Chicken Pot Pie

This recipe is wonderful. I love the departure from the expected vegetable mix.

Cooking spray
1 1/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 leeks, bottom 4 inches only, washed and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 medium white potatoes, left unpeeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 lb. green beans, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I used frozen; it was fine.)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 c. skim milk
1/3 c. flour
2 c. chicken broth
1 c. peas, thawed if frozen
2 tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (Go with the fresh herbs!)
1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
3 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
2 tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare either one baking dish or four smaller individual baking dishes by spraying with cooking spray or coating with oil.

2. Season the chicken with 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. black pepper. Heat 2 tsp. oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and brown. Transfer to a plate.

3. Add 2 tsp. additional oil to pan along with the leeks and celery. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the potatoes, green beans, garlic and the remaining 3/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. black pepper and cook for 2 minutes more stirring to combine everything.

4. Add milk. Stir flour into broth and add to pan. Cook, stirring until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.

5. Stir in the chicken, peas, parsley and thyme. Spoon into baking dish(es).

6. Put the remaining 1 2/3 tbsp. oil in a small bowl. Unroll the phyllo dough. Cut into quarters if using individual baking dishes. Place a sheet on top of baking dish and brush with oil. Repeat with all three layers. Tuck edges in and sprinkle the top with the Parmesan.

7. Place on baking sheet and bake until filling is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Serve hot.

NOTE: I made a regular pie crust from a recipe out of my Betty Crocker cookbook and baked it for an hour. I recommend having everything chopped and ready to go before you start.

Am I happy?

I recently read an article in More magazine about the state of women’s happiness and how yet again we seem to be suffering. Personally, I know that I am happy because I am not unhappy. I’ve been unhappy for periods of time in my life that lasted for years. And now I am not unhappy and therefore must be happy. I definitely believe that it is more about satisfaction, and whether or not you feel fulfilled, content, and secure. We hear too much about the great job, best purse, perfect highlights, and amazing sex. Being happy should not be about being perfect. Your life should be as simple or as complicated as you would like it to be.

Massage Therapy

I think everyone deserves massage therapy. I think it is not only good for my body, but my soul as well. The knots in my muscles get worked out and my energy starts flowing freely again. I just feel such a profound sense of relief both physically and mentally. My relationship with my massage therapist started 15 years ago. A friend at work recommended massage therapy and gave me a phone number. I was in excruciating pain at that time from what I learned was fibromyalgia (My massage therapist suggested this not a medical doctor. The medical doctor’s suggestion for me was antidepressants.) I did not feel depressed; I was in pain. I am much better now than I was 15 years ago both physically, but especially mentally. I have learned what I need to do and not do to keep my pain at a manageable level (massage therapy once a month if possible, 8-9 hours of sleep a night, supplements, and movement plus trying to stay relatively stress free). I am very grateful for having found this wonderful person, my massage therapist and artist extraordinaire and friend.

Before Sunrise

1/4 c. pomegranate juice
1/2 c. orange juice
1/4 c. grapefruit juice

Pour over ice in the order listed.