Shepherd's Pie...

Baking away.

While it may seem like a labor of love, as my mother would say, the good old food processor saves a ton of labor. So by all means, put those veggies through the processor and use the extra time to make homemade mashed potatoes. 

One other recommendation: Double or triple this recipe and freeze it! You will not regret it.

The only Shepherd's Pie you'll ever make again...

Ingredients:

2 TBSP olive oil

3 TBSP unsalted butter

1 onion, diced

3 carrots (or more!), peeled and sliced

1 stalk of celery, sliced

1/2 lb. cremini mushrooms, quartered

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 TBSP salt

3/4 tsp. dried oregano

3 TBSP tomato paste

1 lb. ground beef (or turkey, if you're feeling healthy)

1/4 c. low sodium beef broth 

1/2 tsp. worcestershire sauce... spell that 5 times. yikes! 

pepper, to taste

4 c mashed potatoes (see recipe below)

a few handfuls of grated parmesan cheese

To do:

Preheat oven to 375.

• Brown your beef. Heat the oil in a medium skillet. Brown your beef, and drain. yes, drain it. Here's where I deviate the most significantly from the original recipe, but personally, I'd rather sacrifice just a bit of flavor not my cholesterol. But that's just me.  Set your beef aside.
• Cook the veggies: Add a little more oil and butter to your pan. Once heated, add the onion, carrots, celery, mushrooms, garlic, half your salt, and the oregano. Cook over medium heat about 10 minutes or until the veggies are tender.
• Add red. Stir in tomato paste and cook about 8 more minutes.
• Put it all together: Stir in the beef, broth, the rest of the salt, the worcestershire, and pepper. 
• Transport the filling: Transfer your meat and veggie mixture to a 2-quart casserole dish (personally, I find pie plates to be much more fun and inspiring). 
• Add your topping. Spread the mashed potatoes (see below) over the top of the filling. The original recipe suggests leaving a 1/4 inch border around the edge... can anyone enlighten me as to why that could possibly matter? 
• Top it all off: Don't forget the cheese! Sprinkle it generously right on top. Oh, and you can always dot it with some more butter.
• Bake away. Bake about 40 minutes, until the potatoes are a golden brown and juices are bubbling.
• Cool off. Let it cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

Mashed Potatoes
1 1/2 lbs. russet potatoes... or reds or yukons, peeled and quarter
3/4 c whole milk
6 TBSP unsalted butter
2 TBSP fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
pepper and salt, to taste
if you're feeling adventurous, throw in a little sour cream or cream cheese. mmmm....

to do:

• Place your peeled and quartered potatoes in a pot of cold water and add a generous palm-full of salt. As I learned by watching the food network, it's not a bad thing if your water tastes like the sea when boiling potatoes or making pasta. In fact, I'd almost say it's a goal. 
• Bring your potato sea to a simmer over medium-high heat, uncovered, and boil about 15 minutes. You want the potatoes to be soft but not mushy.
• Simultaneously, combine the milk and butter in a small pot and warm. Cover.
• Drain the potatoes and return to the pot, tossing over medium heat until the potatoes are dry.
• Add the headed milk mixture and mash the potatoes, stir in the parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serves: 4-6

Adapted from The Food Network