Dishing It Up Recipe Hop: Freezer Meals--Chicken Pot Pie

Now that school is back in swing and fall activities are starting up, many people are looking for ways to save time in the kitchen.  I am a firm believer that the best way to save time on dinner on a hectic night is to already have a meal prepared in the freezer!

By preparing meals in advance, you not only save yourself time, but also can save money by buying in bulk when the ingredients go on sale.

Whether you have a dedicated cooking day and toss a few weeks worth of meals into the freezer in a single afternoon, or you just double a recipe here and there and freeze a second meal for later, you will be glad you did when things turn hectic or someone isn't feeling well.

The recipe I'm going to share with you today is another one of my grandmother's--Deep Dish Chicken Pot Pie!  This recipe is soooo delicious and easy to make!  Plus, it's my girls favorite!  I've been out for a while now so I really need to get some more made for my freezer!  Sounds like a good weekend project to me. ;)


Ingredients (for 1 pie):
2tbsp butter
1/2 lb white onions
1/2 cup celery
6tbsp flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 to 1 1/2 cups cooked chicken
1 bag frozen mixed vegetables
season to taste
pie crust **  (I buy frozen shells for the bottoms and the roll out ones for tops--probably the most expensive part of the whole recipe, sadly....you could certainly make your own, if you were so inclined.)

Directions:

1)  Heat butter in a large pot, add onions and celery, cook for 10 min.

2)  Remove from heat. Stir in flour, seasonings, broth, milk, meat, and veggies. Bring to a boil while stirring constantly. 

3) Once it boils, reduce heat and simmer for 10 min. 

The filling.

4) Pour into pie shell. 

5)  Roll out top crust, and fold up edges.

One completed pie.

6) Bake according to the instructions for the crust you use (Do this if you plan to eat right away).

If you plan to freeze it, wrap the top with foil, and place into a freezer bag (carefully!)  Label it with the date and baking instructions.  When you are ready to eat it, simply thaw overnight, and then follow your baking instructions.

To save myself a ton of time, I usually make these in bulk, in groups of 4.  I find that the meat from 1 large whole chicken is nearly the perfect amount split between 4 pies, so I cook and debone a whole chicken.  (I boil down the bones, and use this for the broth to save even more money), then I quadruple the other ingredients.  NOTE:  *This greatly increases the time step 2 takes.*

Then, I will have a nice supply in my freezer:

My wonderful blogger friends have some other recipes that freeze well to share with you.  Click on the links below to be taken to their posts (Denoted with **).  If you have a freezer recipe to share, feel free to link yours up, too!  (Please do not add ** to yours!  Thanks!)