Bucket (or Birthday) List includes old-fashioned favorite with healthy veggies inside

If Hubby had a Last Meal plugged into his bucket list, it would, of course, be Chicken Pot Pie. So in planning what dish would be a fitting finale to his birthday “season” which concluded this week with, finally, the Big Day, the choice was a no-brainer—Chicken Pot Pie, except this time I went for the gold. Southern Living recently featured a pot-pie recipe that was to be cooked “Mama’s Way”—usually this means from scratch as opposed to “Your Way”, which might contain convenience foods and other time-savers to prepare the recipe. Mama’s Way was a little time-consuming but worth it.

It involved making a two-crust pie crust recipe (my standby, “Easy Pie Crust” from my Way Back in the Country cookbook). With this ready I prepared the stuffing: leeks sauted in butter and then removed, with flour and broth added to the base to make a creamy sauce. Into the sauce went matchstick carrots, the sautéed leeks, shredded chicken, fresh parsley, and frozen cubed hash browns with onions and peppers. Once the top pastry crust was added and edges sealed and fluted, a wash of egg and water was brushed on the top to ensure good browning. Headed into the oven the pot pie looked as though it had the potential for being awesome, but time (almost a full hour of baking, actually) would tell.

All I can say is, Hubby was one happy camper when the entree for his Birthday Supper was brought forth and set in front of him. He’d never had a Chicken-Pot Pie that called for leeks and fresh parsley; he believed that these definitely made the difference in creating a tasty pie.

Hubby was ready to turn 65 all over again just so he could have this dish. Dynamite!

Double-Crust Chicken Pot Pie

1/2 cup butter

2 medium leeks, sliced

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 (14.5-ounce) can reduced-sodium chicken broth (or homemade broth)

3 cups chopped cooked chicken

1 1/2 cups frozen cubed hash browns with onions and peppers

1 cup matchstick carrots

1/3 cup chopped parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt (or salt substitute)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

ingredients for 1 (2-crust) pie recipe

1 large egg (or 1/4 cup egg substitute)

1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large skillet over medium heat melt butter; add leeks, and sauté 3 minutes. Sprinkle with flour; cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Whisk in chicken broth; bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Remove from heat; stir in chicken and next 5 ingredients. Roll out pie crust; fit 1 crust into a 9-inch deep dish pie plate; spoon chicken mixture into pastry. Place remaining pastry sheet over filling in opposite direction of bottom sheet; fold edges under, and press with tines of a fork to seal. Whisk together egg (or egg substitute) and water; brush over top of pie. Bake at 375 degrees on lower oven rack for 55 to 60 minutes or until browned. Let stand 15 minutes. Makes 6 to 8 servings.