When it’s time to put the duvet on the bed and get out the warm, fuzzy blankets, soft flannel jammies, and fluffy thick socks, one of the first things that comes to mind for suppers are homemade, deep-dish pot pies! 😀

Who doesn’t LOVE a creamy, meaty and veggie-fillled pie all wrapped in a blanket of flaky, buttery crust? 😉

Our coal grocery store just happened to have thick-cut ham steaks on sale for $1.99 a pound. Almost half price! And I couldn’t resist! 😀 I didn’t know what I was going to use it for at the time….but there was a chill in the air….

…and I wanted a nice warm quilt to surround myself in. And I thought….BOY….a nice big ol’ slice of pot pie sure would be a wonderful way to chase these chills away!

So it was decided in a flash. “Ham Pot Pie” it would be! 😀

So, I gathered up a few items from the cupboards, fridge and pantry, and got started.

Shall we? 😀 Let’s cook! 😀

Forewarning: This took some time, but it’s PERFECT for a wonderful fall supper or dinner on a chilly, windy, dark and rainy Saturday or Sunday! 😉 Just plan ahead and enjoy cooking in your kitchen! Your house is going to smell like Grandma’s and your entire family will be singing your praises! 😉 I promise!!! 😀

Since ham steaks are fully cooked, there’s no need to do anything to them but dice them and trim the fat. Next we just make a simple béchamel sauce, and add our seasonings, meats and veggies, and lastly, fold in the cheese! And wa-lah, the filling is done! Then you just pile it all into a pastry-lined pie dish and cover the top with a blanket of more pastry and bake! 😀

That’s basically all there is to it. I do sauté the onions and celery in a little butter first in the same pan used for the béchamel. And the only other pot needed is just a small saucepan to boil the diced potatoes. So there isn’t a whole sink full of pots ‘n pans to wash, either.

So it really isn’t that bad, and very simple to make! And it sure beats the shortcut recipes that call for canned cream soups. Ugh.

When you make it from scratch….

….believe me….

….it shows.

And they will know. 😉

Hope you all enjoy this rich, creamy, cheesy and chockfull of goodies pot pie this fall and winter season! The perfect comfort food on a cold and windy day! 😀

Yield: 2 small 8" pies

Cheesy Swiss Ham, Potato, Green Bean & Mushroom Pot Pie

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Ingredients

• 1 lb. thick-cut fully cooked ham steak diced large bite-sized (approx. 2 cups)
• 1/2 - 3/4 lb. red potatoes, unpeeled, diced large bite-sized,and boiled until tender (as many as you like)
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can green beans, drained well
• 1 (6 oz.) jar sliced mushrooms, can use fresh sliced
• 1 Tbl. butter
• 1/2 large onion, chopped large bite-sized
• 2 ribs celery, medium-thick sliced
• 1 large clove garlic
• enough pie pastry for a double-crust pie, homemade or purchased

For Swiss Cheese Béchamel Sauce:

• 1 stick real butter, salted or unsalted
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 1/3 cups milk
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp. Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. white pepper
• 1/8 tsp. ground rosemary
• 1/4 tsp. dried marjoram
• 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/8 tsp. onion powder
• 1 1/2 cups grated swiss cheese, lightly packed

Instructions

Cut up ham, trimming away any fat, and place into a medium-sizer bowl. Cover and refrigerate.

In large frying pan, melt 1 Tbl. butter over medium-low to low heat. Add onion and celery, sauté until soft and tender, stirring occasionally. About 10 minutes. (Do not brown, adjust heat as needed.) Add garlic, sauté 1 minute longer. Remove from heat, let rest 1 minute, spoon into bowl with ham and fold to combine. Recover and refrigerate. Wipe out frying pan.

Make Béchamel Sauce: Add 1 stick butter to same (wiped out) frying pan. Melt butter, stir in flour, heat until bubbly, stirring. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring, for 2-3 minutes. Do not brown. Slowly whisk in milk and cream, adding gradually so no lumps. Cook and stir until low boiling. Stir and cook 3-5 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat. Add 1 Tbl. gradually to 1 beaten egg yolk. Whisk egg yolk mixture quickly into sauce mixture. Stir in chicken base, salt, white pepper, ground rosemary, marjoram, thyme and onion powder.

Fold in ham and onion/celery mixture, cooked potatoes, green beans, and mushrooms.

Fold in cheese. Cover. Set aside.

*(I just add my diced potatoes to hot water, bring to a boil, and boil until tender. Depending on size, about 5-7 minutes.)

Roll out bottom pastry, place into pie dish. (*See notes at bottom.) Fill with filling. Roll out second pastry and place on top. Seal edges and flute. Cut slits in top with knife to vent, or do a lattice top.

Pop into preheated 375º oven for approximately 50 minutes, or until top and bottom crusts are browned and filling is starting to bubble.

Let rest for a good 30 minutes before slicing. The longer the better for best slicing and serving, if you can wait that long!

Notes

*This will make two small 8" pies. Or 1 large deep dish 9" pie with a little leftover filling.
**Leftover filling can be used in omelets, made into puff pastry turnovers/"hot pockets", or individual, snack-sized, mini "pot pies" in greased muffin tins using biscuit dough. (Press one biscuit into muffin tin, fill with filling, top with second biscuit, and bake according to biscuit directions.)