Originally posted at Red Van Ramblings in my 30 Days of Thankfulness series.

Who can sing with me the praises of some comfort food?

Methinks I hear angelic voices singing the Hallelujah Chorus in the distance.

Yes, my friends, I do love me some comfort food. Now, this means different things to different people, no doubt. And this time of year, with the cooler weather and the holidays approaching, my comfort food yearnings kick into high gear!

Soups. Stews. Goodies that are warm and creamy. And, of course, terribly fattening. Oy.

It is not just about the food, though. It is the association of the food with family memories and the love and comfort of family and the standing together in the kitchen, working together to prepare a meal.

Food.

It is how my mother-in-law shows her love. No matter how many family members will be coming in for a weekend or a holiday, she will make each one his favorite. For me, she makes her delicious Chicken Salad and her special brand of Chicken Pastry. (Some of you folks might try to call it Chicken and Dumplings, but it is not the same—she uses strips of pastry and not the doughy dumplings. Nom! Nom!) For one sister-in-law, it’s Chocolate Pie. For another, it’s Grandma Nina’s Pink Congealed Salad. For my hubby, it’s Lemon Pie. She slaves away in that kitchen, and though she is nearly 84 years old (yes, she is pretty amazing!) and we say, “Come on, Mom, take a load off!”, she does not listen. She just keeps cooking. And she does it because she loves to do it. And it makes us feel loved by her.

Family. Love. Memories. Comfort. Gratitude.

Yesterday, I started thinking some Chicken Pot Pie sounded awfully tasty. And, Emma loves it too. So today, I gathered the ingredients and went to work. And itis work, but the end result is so worth it.

You should have heard Emma exclaim when I told her we were having Chicken Pot Pie for supper!

It sounded an awful lot like the Hallelujah Chorus.

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Oh, so, you want the recipe for this Chicken Pot Pie that is so good that, as we say in the South, It’ll Lock Your Jaws?? Okay, you can have it.

But first, let me say that this recipe is not my own creation. It was originally posted by a woman named Karen Johnson from California on allrecipes.com, where I found it about 3 years ago. Unfortunately, the link in no longer on the website. So, Karen Johnson, whoever and wherever you are, I am trying to give credit where credit is due…You posted one awesome recipe, girl!

This recipe is great for the obvious delicious reasons, but it is also great because it makes TWO pies. Eat one tonight; freeze one for next week or next month. Serve one up for company. Take one to your church potluck or to a family who needs a meal.  Everyone will love it, and it may or may not have anything to do with the cup of butter in there!

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:

2 cups diced peeled potatoes

1  3/4 cups sliced carrots

2/3 cup chopped onion

1 cup butter or margarine

1  3/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. dried thyme

3/4 tsp. pepper

3 cups chicken broth

1  1/2 cups milk

4 cups cubed cooked chicken (This works out to about 3 good sized boneless/skinless breasts for me. I cook them in chicken broth with salt and pepper on the stovetop and then shred them instead of cubing, as suggested.)

1 cup frozen peas

1 cup frozen corn

2  9 in. deep dish pie crusts

1 pkg. of pre-made, rolled out, refrigerated pie crust (2 in the pkg.)

Directions:

1. Place potatoes and carrots in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and set aside.

2. In a large skillet, sauté onion in butter until tender. Stir in the flour, salt, thyme, and pepper until blended. Over medium to medium-high heat, stir the mixture and it will start to thicken. Gradually stir in broth and milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened..

3. Add the chicken, peas, corn, potatoes, and carrots and combine. Remove from heat.

4. Divide the mixture evenly between the two pie crusts. Roll refrigerated pie crust over the tops of the pies. Seal edges. Here’s where you can make you a fancy looking pie crust! Cut slits or decorative cut-outs in the pastry.

5. Bake one pot pie at 425 degrees F for 35 – 40 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting. Cover and freeze remaining pie for up to 3 months. Or cook both pies at once for about 40 – 45 minutes. Yield 6 slices per pie.

Hope your family will enjoy this yummy deliciousness as much as mine does!

“There is nothing better on a cold wintry day than a properly made pot pie.”  ~Craig Claiborne