Chicken Pot Pie with Asparagus, Mushrooms and Leeks

My darling friends, Kelly and Cecily, treated me to a fabulous dinner at Communal a few days ago in honor of my 30th birthday.  They know how much I love it.  (We had the best time.  Thanks, ladies!)

My husband felt a little left out, I think.  He teased that I always get to eat there and he's only been a few times.  I reminded him that he gave me a gift card to Communal for my birthday and I would be going there with him to use it.  So there.

I left him with three rambunctious kids and a piping hot chicken pot pie chock full of his favorites--asparagus, mushrooms, and leeks.  Plus I made it with leftover roasted Springer Mountain Farms chicken.  See?  I didn't leave him high and dry.

I told him I was going to make a pie crust for the top and he said, "Oh.  No biscuit topping then?"  Alright, alright.  I did a biscuit topping.  It ended up being more of a chicken and dumplings because I didn't get the gravy as thick as I'd liked.  No one seemed to mind.  (I've added that into the recipe below.)

See how happy he is?

The perfect casserole for a chilly Spring evening.

Chicken Pot Pie with Asparagus, Mushrooms and Leeks

loosely adapted from Cooks' Illustrated

3 cups leftover roasted chicken
Olive oil or butter
1 large onion, diced
3 leeks, rinsed well and thinly sliced
1/2 bunch asparagus (about 12-14 stems or more), tough ends snapped off, cut into 1" long pieces
6-8 oz. mushrooms (white button or baby bella, whatever you have), sliced
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup flour
4 sprigs fresh thyme
4-6 cups homemade chicken stock*

1 recipe Buttermilk Biscuit topping, recipe follows

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat a little olive oil into a large 12" skillet.  Add the onion.  Cook on medium, stirring occasionally, until the onions have turned golden and have softened.  Add the leeks and continue cooking for a few more minutes until they soften.  Add the asparagus and saute until the asparagus barely cooks and turns bright green.  (It will finish cooking in the oven, so don't cook them too much at this point.)  Transfer the onions, leeks, and asparagus to a 9" by 13" glass baking dish.  Set aside until ready to use.

If needed, add a little more olive oil or butter to the skillet and add the mushrooms.  Saute the mushrooms until they cook down (they will release liquid as they cook) and turn golden brown.  Remove pan from heat and transfer the mushrooms to the bowl with the other vegetables.

Return the skillet to medium heat and add 1/4 cup unsalted butter to the skillet.  Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon, cooking for about 1 minute.  Add 4 cups of the chicken stock, only adding more if the sauce is too thick.  (Add more if you like a thinner sauce.)  Add the thyme sprigs and simmer the sauce on medium-low heat while whisking occasionally to prevent lumps for about 5 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Add the chicken to the sauce and let simmer for a few more minutes.  Pour the chicken and sauce over the vegetables in the baking dish.  Stir gently so all the ingredients are evenly distributed in the sauce.

Prepare the biscuit topping.  (See recipe below.)

Drop teaspoonfuls of the biscuit dough evenly over the surface of the chicken and vegetables.  Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the biscuit topping is golden brown and cooked through.

Serves 6-8

(Note:  Both components (the chicken/veggie sauce and biscuits) can be made ahead of time and assembled at the last minute.  Prepare biscuits, but do not add the buttermilk until right before you assemble the casserole.  The chicken/veggie part can be prepared up to a few days in advance and refrigerated until ready to use.)

*To make homemade chicken stock, heat a large 4-6 quart pot over medium high heat.  Add the chicken neck and other giblets (except for the liver), and add cold water to cover by 6-8 inches.  Lower heat to a simmer and skim the surface of the stock to remove any foam or scum.  Allow to simmer for 2-3 hours.  The longer the simmer, the better the flavor will be.  Once the carcass has been picked clean of all the meat, add it to the same pot.  (This can be done before or after the broth has been started with the giblets and neck.)

I usually do the giblets first and then add the stock, along with the carcass and any juices from the roasting pan to my slow-cooker and let it cook on low overnight.  The resulting stock is incredibly rich and full of flavor.  If you use a stock pot on the stove, be sure to keep the bones covered with enough water and continue to skim the surface.

When the stock has simmered the desired amount of time, remove the largest pieces from the post with tongs and set aside.  (You can pick over them to glean any remaining meat.)  Strain the stock through a fine mesh sieve or several layers of cheesecloth into a large clean bowl or pot.  Allow the stock to cool slightly before placing it in the refrigerator.  Once it has chilled, the fat can be easily removed from the surface and thrown away or saved for another use.  If you will be using the stock immediately, skim the fat from the surface as carefully as you can with a spoon.

Buttermilk Drop Biscuit Topping
slightly adapted from Cooks' Illustrated magazine

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar (optional)
8 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces (if using salted butter, use 1/4 tsp. salt)
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk (1 Tbsp. white vinegar+enough milk to make 1 cup)

Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.  Add the cold butter and using your fingers or a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles cornmeal with some larger, pea-sized pieces of butter.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the buttermilk all at once.  Using a fork, stir the buttermilk quickly into the dry ingredients, being careful not to over-mix.  The dry ingredients should be barely moistened and some lumps will remain.  Continue with recipe for the pot pie, or if making separately, drop 12 large spoonfuls of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees F. for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown.

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I had to include this picture because I think it's always fun to see behind-the-scenes shots.  My sweet little redhead is always around to help me with food styling.

(You bet I have pink Havaianas that I wear exclusively when I'm cooking and taking pictures.)
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Tomorrow I'll show you how I roast a whole chicken.  I had to get you excited about what to do with the leftovers first. :)

Mad Libs Monday.

Darling Emily from Is This REALLY My Life? featured me on Mad Libs Monday on her awesome blog today. Check it out. I think you'll giggle. (I did.)

Springer Mountain Farms Chicken.

As you know, I've been making an effort to cut animal products out of my diet for health reasons.  I don't eat much meat anymore, if at all.  One thing I still buy is chicken because everyone in our family loves it.  When I do buy it, I try my hardest to make sure I buy all natural chicken that is not pumped full of antibiotics or hormones.  I also like knowing where my chicken came from, how it was raised, and what it was fed..  This is something that really matters to me.  This is something I know matters to the people at Springer Mountain Farms in Mt. Airy, Georgia.

A few weeks ago, a representative from Springer Mountain Farms contacted me to see if our family would be interested in trying their chicken.  I said yes, but I secretly wondered how different their chicken could be from other natural chickens we've bought before.

{Spoiler:  They are infinitely better.}

Last week a giant box arrived via FedEx.  My little one was very excited to open the box with me.

Inside the box was a styrofoam cooler where we found a sampler pack that included two whole chickens, two packages each of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, and thin chicken strips.  Everything was perfectly frozen and well packaged.



I immediately started thawing one of the whole chickens.  One meal my whole family will eat and enjoy together is whole roasted chicken.  My kids were super excited.

When I cut open the plastic packaging, I was immediately struck with how fresh the thawed chicken was.  It didn't smell at all.  The skin was my first clue that this was no ordinary chicken.  The skin had great color and texture.  The liquids were clear.  The giblets were the giveaway to its freshness and quality; they were proportional to the size of the chicken, as were the chicken breasts.

The chicken breasts weren't gigantic, meaning the chicken was probably able to walk.  Call me picky, but I notice those things.

Springer Mountain Farms is American Humane Association certified, and was the first poultry producer in the world to gain that that endorsement back in 1999.   To find out more info about why that's important, you can read about it here and here.  You can also see other producers that are certified here.

Back to the roasted chicken.

Other chickens I've roasted have released a significant amount of fat and liquid.  This is most likely because they are fed a crappy diet and pumped full of a sodium solution before they are frozen and shipped.  The Springer Farms Chicken wasn't the least bit fatty.

We weren't prepared for how moist and delicious the chicken was.  Think of the juiciest, moistest chicken you've ever had--it's better than that.  My husband said, "Wow.  Is this your cooking or the chicken that's so good?"  While I'd like to say it was me, it wasn't.

Springer Mountain Farms has made a repeat customer out of me.  I don't know if I'll be able to buy any other chicken.  (They didn't tell me to say this, by the way.  After I tasted my first bite of the chicken, I ran to my computer and e-mailed them to tell them how fabulous it was.  My husband and I agreed it is the best chicken ever.)

You can check to see if Springer Mountain Farms chicken is available in your area or shop online.  The prices are very reasonable and it only costs $9.99 for shipping. (!)

Tomorrow I'll show you how I've been roasting chicken, along with ways we used the leftover roasted chicken and the homemade stock.  Whet your appetites, everything I made was delicious--pot pie with leeks and mushrooms, gnocchi with kale with chicken jus, and curried chicken salad.

Disclosure:  Springer Mountain Farms sent our family a sample pack of their chicken to review.  My opinions are my own and I only review products on Cafe Johnsonia that meet my standards of excellence and fit the feel and subject matter of this blog.

Strawberry Pavlova Cake.

Seventeen days ago I turned 30.  Yep.  I'm counting.  Along with days I'm counting wrinkles and white hairs.  The white hairs are easy because they stick straight up and misbehave.

I won't lie.  Turning 30 got me down.

Two days before my big day, I started to sniffle and sneeze.  Then my throat starting hurting and I felt like death would be a welcome diversion to my aching and coughing.

The day before, which happened to be a Saturday, our water heater suddenly went out with a bang.  Literally a bang.  Our plumber was about six hours away and all the plumbing supply houses were closed anyway.  Boo hiss.  When he showed up on Monday morning and figured out what the problem was, we were relieved.  All he needed was a simple part.  And then, as luck would have it, the manufacturer, who by the way was the only source of the much-needed part, sent it to Maine instead of Utah.  One wrong number in a zip code meant 2500 miles between me and my hot water.

I was taking all of the mishaps as a bad omen.  I would have been happy to take a hot bath and snuggle under the covers, but oh...no hot water. :(

Aunt Khalie saved the day by inviting me and my family to dine with her fantastic fam.  She made a tasty dinner--Waldorf salad (hers is the best), little sandwiches, creamy potato soup (very comforting when you have a nasty cold on your birthday), and the pièce de résistance...THE Lemon Chiffon Cake. A cake so marvelous, a cake so magnificent, it has become legendary in our family. Especially Aunt Khalie's rendition of it. Folks, not only was it filled with lemon curd, but also homemade raspberry jam from the raspberries she and I picked last summer. Perfection embodied in a cake topped with lemon whipped cream.

You'll forgive the lack of pictures, I'm sure, as we ate the cake so quickly. Even the leftovers that Aunt Khalie sent home with us were gone by the next morning.

I am in love with that cake.

Anyway...I did still want to make another cake to celebrate my birthday. You know, because you can't have too many cakes, can you?

Originally, I thought I would make a different cake. I'm not telling you which one yet, because I'm still going to make it and it's going to be stunning. STUNNING. Trust me on this. (I know I never come through on my promises, but this time I swear I will.)

So, instead I made a cake inspired by the Brown Sugar Pavlova Cake I saw in Gourmet magazine awhile back.  Triple layers of meringue with mixed berries and cream.  I've made mini-pavlovas before using the same recipe.  The question you should be asking yourself right now is:  Why haven't I tried Pavlova yet?  And also:  When am I going to make it?  And:  How can I fit more Pavlova into my daily schedule?

I took the idea of layering Pavlova and wanted something with lemon curd and a lot of strawberries.  Sort of like THE Lemon Chiffon only sans gluten.  (It's so hard to stay on the wagon.)  The cake came together almost exactly like I'd envisioned.

Imagine the marshmallowy meringue with tangy lemon curd, sweet berries and rich whipped cream.  It was heavenly.  Even more heavenly than the hot water we got back that Wednesday evening.  That's 5 days.  But who's counting?  (wink, wink)

Strawberry Pavlova Cake

adapted from Gourmet magazine

3/4 cup egg whites, from about 5-6 large eggs, at room temperature
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. white vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 cups whipping cream
4 Tbsp. granulated sugar, divided
1 1/2 lbs. strawberries, sliced
1 cup lemon curd (homemade or store-bought)

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.  Line two large baking sheets with a piece of parchment paper.  Trace a 9" circle onto each piece of parchment.  Set aside.

Whisk the sugar and cornstarch together, rubbing any lumps between your fingers.  Beat the egg whites with the salt until soft peaks form.  Add the sugar/cornstarch by tablespoonfuls and beat well.  Add the vanilla and vinegar.  Beat until stiff peaks form.  DIvide the meringue between the two circles on the parchement and spread evenly.  (You can make higher peaks on one that will be the top layer as extra decoration.)

Bake for one hour.  Turn off oven and prop open the oven door and allow to cool completely.  Remove from oven and store at room temperature until ready to assemble.

To assemble:

Beat the whipping cream with 2 tsp. of the sugar until peaks form.  Sprinkle the remaining sugar over the sliced strawberries and toss.  Place one layer of the pavlova on a serving platter.  Gently spread the lemon curd over the top of the pavlova.  Spoon half of the whipped cream over the lemon curd and smooth the top. Place half the strawberries on the whipped cream.  Top with remaining layer of pavlova.  Spread the remaining whipped cream over the top and then arrange the remaining strawberries over the cream.

Makes enough for 6-8.  Serve immediately, unless you need to take some pictures first.  And no one would blame you if you did. :)

(Psst!  Hey you!  Stop licking your computer screen.)

M+T: Root Veg Soup

Did you know that it snowed a bunch over the weekend here in Utah?  Like 6-8" where I live?  Um, yeah.  Where is Spring?!

If it's still chilly where you live, you might like to try this Root Veggie Soup I posted about on Make and Takes.  It's so good you might want to hold onto Winter for a few more days.  (Nah, me either.)

p.s.  I have loads of recipes in queue.  I had a few computer glitches (i.e. sometimes I don't know what I'm doing) and now things are running smoothly again.