Gluten-Free New Mom's Pity Party Pot Pie

Being a new parent is a wonderful experience, full of firsts...first smiles, first words, first stands, and the lesser talked about, first momements of feeling like you might just be losing it! Sleep deprivation coupled with other life complications (electrical permits that always seem to require one last tweek, cars needing new tires and so on and so forth) catches up with you now and then and takes its toll. Soon, but soon, I will be able to get outside and work in the dirt, the most relaxing and rewarding past time for me, but in the meantime I have been falling back on comfort food. Valentine's Day chocolate won't be able to sustain me forever,and therefore I am pulling out this wonderful, soul comforting dish that makes my house smell like a kind grandmother's and will fill my belly with nourishment right up to my heart. It's perfect for those moments when you find you're throwing yourself a pity party. It's simple enough that you can master it, yet tasty enough that you feel like you've accomplished something pretty special.

Speaking of special, my special diet means I am a pain in the neck to cook for, being gluten-free and meat-free. I'm always making substitutions in dishes. This one doesn't require that. The crust is an awesome flaky one based on one out of The Gluten-Free Gourmet by Bette Hagman (a very useful book for anyone cooking for a gluten-inotlerant)and the filling is easily gluten-free - just watch out for hidden gluten in the cream of mushroom soup! Most commercial brands do have flour in them! You can also add left-over chicken or pork to this recipe if you like, or use cream of chicken instead if you need a llittle heartier of a meal.

New Mom's Pity Party Pie
For the Crust:
1 cup Gluten Free Flour Mix
3/4 cup potato flour
3/4 cup cornstarch
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp crushed dried thyme
1 Tbsp sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 egg
1 Tbsp vinegar (I use homemade blackberry)
3 Tbsp cold water

Mix flours, cornstarch, xanthan gum,thyme and sugar in a medium sized bowl. In a seperate bowl, beat the egg with vinegar and water and set aside.

Cut the butter into the flour mix using a fork or pie-cutter. Slowly add the egg mixture, mixing as you add, until the dough starts to stick together. Keep mixing until all the flour has been taken into the ball - kneading doesn't hurt this recipe.

Divide into two balls. Cover and refrigerate for a half hour. Start on filling.

For the Filling:
1 potato (sweet, yukon or russet)*
2 carrots, chopped
3 stalks of celery
1/2 cup green peas
1/4 cup onion
1 can (10.75oz) cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp butter

Melt the butter in a large pan. Add the potato and cook until almost soft. Add the rest of the veggies and sautee until just soft. Turn off the heat, add the soup, sourcream and salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Get out your dough. Place one of the dough balls in the center of a lightly floured surface, sprinkle with additional flour and carefully roll out. Once you get the dough to the nessecary size, use a sharp knife to loosen half of the crust, fold in half, repeat so that you have it folded into quarters. Unfold into a 9" pie pan. Trim the edges so that they just reach the edge of your pie pan. Add the trimmed edges to the second ball. Prick the prepared pie crust several times on the bottom with a fork.

Fill with your yummy filling. Repeat the above process with the second dough ball. Trim the edges, and fold the bottom into the top, pressing lightly. Finish the edge the way you prefer...one simple way is to crimp with a fork. I pinch the edges in a wavy pattern, whatever way works.

Poke some airholes in the top of the crust. Bake on the lower rack of your oven for 20 minutes, then rotte and move to the top rack for an additional 8-10 minutes. If the edges of the crust are getting too dark cover them with foil.

Enjoy!

*You can use any veggies you want - your looking for about 4 cups of raw veggies. Keep in mind the different cooking times when sauteeing.