Mini Chicken Pot Pies

SERVINGS: 12-18

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil(optional)
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp Jamaican Curry
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ⅛ tsp italian seasoning
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan
• 1 small store-bought rotisserie chicken breast, chopped into pieces 
• 1 whole onion (Or 1 cup of diced onions)
• 2 Cups of Mixed Vegetables 
• All-purpose flour
• Two 10-inch round unfold-and-bake frozen pie crusts, thawed
• 1 large egg

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
2. Melt down 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 Tablespoon of olive oil (if more oil is needed) and 
3. Add your vegetables to the pan and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of curry powder. Saute your vegetables until cooked through. Place them in a bowl.
4. Next for your filling, Melt down 1 tablespoon of butter in the same pan(I do this for the flavors, and to save on dishes lol. But you can use a new pan)  over medium heat once melted add the diced onion, sauté with the remaining seasonings (Black Pepper, Garlic Powder, Italian Seasoning, Salt) until translucent (about 1-2 minutes)
5. Now, place your onions in the same bowl as your cooked mixed vegetables.  
6. Yes, in that SAME sauce pan (or a new one, up to you :-) ) melt the remaining two tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat.
7. Add two tablespoons of flour and whisk until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
8. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Simmer over med-low heat, whisking constantly for about 5-6 minutes.  Your sauces will thicken and become smooth.
9. Remove from the heat and your roux to your bowl with your sauteed vegetables.  Add your chicken as well.
10. Lightly flour your work surface, roll out the pre-made pie crusts.  Using cups or Cookie Cutters cut out twelve 3-inch circles. 
11. Using the 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out another 12 pieces of dough.
12. Press out the large circles of dough into the bottom of the pans or cupcake holders. Spoon the filling into the pans.
13. Combine the egg and 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl, using a fork. Brush the edges of the pastry with the egg mixture and place the remaining pieces of dough on top.
14. Lightly press the edges of the dough together to seal. Press around the edges of the pies using the teeth of  your fork.
15. Brush the tops of each pie with the beaten egg.
16. Cut a ½-inch-long slit into the top of the pies using a paring knife.
17. Bake until the tops are golden and the filling is bubbling, 16 to 18 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes and serve.

Recipe adapted from http://wannabite.com/mini-chicken-pot-pie/

Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients
  Frosting -

• 2 8-oz packages of cream cheese, room temperature (I used low-fat)
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• ½ cup seedless strawberry jam
• ¾ cup chilled heavy whipping cream

Cake -

• 3 cups cake flour
• ¾ tsp salt
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 7 large eggs
• 2 TBSP vanilla extract
• 1 cup sour cream (I used low fat)
• 6 TBSP plus ⅓ cup seedless strawberry jam
• 2¼ lbs strawberries, hulled, sliced (about 6 cups), divided
• 
  

Instructions

 ****Put a small/medium bowl in the freezer to chill. 
This is to put the Heavy Whipping cream in when you make the whip cream for the frosting.****

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F

1. FROSTING: 
• In a separate large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. 
• Beat in sugar, then jam. 
• Remove that chilled bowl from the freezer and beat cream in that chilled bowl until peaks form(About 6-8 minutes). 
• Fold whipped cream into frosting. 
• Cover; chill for a couple of hours until it’s firm enough to spread. 
• (If you are in a hurry, you could put the frosting in the freezer to chill quickly.)

1. CAKE:  Butter and flour (I use the Bakers Spray that already has flour in it! One step!) four 9-inch cake pans with 2-inch high sides. (or you can cook them two at a time if you don't have four) In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add sour cream, and beat for 30 seconds. Add flour mixture in three additions, beating to blend after each addition. Divide batter into prepared pans.
2. Bake cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50-60 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edges of the pans, then turn cakes out onto a rack to cool completely. 
3. Spread 3 TBSP of strawberry jam over the cake, then spread ¾ c of the frosting over the jam. Arrange ¾ c of the sliced strawberries on top of the frosting in a single layer. Repeat two more times with cake layer, jam, frosting, and strawberries.
4. Top with remaining cake layer, cut side down. Spread two cups of frosting over the top and sides of the cake in a thin layer, then frost with remaining frosting. Stir remaining jam to loosen, then spoon teaspoonfuls onto the top and sides of the cake. Use the back of a spoon to swirl jam decoratively into the frosting. 

Strawberry Creamcheese Poundcake

*** DO NOT PREHEAT THE OVEN***

I REPEAT DO NOT PREHEAT THE OVEN!!!

You will not turn the oven on until after you have put the cake into

the oven!! Sounds weird but do it! lol.

(all ingredients should be room tempt)

3 sticks real butter (unsalted)

8 oz Strawberry cream cheese

6 large eggs

3 cups sugar, sifted

3 cups cake flour (can use all-purpose flour if you sift it really well)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

5 teaspoons vanilla, extract

1. In a large bowl add 3 sticks of butter and cream cheese in a large
bowl and mix well until combined.

2.  Add in three of the eggs one at a time. Mix each egg for 1 minute.
(so add one egg, mix for 1 minute, add the next etc)

3.   Add in 1 1/2 cups of the sugar and mix well.

4. Add in the rest of the sugar (should be 1 1/2 cups left) and mix well.

5.  Add in the other three eggs one at a time. Mixing well between each egg.

6.  Add in 3 teaspoons of Vanilla and 2 teaspoons of Lemon Extract and mix well.

7.  In a seperate bowl, Add the  1/2 teaspoon of baking powder to your 3 cups of cake flour and whisk until combined. (just make sure the baking powder is mixed well in the flour)

8.  Add in half of the flour/baking powder mix into the large bowl and mix until combined.

9.  Add in the other half of the flour and mix well.

10.  Spoon your batter into a greased and floured bundt cake (I use
Pam Cooking Spray with flour already in it)

11.  Do not fill the pan all the way up because it will rise.  If you
have a lot of batter left over (I did because my bundt pan is small) ,
you can add the rest of the mix into a regular cake pan. But if you
have a large bundt cake you probably wont need to do this anyways.

12.  Swirl a butter knife in the batter to release air. (just take the
knife and circle it around the pan so the air is released)

13.  Place into oven and turn the oven to 325.  (DO NOT PREHEAT THE OVEN before putting the cake in!)

14.  Bake time is for 1 1/2 hours but baking time can vary depending
on your oven.  Everyones oven cooks a little different. So I set my
timer up for 30 minute increments so I cancheck on it every 30 minutes.  When you stick a toothpick in it and its clean its done!  My cake took an hour and 5 minutes to be done. So
after the first hour, watch it like a hawk!! (Watch maybe every 10
minutes)