Fall is when I LOVE making "comfort food," and high on that list is Chicken Pot Pie. This recipe fell into my hands from my friend, Gina, who delivered this circle of goodness during my maternity leave. This has quickly become a fan favorite, and I love it because I can make it in advance and cook it a day or two later (or freeze!).

Try this recipe once and it will become a "go to" for you as well! Here's what you'll need:

Pie shells, brought to room temperature
1/2 cup margarine or butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp pepper (or to taste)
16 oz Chicken Stock (recipe here) or 1 can of Swansons
2/3 Cup of milk
2 1/2 - 3 Cups diced chicken
2 Cups frozen mixed vegetables brought to room temperature

Start by sautéing the onions with the butter over medium heat until onions are softened, but not brown. Usually this takes 3-4 minutes.Next add the flour, salt, pepper and stir until incorporated. Then slowly add the chicken stock and milk. Cook until thick and bubbly. The way you can tell that your white sauce is done is by the way the sauce behaves when you drag a spatula through. If you can see the bottom of the pan for a second of so, you're good to go (see picture). If the liquid rushes in quickly, cook a little longer to thicken. This is when I taste the sauce to make sure there's enough salt and pepper.

After the sauce has thickened, remove from heat and stir in the veggies.After the veggies are well coated, add the chicken and stir some more, then place the entire mixture into a prepared pie pan.ALTERNATIVE APPROACH!! Sometimes I make my "pot pie" with leftover ham. This is a great variation to the recipe, but if you go that route, don't add ANY salt. The ham will pack as much sodium as you need. This is what the ham version looks like:Cover the pie with a top and make venting slits in the dough.At this point, you can either bake - 425 degrees for 30 minutes (or until top is golden brown) - or freeze. If you freeze, add 20-30 additional minutes to the cook time.MMMMMM. Tastes like fall!

Enjoy...