What's for Dinner?: Shepard's Pie

Spring is finally here! Now that the good weather has arrived, everyone is out and about enjoying the fresh air. No one is really thinking, what am I going to cook for dinner.  So I thought I'd put a recipe in where you can prepare it the night before and forget about it till it's time to bake it. This allows me to get outside, go for a walk, get my kids from whatever activity they have. 

Everyone I know who makes Shepards Pie has their own recipe.  This is the one I use. Tonights meal is Shepards Pie. It's an all in one casserole with meat, potato and vegetable. I usually serve a side salad and I'm good to go. Shepards Pie and that's What's for dinner.

Shepards Pie

Preheat Oven 350 degrees.

In a large saute pan I add the following:

•  2lbs Ground Beef (or turkey breast)
• 1 Large Onion Diced
• 4 Cloves Garlic chopped
• 1 Bayleaf, remove before pouring into casserole
• 3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
• 4-5 Sprigs of fresh Thyme Leaves peeled off the stem
• Kosher Salt and Pepper
• 3-4 Tablespoons flour
• 1 Cup Chicken Broth/Stock

Cook till the ground beef is no longer pink. Add your onions, garlic, thyme, bayleaf, tomato paste, salt and pepper, cook till hot and bubbly. Sprinkle the mixture with about 3-4 Tablespoons of Flour and cook out the flour for a minute or so, then add 1 Cup of Chicken Stock, bring to a boil, it will slightly thicken.  Remove the bay leaf and pour into a casserole dish.

Tip: Use whatever vegetable you like in the middle layer. I choose whatever is in my freezer, this time I used a bag of frozen mixed veggies.

Mashed Potatoes;  Boil 4-6 Potatoes about 7-8 mins till fork tender. Drain, then add the following:

• 1/3 Cup Warm Milk (never use cold milk or cream on hot potatoes as they'll seize up the potatoes. I always microwave the milk or cream for 30 seconds to take the chill out
• 2 Ounces of Cream Cheese
• 2-3 Ounces of Sour Cream
• 3-4 Tablespoons Butter
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 Egg beaten
• 1/2 Cup Gruyere Swiss Cheese

Tip: Make whatever favorite mashed potatoes you like, anyone will do.

Hope you enjoy!