There is nothing better than a chilly Fall evening at home. Ever since Jon and I moved to St. Louis we have appreciated this season even more because the summers here are dreadfully hot. I thought this wonderful recipe would be great to warm up the homes of anyone who wants a gourmet meal that is easy to make and absolutely delicious.

When I was growing up I was obsessed with Julia Child. My parents tell me that when I was a baby I became hysterical every time her show came on PBS. Even though I don't quite remember loving her so much, it is apparent in my cooking. I have had a passion for cooking my whole life, and it's great to be able to share it.

This recipe is an adaptation from one of Ina Garten's. I first cooked it several years ago, and have since changed it around a bit and given it different options. Small changes such as substituting the small frozen onions in the recipe with celery will completely change the dish, giving you a little diversity.

Some people don't like eating the same thing every time. Of course my Homemade Chicken Stock recipe is the base for this whole dish, but you can even experiment with your own.

Ina has been one of my biggest inspirations, she has a great talent for cooking, and she does it with so much love. My favorite part of her show is when her husband Jeffrey comes home from business travel and they enjoy great meals together. It also gets pretty fun when she cooks for her 2 gay friends.

There is a vegetarian option for this dish that is just as delicious as the chicken version. Jon doesn't eat meat and as such, every time I cook this meal we always prepare a few without. All you need to do is replace the chicken with an imitation chicken (Gardein makes the best), or some seitan.

Instead of chicken bouillon cubes and chicken stock, use a vegetarian equivalent (not-chick'n from Whole Foods is great). These substitutions give you the opportunity to accommodate everyone. Who says vegetarians are missing out!? If your planning a dinner party, or a date with a partner, this Chicken Pot Pie will put a smile on everyone's face.

It's wholesome, fresh, and perfect for warming up on a sleepy, cold night. We suggest making the full recipe even if you're cooking for 2. Just skip the last baking step and freeze any extra. It will taste just as good, I promise. 

CRUST PASTRY:

• 3 cups All Purpose Flour
• 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
• 1 teaspoon Baking powder
• 1/2 cup Vegetable shortening
• .5 cup Butter - unsalted (cold, diced)
• 1/2 cup Ice water
• 1 Egg (beaten, with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, with rack placed in center. Place breasts on a baking sheet, coat them in olive oil using your hands. Crush salt and pepper liberally on both sides. Roast for 35 minutes, and remove from oven to cool. Remove meat from bones, and cut into cubes. Reserve bones to make the chicken stock for this recipe if you don't already have some. Freeze any extra chicken stock for later use.

2. Heat chicken stock in a small saucepan and dissolve the bouillon cubes in stock. For the roux, melt butter in large pot and saute onions until translucent. Add flour and cook for 2 or 3 minutes on low heat. Pour the hot chicken stock into the roux and simmer until thick. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg, heavy cream, chicken, vegetables and parsley, and stir.

3. Add flour, salt, and baking powder to a small bowl, and mix together. Add the shortening and cold butter cubes to the flour mixture and incorporate with hands until every piece is coated with flour. Quickly add mixture to a food processor with a metal blade and pulse 10 - 15 times until the butter/flour mixture is the size of peas. Turn the processor on, and slowly add ice water until the dough comes together. Pull out dough, and knead into a ball. Wrap dough ball in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375.

4. Fill ramekins with the filling. Use any size ramekins to make sure you have enough for everyone who will be eating. Divide up the dough so that you have enough for each serving, roll portions of the dough into balls while keeping any unused dough covered. I roll my dough out on parchment paper so I don't have to use too much flour. However you do it, make sure the dough doesn't stick to the surface or the rolling pin. Roll slowly from the center-out (do not try to roll from one side of the ball to the other). Roll each ball into a circle wide enough to cover the ramekin and overlap on the sides by at least an inch. Brush the outside top of each ramekin with the egg wash, and place crust on top. Press down the crust along the edges to make sure they attach. Brush egg wash onto the tops of all the crusts, add sea salt, and cracked black pepper. Cut a few small slits in the tops to release steam. Bake for up to an hour until the crusts are brown. If you have any extra, wrap entire ramekin in saran wrap and place in the freezer for later reheating. Alternatively, as you can see from the picture, if you are having a date night with your special someone, you can cook the pot pie right inside an oven-proof sauce pan for two.