It's mid-January and my favorite local weather forecaster tells me I should expect to wake up to between 3 and 5 inches of snow tomorrow morning....
... ... ....
I live far enough South in the Southeastern part of our country for that forecast to spell D-O-O-M! My neighbors and I have never owned snow tires and certainly don't have chains (are they the same thing? I don't know!). The metro area I live in, complete with its population of 1.2 million has *maybe* ten total salt trucks which may or may not double as snow plows (I don't know!). As is typical of wintry weather in my neck of the woods, 3-5 inches of snow will be pretty until about noon tomorrow, then it will melt and be slushy, and finally it will freeze causing thousands of car accidents and possibly weighing down power lines until it knocks out electricity all over the city. 3-5 inches is a blizzard for us, folks; it's DOOM!
The typical reaction to this forecast ranges from celebration to terror: most of my friends are thrilled about the impending "snow day" off from work. Schoolchildren are certainly convinced they'll be sleeping late tomorrow. Normally mentally stable adults are raiding the nearest grocery store for the two staples that will keep humans alive during a snowstorm: milk and bread. Really. I actually watched three bread trucks unload their entire shipment into my local grocery store today while thousands of semi-panicked shoppers, frothing at the mouth, ran through the automatic doors clutching their recycled-plastic totes which they'd filled with 2% Maola and Wonderbread.
This phenomenon is not new, having been the norm in this part of the country for as long as I've lived. I also believe it to be the most clever marketing campaign of all time. Somehow the bread and milk industries have convinced us that we'll be okay as long as our pantries and refrigerators are stocked not with non-perishable, high-protein, nutrient rich supplies like, say, canned beans and soup, but with milk and bread. Milk and bread: subject to molding and spoiling (particularly if the power goes out...ahem). Milk and bread: not even necessary for feeding children long-term and by long-term, I mean 3-5 days in the worst of times. Milk and bread: perfect for making Milk Sandwiches.
I'm a fool, so I braved my local grocery store but steered clear of the dairy and bakery sections. I came home with a can of green peas and some whole wheat flour. If it's going to snow, it's going to be cold. If it's going to be cold, certain perpetually malnourished friends of mine will find themselves inexplicably drawn to my door. These friends will be expecting comfort food and tonight I'm prepared to supply homemade, Whole Wheat Crusted Chicken Pot Pie. In the event of an emotional meltdown, however, I can provide these friends with as many milk sandwiches as they can eat because I restocked my kitchen two days ago - ha!
Chicken Pot Pie with Whole Wheat Crust
Crust:
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups "white" whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup vegetable shortening
5-6 tbls cold water
Filling:
3 tbls olive oil
1/2 cup diced onions
1/4 cup diced celery
1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbls white whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup skim milk
1 cup canned peas
3-4 red potatoes, diced
1-2 carrots, diced
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
2-3 tbls light butter
Combine flours and salt in a large bowl. Add shortening:
Using forks or a pastry cutter, cut the shortening into the flour until you have created pea-sized dough balls (see cutting pastry).
Add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time until you can form a pastry dough. Separate the dough into two balls and roll each ball into a 1/8 inch thick circle. Press one circle into the bottom of a glass pie pan.Meanwhile, saute chicken breasts in about 1 tsp olive oil over medium heat until cooked through. Remove chicken, shred and return to pan. Add onion, garlic, celery and mushrooms.
Add remaining olive oil and 2 tbls of flour. mix well until oil and flour is mixed. Add chicken broth and skim milk, stirring well to create a gravy.Add carrots, potatoes and peas.
Simmer approximately 5 minutes or until potatoes begin to become tender and gravy thickens.
Pour this filling into the prepared pie pan. Dot the filling with approximately 1-2 tbls light butter (this means put tiny little pats of butter around the top of the filling). Place remaining pie crust over top of filling and seal around the edges. Dot crust with about 1 tbls light butter.
Bake at 425 degrees or until crust is golden brown. Serve immediately to hungry masses.
