Pot Pies and Chicken Chow Mein

11/25/2013

A blog about pot pies?  Seriously?  I have always been what Jeff and I refer to as a cheap date.  Meaning that it doesn't take mega dollars to make me happy, which is a good thing.  I enjoy, and always have, the little things and the inexpensive things, which brings me to pot pies.

Growing up I'm sure Mom bought pot pies for dinner during a lean economic period and I am also quite sure that we kids revolted at having to eat those pies.  So fast forward 46 or so years and guess what I'm picking up every week at WalMart?  If you guessed pot pies you'd be a winner. And I'm not talking about the high end pot pies which cost several dollars a box.  Nope, I'm really satisfied with Banquet pot pies that cost roughly 80 cents a box.  There is even a selection: turkey, chicken or beef.  Oh and to round out your meal, Banquet also sells fruit pies and for the price and the minimal effort needed, are also pretty good.  

When I was growing up, and again during a lean financial period, Mom would fix us canned Chicken Chow Mein.  Unfortunately, this same product is still being offered today, but I assure you will never land in my grocery cart, either by accident or on purpose.  I remember those two cans which are taped together being warmed up and served over the crunchy noodles.  Getting this food down was never easy nor was it the least bit enjoyable.  That may be the reason I have never served it to my family and never will.  The top can has the veggies and the bottom can has the chicken and "gravy".  The fact that this product is still being sold is surely some kind of testament that people, probably millions of them, use this product to feed their families.  I understand.  

I didn't eat real Asian food until I was an adult partly due to the memory of that food in a can.  I was leery of all Asian food fearing that I would receive a dish similar to something served to me as a child.  I'm glad I finally went outside of the box, because the food I'm eating today has nothing even remotely similar to the canned food. Thank goodness.

It's Monday and a short week with most everyone, except retail people, having Friday off.  Good news is that you generally don't have to cook on Friday - you can live on leftovers!

P