Christmas Meat Pie Cook Ahead And Freeze Recipes

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in chili sauce and soup mix; set aside. , In a large bowl, combine the flour, sesame seeds if desired, and salt. Cut in shortening and cheese until crumbly. Combine milk and vinegar; gradually add to flour mixture, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. , Divide dough in half; roll out to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a lightly floured 2-1/2-in. round cutter. Place half of the circles 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets; top each with a rounded tablespoonful of beef mixture. Top with remaining circles. Moisten edges with water and press with a fork to seal. Cut a slit in the top of each. , Bake at 425° until golden brown, 12-16 minutes. Serve immediately., Freeze option: Freeze cooled pies in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Bake, from frozen, on an ungreased baking sheet at 425° until heated through, 14-16 minutes.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Heat 1 tbsp oil and the butter in a frying pan, then add the onion and fry for 5 mins until softened. Cool slightly. Tip the sausagemeat, lemon zest, breadcrumbs, apricots, chestnuts and thyme into a bowl. Add the onion and cranberries, and mix everything together with your hands, adding plenty of pepper and a little salt.
• Cut each chicken breast into three fillets lengthwise and season all over with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining oil in the frying pan, and fry the chicken fillets quickly until browned, about 6-8 minutes.
• Roll out two-thirds of the pastry to line a 20-23cm springform or deep loose-based tart tin. Press in half the sausage mix and spread to level. Then add the chicken pieces in one layer and cover with the rest of the sausage. Press down lightly.
• Roll out the remaining pastry. Brush the edges of the pastry with beaten egg and cover with the pastry lid. Pinch the edges to seal, then trim. Brush the top of the pie with egg, then roll out the trimmings to make holly leaf shapes and berries. Decorate the pie and brush again with egg.
• Set the tin on a baking sheet and bake for 50-60 mins, then cool in the tin for 15 minutes Remove and leave to cool completely. Serve with a winter salad and pickles.

Steps:

• Cut boil and mash potatoes with a bit of milk and set aside.
• In a very large pot combine meat with salt, pepper, onion, celery flakes and all seasonings and simmer on med to low heat for 1 hour. Stir occasionally.
• Once cooked drain liquid from meat mixture and replace with water and add potatoes.
• Mix well and refrigerate over night.
• Prepare pastry and divide dough for 6 double crust pies.
• Refrigerate pastry over night.
• Next morning roll pastry, line pie plates and fill with meat mixture and top with pastry. Cut a few slits in top crust and brush with egg wash. (To make egg wash.
• beat 1 egg with a tbsp of milk.).
• Bake at 425* for 25-30 minute.
• Cool and freeze in freezer bags up to 6 months.
• Reheat from frozen at 350* for 45-50 minute.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. In a large saucepan, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, potato and celery; cook and stir until tender. Add flour and seasonings until blended; gradually add milk and broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in turkey and peas; divide mixture among 4 ungreased 5-in. pie plates., Unroll crust; cut into quarters. On a work surface, reroll 1 quarter into an 6-in. circle; place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edge; cut slits in top. Repeat with remaining crust and potpies., Cover and freeze 2 potpies for up to 3 months. Bake remaining potpies until golden brown, 18-22 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving., To use frozen potpies: Remove from freezer 30 minutes before baking. Cover edge of crusts loosely with foil; place on a baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Remove foil; bake until golden brown and filling is bubbly, 15-20 minutes longer.