Chicken Mushroom Pie (ala Dome Gourmet Pie)

No, this is not how my chicken pot pie actually looks like, but if you want to make something pretty close like this, read on... :)
Image: Robert Steiner from Street Directory

I've always loved having Dome Cafe's Gourmet Chicken Pies (as pictured above). This dish is creamy chicken filling in an individual bowl topped with flaky puff pastry on top. Mmm... yummy. So I was having it again one fine day and it struck me, "Hey, this isn't so difficult to make at home is it?" So off to work I went...

This is my spin-off of Dome Cafe's Gourmet Chicken Pie. You see, you can get creative with what you want the "crust" on top to be. Ideally, the crust should be puff pastry... But you may also use a piece of frozen puff pratha available from supermarkets OR even buttered bread slices cut into squares. See, it's so easy to improvise!

This improvised "pie crust"version is made out of buttered, squared bread slices.
So simple!

And also, it's nice to bake these pies in small individual pie cups, no cutting required - just remove from oven and serve to each person!

Chicken Mushroom Pot Pie Ala Dome Cafe B-)

(RESIPI PAI AYAM ALA DOME CAFE)

Ingredients:
2 squares of puff pastry OR 2 frozen puff prathas
2 pieces boneless chicken breasts - cut in cubes
1 packet fresh white button mushrooms - sliced
1/2 can peas - drained OR
1 carrot - diced
5 cloves garlic - chopped
1 large onion - chopped
1 can mushroom soup - I used Campbell's
1 cup water
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tbs. dried rosemary/Italian herbs
Salt, paprika to season
1 tbs. olive oil

The chicken-mushroom-pea-and-carrot filling sits nicely in its place :)

Method:

1. Saute onions and garlic in olive oil until tender. Add mushrooms. Cook until tender. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add in chicken. Stir until well-cooked. Add in water (if needed). Add carrots/peas. Stir in herbs.
   
3. Pour in mushroom soup. Allow to boil, and then reduce heat. Simmer until thickened (it should not be too saucy, sauce should just coating the ingredients). Remove from heat.
   
4. Reheat oven to medium heat. Transfer chicken mixture into baking casserole or individual baking cups. Season with some paprika on top.
5. Cover top of casserole/cups with a puff pastry square or puff pratha. Brush it with a little oil. Place in oven and bake until crust turns golden (15-20 minutes).
   
6. After removing from oven, let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving. I served this with some fresh salad.
7. Mission accomplished :) !

[*...Psst! Full Article is HERE*]

How to Start a Meal Plan

"Cat-atouille" is up and at 'em again! This time she gets all organized and planning mode-ish.
Photo: Chef Charles The Cat Painting by Carol Wilson

Preparing a weekly meal plan can be a great way to get organized with what you're planning to have to cook for each day of the week, and also allow better planning for your grocery shopping. Also, meal planning is a superb way to get have variety in your cooking and alternate between your favorite recipes with new ones that you would like to try out.

So, do this once a week, and as you get used to it, you can even schedule a monthly meal plan (such a vision)! Here's how to start your own meal plan.

How to Start a Meal Plan:

1. Browse through your tried and tested recipe books. Select four recipes for this week.
2. Add in two or three recipes from the internet and blogs that you feel like trying out.
3. Go through the ingredients for all the selected recipes, print as needed.
4. Write down the weekly grocery list consisting of the needed ingredients. Go shopping!
5. Print and paste the weekly meal plan on your fridge, and just use it as a reference for the whole week!
   
   I only cook for two for dinner time, so I only have 1 meal to prepare per day (excludes breakfast which is basically grab and go each morning)
   
   
   This Week's Meal Plan
   
   

• Monday: Pan-fried tenggiri (mackerel) steak with steamed vegetables
  
• Tuesday: Grilled chicken salad with honey mustard dressing
• Wednesday: Asian-style butter prawns served with steamed rice
• Thursday: Skillet lasagna - skimpish lasagna cooked in a skillet instead :)
  
• Friday: Malaysian mee goreng mamak (Indian-style fried yellow noodles)
  
• Saturday: Whatever-is-left-in-the-fridge-cooking day!
• Sunday: Eating out day! :-D

* Some of the recipes without links are my own recipes, will link to them when I *eventually* get all my recipe blog posts up. :)

(I hope my husband doesn't take a peek at this blog post, it will spoil all the surprise :-P hehe)

[*...Psst! Full Article is HERE*]