Tag Archives: cottage pie

Virtual Vegan Potluck 2: Mushroom, Leek and Kale Cottage Pies

31 Oct

I loved participating in the first Virtual Vegan Potluck—what a great concept it is! I get so much of my inspiration in the Tiny Kitchen from other blogs, even if there are parts of it that aren’t friendly to my stomach. It just makes me more creative!

Like this recipe. I wanted something that would be both vegan and paleo for this potluck; after all, it’s no fun making something you can’t eat. I had a ton of ideas, but not enough time to try them all out, and this idea seemed like a winner. Something perfect for the fall weather that finally arrived in California. Something to put in the oven, since it’s cool enough to turn it on. Plus, something orange to celebrate the season! Continue reading

English Lesson

31 Jul

Most of you will be aware that I lived in the United Kingdom for some time. Eleven years, to be exact, give or take a few months. In that time I developed a fondness for many of the English delicacies. I’m talking a proper mug of tea, Marmite on toast, bangers and mash, and shepherd’s pie.

The small one was reserved for The Husband—it was too good not to save him some!

Ooh, shepherd’s pie! What a delightful dish to have when it’s cold and rainy outside. Technically, a shepherd’s pie is made with ground lamb (or “mince” lamb in the vernacular), and cottage pie with ground beef, but shepherd’s pie is the term usually used for the meaty, mashed potato-topped—well, casserole, I guess we’d call it over here.

Even though it’s the height of summer in California, not the usual season for such a hearty meal, I made this one for our dear friend Paddy. She lives up at Top of the World, and The Husband used to deliver Meals on Wheels to her. She’s a British expat, and on her own now that her husband died about five years ago and her dear Boston Terrier died earlier this year. I decided this lovely lady needed a bit of good food and cheering up.

Seeing as how Paddy is in her 80s, I threw caution to the wind and a lot of butter in the pan. Continue reading