The collective mood.

                          
It's so interesting, this social media world.  Blogger... Twitter... Facebook... I've been connected to all three for over a year now, and one of things that I find most interesting is the 'collective mood' that is so transparent on any given day, week, month, season... even time of day.

I guarantee.  Monday's vibe is a mixture energy and lethargy.  Some folks rearing to go- refreshed and ready to take on the week.  Some lamenting the fact that Sunday is long gone... and Friday will not arrive for another 5 WHOLE DAYS.  Now, Friday on the other hand brings a slew of exclamation points, happy faces & "Likes"... a communal sigh of relief- far less bitterness, cynicism, and sarcasm.  And Saturday?  An all-around happy vibe.  People looooove their Saturdays.

...a general sense of peppiness in the mornin'... sluggishness in the midday... and by evening- an overall state of repose.  Fascinating how we all lead very different lives, but at the same time- we're all 'walking the same walk.'  

January is an interesting month.  Starts off with so much potential.  So many people to see.  Places to go.  Things to DO.  Posts & tweets galore of all of the above.  Yet, in a matter of weeks, the vibe changes.  Not for everyone.  Some are still in their euphoric New Year state of mind.  But for others {including myself, as well as many of my daily reads, twitter friends, FB pals...}, a bit of restlessness has set in.  Maybe it's just the winter blues- or a desire to make Big Changes (with not a clue as to where to start, or simply a lack of time & resources).  Lots of thinking, a little bit of wallowing (I'll admit), and unfortunately not enough doing.

Yep.  That's where I'm at this week.  As I work myself out of my pajamas the slump, and start tapping into all of that "early January potential"... I've armed myself with lots of cleaning supplies, a handful of books to read/films to view, and most importantly- a stack of really simple recipes.  And the one I'm about to share is actually on the cover of the current issue of REAL SIMPLE (a great one btw, & still in stores!) so it's simplicity goes without saying.  But better yet- it's hearty, delicious, and kid-friendly.  And who doesn't love a chicken pot pie... especially one that can be literally "thrown together" in a matter of minutes??  Without further ado~ this week's tried & true recipe... 
                      

{slow cooker} creamy chicken and mushroom pot pie

serves 4

8 oz cremini mushrooms, stems trimmed and halved if large
4 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8)
1 sheet puff pastry (half a 17.3 ounce package), thawed
1 cup frozen green beans
1/3 cup heavy cream
             
In a 4-6 quart slow cooker, mix together the mushrooms, carrots, onion, flour, thyme, bay leaf, and 1/2 cup water.  Pleace the chicken on top; season with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
             
Cover and cook until the chicken and vegetables are tender, on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.
   
Thirty minutes before serving, heat oven to 425.  Using a 4 1/2 inch cutter or other circular object, cut the pastry into 4 circles [no need to roll it out beforehand].  Place on a baking sheet and bake until golden, 8-10 minutes.
       
Ten minutes before serving, add the peas, green beans, cream, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the chicken mixture and stir to combine.  Cover and cook on high or low until heated through, 5-10 minutes more.  To serve, place the chicken mixture in bowls and top with the pastry rounds.


*COOK'S NOTES

• I used only 3- which was plenty- bone-in chicken thighs, discarded the skin before I placed the chicken in, shredded the chicken after adding the green beans, and returned to pot as I added the peas.
• I used fresh green beans and added them in about 45 minutes before serving (as opposed to 10).
• I used milk instead of cream, since I had it on-hand.  Worked fine, but not as "creamy".  Imagine that.  :).
• DO AHEAD: Pastry rounds can be made up to 1 day ahead.  Wrap airtight and store at room temperature.

Once again, Stephanie & I are on the same wavelength... in terms of "not wanting to get dressed" AND this week's recipe (mushroom cream sauce with garlic chicken cutlets~ with the cream sauce being the *star* of the show).  Thankfully I have chicken in the freezer... & this time, I most definitely will not omit the cream :).