Chicken Potpie

Today's recipe is originally from Best Simple Recipes magazine, but came to me from a friend.  We were discussing meals to prepare ahead of time and keep in the freezer and she said she'd just read an article (with recipes) about that very topic.  The next day she brought me a photocopied page from the magazine and it's been in my recipe box since. 

In all honesty, however, I've never frozen this pie.  The recipe is designed to feed one small-ish family, twice.  For our large family, two pies are necessary for a meal, although we always have leftovers.  I'm including the freezing directions for anyone that wants to try it, and I do intend to buy a couple of foil pie plates so I can freeze a couple of pies for those days when I don't have the time/patience/fortitude to face cooking a big dinner, but we need something substantial. 

Chicken Potpie
Each pie serves 6 according to the recipe, although I always cut them into 8 slices, as I would with fruit pie.

4 C cooked, cubed chicken
4 C frozen Southern-style hash browns, thawed (the small cubes, not the shredded kind)
16 oz frozen mixed veggies, thawed and drained
1 10 3/4 oz can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 10 3/4 oz can cream of onion soup, undiluted
1 C milk
1 C (8 oz) sour cream
2 T all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 package, 15 oz, refrigerated pie crust (2 crusts in a box)

In a large bowl, combine the first 11 ingredients.  Divide between two 9 in deep dish pie plates.  Roll out pastry to fit the top of each pie, cover ingredients in pie plate.  Cut vents in the crust, then trim, seal and flute edges as desired.

Cover and freeze one pie for up to 3 months.  Cover and bake the other pie at 400 degrees for 35 - 40 minutes or until golden brown.

To use frozen pie: Cover edges loosely with foil; place on a baking sheet.  Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350; remove foil and bake 50 - 55 minutes longer or until golden brown.

Personal notes: 
* I never, ever, thaw the veggies.  I always intend to, but I never get around to starting dinner until it's too late and they don't have a chance to thaw.  This has never been a problem for me.
*I've made this with a bottom crust, too and it's quite good.  It's really a personal preference, just remember to buy or make twice as much crust if you're going to want bottom crusts, too.
*Always put a cookie sheet on the next shelf down in the oven - this drips like crazy and no one likes the smell of food burning to the bottom of the oven.
*Because this is made to be frozen, I think it would be a perfect food to take to a neighbor or friend, someone sick, mourning the loss of a loved one, experiencing the mind-numbing, though thoroughly wonderful, exhaustion of a new baby or just someone who could use a night off cooking.  Make the pie(s), copy the recipe, being sure to include freezing and baking instructions and deliver.  The recipient can bake them right away or freeze them for another night.  Easy peasy.