Autumn Vegetable Pot Pie

Ok. I think I can now move past Halloween, and delve into November. While it seems I have been clinging to October, the truth is, I think November is one of my favorite months of the year here in Seattle. It when the leaves finally fall, and the smell of dirt and leaves and rotting blackberries are in the air. Do I sound crazy? I probably am.

I love the storms that roll in, and the wind and rain that pound our windows every night. It only really feels like fall once we get to November, so that’s when I can finally break out the hard core comfort food and begin preparations for the holidays.

This Autumn Vegetable Pot Pie is the definition of hard core comfort food to me. But what you wouldn’t expect is that this is also really easy to make. It is about 30 minutes in the making, and then you can pop it in the oven and walk away until dinner.

It is the kind of meal that makes your family feel like you really made the effort on a weeknight. It is also delicious and pretty enough to make for a cozy dinner with friends on a weekend.

I had to stifle my chuckles as my kids ate their entire servings (JAM packed with vegetables) just because it was baked in a cute pot and had that fluffy, flaky crust on top. I mean, what’s a little puff pastry when you are busy tricking your family into eating lots of vegetables?

I am sure that you will notice I made this two ways from the pictures below. One recipe worth went into a gorgeous pie dish, and the rest went into some oven proof bowls. Due to lighting, you only get to see the individual bowl, but the pie is gorgeous too. You get the idea right?

Speaking of a beautiful pie dish, I am going to give one away today, because I am in a good mood, and I just love you all so much. Thanksgiving is coming up- who couldn’t use another loooooovely pie dish? I could.

I am giving away an Emile Henry Auberge Pie Dish, 9″, the exact one that I have. It comes in red, blue and taupe.

This is what you need to do to enter:
1) Leave a comment with what you would make with this pie dish, or what your favorite kind of pie is.

For additional entries, leave separate comments for EACH of these:
1) follow heatherchristo on facebook
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3) retweet this on twitter: Enter to win Emile Henry Pie Plate @heatherchristo ^&*&^*
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*If you already follow me on Twitter and Facebook and/or already subscribe to Heather Christo let me know as well, since this counts as an entry.
Giveaway starts on 11/04/2011 and will run until 11/10/2011 at 11:59 pm PST. Good Luck Ladies and Gentlemen!

Good Luck- I will announce the winner on Saturday the 12th!

Autumn Vegetable Pot Pie, serves 6
¼ cup butter
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup leeks, chopped
1 ½ cups mushrooms, quartered
1 cup butternut squash, chopped
2 medium golden potatoes, chopped
1 cup white wine
¼ cup flour
4 cups chicken broth (you could use vegetable broth)
fresh thyme
Kosher salt
Puff pastry
1 Tbs of flour
1 Tbs of cream

In a large heavy pot, melt the butter and cook until browned.

Add the vegetables and stir to coat with the butter. Cook until slightly softened, about 2-3 minutes.

Add the white wine, and simmer the vegetables another 7 minutes or until the vegetables are nice and soft.

Add the flour, and stir the vegetables and flour until they are coated. (The veggies will look a little gummy.) Cook for about 2 minutes until the raw flour flavor is cooked off.

Add the chicken broth and simmer for about 15 minutes until the stew base is thickened.

Add about 2 tsp fresh thyme to the pot, and season the pot with Kosher salt.

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.

Spoon the stew into a deep pie dish. (Or do 6 individual oven proof bowls.)

Roll out the sheet of puff pastry with the 1 Tbs of flour

Drape the sheet of puff pastry over the top of the pie dish and the stew.

Brush the top of the pie with the cream.

Cut a few slits in the top of the pie to let the steam escape.

Place the pie plate or the individual bowls on a sheet pan and bake in the oven until the insides are bubbling and the puff pastry is golden (about 45-50 minutes for the pie plate size, 25-30 minutes for the individual bowls.)

Serve hot!