Comfort food reaches new heights with this veggie-laden Shepherd's Pie

I always wondered what might happen. Then I didn’t have to wonder any more. A tummy bug laid me low for the weekend—my usual prime time for cooking and blog-readying. Too yucky-feeling to lift more than a finger, I was panicked. This was zero hour for stirring things up in the kitchen, yet there I lay, stretched out on the sofa, dishrag-limp. Plus I needed some mild comfort food to try to digest for my own well-being.

Hubby to the rescue—as always. My wonder-spouse who cheerfully dashes off to the grocery at the last minute to ferry home obscure missing ingredients so I can cook some blog item stepped up to the plate (pun intended?) He’d make some of the dishes I had had on my weekend wish list! Bless him!

No better food could have existed than Shepherd’s Pie, with the recipe furnished by a recent Kroger grocery circular. It was just what the doc ordered for my recovering system—and it contained some wondrous fresh veggies that helped make it a meal-in-one.

Carrots and onion wedges roasted in olive oil in a 425-degree oven until they were tender (Hubby says 20-25 minutes wasn’t quite long enough; he went for about 35). Then the meat mixture (we subbed ground turkey), its seasonings, cornstarch, and broth simmered in a skillet until thickened; the roasted veggies stirred into that. Atop all was a layer of mashed potatoes, which can be ready-made, leftover, or instant. In our case hubby found in the veggie bin several potatoes he needed to use up. Nothing makes him jollier than being caught in the act of preventing food wastage.

Hubby muttered a little about the logistics of the assembly process (his tendency would be to get all ingredients neatly lined up on the counter first, whereas I would just fling them from the shelf as needed). But after he got in the groove, he kinda found himself having fun—and took pride in the finished product. (A future foods blogger in the making?)

Shepherd’s Pie was soothing and flavorful—best of all, in this case, it was prepared by someone else, which says something about the relative ease of this recipe. Meat and potatoes—a true guy-thing that warmed this gal’s heart.

Shepherd’s Pie

3 carrots, cut in 1- or 2-inch pieces

1 onion, half-diced and half cut in rough wedges

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt (or salt substitute), pepper, and dried Italian herbs, to taste

1 pound ground beef (I used ground turkey)

1 garlic clove, minced

1 1/4 cups beef broth

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1 cup frozen peas

3 cups mashed potatoes (ready-made, leftover, or instant)

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Place carrots and onion wedges in baking dish; toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and herbs. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes or until fork-tender. Meanwhile brown the ground beef, diced onion, and garlic in a large skillet. Drain excess fat. Combine beef broth, cornstarch, Worcestershire sauce, and spices in a separate bowl. Pour liquid over meat; simmer over medium heat until rich and bubbly. If desired chop roasted vegetables into smaller pieces. Add peas and roasted vegetables to meat mixture; pour into a casserole dish. Top with prepared mashed potatoes. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until potatoes are golden brown. Serves 6.

Bucket (or Birthday) List includes old-fashioned favorite with healthy veggies inside

If Hubby had a Last Meal plugged into his bucket list, it would, of course, be Chicken Pot Pie. So in planning what dish would be a fitting finale to his birthday “season” which concluded this week with, finally, the Big Day, the choice was a no-brainer—Chicken Pot Pie, except this time I went for the gold. Southern Living recently featured a pot-pie recipe that was to be cooked “Mama’s Way”—usually this means from scratch as opposed to “Your Way”, which might contain convenience foods and other time-savers to prepare the recipe. Mama’s Way was a little time-consuming but worth it.

It involved making a two-crust pie crust recipe (my standby, “Easy Pie Crust” from my Way Back in the Country cookbook). With this ready I prepared the stuffing: leeks sauted in butter and then removed, with flour and broth added to the base to make a creamy sauce. Into the sauce went matchstick carrots, the sautéed leeks, shredded chicken, fresh parsley, and frozen cubed hash browns with onions and peppers. Once the top pastry crust was added and edges sealed and fluted, a wash of egg and water was brushed on the top to ensure good browning. Headed into the oven the pot pie looked as though it had the potential for being awesome, but time (almost a full hour of baking, actually) would tell.

All I can say is, Hubby was one happy camper when the entree for his Birthday Supper was brought forth and set in front of him. He’d never had a Chicken-Pot Pie that called for leeks and fresh parsley; he believed that these definitely made the difference in creating a tasty pie.

Hubby was ready to turn 65 all over again just so he could have this dish. Dynamite!

Double-Crust Chicken Pot Pie

1/2 cup butter

2 medium leeks, sliced

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 (14.5-ounce) can reduced-sodium chicken broth (or homemade broth)

3 cups chopped cooked chicken

1 1/2 cups frozen cubed hash browns with onions and peppers

1 cup matchstick carrots

1/3 cup chopped parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt (or salt substitute)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

ingredients for 1 (2-crust) pie recipe

1 large egg (or 1/4 cup egg substitute)

1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large skillet over medium heat melt butter; add leeks, and sauté 3 minutes. Sprinkle with flour; cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Whisk in chicken broth; bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Remove from heat; stir in chicken and next 5 ingredients. Roll out pie crust; fit 1 crust into a 9-inch deep dish pie plate; spoon chicken mixture into pastry. Place remaining pastry sheet over filling in opposite direction of bottom sheet; fold edges under, and press with tines of a fork to seal. Whisk together egg (or egg substitute) and water; brush over top of pie. Bake at 375 degrees on lower oven rack for 55 to 60 minutes or until browned. Let stand 15 minutes. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Hug-in-a-bowl stew contains all the flavors of the holidays

Calling it a "hug in a bowl" is not far from wrong. We needed a big hug; this meal filled the bill.

Having emergency eye surgery definitely wasn't on our to-do list for the week before Christmas. But when a specialist told Hubby "do not pass go" until you get a retinal tear repaired pronto, those seemingly urgent to-do lists became nonessential very quickly. We rearranged our schedules, spent two straight days sitting in out-of-state doctors' office waiting rooms, and got it done.

Bottom line: Hubby emerged from some hellacious surgery pain-free, side-effects free, and with a potentially dangerous eye problem eradicated without a minute to spare. Thanks to the miracle of lasers which performed a retinal spot-weld, his vision should experience no further difficulties. Side bonus: all the waiting-room sitting on my part gave me plenty of time to finish stitching a Christmas stocking for a new grandboy. I certainly got the better end of that deal.

Once back home, we feasted on a soothing meal I earlier had ready to start in the slow-cooker: Turkey, Sweet Potato, and Cranberry Stew. The headline on this recipe from Prevention magazine tub-thumped this by saying, "Conjure up the holidays! Cranberries and ginger give this turkey stew a sweet-tour tang." We felt hugged as we dined on this absolutely marvelous concoction that was a Christmas dinner in miniature. And since Hubby loves nothing better than ANY recipe containing sweet potatoes, the trauma of the past few days was totally assuaged as this stew went down.

As we feasted on it, we counted our blessings for the priceless and oft-taken-for-granted gift of vision.

Turkey, Sweet Potato, and Cranberry Stew

3 pounds turkey drumsticks, skin removed

1 small onion, diced

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup chicken broth

1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

1/2 cup dried cranberries

2 tablespoons flour

In large slow cooker combine turkey, onion, honey, vinegar, ginger, salt, pepper, and broth. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours. Add potatoes and cranberries. Cook until potatoes are tender, 45 minutes more. Remove turkey and pull meat from bones. Pour one-quarter of the liquid into small pot and whisk in flour until smooth. Slowly whisk in remaining liquid. Toss meat, potatoes, and cranberries with gravy and reheat if necessary.

Who doesn't need a little comfort in December? This soup is a true December blessing

Who doesn’t need a little comfort this time of year? Without besmirching in any way the true meaning of the season, the honest truth is most adult women (a lot of men, as well) in America are bedraggled at about this point in Christmas Month. "Pulling off" Christmas is nothing if not taxing to the adults in the average American family. On this particular December day, with the finish line only 10 days away, the prospects of finishing well (or finishing at all) sometimes can seem dim.

This recipe for Spinach, Chicken, and Wild Rice Soup brings a little comfort to the forefront to the battle-weary. Toss all ingredients (and "all" includes lots of healthy items) into a slow cooker and be on about your to-do list. Seven to eight hours later, dinner is served. Your family is provided for. And you've done nothing except put yourself in a position to receive accolades.

Better Homes and Gardens website provided this gem of a recipe some years back. I've loved it ever since and prepared it when the need was the greatest. This time of year qualifies. With Spinach, Chicken, and Wild Rice Soup, hatching up something healthy for dinner doesn't have to add to my frustrations.

Spinach, Chicken, and Wild Rice Soup

3 cups water

1 (14-ounce) can reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can reduced-fat and reduced-sodium condensed cream of chicken soup

2/3 cup uncooked wild rice, rinsed and drained

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 cups cooked and chopped chicken or turkey

2 cups shredded fresh spinach

In a slow cooker combine the water, broth, cream of chicken soup, uncooked wild rice, thyme, and pepper. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 7 to 8 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 1/2 to 4 hours. To serve stir in chicken and spinach. Makes (6 1 1/2 cup) servings.

Maturing of the taste buds paved the way for enjoying Chicken Pot Pie

Never too late for the taste buds to mature, I say. In my childhood, youth, young- and even middle-adulthood, the idea of Chicken Pot Pie sounded like the idea of eating dirt. I couldn't imagine throwing veggies, chicken, and a sauce together and topping it with a biscuit. The dish was one of Hubby's favorites; a few random times in our marriage I grudgingly made it for him, but I'd pop some fish sticks into the oven on the side so I wouldn't have to eat Chicken Pot Pie myself at the upcoming meal. Putting things mildly, to me Chicken Pot Pie was gross.

I remember the day things changed for the better. The occasion was Hubby's birthday a few years back; I wanted to make him a special dinner but didn't have time to race to the grocery. I had to use ingredients I had on hand. A recipe for Chicken Pot Pie rose to the surface. Of necessity I prepared it. For reasons I can't explain, suddenly I saw this dish in a different light. It looked healthy and soothing every bit like the comfort food it was. That night I didn't fix my side entree so I could sneak myself option; I served myself Chicken Pot Pie. Delicious! Why had I been depriving myself of this great dish?

The rest is history. Not long ago the Chickasaw Nation Nutrition Services, one of my greatest sources of recipes, provided the following recipe that brims with fresh veggies. If Hubby liked Chicken Pot Pie, he'd adore one prepared from a recipe card provided by "his people" (remember that Hubby is a citizen and elder of the Chickasaw Nation). This time it's my upcoming birthday, and not Hubby's, we're celebrating, but I can't think of a better birthday meal to get ready for myself. I'm thankful for the maturing of the taste buds that broadened my horizons to include this wonderful food.

Chicken Pot Pie

2 cups low-fat bakery mix (tried with low-fat Bisquick)

1/2 cup fat-free milk

1/4 cup fat-free egg product

2 (10 3/4-ounce) cans reduced sodium cream of chicken soup

1 cup fat-free milk

3 cups cooked chicken, shredded

2 cups fresh cooked mixed vegetables (corn, okra, green beans, green peas, etc., whatever you have on hand)

1/4 teaspoon celery seed

1/4 teaspoon paprika

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl stir bakery mix, eggs, and 1/2 cup milk to make biscuit topping. Set aside. In saucepan on medium-high heat combine cream of chicken soup, 1 cup fat-free milk, chicken, mixed cooked vegetables, and seasonings. Stir until mixture is heated through. In a casserole dish add chicken mixture. Spoon biscuit dough over chicken mixture. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes until topping is golden brown. Makes 10 servings.

Garden-fresh veggies and comforting dumplings make this birthday luncheon dish appealing

In scads of ways my hubby and our only daughter are birds of a feather. They form our nuclear family's "blue-eyed duo"; the other two of us--myself and our son--are the dark-eyed contingent. Both Hubby and Darling Daughter thrive on multi-plate spinning--they're totally in their element when they have scads of projects under way at the same time. She takes after her dad in seeing the "big picture" of how things will be accomplished. And our girl definitely inherited her dad's entrepreneural gene and sound business sense.

Their likes and dislikes in food, however, are where the similarities ends. With few exceptions, most of Hubby's faves, which tend to be food items that are grown in a garden, wouldn't end up on any of our "meat-and-potatoes" daughter's wish list.

One of those rare exceptions, however, is Chicken and Dumplings. That's why I've chosen to serve my homemade "Weekday Chicken and Dumplings" recipe for her birthday luncheon this week. Her dad couldn't be happier. It also would be his first pick if he were choosing a birthday meal for himself as well.

Prevention magazine featured this recipe some years back; I tucked it away in my fall recipe binder because I knew both of the blue-eyeds would be thrilled with it. Fresh carrots, celery, and onions are plopped into the steaming broth until they are tender, are drained and set aside, and are returned to it after the sauce is thickened. This dish gets a "double-yum" from me every time.

So Happy Birthday to our baby girl, who this year celebrates her first birthday as the mother of a new baby boy that she and her husband welcomed a few weeks back. Here's hoping her little one ultimately will have vast numbers of foods--both the meat-and-potatoes variety as well as those that are garden-fresh--in his food repertoire.

Weekday Chicken and Dumplings

4 cups defatted reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 bay leaf

2 cups baby carrots

1/2 cup sliced celery

1 cup frozen small whole onions, or 1 cup chopped, fresh onions

1 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

2/3 cup skim milk

1 3/4 cup cubed, cooked chicken breast

Dumplings

1 1/4 cup fat-free biscuit mix

1/3 cup skim milk

dash paprika

In a medium saucepan bring broth and bay leaf to boil over medium-high heat. Add carrots and celery. Cook 5 minutes. Add onions and cook 2 minutes. Add peas and cook 2 more minutes until tender. Strain vegetables and set aside. Collect liquid; add broth or water to make 4 cups. Discard bay leaf. Return liquid to saucepan. In a small bowl whisk together flour, seasoning, and milk. Whisk into broth. Cook and continue whisking over medium heat for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the chicken and reserved vegetables.

For dumplings: In a small bowl stir biscuit mix and milk to form a soft dough. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto simmering stew; cook according to package directions. Dust paprika over the tops of the cooked dumplings. Serves 6.

Hearty mix of flavors and the arrival of company--this veggie soup is synonymous with both

Company arrival and the preparation of Easy Vegetable Soup--they seem to accompany each other like the moon and the stars.

That's how I first got onto this delightful and welcome soup, which bespeaks of comfort food and health and hearty flavors. I was getting ready for company--not just any company, but the very first visit of my birthfamily to Texas. This happened more than 30 years ago, when I had the good fortune to locate my birthmother and her husband, who wanted to travel to see us. They brought with them my birth sister and her fiance. What an amazing time we had! Although this visit happened in the middle of summer, this most fall-like dish was a joyful accompaniment and always will be remembered for that momentous time.

Now my kitchen's the scene of much busy hubbub as we anticipate another red-letter visit--the arrival of our kids from Arizona to meet our newest family member, that sweet grandson who was born in Texas just a few weeks ago. Three little cousins, all under 5, will have their first chance to play. Into the kettle on the stove again go the familiar ingredients for this scrumptious dish, which I want to have on hand to welcome our guests. Healthy, soothing vegetable soup seems to be a great first meal to serve once they arrive from their plane flight.

For the frozen veggies in the recipe, I rely on an airtight plastic bowl I keep in my freezer. After a meal, if I have any vegetable leftovers, I scoop them into the bowl and freeze them. When I'm preparing Easy Vegetable Soup, I already have my frozen veggies collected for it--a great way to recycle.

My hands can hardly grasp the utensils because I'm so jittery from excitement, but somehow I manage to get the dish put together and put away for our welcome time a few days hence. At least I can relax in knowing that a healthy dinner already is prepared and that I won't have to spend precious family moments slaving away in the kitchen over a meal. Thanks to Easy Vegetable Soup, a most healthy and colorful one awaits!

Easy Vegetable Soup

1 pound ground beef or ground turkey

1 cup chopped onion

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup sliced carrots

1 cup sliced celery

1/4 cup uncooked regular rice

2 (16-ounce) cans stewed tomatoes

3 1/2 cups water

5 beef bouillon cubes

1 tablespoon parsley flakes

1 teaspoon salt (I use salt substitute)

1/4 teaspoon basil

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 cup frozen mixed vegetables, unthawed

1 (10 3/4 ounce) can low-sodium tomato soup

Cook ground beef or turkey; drain fat. Add all ingredients except frozen vegetables and tomato soup. Cook covered for 40 minutes. Add frozen vegetables and tomato soup. Cook additional 10 minutes. Serves 10-12.