Chicken Pot Pie with Celery Seed Pastry

This recipe goes out to April, who asked me to post it when I showed this picture on Facebook. The celery seed crust is SO YUMMY, and gives it a very distinct flavor. This has been a favorite since childhood.

CHICKEN POT PIE
1/3 cup margarine, butter or chicken fat
1/3 cup all-purpose flour*
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 3/4 cups chicken or turkey broth
2/3 cup milk
2 cups cut-up cooked chicken or turkey
1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas and carrots
          Celery Seed Pastry (below)

Heat margarine over low heat until melted. Blend in flour, onion, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in broth and milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in chicken and frozen vegetables; reserve.

Prepare Celery Seed Pastry. Roll 2/3 of pastry into 13-inch square on lightly floured cloth-covered board. Ease pastry into square pan, 9x9x2 inches; pour chicken filling into pastry-lined pan. Roll remaining dough into 11-inch square; place over filling. Roll edges under; flute. Cut slits in center to allow steam to escape. Cook uncovered in 425 degree oven until crust is brown, 30 to 35 minutes.
6 SERVINGS.

CELERY SEED PASTRY
2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons shortening or 2/3 cup lard
2 cups all-purpose flour*
2 teaspoons celery seed
1 teaspoon salt
4 to 5 tablespoons water

Cut shortening into flour, celery seed and salt until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons water can be added if necessary). Gather pastry into ball.

*If using self-rising flour, omit salt.

(Recipe taken from Betty Crocker's Cookbook, 1978)

My Tips:

• I always double the recipe and bake it in a 9x13x4 inch pan. This way there are plenty of leftovers.
• I use a little extra water in the crust to make it easier to roll out and hold together better.
• I prepare my crust first. I put the bottom crust in the pan, and roll the top crust out, so all I have to do after the filling is prepared is pour it in, and put on the crust.
• It calls for frozen peas and carrots. I prefer frozen mixed vegetables, as this adds more flavor. I usually buy the kind that has peas, carrots, green beans, corn, Lima beans, etc.