Casserole with a Pastry Lid

almost 3 years ago

What do you do with you tiny bits of leftover vegetables, meat and sometimes potatoes? Or do you just fill up the dishes a little more so there won't be any waste? I actually used to do that at one time. What is a little bit more? To be honest? More than I needed, or anyone else for that matter.It was such a bad habit. I am guessing that I come by it honestly, being from a large family with countless children. Okay, nine, but, who is counting?

Wast not, want no. That was a favorite saying of my grandparents. All of them, actually. I cannot even pin that phrase on single one of them, they all came from the era of without, so they wasted nothing. They called it frugal back then. I find it personally challenging to make something out of it, especially when the results are better than expected.

I have small containers of vegetable and meat in my freezer. Sometimes it is steak, a piece of roast, chicken, but meat, in general. I keep the chicken seperate. I like making meat pies out of the leftovers. Sometimes I may use some barely in it, potatoes, It is always fun to get a little inventive. If it doesn't work out, I always have a fallback in the freezer. I haven't had a fail in a while, but, it does happen. When it does, I just pull out a tray of bakes spaghetti or chili that I had made and froze a family size dinner for times like this. I got it covered. Plus the fact that there will be nights that I just don't have time or feel less motivated to make dinner.It happens. Unless you tell, most people wouldn't even know it was taken out of the freezer.

So, we are going to make a Beef Pot Pie. You remember those little premade dinner pies that Swanson and Banquet made famous? Then Maire Callender moved in and showed them how it was really done. There was no going back after dining with Marie. I had beef stew Sunday when were supposed to have snow and cold and almost freeze to death. That didn't happen. It took a left hand turn and enjoyed the coast instead. Some people get all the fun. Right? I actually forgot to show off the leftovers in their little containers. Close your eyes for a moment. Do you see them? Yes, those. We are on the same page. Now lets put it together.

Cut everything into niblet size (better distributes the meat, in particular) Steamed more carrots, I was shy some carrots from the stew
Steamed our vacuum sealed corn from last summer
Added some frozen peas
Make a gravy
Directions: spoon of butter, spoon of flour in a pan, cook until the flour in browned
Add stock leftover from when the stew was cooked and whisk to remove any clumps
Mix in the liquid/gravy from the stew pot
Cook until somewhat thickened (will thicken more when it cools)

Like everything in these, the amount of vegetables is flexible, you can have all carrots or some carrots and peas. There is one thing for sure. I always add peas for color.More of less, it is all up to you. There is no right or wrong, it is just perfect however you do it. Now this pie crust was made, although, there is no shame in buying one. If you need to cut corners, this is one way of doing it.

Put a pie crust on the bottom of the pie dish (I put nuckle marks at the bottom, which seems to make the bottom cook better without blind baking)
Heat the meat and vegetables, put into pie
Pour gravy on top slowly, allowing time for it to sink to the bottom and get in all the nooks and crannies
Put on top pie crust and crimp
Make egge wash:crack an egg into a bowl and add 1 teaspoon of cream, or water to the egg.You can add seasoning to add a little pizzaz to the crust. Whisk together and brush on crust. I make my wash heavier than most people. I like ti that way.
Cut holes in the top to allow steam to escape
Cover edges with tin foil so they do not cook as fast

Bake at -450F for 10-15 minutes
Remove foil and bake for another 20-30minutes, or until the pie crust turns a nice golden brown
Remove from oven and allow to sit for 10-20 minutes
Serve with a nice side salad or fresh fruit in season

All I have are my words, armed in my mind, written in pen, stand by stand. Oh, yes. Still by hand. It has a different feel. Altered not by keys, backspace, and delete, I write, erase, tear it to pieces and start all over again. And again.

It’s my way. I walk out to the deep end of the page and dive right in.

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May there always be a flower to color your world with love. #alwaysaflower And just like that, this post is over! Come back tomorrow and we will do it again. And please, always remember that kindness counts, wherever you are, whatever you do. Have a great night! See you in the comment section! Love to you always. Denise ❤️

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Robert Frost