Pot Pies: Forty Savory Suppers

This diminutive size cookbook has wonderful recipes. I got it 23 years ago in September of 2000, and have used it often. Torta Rustica makes a statement presentation, Zucchini Quiche was wonderful at a wedding shower, Chicken Pot Pie with Roasted Peppers was hugely popular with four men for dinner, Thanksgiving in a Pie is excellent, and I'm making Ham and Cheese Pie for dinner (again) tomorrow for company (this one is our favorite). Six pastries are also included for great variety.

This is a satisfying collection of 40 savory pies, some single crust and some double. The author includes 6 pie crust recipes at the back of the book, and she tells you which to use in each recipe (of course, if you wanted to use purchased pie crust instead, who's to know, but her pie crust recipes are excellent, especially the lemon pastry). The book provides a nice assortment of meat pies; cheese, egg, and vegetable pies; and chicken, turkey, and seafood pies. Each pie I've made has been delicious, and they also look attractive. Instructions are very clear, and none of the recipes are too complicated for the average home cook. This spring I made the Asparagus Tart, which was luscious and beautiful, My family enjoyed the Turkey Pie with a Corn Bread Crust, and the Pork Pot Pie with Peppered Corn Bread Crust, as a well as a Picnic Pie that had a wonderful, rustic fireside appeal--and tasted great. This is hearty comfort food. Also, we really enjoyed the Pizza Pot Pie, which was time-consuming but as my 9-year-old son proclaimed, "worth every minute." A similar dish worth making is the Rustic Deep-Dish Pizza. There's something here for everybody. I highly recommend this charming little book.

The Chicken Pie with Roasted Peppers has become a perennial favorite in our house when the weather turns nippy. Good, solid, warm-your-insides recipes, not too fancy, not too hard to do in a hour.