fold in peanut butter chips. Pour batter in cookie crust and bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.
For peanut butter cream: Place cream cheese, peanut butter and marshmallow creme in a medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add heavy cream to a separate medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Fold whipped cream into peanut butter mixture and then fold in mini chocolate chips. Spread mixture on top of pie and chill until completely set, about 2 hours.
For whipped topping: Whisk cream cheese, heavy cream and sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Mound whipped topping on top of pie and sprinkle with more mini chocolate chips and peanut butter chocolate chips.
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(Eat salad they said. It’s healthy they said. You know what never gets recalled – cupcakes.)
If you would like to share a recipe with me, just send it to the J-T or email it to me.
(Melanie Behrens – melb@marysvillejt.com)