Skillet Chicken Pot Pie

This is SOOO yummy ... takes about 30 minutes and it's all done! It doesn't have the traditional pie crust, but serve it in a bowl with mom or Geraldine's yummy rolls, or even crescent rolls. You'll love it! It reheats beautifully.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
4 Tablespoons butter (divided, you'll use 2T at a time)
1 medium onion, minced
1 celery rib, sliced thin
1/4 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (1 can)
1/2 c. heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon thyme (heaping)
2 cups frozen pea-carrot medley, thawed

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a 12" skillet (preferably NOT non-stick, so you can scrape up all the brown bits into the sauce), over medium heat. Brown the chicken breasts lightly on both sides - about 5 minutes total. Transfer chicken to a clean plate and cover. It'll cook until done later in the recipe.

Add the remaining 2 tbsp. of butter into the skillet. Add the minced onion and celery and 1/2 tsp. salt and cook until the onion is softened - about 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly for about one minute.

Stir in 1/4 c. chicken broth and stir for about 30 seconds. Whisk in the rest of the broth, the cream and the thyme and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken back into the sauce and cover. cook over medium-low heat for about 8 to 10 minutes, until the chicken is done cooking.

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board to let cool for a minute. Add in the peas and carrots into the sauce and put cover back on for about 2 minutes. While the peas and carrots are heating through, cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Stir back into the sauce. Salt and pepper sauce to taste. Serve in bowls and dip your rolls in it! Yum!

Ham & Swiss Loaf

3 1/2-4 c. flour (divided)
2 pkg. yeast
1 c. warm water
1/4 t. salt
2 T. sugar (divided)
1/4 c. prepared mustard (dijonnaise)
2 T. melted butter (cooled)
2-3 c. chopped ham
1 c. grated swiss cheese
3/4 c. olives

In a large mixing bowl, put 1 1/2 c. flour, salt, and 1 T. sugar. Set aside. Let yeast start to work in warm water and 1 T. sugar. When yeast is foamy, add mustard and cooled melted butter. Stir well, add to flour mixture. Add remaining flour to form soft dough. Form ball and rest 10 minutes. Roll out to 15x10 inch rectangle, 1/3 inch thick. Fold dough in half and slide a piece of parchment underneath it ... that'll make transferring it to a baking sheet MUCH easier. Put ham, cheese, and olive mixture on down the center and cut strips on either sides and both ends. Cut away 'corners' and fold down one end over filling and pull strips on either side over each other - making it look like a braid. Transfer to baking sheet. Brush the top with egg.

Bake at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes ... until the top is shiny and golden brown ... let cool for about 10 minutes before cutting as filling will be hot. Reheats really well - Jim actually liked it better the second day.