CHICKEN POT PIE THROWDOWN 2016

Just what happens when you feed a man a Chicken Pot Pie every day consecutively for a week ?

I wouldn't know, took me a bit longer than that.

Pictured above is a Marie Callendar's Pot Pie.

Like many comfort Foods and SPAM I indulge in these items on a fairly annual basis but the Pot Pie bug bit me after hearing two stories in one day. Caroline spoke of ordering one from Chicken Delight sparking my interest and I also heard that my friend Kenny had his Pot Pie stolen from him by a raccoon from his backyard which to us who know Kenny this could only happen to him.

Cristina gifted me a Marie Collander's Chicken Pot Pie and at $5.99 it is in the upper echelon of frozen fare foods but this was noticeably greater in weight than the "others" that I was raised on (Swanson, Banquet).

Part of the fancy schmancy cooking directions was to wrap the outer edge crust with aluminum foil, I am surmising this was to give it a crispier texture which it did achieve.

The Green Peas were snappier and more freshly flavorful than my previous experience with frozen fare and the Chicken was also superior being of my beloved white meat variety.

Marie Collander triumphs over Swanson and Banquet but I am not surprised. Next on the list is Swanson and Banquet to give them a fair trial.

7/31/16 - Swanson - The one I was raised on since the age of I cannot remember.

The Chicken, Carrots and Potatoes are of an inferior level to Marie Collander's but only just, it will be harder to differentiate between Swanson and Banquet however as they are quite similar as I recall.

The Peas are a lot less snappier and probably thigh meat for the Chicken. The outer Crust lining is just as I recall and unlike M.C's preparation process no extra foil is needed to fancy things up as this is just fine and quite succulent on its own. As a matter of fact this whole Pie is pretty much Crust in its own quite comforting and yummy way. Could probably consume about three of these to be truly full in the belly but this brings me right back to Lunch period from my childhood.

Swanson shall always have a special place in my heart as I am quite sure it was the first Pot Pie I ever experienced.

8/12/16 - Banquet - The package boasts 20% more Chicken but this looks very much of the dark kind, not that matters tremendously as a Pot Pie to my knowledge was never recipe wise traditionally of the "white meat" kind and I can even imagine that Pot Pies were made from leftovers at the beginning of their history.

I was raised on Banquet Pot Pies maybe a decade or so later in my history so this is a long time friend, here we go.

General consensus is I cannot differentiate between a Swanson and a Banquet, might have to have a blind taste test in the future. Not Gourmet but totally munchable "what I grew up on" frozen fare.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

BANQUET CHICKEN POT PIE

Some Foods bring us back yet stay with us for life. I grew up on a diet of Swanson Chicken Pot Pie and the Banquet brand is very closely identical, Swanson Pot Pie's seem absent at my Supermarket and these were on sale for 99 cents a pop. 

Piping Hot so give her five minutes to cool down and also create a chimney (see photo above) to induce heat reduction. As a child I used to dip Bread & Butter into the Gravy to Sop up the excess. My only critique is that it is over all too fast, once you start going you are on the last Bite, better make 2 or 3 then. Still Delicious and who does not like a Pot Pie ?

I am tempted to try the Fruit Pies but how can I when I can have a Chicken or Turkey Pot Pie, also possibly my Favorite, The Beef Pot Pie which has also become scarce.

The Microwave is for Leftovers stored in Tupperware, I will always go the Conventional Oven route.

BANQUET FOODS/CONAGRA WEBSITE

BANQUET DINNERS (Frozen)

These Pot Pies are Always quite good, maybe a step under Swanson's brand but my local Walbdbaum's supermarket does not see to carry the Swanson Pot Pies. Over in maybe 6 or 7 bites. I miss the Hungry Man Pot Pies of yore but we are speaking on the Frozen Food plain.

In all her glory with Chicken Gravy evident.

1/16/14 - Banquet Turkey Meal

This is kind of Not Good, Taters and Peas are OK but even after adding a decent amount of "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" Margarine/Butter it still was not saved. The turkey is two slices of maybe some kind of Turkey Roll and I need a knife to cut through it (I do not know if this is good or bad). There is Stuffing included under the Turkey and Gravy but not much of it (maybe one tablespoon) and it is addressed as "Dressing" on the outer packaging, OK I suppose they are technically right. 

I will stick to the Meatloaf/Salisbury Steak Dinners from now on in.

BANQUET FOODS ONLINE