Last week family came to visit and we had a fabulous time. After they left, I had a refrigerator full of leftovers. It was interesting to come up with a variety of ways to turn the leftovers into different meals.

One night we had stuffed chickens, carrots, and all of the other side dishes. I had enough chicken left to make two large potpies. We ate one of the potpies for dinner tonight and froze the second one to have later. I love it when I can “cook for the freezer,” because that means there are dishes in the freezer that I can pop in the oven or microwave and have a delicious meal in minutes without cooking.

This recipe is great anytime you have leftover chicken or turkey. Dark meat is a little moister, but all I had left was white meat and it worked out fine.

I keep the aluminum pans with the paper lids that you can buy at your grocery store on hand to freeze dishes for the freezer. The pans stack easily and you can write on the lids what is in it, the date, and how to cook it when you remove it from the freezer. That way anyone can grab a dish and turn on the oven and cook the dish.

Chicken or Turkey Potpie

Ingredients

6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 cups of chicken broth or leftover gravy
4 cups cooked chicken or turkey  cut into bite-size pieces
2 cups canned green peas, drained
2 cups canned carrots, drained
2 cups potatoes (about 3-5 potatoes, depending on size) cooked
Piecrust for top of 2 pies

Preparation

Peel and cut potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Cover potatoes with water. Put the lid on and boil the potatoes until the potatoes are done and can be cut easily with a fork.

When the potatoes are done, remove from the heat, drain the water off, and set aside.

While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.

Turn the stove burner to low or medium heat. When butter is melted add the flour, salt, and pepper stirring continuously with a whisk like an Oxo Good Grips 11-Inch Balloon Whisk.

Continue to stir with a whisk while you add the broth or gravy.  The total amount of broth and/or gravy should be 4 cups.

Cook over low for 5 minutes.  Set aside and cool.

Add the meat, peas, carrots, and potatoes. Taste for seasoning.

Divide the mixture into 2 baking dishes or 10 small individual baking dishes.

Spread the dough over the potpies and cut the dough to fit over the top of the mixture. Seal the edges well so the juice does not escape when you are baking the potpie.

Freeze any of the potpies without additional cooking. When frozen, if you have not used the aluminum pans with a lid, then wrap, seal, and label the potpies. Return the potpies to the freezer until you are ready to use them.

To serve immediately, cut 2 or 3 small slits in the piecrust. Bake at 425 for 35 minutes for a large pie and for small pies cook 25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

To serve from the freezer, unwrap the frozen potpie that you are going to use and cut 2 or 3 small slits in the top. Bake in a preheated 375 over for 50 minutes for a large potpie or 40 minutes for a small potpie. Piecrust should be golden brown.

Enjoy!