The official state meat pie of Louisiana, the Natchitoches meat pie, reflects the colorful mix of cultures that are woven ...

DEAR SUN SPOTS: My mother-in-law always made a meat pie for our Christmas Eve buffet, a French tradition at the holiday season. Some years ago Sun Spots published a recipe and I’ve lost my copy.

The mistake went viral and the recipe was pulled. Yet it is odd, when you think about it — why on earth is the filling called mincemeat when there is no meat, minced or otherwise? Well, ‘minced’ pies ...

Mince pies, once baked, will keep for a few days in an air-tight tin but the bottoms may become soggy. You can make the pastry ahead and freeze it for up to a month so it's ready to roll when you are.

To cook from frozen, defrost the meat and mashed potato in the fridge overnight and assemble and bake, making sure the shepherd’s pie is piping hot all the way through before serving.