Don’t have time to slave over a hot stove for hours to make comfort food? Here are some quick and easy casserole recipes that can be prepared with minimum time and effort:

1.    Classic Shepherd’s Pie

What you need

• Onion (1 large, sliced)
• Leftover roast beef or lamb (2 cups)
• Butter (2 tbspns)
• Beef gravy (2 cups)
• Frozen peas (1 cup)
• Carrots (1/2 cup, sliced)
• Egg yolk (1 large, beaten)
• Leftover mashed potatoes (2 cups)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to about 400°F.
• Grease a baking dish.
• Heat a skillet on the stove over medium high heat and add butter.
• Once the butter melts add onions and stir till they turn tender.
• Add the leftover beef or lamb to the skillet as well as the gravy, peas and carrots. Stir thoroughly.
• Season with salt and pepper as per your taste.
• Transfer the prepared mixture the greased baking dish.
• Warm up the mashed potatoes in the microwave if they are stiff from being in the refrigerator.
• Place the mashed potatoes in a bowl and add the egg yolk to it. Beat till the mixture is well blended.
• Use a large spoon to spread the mashed potatoes evenly on prepared meat and vegetables.
• Pop the pan in the preheated oven and cook for about half an hour or till the potatoes turn golden brown in color.

2.    Beef Cottage Pie

What you need

• Russet potatoes (1 and a half pounds, cut in chunks)
• Milk (1/4 cup)
• Garlic cloves (2, peeled and cut in half)
• Butter (2 tbspns)
• Olive oil (1 tbspn)
• Mushrooms (8 ounces, sliced)
• Lean ground beef (1 pound)
• Cheddar cheese (1 cup, shredded)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Beef broth (1 and a half cup)
• Flour (3 tbspn)
• Ketchup (2 tbspn)
• Worcestershire sauce (1 tspn)
• Frozen peas and carrots (1 pound, thawed and drained)

Preparation

• Take a large saucepan and add garlic and potatoes.
• Add cold water to the pan along with a dash of salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then simmer on medium low heat till potatoes are tender. This should take close to half an hour.
• Drain the pan and put the mixture back in the saucepan.
• Add milk, butter, half of the cheese and mash it in the potatoes till it is smooth and free of lumps. Set aside.
• Take another large pan and heat olive oil.
• Add mushrooms and cook over medium high heat till they turn golden brown in color.
• Remove the cooked mushrooms from the pan and set aside.
• Add the beef in the same pan and break it up with a spoon. Stir till the meat turns golden brown and breaks up into small pieces.
• Add flour and cook the mixture for 3 minutes.
• Add broth and stir before adding salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, the cooked mushrooms and mixed veggies.
• Cook and stir for 5 minutes before transferring the mixture into a baking dish.
• Cover the meat mixture with the cooked mashed potatoes and spread it on the dish evenly using a fork.
• Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top and bake in the preheated oven at 375°F for 40 minutes or until it turns golden brown on top.
• Let the pie cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Comfort food doesn’t get better than this!