Crust Archives - Poor Man's Gourmet Kitchen

Southwestern Chicken Pot Pie White Lie!

I thought I was a genius when I first came up with the Southwestern Chicken Pot Pie, but as it turns out, I didn’t come up with it. Here I was, making Southwestern Egg Rolls for the family and toying with the notion of filming them, which I didn’t, then later that evening, I was scrolling through Pinterest when I saw a picture of a traditional Chicken Pot Pie made with Grands Flaky Layer Biscuits. Needless to say, that’s the exact moment lightning struck my brain. Southwestern Chicken Pot Pie! I even knew how I was going to make it. But did I do any research before it was done? The answer isn’t just no, it’s Hell No! I was sure my idea was so ingenious that I was just going to pave the way to a new Frontier Pie. Boy was I wrong. The only real reassuring and comforting thing I can say after discovering other recipes for the same thing is that my recipe tasted great, and I didn’t consult with any book or anyone to make it, and it was exactly how I envisioned it! So check out the video and the ingredients below and hopefully you’ll be convinced to try this for yourself next time you’re craving a homemade Pot Pie.

Southwestern Chicken Pot Pie Ingredients:

1 bag Southwest Blend or 2 cups of assorted Black Beans, Corn, Onion and Peppers
3 chopped Boneless Chicken Thighs
2 Puff Pastry Sheets (Puff Pastry sheets should be thawed 40 Minutes in advance)
2 Cups Chicken Stock or Bouillon
1 thawed and strained Frozen Spinach
1 1/2 tsp Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Cumin
1 tbsp Butter
3 tbsp Flour
2 shakes of Garlic Powder (1 for veggies and 1 for the chicken)
Chopped Cilantro and Parsley (optional)
Oil for frying

Combine all the vegetables first and season with Garlic Powder and 1/2 tsp of the Chili Powder. Prepare and Cook the Chicken in 1/8 cup cooking oil and season with the rest of the dry seasonings, then combine the cooked chicken with the Southwest Blend. Using the same skillet melt 1 tbsp butter, add 3 tbsp flour, stir to form a light Roux, then slowly add 2 cups of Chicken Stock to make a gravy, then poor the gravy into the Southwest Blend. Now fit one Puff Pastry Sheet to a well greased pie tin and trim the edges. Add the Southwest Blend to the pie until it reaches the Brim. Fit the Second Puff Pastry Sheet over the top and press the edges firmly in a circular motion around the pie to combine the top and bottom crust. Again, trim the edges, then oil the top or egg wash and cut 3 small slits in the center of the Pastry dough for baking ventilation. Bake the Southwestern Chicken Pot Pie at 425 degrees for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown, and serve.

New York Style Pizza

So you think you can make a New York style pizza huh? Well honestly, I didn’t have a clue this time last year until I dabbled and experimented with a few recipes. Finally I came up with this little gem known in my family as, “The Masterpiece”! All joking aside, this New York style pizza recipe makes a pretty damn good pizza.

How good is this New York style Pizza recipe?

I’ve heard questions like, “You made this?” and when I firmly respond with a, “YES”, I hear things like, “Nuh-aaa…”, or, “Really”, oh, and also, “Damn!”! So if you want to pull your adult pants up and officially dig into this one, be my guest. Just realize once the frustration starts, there’s no going back, because this is one of those recipes that you don’t give up on until you’ve reached perfection; that is if you’re truly a fan of a New York style pizza! The secret is in the yeast and in the rise. I don’t care if you follow this recipe to a T, if you don’t handle the yeast right, or you don’t room temperature rise, you are going to have some problems. Other than that, it is the easiest recipe in the world if you just follow these simple steps in the order they’re laid out below, you will make an awesome New York style pizza! This recipe makes 1 16″ in. pizza pie and is also the same recipe I use to make my Rollero Sandwich which can be found here http://poormansgourmetkitchen.com/baked-rollero-sandwich-calzones-recipe.html

New York Style Pizza Recipe

Combine the following and let it stand 10 min. to activate.
You’ll know it’s activated if it doubles in size.

1 tsp. dry yeast
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1/4 cup hot water 110 degrees f

Separate bowl Combine in the following order

1 cup hot water 110 degree (hot water out of your tap is fine)
3 cups BREAD flour (this is key, use bread flower)
1 tsp granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp Italian Seasoning (Thyme, Rosemary, Marjoram etc.)
1/2 tsp garlic powder

To make a New York style pizza pie, add the activated yeast and mix all ingredients together in a mixer or knead it by hand. It’s designed to be a little sticky, so adding a few tbls. of flour here and there to get it to a desired pizza dough consistency is normal if you need to. Roll the dough into a ball and thinly coat 2 tbls of olive oil on the outside to prevent dryness and cracking. Now just let it rise for the next hour or so, or even refrigerate if you’re wanting it for later. Just make sure the dough get’s to room temperature and practically doubles in size before you roll it out to make a pie. Roll it out thin; maybe an 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch TOPS. Then of course leave a thicker edge; but not as thick as you think you’d like it when you eat it, cause it will double if not triple in size when it bakes. Next, throw down your favorite sauce (spaghetti sauce will even work), meats, veggies, whatever. Most use Mozzarella cheese but if you can 50/50 with Provolone, that’s the way to go, trust me! Preheat oven to 500 degrees! Yes 500, that is NOT a typo. A wooden slate is best for baking but a pan works just fine. 8 to 10 minutes is all it’s gonna take for you to enjoy this New York style pizza recipe!