Apologies, Pansies, and Pot Pies

Oh y'all, I need to apologize!   The post about pansies and chili was just me (rather ineptly apparently) trying to make a point about how quick the chili was to make when one is unprepared for guests, not that I didn't want my friends to come over.  When I was told that my blog is "intense" in my desire for people to not come to my house, I realized that there had been a misreading somewhere along the way.  Cooking and entertaining is my primary focus here! I'll stick to the recipes, and avoid tongue and cheek stories from now on. The last thing I want is drama, and that was what I ended up getting (sigh).

 

Spice and Sass will now be 100% non-facetious (or at least I'll try).

 

Now that's out of the way, I did in fact get to plant my pansies this weekend. Hee.

First was Peg and Hunter's before Greek-Fest.  I dressed like a gypsy to fit in.  It was Beth's first Greek-fest, and I think she is a fan- Beth, am I correct?

 

After a night of Opa-ing it up at Greek Fest, I woke up early, picked up some Chick-fil-a for us, and entertained some workmen and contractors around the house. I had the perfect Southern Saturday.  Hubs sat a radio in the window for me, so I got to play in the dirt while listening to the Dawgs play the Vols. 

 He caught me taking a break.

 

A few times.

 

After all that hard work, and honor of South Carolina's victory, I decided that chicken pot pie was in order.  I adapted the Pioneer Woman's, trusting that it would hit the spot.  It did.

 

Gamecock Pie

 

2 pie crusts (Once again I used refrigerated Pillsbury, shake my head in shame)

1/2 stick butter

5-6 stalks celery

10 baby carrots

1 cup frozen peas

1 large Vidalia

2 small fryers cut up in pieces

1 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth
3 cups chicken
chicken bouillon cube
1 cup cream
1 heapng teaspoon ground thyme
salt and pepper to taste

 

• Set your oven to 400
• Throw your chicken pieces in a stock pot, and cover with water.  Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 25 minutes.  Relax. 
• Chop up your veggies- be sure to leave some of celery leaves in there for some extra celery flavor.
• Take the chicken out of your pot, and let cool.
• Melt the butter in a dutch oven, or large saucepan.
• Toss in the veggies and saute for a bit.
• Once your chicken in cool enough to touch shred it (both white and dark meat)
• Mix your chicken in with the veggies.
• Sprinkle your flour on top. Stir it evenly in.
• Add the chicken broth and the chicken bouillon cube and cook for a few minutes.
• Add the cream - turn the heat up and cook at a high simmer for ten to fifteen minutes.  Take it off the heat when the bouillon cube is dissolved and everything is thickened up.
• Season with a heaping teaspoon of ground thyme and salt and pepper to taste.
• Pour half the pot pie filling into one pie pan, and the other half into another pie pan. 
• Top with a pie crust, and cut slits on top.
• Bake for thirty minutes, and then let rest for a tense ten minutes (patience, patience)

 

So, did y'all watch all the good games this weekend?  it was probably best that I listened to the UTY UGA game in relative solitude.  I might have gotten egged by my friends here in East Tennessee had I joined them.  I know things got a bit heated during the Florida-LSU game!