Someone you know may be in the middle of a Dry January pledge and abstaining from all alcohol from Jan. 1-31.
A campaign that originated in the United Kingdom, Dry January means having absolutely no alcohol throughout the month. Those who stick to their pledge should begin February with less dependence on alcohol and be better able to cut back on alcohol consumption in the months ahead.
Healthwise, it means being able to sleep better, losing some weight, strengthening your immune system, lowering blood sugar and having better-looking skin. Financially it means saving the money you would have spent on alcohol.
While some abstain from alcohol this month, others are cutting back on their food intake after overindulging during the winter holidays. Anything you do for your overall health is a good thing, although cutting back on both alcohol and food might not work for everyone. We need a little indulgence now and then, making this a good time to try a recipe you have tucked away and always wanted to make. If you don’t have one of those, here is a recipe from allrecipes.com to help you get through one of the coldest months of the year:
¼ cup butter
1 small onion, chopped
3 medium celery ribs, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
⅔ cup frozen peas
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups lower-sodium chicken broth
⅔ cup half-and-half cream
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
3 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
1 (16.3-ounce) can refrigerated flaky-style biscuits (such as Pillsbury Grands)
1 large egg yolk, beaten
1 tablespoon water
1. Gather your ingredients and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Stir in peas, flour, parsley and thyme and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour coats the vegetables and begins to fry, about 5 minutes.
4. Whisk in chicken broth and half-and-half, and cook until the sauce is thick and bubbling. Stir in cooked chicken, and season with salt and pepper.
5. Transfer chicken, vegetables and sauce to a 7 x 11-inch baking dish. Arrange biscuits on top of the filling.
6. Beat egg yolk with water in a small bowl. Brush mixture over the biscuits.
7. Bake in the preheated oven until the biscuits are golden brown and the pie filling is bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
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