So normally I photograph meals mainly for my own visual record, not because I am especially (or at all) good at taking pictures or because I do anything special with plating or whatnot.

Last night, however, I really wish I had taken a picture of dinner because it was so freaking adorable.

While skimming through Sally Schneider's Improvisational Cook, I came across a recipe for a deconstructed chicken potpie. However. her potpie base- a pureed root vegetable soup with added stock and cream- while likely healthful, seemed like a ton of work. So instead I made some of her I Can't Believe There's Not More Butter Here pastry early in the day and put it in the fridge. Then later, I caramelized two small onions. Then I sprinkled them with flour and slowly stirred in some chicken broth. Then as it started to thicken, I added plenty of heavy cream and let simmer. When it was nearly dinner time, I rolled out the pastry dough and cut it into two big disks and then cut the scraps into stars with a cookie cutter. I baked these until golden and added leftover roast chicken and frozen peas to the simmering onion base and seasoned with salt and pepper.

Then I poured the chicken mixture into low, broad soup bowls and topped with the pastry disks. I put the golden stars on top of that. It was as good as any potpie I have ever made, if not better, and a fraction of the work.