Category: Dinner

Everything Bagel Cheesy Pocket Pies

Posted on by Mari Vasseur

Dad’s are the ultimate snackers, so I made these hearty pocket pies for dads to enjoy on Father’s Day. They’re cheesy and buttery and the crust is super flaky and tender. There’s a combination of butter and shortening in the crust. The butter gives rich flavor and the shortening helps make them flaky. A bit of vinegar in the crust helps prevent gluten formation so the crust will be tender. When making smaller pies, I like to divide the dough into portions before chilling. This prevents having to re-roll the scraps since re-rolling pie dough tends to toughen it.

I used a combination of whole grain Dijon mustard and hot mustard. My dad loves horseradish mustard. German varieties of mustard are delicious too. Feel free to use your mustard of choice. These are also delicious drizzled with a touch of hot honey.

Everything Bagel Cheesy Pocket Pies

Pocket pies with ham and cheese wrapped in a golden, flaky crust topped with Everything Bagel Seasoning
Print Recipe
Course Dinner
Servings 6 pocket pies

Ingredients
  

Pie Crust

  • 1 â…“ cups (170g) all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons (24g) vegetable shortening
  • 6 tablespoons (85g) cold, unsalted butter, cubed
  • ¼ cup (59ml) ice water
  • 2 teaspoons white or cider vinegar

Filling

  • 1 tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard, hot mustard or any mustard of your choice I used a combination of both
  • ½ cup (57g) shredded cheddar cheese
  • ¼ cup (28g) shredded Gruyére cheese
  • 3 ounces (85g) shaved ham or pastrami* See note for vegetarian options
  • Egg wash: 1 egg whisked with 1 tablespoon of water
  • Everything Bagel Seasoning I used Trader Joe's Everything But the Bagel Seasoning

Instructions
 

Pie Crust

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Work the shortening into the flour mixture with your fingertips until evenly dispersed. Work the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips, creating flat dime size pieces.
  • Mix the ice water and vinegar together in a glass measuring cup. Sprinkle over the flour mixture a little at a time, stirring until the dough comes together. You may not need all of the liquid depending on your climate.
  • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough over onto itself a few times. Do not over work the dough. Divide the dough into 6 equal portions, about 2 ounces (57g) each. Form the portions into disks, wrap them individually with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

Assembly

  • Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough portions to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out six rounds, about 4 1/2-5-inches each. Place the rounds on the prepared baking sheet. Spread about 1/2 teaspoon of mustard on each round. Top each one with ham (or veggies) and cheese. Brush the perimeter edges with egg wash. Fold the rounds over and press the edges to seal. Crimp the edges with a fork. Brush the pies with egg wash and sprinkle with Everything Bagel Seasoning. Cut a 1/2-inch ventilation slit into the top of each pie. Bake until golden brown, about 22-25 minutes. Transfer the pies to a cooling rack. Serve warm.

Notes

*Chopped fresh spinach leaves or blanched broccoli make delicious vegetarian substitutions.
**To find Everything But the Bagel Seasoning, click here.  
Keyword pastry, pocket pies

Roasted Tomato Mac & Cheese

Posted on by Mari Vasseur

Roasted Tomato Mac & Cheese

Cheesy, comforting mac and cheese with roasted tomatoes, bacon and fresh herbs. Serves 2 as a main dish or 3-4 as a side dish.
Print Recipe
Course Dinner, Main Dish
Servings 3 Servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
  • olive oil
  • fine sea salt
  • pepper
  • 6 ounces (170g) cellentani, cavatappi pasta or large elbow macaroni (about 2 1/4 cups)
  • 1 tablespoon (14g) butter
  • 1 tablespoon (8g) all purpose flour
  • 1 cup (237ml) whole milk, room temperature
  • ¾ cup (177ml) heavy cream, room temperature
  • 4 ounces (113g) shredded cheddar cheese, divided (about 1 cup, packed)
  • 4 ounces (113g) shredded Gruyére cheese, divided (about 1 cup packed)
  • 2 slices cooked bacon, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh Italian parsley, divided
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh chives, divided

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Place the tomatoes on a baking sheet. Gently toss with a drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Roast until the tomatoes are blistered, about 15-25 minutes, depending on the size of your tomatoes.
  • Turn the oven down to 350ºF (180ºC). Cook and drain the pasta according to the package directions.
  • Set aside 1/4 cup (28g) of each of the cheeses for the top. In a small bowl, whisk the milk and heavy cream together.
  • In a 2-quart oven safe pot,* melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
  • Slowly whisk in the milk and cream. Heat until thickened, whisking out any lumps. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (I used 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.)
  • Remove from heat. Gradually stir in 3/4 cup (85g) each cheddar and Gruyere cheeses. Taste the sauce and season with more salt or pepper if necessary.
  • Fold in the cooked pasta, roasted tomatoes, bacon, 1 teaspoon of parsley and 1 1/2 teaspoons of chives. Top with remaining cheese.
  • Bake in top third of the oven, just until cheese is melted, about 7-10 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley and chives.

Notes

If you watched the video on Instagram or TikTok, you may have noticed I  baked my mac & cheese in a heart-shaped Dutch oven. To find a similar pink heart  Dutch oven, click here. To find a  blue heart Dutch oven , click here,
Keyword mac & cheese, pasta

Little Spring Vegetable Pot Pies

Posted on by Mari Vasseur

These little veggie pot pies are so cute and comforting. The crust is incredibly flaky and the filling is so versatile. I used asparagus, carrots and peas for the filling, but feel free to use your favorite vegetables. The possibilities are endless! The small size bakes up quickly and is perfect for lunch or a light dinner. I typically serve these with some fresh fruit or salad greens on the side.

I used vegetable shortening for the crust because it makes the flakiest crust ever and also because the pies can easily be a vegetarian dish. If you’re trying to avoid trans fats, then choose a brand of vegetable shortening that doesn’t contain trans fat or replace some of the vegetable shortening with butter.* Keep in mind that if you replace all of the vegetable shortening with butter, your crust won’t be nearly as flaky.

Little Spring Vegetable Pot Pies

Print Recipe
Course Dinner, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 Mini pot pies

Ingredients
  

Pie Crust

  • 1 â…“ cups (170g) all purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ cup (96g) vegetable shortening
  • ¼ cup (59ml) ice water
  • 2 teaspoons white vinegar

Filling

  • ¼ cup (57g) butter or vegan butter
  • â…“ cup (38g) diced onions
  • 1 cup (128g) sliced fresh carrots
  • ¾ cup (96g) chopped asparagus, celery or green beans
  • ¼ cup (32g) all purpose flour
  • 2 cups (473ml) vegetable broth
  • ¼ cup (59ml) whole milk or oat milk
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt (or to taste)
  • ½ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
  • ¼ teaspoon ground sage
  • ¾ cup (100g) frozen peas
  • Egg wash: 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water See note below**

Instructions
 

Pie Crust

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Work the shortening into the flower with your fingertips until flat dime size pieces are formed.
  • In a small bowl, combine the ice water and vinegar. Sprinkle over the flour mixture a little at a time, mixing just until the dough comes together. You may not need all of the liquid, depending on your climate.
  • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough over onto itself a few times. Do not over work the dough. Form the dough into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or up to overnight.

Filling

  • Preheat the oven to 400ºF. (200ºC). Grease four 6-oz ramekins.*** Place the ramekins on a baking sheet.
  • In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Sauté the onions, carrots and asparagus for a few minutes until the onions are translucent.
  • Sprinkle the vegetables with flour. Cook 1-2 minutes. Stir in the broth and simmer until thickened. Add the milk, parsley and seasonings. Make sure to taste your sauce to adjust the seasonings to your preference. Stir in the peas. Transfer the filling to the greased ramekins.
  • On a lightly floured surface, roll the pie dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out 4 rounds of dough about an inch larger than the tops of your ramekins. Brush the top edges of the ramekins with a bit of egg wash. Place the rounds of dough on the ramekins, overlapping a bit. Crimp the edges of the dough with your fingers or with a fork. Brush the pies with egg wash. Cut a 3/4-inch ventilation slit in the top of each pie. Bake until golden brown, about 30-35 minutes.

Notes

*To replace part of the shortening with butter, use 1/4 cup (48g) shortening and 1/4 cup (57g) butter.
**For a vegetarian version, you can substitute the egg wash by brushing the tops of the pies lightly with olive oil.
***To find the ramekins I used, click here.
Keyword pastry, pie, vegetable pot pies