Easy Apple Galette- with a few cheats

Who doesn't love pie? The quintessential midwestern dessert, pie has fans of all ages. And what variety! Cool, creamy fillings, fluffy whipped fillings, custardy and spicy, fruity and delicious, all snuggled into a flaky pastry crust that shatters when you break it with your fork. I want some right now in fact!

Several years ago I came across a unique way to make pies. At first I thought it was the height of gourmet baking and expert pastry work but really, it's just a very attractive and super easy way to cheat and get pie on the table with minimal work and no special pans. Some call them galettes, others call them crostatas, but they really are a free-form rustic way to form a pie with your delicious filling piled in there. The pastry gets just as crisp and delicious and these must be pies that have a fruit filling- custards and cream fillings are a no go.

This particular combination is very very French, and as you know, everything French makes Monica very happy! Tart and sweet apples, crunchy walnuts, a gooey caramel-like sauciness, a pop of French Cognac and a very special surprise- dates! Anyway, to make this really pretty dessert you need to get your pastry ready first. Each galette uses a recipe of pastry for a single crust pie, so we will make that ahead and get it chilling. Please use BUTTER for the crust or if you must substitute- use vegetable shortening. Don't use margarine, it contains water and makes a dense crust, not a flaky crust.

Single crust pastry

1 stick butter (COLD!!!) 

1 1/3 cup flour, plus more

1 tablespoon sugar

pinch of salt

4-6 tablespoons ice water

I make this in a food processor but you can use a pastry blender if you like. Pulse, or cut the butter into the combined flour, sugar and salt until the mixture resembles rough crumbs. Add the water, a tablespoon at a time just until the dough forms. Don't knead the dough! Remove from bowl, wrap tightly in plastic and chill about an hour.

Sometimes I like to add a pinch of cinnamon or other spice with the flour- it brings a little bit extra flavor to the pie. Nutmeg is a great choice. Now let's work on our filling.

Caramel Apple Date Galette

2 Granny Smith apples

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup cognac

1/4 cup caramel sauce

pitted dates- cut up and loosely packed to make 1/4 cup

1/4 cup broken walnuts

A quick note- dates can be very very sweet so if you pack them firmly you will find they overpower the apples and get cloyingly sweet. It should take between 4 and 6 dates, depending on their size, to make the amount needed. One more thing- they can be sticky. Very sticky. Sometimes it helps to start with a lightly oiled knife.

I only needed 4 dates for one galette, so I have plenty
left for snacking!

Peel and slice the apples. Chop the dates in small pieces. In a heavy skillet, melt the butter; add the apples. Cook and stir over medium heat until apples are slightly softened. Add the dates and sprinkle with cognac. Raise heat to medium high and cook off the excess liquid. Remove from heat, add the nuts and let cool about half an hour.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with silicone mat or spray with baking spray and set aside.

Roll the pastry out into a circle about 11 or 12 inches across. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. I cheated and used a store bought rolled pastry sheet- and it works just as well, so feel free to cheat a little.

Almost looks like Apple Bacon Something- but it's dates!

Pile the filling in the middle and spread it out a bit, leaving at least 2 inches uncovered edge. Then start folding the edge over towards the middle, tucking and pleating as you go, until the entire galette has been "edged". Drizzle with half the caramel sauce. Brush the pastry edge with milk and sprinkle with a little sugar if you like. 

I cheated and had a little trouble with my edge, but it was
still flaky and delicious and no one cared it was't perfect

Bake for about 40-50 minutes until pastry is deep golden and filling is bubbly. Pour the remaining caramel sauce over while the galette is still hot. Don't worry if a little of the juice leaks out. Allow pastry to cool for a while, and serve warm, drizzle with additional caramel sauce if you like and whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.

This is truly delicious and super easy, and if you keep refrigerated pastry on hand and fruit- frozen, fresh or even canned- in the pantry, you can whip up a quick dessert that looks like you spent hours in the kitchen.

Easy as Pie Almost Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

Sometimes you just have to cheat a little with some shortcut products. 

I've said it before and I freely admit it, I make terrible chicken gravy. Of course, my mother set the bar incredibly high with her homemade gravy, and my friend Mary set it even higher with her perfect cream gravy. Me.......... I have to stick with gravy mix or gravy in a jar to have edible chicken gravy. Unlike gravy, pastry is my area of expertise. Really. It's not hard to make pastry but I make REALLY good, super flaky, buttery pastry. But that also means dragging out my food processor, flouring the table, rolling pin, and rolling it out. Some days I'm really thankful for ready-made pastry!

I really love pot pie. It's so homey and simple, but filling, comforting- just the thing on a cold, drizzly gray day. Chunky chicken, mixed vegetables (my favorite!) and rich gravy bubbling away under a crisp pastry crust, this is really comfort food. It's not only comfort food, it's super easy to make with just a few store-bought shortcuts. This easy pot pie gets a big flavor boost from Feiny's Everything Rub. You want to try this stuff, folks. You can get yours by clicking HERE.  Now, for the recipe-

• 1 refrigerated pastry sheet (the rolled kind)
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 1 potato, cut into cubes
• 1 bag frozen mixed vegetables (allow to thaw for an hour or so)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 jar chicken gravy (about a cup and a half)
• 2 teaspoons Feiny's Everything Rub (plus more for poaching chicken)

Set the pastry out to come to room temperature. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. 

Place the chicken in a stockpot and cover with water. Season with salt and pepper and a couple shakes of Feiny's Everything Rub. Bring to boil over medium high heat, then simmer until done (usually about 15 minutes or so). Cover and let rest.

In a cast iron skillet, melt the butter. Add the onion and potato. Cook and stir for a couple minutes, then add the water. Cook until the potatoes are almost tender. Add the mixed vegetables. When the water has mostly evaporated, remove from heat add the gravy and the Feiny's Everything Rub. Mix well.

Can't finish any recipe without some Feiny's Everything Rub

Remove the chicken from the pot and cut into cubes. Add to the vegetable mixture. Unroll the sheet of pastry dough and place over the top, pressing to seal around the edge of the skillet. Cut slits in the pastry and pop into the hot oven. Bake for 45 minutes or until deep golden brown and gravy is bubbling. If you don't have a cast iron skillet, just heat everything in a skillet and transfer to an oven-safe baking dish.

Super easy, almost homemade pot pie! This is a great way to use up leftovers from Thanksgiving too- just use about 2 cups of cubed turkey instead of chicken and some leftover turkey gravy. I like mine deep dish style with only a top crust but you can also line a deep pie pan with pastry, add the filling and top crust and bake about an hour.

Now, just a quick note about Feiny's Rubs- I love supporting friends and their business ventures, and Feiny's is the company founded by Adam Feinberg, a chef and pitmaster from Denver. He has a nice line of rubs already with more in development. You can find out more about Adam and his rubs by visiting Fein Tasting Foods.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."