chicken and camembert pot pies

Preface: yesterday I read this article about the 25 ridiculous phrases people use at work. I don't work outside the home anymore, so just for kicks I've tried to cram as many buzzwords into this post as I can.  You know me, I like to think outside the box.  See if you can pick all seventeen!

I'm busy, you're busy.

Come three o'clock the crossing supervisor is busy.

On the Monday after Schoolies Week, the laser tattoo removal business in Surfers Paradise is really busy.

We've all got a lot on our plates and most days we're not going to get everything done. Even on the days when I spend too much time looking at my phone, I want Bearhands to come home and see I've achieved something. That's where the low hanging fruit are your friend.

I'm talking about the little jobs that make the most impact.  Toys off the floor and into the hamper. Dishes off the bench and in the dishwasher. Is it housekeeping fraud? Possibly, but what's wrong with getting a bit more bang for your buck?

I'm not saying you should move the goal posts and never actually do the housework, but blokes have been taking out the rubbish and acting like they've tidied the entire house since palaeolithic times. It's the twenty first century and it's time we start comparing apples to apples.

When we drill-down, this recipe for chicken and camembert pot pies is really a recipe for low hanging fruit.  It looks flash, tastes wonderful, will wow your guests and takes very little actual effort: win-win!

chicken and camembert pot pies

ingredients:

• 500g chicken thigh fillets, diced into bite-sized pieces
• 1 leek, finely sliced
• handful of button mushrooms
• splash (15ml) brandy
• 250g camembert cheese
• ¾ cup cream
• salt and peper to season
• 2 sheets store-bought puff pastry
• milk (15ml)

method:

Brown the chicken over medium heat in a frypan. Set aside and keep warm.  Reduce the temperature and add the leek, sauté gently for until the white becomes translucent.

Add the mushrooms and cook over a low heat, stirring until the mushrooms start to catch on the bottom.  Turn up the heat and deglaze the pan with a splash of brandy and stir to incorporate all the yummy bits that have stuck to the pan.

Once the grog has evaporated off, add the camembert and stir until the cheese has melted.  Return the chicken and juices to the pan and add cream until your reach the desired consistency - the ideal pie filling isn't dry but also isn't so wet that it bubbles over the top of the dish.

Add the mixture to greased pie dishes (or a single large pie dish), top with the puff pastry. Brush the tops with a little milk and bake in a 200C oven for twenty minutes or until the pastry is golden.  

So folks, let's circle back around: chicken, camembert, leeks, mushrooms - the synergy of the ingredients in this recipe is a no brainer.

Before I take this offline, I've must say I'm pleased that I no longer work in the corporate world. I simply don't have the bandwidth to keep up this buzz word BS.  The last time I someone 'pinged me' was in a uni bar twenty ago and it didn't end well for him, just quietly.

Let's touch base: are busy evenings par for the course at your place?

what buzz words do your coworkers use?

how many of mine did you find?

Looking for more pie recipes? You might like the The Great Australian Fish .