Savory Spoonful
Home / Recipes / Comfort Bakes

Comfort Bakes

Golden crusts and bubbling edges from the oven.

Comfort Bakes

Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

Flaky crust, creamy filling and plenty of vegetables.

What you need

  • 2 pie crusts (homemade or store-bought)
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 1.5 cups chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup cream
  • 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 1 egg, beaten

Spoonful tip: let the filling cool a few minutes so it does not melt the crust.

How to make it

  1. Filling base. Cook onion and carrots in butter 6 minutes; stir in flour for 1 minute.
  2. Sauce. Whisk in broth and cream and simmer until thick.
  3. Combine. Fold in chicken, peas and thyme; season and cool slightly.
  4. Assemble. Line a pie dish with one crust, add filling, and cap with the second; crimp and cut vents.
  5. Bake. Brush with egg and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 40 minutes until deep golden.
Comfort Bakes

Cozy Shepherd's Pie

Savory beef and vegetables under a cloud of buttery mashed potatoes.

What you need

  • 1.5 lb ground beef or lamb
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire
  • 1 cup peas
  • 2 lb potatoes, peeled
  • 4 tbsp butter and 1/2 cup milk

Spoonful tip: the fork ridges on the potatoes crisp up beautifully.

How to make it

  1. Boil potatoes. Cook until tender, then mash with butter, milk and salt.
  2. Brown the meat. Cook meat with onion and carrots until browned; add garlic and tomato paste.
  3. Gravy. Stir in flour, then broth and Worcestershire; simmer 8 minutes. Add peas.
  4. Assemble. Spread filling in a baking dish and top with mashed potatoes; rough up the surface with a fork.
  5. Bake. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 25 minutes until bubbling and browned on top.
Comfort Bakes

Brown Butter Apple Crisp

Tender cinnamon apples under a crunchy brown-butter oat topping.

What you need

  • 6 apples (a tart and a sweet), sliced
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup butter, browned and cooled
  • Vanilla ice cream, to serve

Spoonful tip: browning the butter adds a nutty note that is hard to beat.

How to make it

  1. Apples. Toss sliced apples with sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon in a baking dish.
  2. Topping. Mix oats, flour, brown sugar and salt; stir in the browned butter until clumpy.
  3. Top. Scatter the topping over the apples.
  4. Bake. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 40 minutes until bubbling and golden.
  5. Rest. Cool 15 minutes and serve warm with ice cream.