If you don't mind a little extra work this is my favourite Chicken Pot Pie recipe. I adjust the filling depending on what I feel like. But I always cook fresh chicken breasts and use the broth to cook the rest of the ingredients. I don't like it made with leftover chicken. You can top it with , the or with . Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Chicken Pot Pie With Herbed Crust ================================= Pie can be topped with herbed crust or with Puff pastry Dough 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh thyme 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 Tablespoons cold butter, cut into 1 inch pieces 1/4 cup cold solid vegetable shortening cut into bits 1/4 cup ice water Chicken filling 4 Large chicken breasts 5 Cups chicken broth 2 Teaspoons black peppercorns 2 bay leaves 4 springs fresh thyme 3 Large garlic cloves 2 Small carrots cut into 3/4 inch cubes 1 Small leek cut into 1/2 inch thick pieces (about 2 cups) 1 Large sweet potato 1 or 2 stalks of celery 2 or three large baking potatoes cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces 1 Cup frozen peas Sauce 4 Tablespoons butter 5 Tablespoons all purpose flour 1 Cup heavy cream 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh thyme salt and pepper . Use any combination of vegetables. I have added fresh green beans cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Cook the chicken in a soup pot with the broth, peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme and garlic. Bring to a boil over high head. Reduce the heat to low and simmer very gently until the chicken is cooked. Remove the chicken from the pot and let cool. Remove meat from bones. Strain broth to remove peppercorns and herbs. Bring strained broth to a boil and add leeks, celery and carrot. Cook a couple of minutes and then add sweet potatoes and regular potatoes. Remove vegetables from broth to a bowl with the chicken and set aside. Make sauce, by melting butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add flour and then cooking stirring frequently with a whisk, until the mixture develops a nutty smell, about 2 minutes. Slowly add half the broth to the roux, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens. Add the rest of the broth along with the cream and chopped thyme. Increase the heat to moderate and allow the sauce to simmer, stirring occasionally, until it is well steeped with the flavour of thyme. Remove the pan from the head. Add the vegetables and chicken to the sauce. Add frozen peas. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon filling into the pan. Cover with pastry, trucking in edge to seal to side of pan. Reroll the dough trimmings and cut out several leaf shapes to decorate. Make small incisions in the crust to allow steam to escape. Bake in a 375 degree oven until crust in golden brown, for about 50 minutes.

Spanish tortilla is a favourite buffet item which can be made earlier in the day and served later at room temperature, cut into small squares and served with toothpicks or into thin wedges. Here below shown as it was served at a buffet lunch I attended. Ingredients for 4 luncheon servings: 3 medium potatoes 3 large eggs 1 onion salt 1/2 teasp & pepper to taste olive oil Italian parsley, chopped (optional) I use a 7-inch non-stick pan as it's easy to fill, making a nice high and rounded tortilla which is easy to flip over. 1. Slice potatoes lengthwise once, then slice both pieces thinly into half moons. Chop onions into 1/4 rings. 2. Coat the bottom of the pan with oil and when hot add potatoes. Keep turning so they do not burn or go brown. When golden, remove from pan and set aside in large bowl. NOTE: Some folks prefer to gently boil or steam the potatoes for 5 - 10 minutes rather than fry them. I've seen it done both ways and I also like to do this. 3. Put chopped onion in pan, if necessary add a little more oil and sauté until soft, without being dark brown. Remove from pan and add to potatoes in bowl. 4. Beat the eggs in a small bowl, add salt & pepper and chopped parsley, and pour over potato & onion mixture in bowl. Turn gently to coat all. 5. Add 2 TBS oil to pan and when hot, pour in the egg, potato and onion mixture. Run the edge of a sharp knife or spatula around the rim of the pan while the egg is setting to loosen the edges. I also poke it several times in the middle to let some of the runny egg seep down to the pan. Don't let it get too dark or burn. 6. When the edges are set and the middle is still half runny hold a plate over the top and flip pan and all over on to the plate and gently slide it back into the pan. Don't overcook as the centre should still be juicy. 7. Let cook a minute or two more on that side, then slide it out onto a plate. 8. Cut into wedges as a luncheon dish, or into small squares with toothpicks to be served on a buffet or as a tapa. Or keep it whole to take on a picnic. The edges should be fat and firmly rounded. If you've never tried making one before, start with a small non-stick pan and when you're an expert move up to a larger pan. A small 7 inch pan will make a nice luncheon omelette for two. ********************************** This is delicious on toasties or pita wedges: SPICED SWEET ROASTED RED PEPPER HUMMUS ----------------------------------------- 1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans, drained 1 (4 oz) jar roasted red peppers (or homemade) 3 TBS lemon juice 1 1/2 TBS tahini 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 teasp ground cummin 1/2 teasp cayenne pepper *(I used 1/4 teasp) 1/4 teasp salt 1 TBS chopped fresh parsley Blend all ingredients except parsley in electric blender. Process until fairly smooth. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Sprinkle with parsley before serving. ************************************* This is a favourite recipe from my daughter in Canada who has made herself popular in her neighbourhood with SALMON QUICHE WITH WALNUT CRUMB CRUST Preheat oven to 375 degrees F Pastry: Easy - doesn't require rolling, just press down with fingers and back of a spoon into a 24 cm (9.5 inch) pyrex flan dish or pie plate. 1 - 1/2 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup cheddar cheese (grated) 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup walnuts finely chopped Mix these ingredients in a bowl, cutting in butter with two knives until crumbly then press into a pie dish, including up the sides. Bake in pre-heated oven for five minutes. Then remove from oven. Meanwhile mix the following ingredients in a bowl: Filling: 3 eggs beat till frothy 3/4 cup sour cream 1 cup mozzarella cheese (grated) 1/2 onion, chopped 1 can salmon (7 3/4 ounces) - I prefer fresh piece salmon that has been baked - 'smoked salmon' is really good too. 1/4 cup mayonnaise Pour these ingredients into the pie crust - bake in oven approximately 45 minutes or until knife inserted in centre comes out clean. The top is usually a nice golden brown colour. If you don't have salmon on hand, tinned tuna works well too in this recipe. SharonCb

Wendy's is now featuring a "wrap" made of half a flour tortilla, 1 chicken tender (fried, grilled or spicy), mayo, shredded lettuce and grated mild cheddar cheese. I plan to get the components to make some for a quick lunch when I come home from work. I might mix Ranch dressing and mayo for a tangy dressing. What about putting 2 on a hoagie bun for a sandwich? I like to bake them then slice and put on a Caesar salad for a chicken Caesar salad. Here is a Fried Chicken Salad from Rachael Ray - just use your chicken tenders: Fried Chicken Salad From Every Day with Rachael Ray June-July 2006 FOUR SERVINGS Prep Time: 25 min Cook Time: 15 min 2 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 1/2 pounds) 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons salt 1 1/2 cups ranch dressing 1/2 cup milk 1 large egg 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce, or to taste 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 head romaine lettuce, shredded 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved 1. Place each chicken breast in a plastic bag and pound flat (about 1/2 inch thick). Cut into thin strips. 2. In a shallow bowl, mix the flour and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk 1 cup of the ranch dressing with the milk, egg and Tabasco sauce. 3. Working in batches, dredge the chicken strips lightly in the flour, dip into the ranch batter, then coat with flour again and transfer to a sheet of wax paper. 4. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until rippling hot. Add enough chicken strips to cover the bottom of the pan. Fry until golden and cooked through, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel-lined plate. After the first batch, discard the oil, wipe the pan clean with a paper towel and heat another 3 tablespoons of oil. Fry the remaining strips, using fresh oil for each batch. 5. In a large bowl, toss the lettuce and tomatoes with the remaining 1/2 cup of ranch dressing, or to taste. Divide among 4 plates and top with the chicken strips. What about chopping them up and adding to a fried rice recipe? I would try them with the P.F. Chang's lettuce wraps, dicing up the chicken and stir frying it first. P. F. Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps Recipe #15865 This recipe is from Todd Wilbur and Top Secret Recipes by Lali 25 min : 10 min prep SERVES 2 -3 * 3 tablespoons oil * 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts * 1 cup water chestnuts * 2/3 cup mushrooms * 3 tablespoons chopped onions * 1 teaspoon minced garlic * 4-5 leaves iceberg lettuce * Special Sauce * 1/4 cup sugar * 1/2 cup water * 2 tablespoons soy sauce * 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar * 2 tablespoons ketchup * 1 tablespoon lemon juice * 1/8 teaspoon sesame oil * 1 tablespoon hot mustard * 2 teaspoons water * 1-2 teaspoon garlic and red chile paste * Stir Fry Sauce * 2 tablespoons soy sauce * 2 tablespoons brown sugar * 1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar Make the special sauce by dissolving the sugar in water in a small bowl. Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice and sesame oil. Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until you're ready to serve. Combine the hot water with the hot mustard and set this aside as well. Eventually add your desired measurement of mustard and garlic chili sauce to the special sauce mixture to pour over the wraps. Bring oil to high heat in a wok or large frying pan. Saute chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes per side or done. Remove chicken from the pan and cool. Keep oil in the pan, keep hot. As chicken cools mince water chestnuts and mushrooms to about the size of small peas. Prepare the stir fry sauce by mixing the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar together in a small bowl. When chicken is cool, mince it as the mushrooms and water chestnuts are. With the pan still on high heat, add another Tbsp of vegetable oil. Add chicken, garlic, onions, water chestnuts and mushrooms to the pan. Add the stir fry sauce to the pan and saute the mixture for a couple minutes then serve it in the lettuce"cups". Top with"Special Sauce".

Ruthanna, Here is a rather "dressy" chicken liver recipe I cut out of the Boston Globe a number of years ago. I made it once, and my husband almost swooned! I'll type it just as it appeared. JOE SIMONE'S CHICKEN LIVERS COOKED IN MILK "Joe Simone of Tosca restaurant in Hingham soaks chicken livers in milk for a couple of hours before sauteing them in oil. He says it tenderizes the livers and gives them a cleaner flavor. To them he adds apricots, dates, and other dried fruits soaked in the Italian wine vin santo, plus pancetta and onions." 1/2 cup dried apricots, snipped into thin strips 1 cup whole pitted dates 1/4 cup golden raisins 2 tablespoons currants 1 cup vin santo (Italian dessert wine) or another sweet wine 2 pounds chicken livers 2 cups whole milk Kosher salt and fresly ground black pepper, to taste Flour (for dredging) 1/2 cup olive oil 2 slices (1/4 inch thick) pancetta, coarsely chopped 2 onions, coarsely chopped 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage 1/2 cupe chicken stock 2 tablespoons butter, cut into 4 pieces Half a day in advance, soak the apricots, dates, raisins and currants in the wine. Set them aside at room temperature. Several hours before cooking, rinse and clean the chicken livers, removing any veins. In a large bowl, combine them with the milk and stir gently. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours. With a slotted spoon, lift the livers from the milk. Pat them dry with paper towels. Sprinkle them with salt. Place the flour on a plate. Dredge the livers in the flour, shaking off the excess. Have on hand a plate with a double thickness of paper towel. In a large skillet, heat the oil (there should be a thin film on the bottom of the pan). When the oil is very hot but not smoking, cook the livers in batches, without crowding them. Brown them well on both sides. Transfer them to the paper towels to drain, and cook any remaining livers in the same way. Remove the fat from the skillet. Add the pancetta and onions and cook them over medium-high heat for 10 minutes or until the onions are soft and the pancetta is crisp. Add the fruit and any wine left in the bowl to the skillet along with the sage and the thyme. Cook over high heat, scraping any brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat slightly and cook the sauce until it is reduced by half. Add the butter and swirl it around the pan just until it melts. Return the chicken livers to the pan and warm them through. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve at once. Makes 6 servings. (We enjoy chicken livers with roasted, mashed buttercup squash and sauteed broccolini, which is how I think I served this delicious rendering). seagrass