Dear Food Processor,

I owe you an apology.

You have been under one of my cabinets for years.  Your parts have been pushed around, crammed, and shoved into the nooks and crannies of a plethora of other kitchen appliances, bakeware, and cutting boards.  I know it isn't pretty under there, but you have waited patiently -- untouched and unloved -- without causing me much of a headache.  (Well, aside from all those parts that kept getting in the way.)

Mr. Rose picked you up several years ago.  I'm not even sure why at the moment, but none of that matters now.  Over the past four years, I've poured over thousands of gluten-free recipes, always in search of something new, yet familiar, to offer my family.

Whenever a recipe would read anything to the effect of:

"In the bowl of a food processor..."

I would quickly close the recipe, turn the page, or simply decide to take my search in a different direction altogether. The idea of digging through the cabinet to find all your parts, drag them out, and then have to wash them afterwards just felt like too much work.

Until yesterday.

I'm sorry.  I judged you (and. all. your. freaking. PARTS!!!) unfairly.  It was wrong.  I know that now.

You see, last night I made a chicken pot pie for dinner.  In the olden days, I would have had a ready made pie crust on hand to slap over the top of my baking dish.  But, in these days...these GLUTEN-FREE days...that's not possible.  

If my family is to have a chicken pot pie for dinner, I have to make the pie crust myself.

I've tried a few recipes.  I know the basic ingredients: flour, butter, salt, sugar, water.  I've tried to use a few different gadgets (and even resorted to just using two knives) in order to cut the butter into the flour.  I've tried to use my stand mixer.  I've tried every possible way to avoid using...YOU.

Yesterday I decided to search for some tips.  You know tips to help me incorporate the butter better and tips to help me improve my pie crust technique.  I found THIS article, and immediately cut up my butter into bits to put in the freezer. I threw some ice in my water too.  

And then...there it was...

"Combine the flour blend, salt and sugar in the bowl of a food processor."

EEK!!!!!!!!! 

But I was determined to make the best gluten-free pie crust possible, so I did it.  I found you (and YOUR PARTS!!!!), dusted you off, and plugged you in.

Oh, Food Processor.  You really delivered.  I will never doubt your ability to help me in the kitchen again.

Signed,

Wendy

It's true.  

I overcame my food processor anxiety, followed that article's advice to a T, and ended up with the best gluten-free pie crust I've ever made in the past 4 years.

Except, I'm not a very good "roller".  

In fact, I'm a horrible "roller".

But...I'm really good at smooshing dough and using cookie cutters.  

(This was a flower cookie cutter and I sliced each one in half.)

Gluten-Free Chicken Pot Pie

1)  FIRST, read this article, pull out your food processor, make a pie crust, and throw it in your fridge.  (P.S.  I use Jules Gluten Free Flour Blend.)

Then...

1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup gluten-free flour (Such as Jules Gluten Free)
1 cup milk
1 cup chicken stock
1-2 (or 5-6) splashes of white cooking wine
2 cups cut up cooked chicken
1/2 cup diced onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
Half a bag of frozen corn
(Can also add dried herbs, salt and pepper, or whatever else you want to enhance the flavor)

Saute onions and celery in sauce pan, remove and place in large bowl.  Add chicken and corn to sauteed veggies and mix well to combine.

Melt 1/3 cup butter in sauce pan.  Sir in flour and let cook over low heat for 1 minute.  Slowly add milk, stirring constantly.  Add chicken stock and wine, stirring constantly.  Bring to boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour sauce over chicken and combine well.  Spray casserole dish with non-stick spray, and add chicken mixture.

Top with pie crust -- OR pie cut outs, if you're anything like me ;)

Brush pie crust with thin layer of milk (no puddles!), and bake at 350 for 50 minutes.  Cover with foil if crust becomes too brown during cooking process.

ENJOY!