Heating up!

So the weather is really heating up here in Ohio. By the middle of the week there are no temperatures estimated below 90 (32c) degrees in the 10 day forecast and the high humidity here means that it often feels a lot warmer than that! The irony being that it's actually about 10 degrees cooler in Dodoma, Tanzania, a lot less humid and a whole lot more pleasant!! You would imagine it to be the other way round. Can't wait to get there!

As I have mentioned before ... I'm learning to cook accordingly! Basically the HOT weather makes our house unbearable (even with our little window AC zappy things!) and so using the oven (or stove top) to cook is just not an option. Hence my new found love for the Crock-Pot! Today and tomorrow we have a little respite, with temperatures in the high 70's and so while I can, I've been cooking some family favourites in the oven, recipes I know are unlikely to come out again until autumn time.

Tonight we enjoyed a delicious Chicken Pot Pie recipe that a fellow MMS-er gave me last summer. It is a cheap and simple meal, I believe that she got from a student recipe book or something similar and even with quite a bare kitchen right now (I'm due for a trip to the store!), I still had all the ingredients to hand! I have to admit it was nearly just 'Pot Pie' tonight as I almost forgot to add the chicken ... Oops!

All four members of our family completely devour this meal. Naomi was really getting in there with her fork tonight ... a skill she is learning to master right now and when it is something really yummy like this she is a lot more enthusiastic to get on with it herself! There are never any leftovers when I cook this but as it has all the meat, potatoes and veggies inside, I don't usually serve anything alongside it. I guess if we have visitors I will have to serve it with fresh veggies or salad or something just to eek out the servings ... or just cook a double batch! See the recipe below.

Base
1 cup chicken broth/stock
1 onion, diced
1 potato, peeled and cubed
2 carrots, cubed
3 ribs of celery, cubed
1 cup cooked chicken, cubed (you can use beef instead)
2 Tbsp rue (1Tbsp butter + 1Tbsp flour)
1 tsp sage
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp pepper
handful peas & handful corn!

Biscuit Topping
1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp vinegar
3/4 tsp pepper
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup melted butter

Melt butter and cook onions a little in a saucepan
Add flour to make rue
Add broth & seasonings ... bring to boil
Add veggies, boil for 7-8 mins
Mix in chicken
Put into baking dish
Whisk together biscuit topping ingredients
Spoon over the base
Bake at 375 degrees for 45 mins until browned