Turkey Potpie — When the Craving Hits Before the Holiday Even Arrives

Election Day. Tuesday. I've already voted but the waiting is its own kind of labor — you push and you breathe and you wait and the result takes as long as it takes and there's nothing you can do but sit in the waiting room of democracy and trust the process. I watched the returns with Mama on the phone (she's at her apartment, watching on her TV, calling me every fifteen minutes with updates as if I'm not watching the same broadcast). Chloe stayed up until 10 PM — she wanted to know. "Who won?" she asked at 10. "Nobody yet," I said. "How is that POSSIBLE?" she said, because eight-year-olds believe in instant results and democracy does not deliver them.

The result took days. I won't get into the politics — that's not what this kitchen is for. But on Saturday, when it was called, Mama called and said: "Well. There it is." There it is. Lorraine Mitchell's entire political commentary, delivered in three words. There. It. Is.

Elijah is five months old next week. He's eating rice cereal like a professional now — the face-wearing ratio has improved to approximately 50% in mouth, 50% elsewhere, which in baby terms is Michelin-starred accuracy. He's also trying pureed sweet potato, which: orange. Jayden's influence on the baby's palate begins. The first vegetable Elijah accepts is orange. Jayden brought his face down to Elijah's level and said, "See? ORANGE. That's the best color." The indoctrination has begun.

Work is steady. The office is as busy as pre-pandemic — turns out people neglected their teeth during lockdown (shocking) and now everyone needs cleanings, fillings, the works. I'm booking out three weeks. The demand for dental hygiene has never been higher. Dr. Whitfield looks almost pleased, which for Dr. Whitfield means one corner of his mouth moved upward approximately one millimeter.

I made Thanksgiving-preview cornbread dressing. Just the dressing. Not the whole meal — just the dressing, because I had leftover cornbread and the craving hit and when the craving for Earline's dressing hits in early November, you don't fight it. You crumble the cornbread, you add the sage and celery and onion and broth, and you bake it and you eat it standing at the counter and you close your eyes and you're in Alabama and you're in Antioch and you're in Hermitage and you're everywhere the dressing has ever been, which is everywhere a Mitchell woman has ever stood.

That Saturday — when it was finally called, when Mama said “Well. There it is” and hung up — I needed something that felt like a full exhale, something that tasted like the holiday we were all already leaning toward. The cornbread dressing scratched one itch, but the rest of me wanted something with heft, with gravy, with a golden crust you could break open and let the steam out. This Turkey Potpie is exactly that: the whole Thanksgiving spirit, collapsed into a single dish, asking nothing of you but an hour and a deep enough pan. Earline would approve.

Turkey Potpie

Prep Time: 25 min | Cook Time: 45 min | Total Time: 1 hr 10 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 3/4 cups chicken or turkey broth
• 2/3 cup whole milk
• 2 1/2 cups cooked turkey, cubed
• 1 cup frozen peas and carrots, thawed
• 1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 1 package (14 oz) refrigerated pie crusts (2 crusts), or homemade double crust

Instructions

1. Preheat oven. Heat oven to 425°F. Let pie crusts stand at room temperature per package directions.
2. Make the filling. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3–4 minutes. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper until smooth and bubbling.
3. Build the gravy. Gradually whisk in broth and milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and comes to a gentle boil, about 5–7 minutes. Boil and stir 1 minute more.
4. Add the turkey and vegetables. Remove from heat. Stir in the cubed turkey, peas and carrots, and corn until evenly combined.
5. Assemble the pie. Fit one pie crust into an ungreased 9-inch pie plate. Pour the turkey filling into the crust. Top with the second crust; seal and flute the edges. Cut several small slits in the top crust to vent steam.
6. Bake. Bake at 425°F for 30–35 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling through the vents. If edges brown too quickly, cover loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
7. Rest before serving. Let the potpie stand for 5 minutes before cutting so the filling settles and slices cleanly.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 480 | Protein: 22g | Fat: 26g | Carbs: 38g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 620mg