Will's Turkey Pot Pie

adapted from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook

This recipe consistly gets raves and requests for the recipe from everyone that tries it. With a few shortcuts, such as using premade pie crusts, premade and frozen gravy, and precooked or leftover meat, this can be a relatively quick midweek meal. Modern store bought pie crusts seem to turn out just wonderful - as good or better than any homemade crust recipes that I've tried.  - Will

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 pound turkey or chicken, cooked,  in bite sized pieces
• 1 1/2 cups gravy, leftover or improvised (see below)
• 3 carrots, cooked
• 2-3 potatoes, cooked
• other vegetables as desired (adjust quantities of potatoes and carrots as needed)
• salt
• fresh ground pepper
• 2 pie crusts (store bought frozen crusts)

Preheat oven to 425F. In a large stovetop skillet, cook the onion in the butter until soft. Add the meat, carrots, potatoes, and gravy, stirring constantly until bubbling. Salt and pepper to taste. Put mixture into pie crust. Invert second crust over top, and crimp edges together. Bake about 20 minutes until bubbling and top is golden.

Tips:

1. Cook the carrots and potatoes in the microwave for ease. Carrots can be diced and microwaved on the potato setting (use "1" potato).
2. To use store bought frozen pie crusts, remove the pie crusts from freezer about 10 minutes before use. One pie crust will be used as the bottom crust. The other crust will be used as the top crust. Take a knife and slide it around the rim of the top pie crust. Carefully work the pie tin away from the pie. Slide the crust partially out of the tin. After filling the bottom crust, invert the top crust over the bottom crust. By then, the crusts will soften, and you can crimp the edges of the two crusts together.
3. If you are looking to double the recipe for an easy second meal, instead of baking and freezing the entire pot pie, consider doubling the filling and freezing only the second portion of filling. Then when you're ready for the second meal, just reheat the filling instead of making the filling from scratch.

Improvised Gravy
adapted from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook

This gravy works well for the turkey pot pie, although real gravy is better if you can get it. Our local organic grocery sells a very good chicken gravy around the holidays that we buy in large quantities and freeze for use throughout the year. Put the gravy into pint or quart size freezer bags, and lay flat. - Will

• 2 tablespoons minced shallots or onion
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/4 cup red wine (dry Marsala)
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• Leftover drippings or additional tablespoon butter
• Salt
• Fresh ground pepper

Saute the minced shallots and other kind of onion in the butter until translucent. Stir in the flour and, cooking slowly, stir until it turns light brown. Remove the pan frm the fire, add the wine, and an equal amount of broth. Stir until smooth, return to the fire, and slowly add the remaining brother, stirring constantly.