The foods we eat for solace or general feel-good-ness are usually soft, fatty, and/or sweet - unhealthy or maladaptive as it may be. Aside from the initial sugar rush, carbs can boost serotonin, certain fats can also boost brain function, chocolate is well-known for its chemical boosts. Plus there's all the comfort in familiarity and nostalgia.
Strawberry Cream Pie 
6 ounces cream cheese
2 ounce Neufchatel cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp flour
1/4 cup vanilla yogurt
2 egg whites
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, cut in half lengthwise
1/4 cup strawberry jelly
Blind Bake pie crust and chill.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Combine cream cheese, Neufchatel cheese, sugar, and flour. Mix until creamy.
Beat in yogurt, egg whites, and vanilla. Mix well.
Pour mixture into cooled pie crust.
Bake 25 minutes or until set, then set out to cool.
Melt jelly over low heat in small saucepan (making a glaze).
Place strawberries on top of cooled pie.
Brush jelly glaze over strawberries, allowing it to run down to cheese mixture.
Refrigerate 3+ hours.
Bailey's Irish Cream Mousse Pie
3 eggs, separated
1/4 tsp salt
6 ounces Bailey's Irish Cream
1 cup chopped walnuts
8 ounces whipped cream
2 tbsp bittersweet chocolate, shaved
1 Basic 9" Pie Crust (unbaked)
For the custard:
Beat egg yolks until they are lemon-colored.
Add salt and Bailey's, mixing well.
Cook in top of double boiler until yolk mixture thickens.
Cool.
Beat egg whites until stiff.
Fold cooled custard and 2/3 of the whipped cream into the egg whites.
Fold in 3/4 of the nuts.
Spoon the mixture into prepared pie shell, and cover with the remaining whipped topping.
Sprinkle with remaining nuts and chocolate shavings.
Freeze for 4 hours.
Chicken and Biscuit Pot Pie
Cooking spray
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
4 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups lowfat milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup peas, thawed if frozen
1 1/2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Spray a large shallow casserole dish with cooking spray.
Season the chicken with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil over a medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer the chicken with its juices to a bowl.
Add 2 more teaspoons of oil to the same pan and heat it over a medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots and celery and cook until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the green beans, garlic and remaining salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the milk. Stir the flour into the broth until it is completely dissolved and add to the pan. Cook, stirring, until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 2 minutes more. Return the chicken with its juices back to the pan. Add the peas and thyme and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon the mixture into the baking dish.
Prepare the biscuit crust and drop in 6 mounds on top of the chicken mixture.
Bake until filling is bubbling and the biscuit topping is golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Hot Chicken Salad Pie
2 cups diced, cooked white chicken meat
1 cup diced celery
1 tsp salt
dash of pepper
1/4 tsp oregano
1 tbsp chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 cup shredded cheese
1-1/2 cups mayonnaise
Crushed Potato Chips
Blind Bake pie crust.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In large bowl, mix all the ingredients together (except the pie crust and potato chips). Make sure the mixture is well moistened.
Pour mixture into baked pie crust and top with crushed potato chips.
Bake for 25 minutes.
Chocolate Cream Pie
1 large box instant chocolate pudding
2 1/2 cups milk
1 Chocolate or Graham Cracker Crust
whipped cream
chocolate chips or shavings (optional, but suggested)
Mix pudding and milk. Stir in chocolate chips.
Pour into pie crust.
Top with whipped cream.
Sprinkle with chocolate chips/shavings, or any other garnish you prefer.
Butterfinger Pie
4 cups vanilla ice cream
3 tbsp corn syrup
3 tbsp creamy peanut butter
1 tbsp milk
1 (2.1-ounce) Butterfinger candy bar -- chopped
Remove ice cream from freezer and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes to soften.
Spoon half of ice cream into prepared crust.
Combine the corn syrup, peanut butter, and milk in a small bowl, stirring until smooth.
Drizzle half of the peanut butter mixture over the ice cream in crust.
Sprinkle with half of chopped candy bar.
Repeat the procedure with remaining ice cream, peanut butter mixture, and candy bar.
Cover with plastic wrap, and freeze for 3 hours or until firm.
Black Russian Pie
24 lg. marshmallows (or 2 ½ cups small marshmallows)
1/3 cup Kahlua
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup cold milk
Pinch of salt
Melt marshmallows with milk in microwave, stirring occasionally. Place in freezer to thicken.
Stir in Kahlua. Beat cream until stiff and fold into mixture.
Pour into pie crust.
Chill 30 minutes. Freeze, if need be.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Pudding Pie
1 large box (5.25 oz) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix.
8 oz sour cream
3/4 cup milk
1 pkg peanut butter chips
2 tbsp vegetable oil
12 oz jar chocolate fudge topping
Whisk together pudding mix, sour cream & milk; set aside
Heat 1 1/3 cups peanut butter chips and oil in microwave-safe bowl on High
for 45 seconds.
Stir until smooth then gradually add to pudding mixture.
Spread evenly into crust.
Spread chocolate fudge topping over pie.
Cover & refrigerate 3 hours.
Prior to serving top with remaining peanut butter chips.
Old-Fashioned Fudge Pie
2 squares (2-ounces) semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 Basic 9" Pie Crust (unbaked)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Melt the chocolate and butter together in a heavy saucepan over low heat.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the sugar, then the eggs; beat well.
Pour the filling into the pie crust and bake for 25 minutes or until just set.
Serve warm or cold, with ice cream or whipped cream.
Buttermilk Pie
4 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp flour
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup buttermilk
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 Basic 9" Pie Crust (unbaked)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat eggs well.
Sift flour and sugar together.
Add eggs, melted butter, buttermilk, salt, and vanilla.
Stir mixture well.
Pour into pie crust.
Bake 45 minutes.
Shepherd's Pie
4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp finely chopped onion
1/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
salt and pepper
5 carrots, chopped
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 pound lean ground beef
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp ketchup
3/4 cup beef broth
1/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Boil potatoes until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash. Mix in butter, onion and 1/4 cup shredded cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
Boil carrots until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, chop, and set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Sauté onion until clear. Add ground beef and cook until well-browned. Drain excess fat, then stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add ketchup and beef broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Spread the ground beef in an even layer on the bottom of a 2-quart casserole dish. Layer the carrots on top of that. Top with the mashed potato mixture and sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese.
Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown.
