Personal Pot Pies from your Freezer!

Many times have looked longingly at the sales paper pot pies that go on sale for a great price and look to be brimming with warm goodness on those pictures! The vegetarian ones are delicious, but very hard to find, full of fat and often cholesterol, made with white flour (which I try to play down in favor of the nutritional goodness of whole grains), and are SOOO expensive - perhaps $3-$4 per tiny pie. I make yummy pot pies for the family, but would love to have them ready for the boys to pull out for them for when I'm sleeping after a long night's work.

Many times, too, I've brought home neat "tv dinner" type foods that are bake in paper, and wondered how I could safely repeat this. So I've experimented

and come up with something that you can do at your own risk.

Also, I've had folks request a tender whole grain pie crust. The key to the tenderness of this might be it's thinness, but it's much lower in fat than the more tender recipes I have, and it's delicious for salty or sweet pies.

Personal Pot Pies (for now and later)

1 cup water
1 large onion, chopped
1 pound frozen mixed vegetables
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
3 cups milk gravy
2 tablespoons chicken style Seasoning
3 tablespoons imitation bacon bits
½ salt salt, or to taste
1 recipe pie crust (see below)
non-stick cooking spray

Directions
1. In a large pot, boil onions and mushrooms, covered, in one cup of water until onions soften and begin to turn clearish, 3-5 minutes. Add vegetables and cook all on medium heat for about 3-5 more minutes.

2. Stir in gravy, chicken style seasoning, "back bits" and salt and heat through. Remove from heat.

3. Divide pie crust dough into 6 even balls. Divide each of these into 2 balls about 1/3 and 2/3 in size. Roll these into very thin circles (6 small six large), or (the easiest way) press them on a tortilla griddle.

4. *At your own risk*
You'll need 6 20 ounce "heavy duty" paper bowls.
Spray paper plates with non-stick cooking spray and press the larger circles into the bowl.

5. Spoon in a heaping cup of the vegetable-gravy mixture, and wet the top, inside edge of the bottom pie crust with a bit of water. Lay the smaller crusts over the "pie" and press the two crusts together, either with your fingers or a fork. Poke 2 or 3 times in the top with a fork to release steam as the pie cooks.

6. At this point you can wrap the pies you will not eat now in plastic cling wrap and then in foil. Freeze these for later use.

7. To bake, preheat oven to 350.
Unwrap completely if necessary and set bowls on a cookie sheet, not touching each other.
If baking from warm or thawed, bake for 15-18 minutes, or until edges are golden.
If baking from frozen, bake for 20-25 minutes, or until edges are golden.


DISCLAIMER:
Paper bowls are NOT rated as oven-safe. If you are more comfortable doing this in a aluminum or glass dish, please do. I have purchased and used many dishes that come in paper plates. These are cheap and seem ideal for storing in the freezer for minute-man use. I experimented carefully with this method and it has turned out beautifully for me. Your results may vary, and I'm not responsible for excessive flames. ;-) ***At your own risk!!***


Pot Pie, Etc. Crust

3 cup whole wheat flour
⅓ cup white flour
1 ½ teaspoon salt
⅔ cup oil
½ cup cold water

Directions
1. Mix all but water very thoroughly.

2. Mix in water and work with hands until smooth.