Hey Stephie — yes, you, Stephie of Stephie Cooks! Surprise and happy virtual bridal shower day! We hope this collection of recipes and well wishes brightens your Monday and helps celebrate you. You deserve every bit of it.
I’ve said it before: I love Stephie. She was my first true friend in the blogging world. Meeting her on a blind friend date to meet Joy the Baker was one of the best decisions I ever made. When you tell most people you’re a blogger, you often get a puzzled look, so having someone who truly understands and supports what you do makes all the difference.
Stephie has been my sounding board, my go-to for blog venting, a teacher, and most importantly, a friend. We bonded over cooking and baking — she convinced me to try baking seriously, including starting a sourdough starter. Mine didn’t survive my neglect, but hers, affectionately named Methuselah, thrived. We’ve had sleepovers, cooking sessions, and countless emoji-filled conversations. I seriously adore this woman.
When we first met, Stephie was struggling through a rough dating phase. We hashed it out over sweet potato fries more times than I can count. Fortunately, she moved past that difficult time and met Alex. They fell in love, moved in together, and got engaged — I couldn’t be happier for them.
Life isn’t always easy, but having someone who understands and lifts you up matters. For Stephie, that person is Alex. To celebrate them, a group of us contributed recipes for this virtual shower.
I wanted to create a dish that speaks to both of them: bacon cheddar pie crust for Alex, who loves hearty meat flavors, and a rich buffalo-chicken filling with blue cheese for Stephie, the pie-crust pro. This recipe takes some effort, but if you split the work across a couple of days it becomes very manageable and absolutely worth it.
Below are the other lovely contributors celebrating Stephie — please join me in sending best wishes as their wedding day approaches.
The Cooking Actress – Chocolate Shoofly Pie with Pecan Whole Wheat Crust
Girl Versus Dough – Mini Meyer Lemon Coconut Scones
Sarcastic Cooking – Mini Buffalo Blue Cheese Chicken Pot Pies
The Roasted Root – Sweet Potato Rounds with Guacamole and Bacon
A Cedar Spoon – Strawberry Mint Mascarpone Crostini with Lemon Honey Drizzle
Very Culinary – White Chocolate Raspberry Parfaits
Rachel Cooks – Broccoli and Bacon Beer Cheese Dip
Bluebonnet Baker – Maple Bourbon Balls
Nutmeg Nanny – Broccoli Bacon Salad
Laura’s Mess – Spiced Apple and Buttermilk Cake
Seaweed and Sassafras – Herb and Cheese Scones
Stetted – Meyer Lemon Meringue Pie
All Day I Dream About Food – Chocolate Fudge Crumb Bars
Dessert for Two – Mini Lemon Cakes
Foodie with Family – Smoked Salmon Cucumber Pizza
Enjoy the recipe below — it’s a comforting, flavorful twist on classic pot pie, perfect for sharing or serving at a special gathering.
Mini Buffalo Blue Chicken Pot Pies with Bacon Cheddar Crust
Ingredients
- For the Crust:
- 4 Slices Cooked and Chopped Bacon
- 2 ½ Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Tablespoon Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Cup Cold Unsalted Butter cubed
- 1 Cup Coarsely Grated Cheddar Cheese
- ½ Cup Buttermilk, plus 1 Tbsp
- For the Filling:
- 4 Large Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- ¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper
- ¼ Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- ½ Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- ¼ Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ¼ Teaspoon Onion Powder
- 2 Celery Stalks diced
- 2 Carrots peeled and diced
- 2 Green Onions chopped
- 1/3 Cup Unsalted Butter
- 1/3 Cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 ¼ Cups Low-Sodium Chicken Stock
- ½ Cup Milk
- ½ Cup Frank’s Buffalo Sauce
- ½ Cup Crumbled Blue Cheese
- 1 Large Egg beaten
Instructions
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For the crust: whisk flour, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the cold, cubed butter into the flour until pea-sized pieces remain. Stir in cheddar cheese and chopped cooked bacon.
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Add the buttermilk and stir with a wooden spoon until a wet, sticky dough forms. Turn the dough onto a heavily floured surface, press into a disk, and divide into four equal portions. Form each portion into a flat disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
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For the filling: combine the dry seasonings in a small bowl and season both sides of the chicken. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium and cook the chicken 10–15 minutes, turning once, until cooked through. Transfer to a plate and lower the heat.
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Add the butter to the skillet. While it melts, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces with two forks.
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Add diced celery and carrots and sauté for about 3 minutes, keeping the vegetables slightly crisp. Stir in the flour and cook 2 minutes to form a roux.
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Slowly whisk in the chicken stock and milk. Increase heat to medium and cook until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Stir in the buffalo sauce, then add the shredded chicken back to the pan and mix to combine.
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll one chilled dough portion as thin as possible (about 1/8 inch). Use a ramekin as a guide and cut a circle slightly larger than the ramekin. Line the ramekin with one dough circle, add 2–3 ladles of filling, sprinkle a generous pinch of blue cheese, then top with the second dough circle. Cut a slit in the top, brush with beaten egg, and crimp the edges to seal.
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Place assembled pot pies on a baking sheet and bake 35 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.
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Let cool 5–7 minutes before serving. Enjoy!