Deep-Dish Chicken Pot Pie

As a kid my mom made chicken pot pies and I always loved them. I wanted to find a pretty healthy version of the classic dish that I could make at home. This one is from Kraft foods, slightly modified.

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or tenders, cut into bite-size pieces
1/4 cup Italian dressing
4 oz neufchatel cheese, cubed
2 tbsp flour
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
8 oz frozen mixed veggies (peas, carrots, corn, green beans)
1 ready-to-use refrigerated pie crust

Cook chicken in dressing in large skillet or dutch oven on medium heat until mostly cooked through. Add neufchatel; cook and stir 3-5 minutes or until melted. Stir in flour until well blended. Add broth and vegetables; stir. Simmer 5 minutes. Pour into deep-dish pie plate or 2-qt round casserole dish; cover with pie crust. Seal and flute edge. Cut slits in crust to permit steam to escape.

If eating tonight, bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until golden brown. If freezing, cover with press-n-seal and then foil. You will bake it frozen - 400 degrees for one hour with foil then 30 minutes uncovered.

Baked Pizza Mac

I came across this recipe on the Kraft Foods website, and it's really yummy! I use Kroger brand pizza sauce (Pizza Zip), and I would also recommend slightly undercooking the macaroni when you first prepare it so that it's not too tender in the end. This is an especially convenient dinner if you keep cooked lean ground beef in 1 lb portions in your freezer, like we do. :)

1 cup pizza sauce, divided
1 pkg. (7-1/4 oz.) KRAFT Macaroni & Cheese Dinner, prepared as directed on package
1 lb. extra-lean ground beef, cooked, divided
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 400°F. Reserve 1/4 cup pizza sauce.

Combine prepared macaroni dinner, 2/3 of the meat, remaining pizza sauce, egg and seasonings.

Spoon mixture into 9-inch pie plate. Top with remaining meat, reserved pizza sauce and cheese. Bake 15 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.