Shepard's Pie

I seem to be on a roll with the pies, so why not? While on the surface it doesn't seem elegant, a forkful always seems to wrap you in warmth and comfort...and is bound to be a dish that your children remember eating at mom's table as an adult. It's also great for getting rid of leftovers, as I often find myself in a position to do. Yesterday's pot roast and mashed potatoes can easily be reinvented into this yummy dish. It is also a recipe that is extremely flexible...substitute mashed potatoes for sweet potatoes, peas for corn, ground beef for whatever you have on hand that can be chopped into small pieces. I usually use half turkey half beef for all my hamburger recipes; just stick the halves you aren't using in the same Ziploc bag and throw them in the freezer for the next meal.


SHEPARD'S PIE

8 quartered red potatoes, skin on
1 T olive oil
1/2 lb hamburger meat
1/2 lb ground turkey
2 T minced garlic
1/2 medium onion, minced
1 tsp salt
pepper to taste
1 14 oz can tomatoes, drained
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup frozen corn
4 oz cream cheese
2T butter
2 T minced garlic
1 cup Bisquick (optional)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Boil the potatoes in heavily salted water. While waiting for the potatoes, heat olive oil on medium high heat until fragrant then saute garlic and onion in the oil until translucent. Add ground meat, salt and pepper and cook until done. Drain any fat then add the can of tomatoes. Put meat mixture into the bottom of a 2 quart (or 3 quart) casserole dish. Top with frozen veggies.

When the potatoes are fully cooked (soft when poked with a fork), drain and return to pot. You can make traditional whipped mashed potatoes with a blender if you want, or take the lazy way and do it like this: add cream cheese, butter and garlic, mash with a potato masher until all ingredients are combined. Makes one pot to clean instead of two. Spread potatoes over top of vegetables.

To top the casserole, you can do a biscuit topping by combining 1 cup water with the bisquick and pouring over the top (in which case, the cook time will be around 45 minutes), or you can simply add shredded cheese over the potatoes. Both are great.

Cook in oven uncovered for 25 minutes.