Friday, December 7, 2012

Shepherd's Pie

I made this casserole for some friends who came over for a game night last week. It is great when you want a casserole a bit different from the chicken and pasta ones.

Here is the original recipe. (And I borrowed their picture)
Easy Shepherd's Pie (photo) 
Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1-2 C vegetables (I used fresh carrots and frozen peas), chopped
1 1/2 - 2 lbs of potatoes (I usually go for the max because I like lots of mashed potatoes on top)
8 Tbs of butter, divided
1/2 C beef broth
1 tsp worchestershire sauce
salt, pepper, garlic powder

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400.
Boil the potatoes to prepare them for mashing. Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a frying pan and begin sauteing the onions. As the onions cook, add the other vegetables according to cook time (I waited to add the peas until after the meat was browned).

Add ground beef and cook until brown. While it cooks, add salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of garlic powder. You can drain the grease or add some flour for thickening into a gravy. When the meat is brown, add 1/2 C beef broth and simmer for 10 minutes while you prepare the potatoes.

Mash the potatoes with remaining 4 Tbs of butter. Season to taste.

Move meat and vegetables to a 13x9 baking dish. Spread potatoes on top. Use a fork to add texture to the potatoes if they are very smooth. This will form peaks that will brown nicely in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes until the potatoes begin to brown.