Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Today's offerings include Classic Chicken Pot Pie and Slow-Cooker Cheesy Potato Soup. Enjoy!

BIG-BATCH TURKEY CHILI

This is from the Food Network, and begins, "Pull out your biggest pot and get ready to make a mess of chili. All the effort and time will pay off, knowing that your freezer is filled with easy dinners that can be thawed and quickly reheated."

Active Time: 1 hour; Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes; Yield: 8 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/big-batch-turkey-chili-336493.

Ingredients

2 large yellow onions, chopped

10 cloves garlic, chopped

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon dried oregano

Kosher salt

1/4 cup tomato paste

3/4 cup olive oil

3 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, coarsely chopped, with 3 tablespoons sauce

4 pounds ground turkey

Four 12-ounce Mexican lager-style beers

Two 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes, with their juices

Four 15-ounce cans kidney beans, rinsed and strained

Optional garnishes: Sliced scallions, cilantro sprigs, avocado, sour cream, grated Monterey Jack cheese and/or tortilla chips

Directions

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, chili powder, oregano and 4 teaspoons salt, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and chipotle chiles and sauce, and cook 1 minute more. Add the turkey, breaking it up into bite-sized chunks with a wooden spoon, and cook until the meat loses its raw color, about 7 minutes. Add the beer, and simmer until reduced by about half, about 35 minutes. Add the tomatoes, crushing them with your fingers into the skillet, along with their juices and the beans; bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thick, 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes.

Let the soup cool to room temperature, then divide among four 1-quart containers and freeze for up to 1 month.

To reheat: Let the soup thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Bring it to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until heated through. Thin it with a little water if desired, and add salt to taste. Serve with optional garnishes.

BALSAMIC MARINATED STEAK & ASPARAGUS

Recipe Yield: Makes 4 servings

Source: TBC

Recipe and photo appears courtesy of Cattlemen's Beef Promotion Board.

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/balsamic-marinated-steak-asparagus.

Ingredients

4 beef round (sirloin) tip side steaks, cut 1 inch thick (about 8 ounces each)

1 pound fresh asparagus

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Marinade:

2/3 cup prepared balsamic vinaigrette

2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard

Directions

Combine marinade ingredients in small bowl. Remove and reserve 2 tablespoons. Place beef steaks and remaining marinade in food-safe plastic bag; turn steaks to coat. Close bag securely and marinate in refrigerator 15 minutes to 2 hours.

Place asparagus in shallow microwave-safe dish; add 1/2 cup water. Cover and microwave on HIGH 3 to 6 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain asparagus. Add reserved 2 tablespoons marinade to asparagus; turn to coat. Set aside.

Remove steaks from marinade; discard marinade. Place steaks on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, covered, 12 to 14 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, 13 to 14 minutes) for medium rare (145F) doneness, turning once. (Do not overcook.)

During last 3 minutes of grilling, arrange asparagus on grid around steaks; grill 2 to 3 minutes, turning once. Season steaks and asparagus with salt and pepper.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 366; Fat: 14 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Fiber: 2.5 g; Sodium: 591 mg; Cholesterol: 149 mg; Protein: 52 g; Carbohydrates: 7 g

CLASSIC CHICKEN POT PIE

This is from Diana Rattray on the Spruce Eats. Diana wrote, "Our classic chicken pot pie is loaded with tender chunks of chicken and vegetables in a thick, creamy gravy. A double crust makes the chicken pie satisfying and filling—make a homemade, buttery crust from scratch or make it even easier with convenient store-bought refrigerated crusts. Whichever option you choose, you will fall in love with this comforting pot pie.

"Feel free to customize this pie to suit your family's tastes. Add some celery or potatoes to the pie or cut back on the vegetables and add extra chicken. Or replace the fresh chicken breasts with leftover cooked chicken or turkey. Fresh herbs are another excellent option. Fresh or dried thyme is called for, but you may want to use a mixture of herbs. Chives, sage, and rosemary are some great alternatives.

"Serve chicken pot pie with a salad or fresh vegetables on the side. Sliced tomatoes and cucumbers make an excellent side dish with the pie, or you might serve it with a mound of freshly made coleslaw. Or serve the chicken pie with a cooked vegetable, such as green beans with bacon, a simple dish of sautéed asparagus with lemon, or roasted Brussels sprouts."

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 74 minutes; Cooling Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 104 minutes; Makes 8 servings; Yield: 1 pie

To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/chicken-pot-pie-with-herbs-3053112.

Ingredients

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1-1/2 cups diced carrots

1/2 cup diced onion

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1-3/4 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

2 (9-inch) homemade or store-bought pie crusts, divided

1 large egg, optional

Directions

Gather the ingredients.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 400 F.

Melt the butter in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the carrots, onion, and chicken, and cook, stirring until the chicken is mostly cooked through and the vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes.

Add the flour and continue stirring until the mixture is well combined, about 1 minute.

Add the chicken broth and cook, stirring frequently until well combined, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the cream, peas, parsley, and thyme. Add salt and pepper, adjusting the seasoning to your liking. Let the filling cool slightly.

Line a 9-inch pie plate with 1 sheet of pie crust.

Add the filling mixture, smoothing it out evenly in the dish.

Top with the remaining pie crust. Trim the pastry and crimp the edge as desired. Cut a few vents in the top of the crust to allow steam to escape. If desired, mix the egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush the egg wash over the top crust.

Place the prepared pie on a baking sheet and transfer to the oven. Bake until the crust is golden brown, and the filling begins bubbling up through the vents, 35 to 45 minutes. Cool the pie on a rack before slicing and serving, about 10 minutes.

Glass Bakeware Warning

Do not use glass bakeware when broiling, or when a recipe calls for adding liquid to a hot pan, as glass may explode. Place a glass pie plate on an unheated baking sheet before placing the pie in the oven. Even if it states oven safe or heat resistant, tempered glass products can, and do, break occasionally.

Tips

To save time on baking day, prepare the filling and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. When it's time to bake, gently heat the filling until warm, fill the crust, and bake as directed.

To avoid a soggy bottom, you may blind-bake or par-bake the untrimmed bottom crust. Fill, trim, and then top with the remaining crust. Tuck it under the trimmed bottom crust and crimp or flute as desired.

To keep the edges of your crust from getting too brown, cover with foil during the last 15 minutes of baking.

How to Make Ahead and Freeze Unbaked Pot Pie

To Freeze: Prepare the pot pie in a metal or foil pie pan, but do not add an egg wash. Wrap the pie tightly in foil and place it in the freezer.

To Bake From Frozen: Cover the frozen pie with a sheet of foil and bake at 400 F for 30 minutes. Remove the foil—apply an egg wash, if desired—and continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.

To Defrost, Then Bake: Place the frozen pie in the refrigerator and let it thaw for about 24 hours. Cover the pie with foil and bake it at 400 F for 20 minutes. Remove the foil—apply an egg wash, if desired—and continue to bake for about 25 to 35 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.

Recipe Variations

Swap out 1/2 cup of the diced carrots with diced or sliced celery.

Make the pie with leftover turkey or shredded rotisserie chicken.

Swap about 1/4 to 1/3 of the chicken with diced ham for a chicken and ham pie.

If you aren't a fan of peas, use thawed frozen cut green beans instead.

How to Store and Freeze

To store leftover chicken pot pie, simply cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator, where it will keep for three to five days. You can also freeze cooked chicken pot pie for up to six months.

What temperature should chicken pot pie be cooked to?

Use a food thermometer to check that the filling is thoroughly cooked; it should register at least 165 F when inserted into the center of the pie. This goes for leftovers as well.

What is the difference between chicken pie and chicken pot pie?

While there's no definitive difference between the two terms, some believe a pot pie is made with a top crust, and some think a chicken pie is made with more chicken and fewer vegetables.

SLOW-COOKER CHEESY POTATO SOUP

This comes from Betty Crocker, and begins, "Searching for a new family-favorite meal to take some pressure off the dinner hour? Give this slow-cooker cheesy potato soup a try. Its velvety texture enriched with cheese and crispy bacon is mostly a hands-free affair. Potatoes cook all day in the slow cooker until they’ve broken down into a creamy broth. Stir in the thickener of half-and-half and flour during the last half hour and the cheese and bacon, right before serving. Garnish this soup like a loaded potato with more cheese, more bacon, a sprinkle of green onions and if you’re feeling extra, a dollop of sour cream! Once your family gets a taste, you’ll understand why this recipe has earned more than 600 ratings from satisfied home cooks."

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 6 hours 45 minutes; Servings: 6

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 bag (32 oz) frozen southern-style diced hash brown potatoes, thawed

1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

1 medium stalk celery, diced (1/2 cup)

4 cups Progresso™ chicken broth

1 cup water

3 tablespoons Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

1 cup half-and-half

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (8 oz)

12 slices bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled

4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)

Directions

Spray 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In slow cooker, mix potatoes, onion, celery, broth and water. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 to 8 hours.

In small bowl, mix flour and half-and-half; stir into potato mixture. Increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook 20 to 30 minutes or until mixture thickens.

Stir in cheese until melted; stir in half of the bacon. Sprinkle individual servings with remaining bacon and the green onions.

Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens

tip 1

Southern-style hash brown potatoes are diced instead of shredded. These work best in this recipe.

tip 2

This soup is indulgent, so don’t hold back. Load this up with all the garnishes you might lavish on a baked potato, like bacon, cheese, chopped green onions and sour cream.

tip 3

The dairy is added at the end of this recipe to prevent it from curdling. Mixing the half-and-half and flour before adding to the soup, will help you avoid a lumpy texture. The mixture is meant to be a thickener and you won’t want to skip it because that thick texture is part of what makes this recipe so delectable! It is important to allow the flour to cook because flour should not be consumed raw for food safety reasons.

BARBECUE LASAGNA

This is one of the yummy recipes from a long-since-forgotten emailing list that my son was on for a few years. Makes 8 servings.

Ingredients

1-1/2 pounds ground beef

1 cup ketchup

1 medium green pepper, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon chili powder

1/8 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning

6 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Colby or mild cheddar cheese

1 cup (8 ounces) small-curd cottage cheese

1 egg

Directions

In a skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. For barbecue sauce, combine the next 13 ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Spread about 1/4 cup barbecue sauce in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Layer with three noodles and half of the beef.

Spread with half of the remaining barbecue sauce; sprinkle with half of the mozzarella, cheddar and Colby cheeses. Repeat layers.

Combine cottage cheese and egg; spoon evenly over the top. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand for about 10 minutes before cutting.

MEAT LOAF

This is from Ina Garten on the Food Network. Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes; Makes 6 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/meat-loaf-recipe-1921718.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon good olive oil

3 cups chopped yellow onions (3 onions)

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup canned chicken stock or broth

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 1/2 pounds ground chuck (81 percent lean)

1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs (recommended: Progresso)

2 extra-large eggs, beaten

1/2 cup ketchup (recommended: Heinz)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan. Add the onions, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not brown. Off the heat, add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste. Allow to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, onion mixture, bread crumbs, and eggs, and mix lightly with a fork. Don't mash or the meat loaf will be dense. Shape the mixture into a rectangular loaf on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper. Spread the ketchup evenly on top. Bake for 1 to 1-1/4 hours, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F and the meat loaf is cooked through. (A pan of hot water in the oven, under the meat loaf, will keep the top from cracking.) Serve hot.