Dinner Club

 I am so intermittent anymore on here but I really do want to make an effort to do more.  Anyway, we had our first big couples' dinner club again last night just like we did last year and it was DELICIOUS!  It was Welcoming Fall with Comfort Food Recipes from Paula Deen.  a.k.a. ADD MORE BUTTER!  Some of the recipes were crazy fattening, but some were also WORTH IT!  This was one that I want to remember the recipe for.  The other was the entree....chicken pot pie.  The very best chicken pot pie I have ever had. (My assigned dish was green beans and new potatoes which instructions began "Heat a large cast iron dutch oven and add 1/2 cup of bacon grease"  

Yeah, seriously.

Anyway, the recipes.....

The Best Breading Pudding 

Ingredients:
2 cups granulated sugar
5 large beaten eggs
2 cups milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups cubed Italian bread, allow to stale overnight in a bowl
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1 cup chopped pecans
For the sauce:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup brandy
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan.
Mix together granulated sugar, eggs, and milk in a bowl; add vanilla. Pour over cubed bread and let sit for 10 minutes.
In another bowl, mix and crumble together brown sugar, butter, and pecans.
Pour bread mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture over the top and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until set. Remove from oven.
For the sauce:
Mix together the granulated sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir together until the sugar is melted. Add the brandy, stirring well. Pour over bread pudding. Serve warm or cold.

 

Lady & Sons Chicken Pot Pie

• 4 sheets frozen puff pastry
• 1 egg, beaten
• 4 chicken breast halves, or 2 cups leftover cooked chicken
• Seasoned salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1/3 cup butter
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 quart heavy cream
• 1/4 cup chicken base
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 small yellow onion, minced
• 1 cup frozen green peas, cooked
• 1 cup chopped cooked carrots
• Pinch fresh grated nutmeg, optional
• Special equipment: 4 (2-cup) individual baking dishes

Directions

Crust:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cut each sheet of frozen puff pastry into 1-inch strips, 8 inches long. On a large cookie sheet, weave strips into a lattice large enough to cover each pot pie. Brush beaten egg onto each lattice square. Bake for 5 minutes, or until dough has risen and turned light golden brown. Set aside until ready to assemble pies. Leave oven on at 350 degrees F.

Filling:
Season chicken with seasoned salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and saute until cooked through. Remove from heat and cut into chunks. Alternatively, you may use precooked chicken.
In a large saucepan, melt butter and then slowly add flour, stirring until consistency of peanut butter, but not brown like a roux. Slowly add cream and keep stirring. Add chicken base, garlic, and onion and stir until thickened. Add peas, carrots, nutmeg, if using, and cut up chicken. Remove from heat. Fill 4 individual oven-proof bowls with chicken mixture and then top each with a pre-cooked lattice square. Bake for 5 minutes or until bubbly. Any remaining pie filling may be frozen.