HOMEMADE CHICKEN POT PIE--MAKE AHEAD AND FREEZABLE!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped carrot

⅓ cup butter or margarine

½ cup all-purpose flour, sifted

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup milk (I personally use skim or 1% milk and it’s still good!)

2 cups chicken, cooked, chopped

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

4 unbaked pie crusts (homemade or store-bought)

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INSTRUCTIONS

TO MAKE FILLING

Saute the first 3 ingredients in butter in a big skillet over medium heat until tender. Add flour; stir until smooth. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add chicken broth and milk; cook, stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly.

Stir in chicken, peas, salt, and pepper. Cool before pouring into pie crusts. VERY important!

FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS:

At this point you may freeze the filling in a labeled freezer safe container/bag. To prepare from frozen, read instructions below.

Or you may also assemble the whole pie and freeze whole.

To do that, prepare crusts. Roll them out and place the bottom crusts in the pie plates and set aside the top crusts until ready to cover. Pour filling mixture into bottom crusts and cover with top crusts. Fold edges under and crimp. Poke slits in the top (you can make a nice pattern here too!)

Cover with foil, label and freeze. See below for preparation instructions

TO PREPARE POT PIE FROM FRESH

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Prepare crusts. Roll them out and place the bottom crusts in the pie plates and set aside the top crusts until ready to cover. Pour filling mixture into bottom crusts and cover with top crusts. Fold edges under and crimp. Poke slits in the top (you can make a nice pattern here too!)

Bake assembled pie uncovered, for 30-45 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

TO PREPARE POT PIE FROM FROZEN

Thaw filling in refrigerator. You might need to stir or mush the filling together to combine well and reincorporate. Assemble as described above and bake accordingly. OR you may bake the whole pie from frozen.

To do so, preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes, then cover with foil and bake 30 more minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting. Serves 16 (from two pies--if you're just making one pie it will just serve 8).

Freezes very well separately or fully prepared in the crust. Try them both and see which way you prefer!