Mini Pot Pies Recipes

Steps:

• Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 12-count mini-muffin pan with vegetable oil cooking spray. Set aside.
• For the pot pie filling: Melt the butter in a 1-quart saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Simmer over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thick and smooth, about 6 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the salt, pepper, Parmesan, chicken and broccoli.
• For assembly: On a lightly-floured work surface, roll out the dough 1/8-inch thick. Using the 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 12 pieces of dough. Using the 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out another 12 pieces of dough. Press the large rounds of dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spoon the sauce into the pastry.
• Combine the egg and 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl, using a fork. Brush the edges of the pastry with the egg mixture and place the remaining pieces of dough on top. Lightly press the edges of the dough together to seal. Press around the edges of the pies using the tines of a fork. Brush the tops of each pie with the beaten egg. Cut a 1/2-inch-long slit into the top of the pies using a paring knife. Bake until the tops are golden and the filling is bubbling, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
• Add the oil to a large pot over high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the chicken, and stir until cooked through, about 7 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a bowl.
• Melt butter in the same pot. Add the onions and carrots and stir until softened, about 8 minutes.
• Add the flour, stirring to combine. Slowly add the milk and chicken broth, alternating between the two, stirring continuously and bringing to a boil.
• Add the cooked chicken, peas, salt, and pepper, and stir until thoroughly mixed. Remove from heat and let cool.
• Lay out puff pastry sheets and use a small 6-inch (15 cm) bowl to cut circles out of it.
• Place dough circles in a nonstick muffin tin and fill with pot pie mixture.
• Using remaining puff pastry, cut ⅛-inch (3 mm) strips of dough, and make a lattice top for each muffin cup. Brush the lattice tops with the egg.
• Bake for 15 minutes, until golden brown.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring the vegetables around, until they start to soften, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the veggies and stir to combine. Cook the flour-coated veggies for 1 minute, then pour in the chicken broth (and wine, if using!) and stir to combine. Let it heat up and start to bubble and thicken, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in the chicken, then add the turmeric and thyme, then season with salt and pepper. Add the half-and-half, then stir the mixture and let it bubble up and thicken, about 3 minutes. If it seems overly thick, splash in a little more broth. Turn off the heat and let the filling cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, roll out the pie crusts slightly and cut out 8 dough circles just a bit larger than the pie pans (if using a muffin tin, you'll need sixteen 3 3/4-inch circles). Press a dough circle into each pie pan (or 8 muffin cups), making sure the dough comes almost to the top of each pan. Fill the pies with the chicken mixture. Lay a second round of dough over the top of each pie. Press the dough so that the edges meet, then use a fork to seal the edges. Mix the egg with 2 teaspoons water and brush it all over the surface of the crust. (Discard any extra egg wash.) Cut small vents in the surface of the crusts.
• If you're baking the pies right away, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, place the pies on a baking sheet and bake 25 to 30 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Serve them straight out of the pie pans or turn them out of the pan and serve them upside down!
• Find this recipe and more in Ree's new book, The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime ($30, William Morrow Cookbooks).

Steps:

• Place beef in baking dish, fill with enough water to cover meat.
• Bake at 425F for 60 minutes.
• Let beef cool.
• Using two forks, shred beef. Set aside.
• Place mixed veggies on a cookie sheet and broil for 5-7 minutes. Stirring halfway through to avoid burning the veggies.
• Meantime, in a saucepan over low to medium heat, pour in the gravy and add the beef and whipping cream.
• Allow beef to simmer in the gravy and absorb the flavor while veggies are cooking.
• Once veggies are done, add to the beef and gravy mixture over low heat.
• Roll dough out thin into 8 inch thin discs. Repeat 12 times.
• Place the dough discs into each section of two large coated 6 cupcake pans.
• The dough will overlap, you will need it.
• Fill each cup with the beef gravy mixture.
• Fold the flaps over the top of the beef mixture, brushing the egg wash onto the dough flaps to "glue" the pie closed.
• Repeat for all 12 pies.
• Lower oven to 350°F Bake for 10-12 minutes.
• Let sit for 10 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 12-cup muffin tin and place on a baking sheet.
• Heat oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat; add onion to the hot oil and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add chicken; cook and stir until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add peas, mushrooms, and carrots, followed by chicken broth. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink in the center and mixture thickens slightly, 10 to 15 minutes more.
• Whisk flour and salt together in a medium bowl. Work butter into the mixture using your fingers, working quickly to prevent melting, until thoroughly mixed. Scoop mixture into a volcano-shaped cone with a well in the top. Pour in buttermilk. Bring dough together using a fork, trying to moisten all flour bits, until moist and shaggy.
• Take a ball of batter and smooth into one of the prepared muffin cups. Fill with chicken mixture. Repeat until all muffin cups are filled. Cover each with a rolled layer of dough, sealing sides to prevent filling from spilling.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Continue to bake until crust is light golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes more. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 12 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray.
• In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in oil 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink in center. Add onion and chicken broth; heat to simmering. Add frozen vegetables and seasonings. Heat until hot, stirring occasionally until almost all liquid is absorbed. Cool 5 minutes; stir in cheese.
• In medium bowl, stir baking mixture ingredients with whisk or fork until blended. Spoon 1 scant tablespoon baking mixture into each muffin cup. Top with about 1/4 cup chicken mixture. Spoon 1 tablespoon baking mixture onto chicken mixture in each muffin cup.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. With thin knife, loosen sides of pies from pan; remove from pan and place top sides up on cooling rack. Cool 10 minutes longer, and serve.

Steps:

• Cut lobster shell down the middle, crack it open, and pull out the meat. Cut the shell into 1-inch pieces and set aside.
• Cut the meat into ½-inch pieces, checking carefully and removing any veins or missed pieces of shell. Transfer the meat to a plate and keep in the refrigerator until needed.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add lobster shells and cook, stirring often, until they turn brick red, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in sherry and clam juice and reduce heat to low. Simmer gently to steep lobster shells, 15 to 20 minutes; making sure the liquid does not reduce.
• Remove from the heat and pour broth through a strainer to remove shells.
• Rinse out the saucepan and add remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Place over medium heat to melt. Add carrots, celery, paprika, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Cook and stir until tomato paste is toasted and paprika is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in lobster broth and bring to a simmer.
• Add potatoes and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook at a gentle simmer until potatoes are tender and liquid has reduced just slightly, 10 to 15 minutes.
• While the potatoes are cooking, place puff pastry on a piece of parchment paper. Cut out two 3 ½-inch circles and cut an "x" in the center of each one. Brush tops with beaten egg. Transfer to a baking sheet and place in the refrigerator until needed.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with foil.
• Add lemon juice, cream, and tarragon to the potatoes; stir to combine and return to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer until reduced and thickened a bit more, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.
• Stir in reserved lobster meat and turn off the heat. Remove from the stove and evenly divide the mixture between two 6-ounce ramekins, stopping about ¼ inch from the top.
• With the egg wash facing up, place puff pastry circles onto the ramekins, making sure the vents are cut all the way through.
• Bake in the upper center of the preheated oven until bubbly and browned, about 20 minutes. Let rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375.
• Precook lima beans according to package directions, until almost done, then add remaining frozen veggies and cook 2 minutes longer. Drain.
• While the beans are cooking, saute the onions in butter, until almost clear, add garlic and saute a bit longer. Mix in flour and spices and stir vigorously until all flour is mixed inches.
• While still stirring vigorously slowly add half and half and broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.
• While the broth is cooking begin rolling out the biscuits until they are thin circles approx 7 inches in diameter. When the mixture starts to boil add the veggies and mushrooms, stirring until they've all been coated.
• Place the rolled out biscuits in a muffin tin letting the edges hang over. Put a generous scoop of veggie mixture in the center of the biscuit. Then either fold over the overhang or bring the edges up and pinch together in the center to make a "flower.".
• Bake until golden brown approx 15 minutes.