Comfort Foods...Ahhhhh

So it's a perfectly terrible weather day today. Cold, rainy and windy, (though at least it's not snowing as it was this morning about an hour north of here!) and my office mate and I got talking about comfort foods. Ahhhh comfort foods, I love you so. My personal favorite comfort food is Shepherd's Pie, though my husband's ham and potato soup has become a close second. Cabbage rolls, chili, meatloaf and tuna casserole also rated high on both of our lists. So what are YOUR favorite comfort foods? Do they have to be hot meals? Here is my favorite, though since I am really not a cook, I use instant mashed potatoes, rather than real. Please don't judge me.




Easy Shepherd's Pie Recipe

Ingredients

* 1 1/2 lbs ground round beef
* 1 onion chopped
* 1-2 cups vegetables - chopped carrots, corn, peas
* 1 1/2 - 2 lbs potatoes (3 big ones)
* 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick)
* 1/2 cup beef broth
* 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
* Salt, pepper, other seasonings of choice


1. Peel and quarter potatoes, boil in salted water until tender (about 20 minutes).

2. While the potatoes are cooking, melt 4 Tablespoons butter (1/2 a stick) in large frying pan.

3. Sauté onions in butter until tender over medium heat (10 mins). If you are adding vegetables, add them according to cooking time. Put any carrots in with the onions. Add corn or peas either at the end of the cooking of the onions, or after the meat has initially cooked.

4. Add ground beef and sauté until no longer pink. Add salt and pepper. Add worcesterchire sauce. Add half a cup of beef broth and cook, uncovered, over low heat for 10 minutes, adding more beef broth as necessary to keep moist.

5. Mash potatoes in bowl with remainder of butter, season to taste.

6. Place beef and onions in baking dish. Distribute mashed potatoes on top. Rough up with a fork so that there are peaks that will brown nicely. You can use the fork to make some designs in the potatoes as well.

7. Cook in 400 degree oven until bubbling and brown (about 30 minutes). Broil for last few minutes if necessary to brown.

Serves four.

-The Good Stepwitch