Dilled Chicken Pot Pie

I came across this recipe recently as I was going through some old gardening magazines.  It's  similar to our family favorite on this site except it's loaded with dill, instead of sage.  If you're like me, you may tend to shy away from using dill-I always think of pickles when I think of dill.  But it really added a nice delicate flavor.  The kids loved it!

Filling:

3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely diced celery
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1 small bay leaf
4 tablespoons flour
1-1/2 cups chicken stock
1-1/2 cups 2% milk
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups shredded or diced cooked chicken
3/4 pound diced cooked potatoes
1/2 pound diced cooked carrots
4 to 6 ounces cooked green peas
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill (or 1 tablespoon or more dry)

Biscuits:

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cold butter or vegetable
shortening or a combination
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons chopped dill (or 1 tablespoon dry)

Melt the butter over low heat in a large saucepan.  Add the celery, onion, and bay leaf; cover and cook about 10 minutes, or until vegetables are soft.  You'll want to give it a stir occasionally.  Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables, stir well to incorporate, then cook for about 5 minutes.  Add the chicken stock and milk; cook the sauce over medium-low heat until thickened, about 10 minutes.  Be sure to stir occasionally to prevent burning.  Remove the bay leaf and add salt and pepper.  Stir in the chicken, potatoes, carrots, peas, and dill.  Keep the filling warm while you make the biscuit dough.  For the biscuits, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.  Make a well in the center and cut in the butter/shortening with a pastry blender.  Add the milk and dill and stir with a fork until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl.  Transfer the chicken filling to a 3-quart ovenproof casserole.  Drop the dough over the filling with a large spoon, spacing evenly, to make 6 biscuits.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until biscuits are lightly browned and filling is bubbly.  Serve hot.