1 Turkey Biscuit Pie

If you have some leftover roast turkey or chicken, this is a super great way to use it up!

Turkey Biscuit Pie

You'll need:

3 cups shredded cooked turkey or chicken

10-12 frozen ready-to-bake biscuits

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup

2 cups chopped frozen or fresh veggies of your choice (I used peas, rainbow carrots, mushrooms and corn)

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, minced

2 tsp sage

2 tsp thyme

1/4 tsp cracked black pepper

water

salt to taste

butter or olive oil for sauteeing

Preheat oven to 375F

In a large sautee pan, begin by sauteeing all the vegetables in a bit of butter or olive oil, until they are just cooked through, but still crisp.  The onions and celery will be translucent, but not browned.

Add both cans of soup, then fill each can 3/4 full with water and pour into pan, and add pepper, sage and thyme. Stir well to combine.

Fold in shredded turkey and taste for seasoning.  Only add salt after tasting, as there is quite a bit already in the soup.

Pour mixture into a large baking dish, about 9x12.

Top with frozen biscuits, enough to cover the top.  Push each one down slightly.  It's okay if they sink in, they will rise and brown beautifully!

Bake for about 30-40 minutes, until the liquid is bubbly and the biscuits are golden brown.  Check the biscuits to make sure they are cooked through and not doughy (if so, keep baking.)

Ella says this is her favorite dinner ever!

8 Bento #127 - Steak & Ham Pocket

I made these little melty pastry pockets out of some leftover steak and ham, which I sauteed in a little butter, Italian herbs and a pinch of garlic powder.  Then I encased spoonfuls of the meat in some refrigerated dough rectangles along with some shredded cheese and baked for about 11 minutes.  Ella declared them to be delicious (she called them "pants pockets"!), and the rest we have here in her bento, along with a fresh batch of basil pesto, which is happily pine nut-less this time.  I used walnuts.  I also ensured that there were plenty of celery sticks.  A few days ago she complained that she only had four.

Bento #127 - Steak, ham & cheese pastry pocket, celery sticks, basil pesto, macadamia nuts, yogurt stars and fresh strawberries.

7 The Australian Bakery

One of my favorite places to eat homey, cozy food that reminds me of home is The Australian Bakery on the Marietta Square.  They have meat pies.  And I love a good meat pie.  Love.  And it's a good thing that they fit the bill perfectly.  I stopped by the other day to get ballet tights for E from the dance store just next to the bakery, and got three pies - steak & onion, steak & mushroom and shepherd's pie.  Perfect comfort food.

This is the steak & onion (I love the crunch of the sesame seeds on top!)  The pastry is flaky and the filling is savory and delicious!

The shepherd's pie is basically the same as the steak and onion (and the steak and mushroom, for that matter) but has that ubiquitous creamy mashed potato crust.

And the steak & mushroom is equally satisfying - just the perfect amount of perfectly seasoned ground beef in gravy with finely minced mushrooms.

Next time I go I'm totally getting a pork pie and a sausage roll.  If you don't live in the area, you can actually order from their website!  In fact, I think I'm going to send an order to my Dad.  I just wish they made mini pies to fit in a bento!