What do you make for dinner when you’re home alone? This month, we’re asking five food bloggers that question, and last week’s recipe was a grown-up grilled cheese sandwich. Today, Heather from Flourishing Foodie shares her recipe for delicious mini pot pies that you can pop in the microwave…

The Best (Mini) Vegetable Pot Pies You’ll Ever Have
By Heather Hands of Flourishing Foodie

I love the simplicity of this meal. It’s one that I find myself making time and time again. When the air becomes crisp and the sun begins to set early, my body yearns for the comfort that a warm meal can provide. A mix of veggies, delicate sweet potato, and a hint of fragrant sage, smothered in a savory broth and topped with a crispy, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth crust—it’s the perfect fall comfort food. Plus, if you make these ahead of time, they can be stored in the fridge for a couple of days, and reheated as you desire. (So on one of those nights when you find yourself curled up in your favorite wool blanket in front of a crackling fire, it’s easy to take one of these out of the fridge and pop it in the microwave. Often times, they taste even better a day later!)

I like the addition of sweet potato and sage, which are reminiscent of Thanksgiving dinner. If I’m feeling adventurous, I’ll change things up and add regular potatoes, mushrooms or celery. Or, if I’m craving protein, I’ll add a bit of tofu, or tuna, but I prefer them best with sweet potato and some mixed vegetables. It’s the balance between sweet and savory that I’m most excited about!

Recipe: Mini Sweet Potato Pot Pies
Makes 4

You’ll need:
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
5 sage leaves
2 tbsp. butter
2 1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
2 tbsp. all purpose flour + 2 tbsp. cold water
2 cups vegetable broth
Salt and pepper to taste
1 lb. (2 sheets) store-bought frozen puff pastry

What to do:
Thaw the puff pastry, either in the fridge overnight (if you are very organized), or remove from its package and thaw on the counter 40 minutes prior to use (my usual method).

Dust the counter with flour, and gently unfold the puff pastry sheets—it’s important to ensure that the pastry has completely thawed before you unfold, preventing any creases or tears. Use an upside-down ramekin to trace and cut out 8 circles from the pastry—you’ll get 4 circles per sheet.

Preheat the oven to 425ºF. In a large pot, add the chopped sweet potato, chopped onion, sage leaves and butter. On medium heat, cook until the sweet potatoes are tender. Add the frozen vegetables and vegetable broth to the pot. In a small bowl, mix the flour and 2 tbsp of cold water into a paste. Add a few tbsp. of the cooking broth to the paste and stir. Add the flour mixture to the pot and combine. Simmer on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the broth begins to thicken to the consistency of gravy. Season with salt and pepper. Fill four 10 oz. ramekins with the vegetables and broth 1/2 inch from the top. Stack two puff pastry circles onto each ramekin.

Place the ramekins onto a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, or until the puff pastry has risen, become crisp, and turned a nice golden brown color. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve warm. (The pot pies, once cooled, can be stored in the fridge covered for a couple of days. To reheat, place into the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes.)

Thank you, Heather!

P.S. More best recipes, including garlic bread and crunchy roast potatoes.

(Photos and recipe by Heather Hands of Flourishing Foodie. Thanks to Shoko for helping with this series.)

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