Kimbrough: Cooking in Mason jars not as fun as it looks
I realize I’m dating myself, but I actually remember when burlap bags stored feed for my grandfather’s cows. Today, trendy burlap, available in basic brown and a variety of designer colors, is often the fabric of choice for weddings, living room curtains and craft projects from A-Z.
Likewise, my practical grandmother would be shocked to learn Mason jars, the utilitarian receptacle for jelly and vegetables, serve as glassware at fancy events. And, they’re being placed in the oven, filled with everything from bacon and eggs to chocolate soufflé and almost every dish in between.
Despite its humble origins, I’ve used burlap to make table runners, wreaths and decorations for special events. And I’ve scoured antique shops for rare blue Mason jars to pair with my grandmother’s canning stash. Dressed with burlap ribbons and antique buttons and filled with flowers, they’ve helped create memorable tablescapes.
My most recent foray into the land of burlap and Mason jars came last week. My friends and I decided to step up our tailgating game in preparation for Southern Miss’ homecoming game. Using a template from the Internet, I cut pendants in black and gold burlap and strung them along a cord of rope, another trendy relic from the past. I’ll use the same template to create fall or harvest burlap pendants in colors of burnt orange and gold.
To complete the tailgate-scape, I painted black and gold stripes, polka dots and other designs on clear Mason jars. Sunflowers and matching ribbons hot-glued to the neck completed the festive look. Strung along a rope along the exterior of our tent and filled with tea lights, they lit up the night with a black and gold glow.
But back to baking in Mason jars. The Internet and in particular, Pinterest — that plethora of craft and cooking ideas, is filled with recipes for creating unique recipes and baking in jars. While salads stacked in layers of green, orange and yellow or breakfast parfaits of blueberries, peaches, yogurt and granola look pretty in the glistening jars, the process seemed a little tedious. But after finding a site with recipes for baked-in-Mason-Jar lasagna, shepherd’s pie, macaroni and cheese, chicken cordon bleu and chicken pot pie, it was time to get out my jars.
Chicken pot pie, with a golden crust circling the rim of the Mason jar, looked the most inviting. I rolled out the crust and lined each jar, poured in the chicken and vegetable filling made earlier on the stovetop, and painstakingly created a perfect tiny crust top for each jar.
The end result was delicious, fun to eat and — for lack of a better description — cute. But I can’t say I’d recommend the time-intensive project to those intent on getting dinner on the table in a hurry. Unlike my burlap banner and glowing Mason jars, baking in jars is one project that’s better left to Pinterest.
Email Kara Kimbrough at kkprco@yahoo.com.
Easy Chicken Pot Pie,
Sans Mason Jar
1 box refrigerated pie crusts
3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
13/4cups chicken broth (from 32-ounce carton)
1/2 cup milk
1 package frozen peas and carrots, thawed and cooked to microwave directions
1/2 package frozen onions, thawed and cooked to microwave directions
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Bake one pie crust as directed on box using 9-inch glass pie pan.
In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour and Mrs. Dash until well blended; continue stirring until mixture is slightly browned. Add onions; cook, stirring frequently, until tender. Gradually stir in broth and milk, cooking and stirring until thickened. Last, stir in chicken and vegetables and mix well, then remove from heat.
Spoon chicken mixture into crust-lined pie pan. Top with second crust; seal edges well and flute. Cut small slits in top crust. For more golden crust, brush with beaten egg.
Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown. During last 20 minutes of baking, cover edge of crust with strips of foil to prevent excessive browning.
Let stand 5 minutes before serving.