Happy Mother's Day

Mother's Day is a day set aside to honor mothers, and motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, most commonly in spring.
Today is a chance to take time to thank mom for her influence on your life's journey.  

If you are a motherless daughter today there are some ways to keep your mother's memory alive. 

• Share stories and anecdotes about your mother.
• Wear your mother's favorite color -- piece of clothing, nail polish, etc.
• Remember your mother's best advice and wisest sayings, follow and share.
• Prepare your mother's favorite recipes, and keep her in your head and your heart as you are making the dishes and serving them.
•  Write something -- a poem, a song, a recollection -- about your mother.
• Perform an act of kindness to honor your mother.
• Give to a charity in memory of your mother.

My mother liked to cook,try new recipes and with eight of us she got in lots of practice. She liked to try out some of her recipes in advance for upcoming bridge groups. One of her signature dishes was Chicken Pot Pie in Puff Pastry Shells.

We were always fascinated watching these shells puff up in the oven and then watch mom carefully remove the gooey circle from the center marked T for top and set aside. 

In honor of my mother I am posting her signature recipe with a few tweaks of my own.

Chicken Pot Pie in Puff Pastry Shells
Ingredients:

• 4 cups cooked chicken or turkey chopped
• 1 small sweet onion chopped
• (8 oz.) package of white mushrooms
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup low sodium chicken broth 
• 1 cup frozen baby peas thawed
• 1 cup matchstick carrots
• ½ cup flour
• 1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
• ¾ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• ½ tsp. dried tarragon
• 1 TB. parsley
• 1 TB. chives
• ¼ tsp. dry mustard
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated
• 1-1/2 cups light cream
• 2 TB. butter
• 1 (17.2 oz.) package frozen puff pastry shells

Directions:

• In a large skillet melt butter and sauté mushrooms, onions, pepper and carrots till tender
• Stir flour into chicken broth, whisk to blend, then add to mushroom mixture with cream, peas, spices and Parmesan cheese 
• Cook on low heat till thick and bubbly
• Stir in wine, turkey or chicken and peas-keep mixture warm while preparing pastry 
• Follow directions for prepared puff pastry shells, remove circle marked top
• Fill shells and place top over chicken mixture 

Mary Oliver has written a lovely poem that seemed fitting for today.

‘The Journey’ by Mary Oliver

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice – – -
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
‘Mend my life!’
each voice cried.
But you didn’t stop.

You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations – – -
though their melancholy
was terrible. It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.

But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice,
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do – – – determined to save
the only life you could save.

Happy Mother's Day