Chicken Pot Pie

The weather here in sunny Southern California is still, well, sunny as ever.  It's fabulous.  The simple fact that I can wear jeans and boots one day and shorts the next day in November is really pretty amazing.  It's the little things.

But before you think we have absolutely zero seasonality here, the air is noticably more crisp and cool.  So much so that I was compelled to buy a coat this weekend at Nordstrom's Half Yearly Sale.

I have a soft spot for big buttons.

All this weather talk has to do with Sunday's chicken pot pie.  A few months ago, the topic of pot pies came up and how Marie Callendar just takes the cake in the pot pie category.  And well, having never made (or had) a pot pie before, I declared that I could make a pot pie much (much) better than some frozen wackamadoodle pot pie.  I figured that a pot pie is like apple pie's salty cousin.  But I've been putting off the pot pie showdown for months now.  Blaming the weather.  Blaming all the fresh veggies in the market distracting me from pot pie making.  But with the start of Daylight Savings Time (something I will never understand), the days got shorter, and well the craving for something warm and buttery for dinner was too strong to resist.

I decided on a Barefoot Contessa recipe for the chicken pot pie...I mean, honestly who else??  It sounded so deliciously fall, that when I actually met her at a book signing (I know, how cool!!!), all I could say was, "I'm really excited to make your chicken pot pie this weekend!  I think it's cold enough outside."  I know, I know.  Major conversational deadend.  But she was so incredibly sweet and gracious, that she agreed and said, "yes, it does get cold here, too".  Hah.  I guess, what else could you say.

But besides being just about the cutest person you will possibly meet, this lady can sure make a chicken pot pie.  It was amazingly yummy with a flaky, savory crust and seriously addictive filling.

I didn't know butter had addictive properties to it, but after the pot pies, I am totally convinced.