For as long as I can remember, I’ve nearly unconsciously made up nuanced songs about every pet or family member. For some reason, I called my daughter by the name “Bob” in an early ditty about her. Later versions included “Busy Bob” and then “Buttery Bob,” referencing her hair (and eyebrow) color and sunny disposition. So, when she was in about the third grade, one of her friend’s asked her what her middle name was. I interjected and answered that her that her middle name was “Robert,” and that was where the Bob song had come from. I have such a poker face that I think some of them still believe it.
amazing grace
Well, in spite of my quirky mothering, Robert (Bob) grew up to become an extraordinary person and cook. These days, she, with her husband, grow their own vegetables, raise their own hogs, and tend to a large brood of free-range, egg-laying hens. I wish I could take all or even most of the credit for her culinary goodness, but much of it goes to her northern side of the family. Nearly every one of that extended family has been involved at every level of food service for decades. She also learned from that side of the family that kitchen work is not the sole domain of the wife. There is clearly so much that we still can learn from the North. Compare this to my upbringing where we never sat down to eat a meal until the last man had arrived (no matter how late he was). For our cousins down the road in the country, it was (and still is) more archaic. After church on Sundays, the women do not sit down to eat at all until the men are finished, as nothing threatens perfect harmony more than a man not having his sweet tea automatically replenished. Yep . . .
So, maybe the songs in my head are some sort of survival gifts.
the music of cooking
Bob’s husband is probably the most instinctually gifted and merriest griller I’ve ever known. He moves with a confident allegro moderato, feeding samples to a hypnotized patio audience along the way. But Bob herself has a finely-calibrated inclination for provisions that nurture and fill the heart, such as homemade waffles, fresh roasted garden vegetables and corn chowder. Her most locally famous and most requested (for birthdays, camping dinners, church picnics, broken hearts and funerals) is her chicken pot pie. Although the recipe itself appears rather usual, with its bechamel base, the results turn a simple country meal into a symphony of earthly delights.
Ingredients
1 pie homemade crust (below)
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1/2 cup thinly sliced leeks
1/2 cup finely diced celery
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, green beans, corn mix)
2 cup cooked chicken, light and dark, shredded (you can use a rotisserie chicken)
¼-1/2 cup flour
2 to 3 cups chicken broth (homemade is better)
splash or two of white wine
½ – 3/4 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
2 teaspoon garlic salt
additional salt and pepper to taste (do not be stingy with the salt!)
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Melt butter in a skillet on medium heat. Add onion, leeks and celery and cook until translucent (3-4 minutes). Add frozen vegetables and cook a couple of more minutes.
Add chicken and stir. Sprinkle flour over mixture and stir. Cook over medium heat for a
couple of minutes, stirring constantly. Add chicken broth, stirring constantly. Next, add the win and the cream, while continuing to stir. Bring to a slow boil and allow mixture to thicken (several minutes). Add seasoning and salt and pepper, It is very important to add enough salt – don’t under-season.
Pie Crust Ingredients
1-1/2 cup Crisco (vegetable shortening)
3 cup all-purpose flour
1 whole egg
5 tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
Work the Crisco into the flour for about 3 or 4 minutes in a bowl, using a pastry cutter if available. In a separate bowl, beat an egg and pour into the flour/shortening mixture. Add the 5 tablespoons of cold water, the vinegar and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir all ingredients together.
Separate the dough into thirds, and put each third into a Ziplog bag. You can choose to separate in half instead of thirds if you want a thicker crust. Use a rolling pin to flatten each ball a little. Then place bags in freezer until needed – keeping them cool will make rolling easier. When ready to use, thaw for about 15 minutes.
Roll the dough out on a floured surface, adding a little flour to the top if needed. Continue rolling until it is about an inch or so larger than your pie pan or dish. Place the dough on top of the pan, pressing it inside and along the rim to make a pretty and clean edge. Use a knife to cut a few vents in the top of the crust. Bake for 30-40 minutes until bubbly with a golden crust. If needed, cover the edges with foil part of the way through baking so that the edges do not overcook. Allow to set for a few minutes before serving.
