Chicken ‘Popped’ Pie, Patrick’s Favorite

Our family cannot eat an entire roast chicken in one meal, so we are always looking for recipes that include cooked chicken. Leftovers is a four letter word in our home; we prefer to ‘repurpose’ from one meal to the next, creating tasty, new dishes, rather than a repeat of a previous meal. Our five year old friend Patrick visits on Wednesdays, and often helps to cook dinner. This repurposed recipe is one of his favorites:

Chicken Popped Pie

Chicken Popped Pie Visual Shopping List

2 cups of cooked chicken

1 10 oz bag of frozen peas and carrots

10 oz of frozen hash brown potatoes

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup chicken broth

Seasoning to taste

1 pie crust, purchased or made according to recipe

This is a great meal to make with a small child. Most ingredients are dumped into the bowl, and you can use the empty soup can to measure the broth. It’s mostly mixing and stirring. We use clothes pins to attach a dishcloth to the neck of Patrick’s shirt, giving full coverage and avoiding the problem an apron coming loose. Pie crusts are simple to make, and children love to use a rolling pin. Try having them push on the rolling pin itself, while you use the handles to guide it. And besides, children are always more interested in eating their meal if they helped prepare it.

Oh – in case you’re wondering, it’s ‘popped’ pie because the gravy likes to pop out of the crust. According to Patrick, ‘popped’ pie is way better than pot pie any day.

Do you have a favorite ‘repurposed’ recipe?  Or a meal you enjoy cooking with a child? Perhaps you’ll share it with us.

Fruit and Legume Roulade, with Whole Wheat Garnish

It’s the night before the church picnic, and I have completely forgotten about bringing a side dish. It’s too late to go shopping, even if the stores remain open. So it’s time to dig through the pantry and refrigerator and figure out what you can make with what you have on hand. I don’t know about you, but there are a few things we always have available, so this is what we came up with…..

Peanut Butter, Jelly and Cheerio Rollups

Visual Shopping List

Tortillas
Peanut Butter
Jelly or Jam
Cheerios or other cereal

Spread a thin layer of peanut and jelly on the tortilla.  Top with cereal, then roll up, snug, but not too tight.  Cut into 1 inch pieces, discarding the ends if unsightly. Arrange a tray or cupcake carrier, topping with a sprinkle of cereal. It’s a great recipe to make with your children, allowing them to choose the type of jelly and cereal.

About the title – whatever you make, however you put it together, always remember good food is as much about presentation and attitude as it is about ingredients. The simplest recipes are called comfort food because someone made that dish especially for you, with love, not because of gourmet ingredients or hours spent slaving over the stove.

Do you have a favorite ‘go to’ recipe? Sometime simple and delicious your family loves? I hope you’ll share it with us.