Shepherd's Pie

I've always liked the idea of Shepherds pie, but when I have had it at a few restaurants, it alway seems to be bland and tasteless. In this recipe, I added tons of flavor and it came out great! It's an easy meal to put together and great for cold winter nights :)

You will need:

For the filling:

• 1 1/2 lbs chop meat (I used 80/20)

• 1 cup frozen peas

• 1 cup frozen corn

• 1 cup frozen chopped carrots 

• 7-8 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce

• 1 packet of dried gravy

• 1 cup water

• 1 tablespoon garlic powder

• 1 can tomato paste

• 4-5 cloves of minced garlic

• salt and pepper

• 1 medium onion, diced

For the topping:

• 10-12 medium white potatoes. 

( rinsed and diced)

• 8 cloves of garlic, whole

• 1 stick of salted butter

• 1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 1 cup grated white cheddar

• salt and pepper

Start by cooking the potatoes. You are making mashed potatoes for the topping, so use whatever technique you usually use. I start by putting the diced potatoes in a large pot, add the whole garlic and cover with water. Put on medium heat on the stove and cover. One boiled, turn heat down, and cook about 15 more minutes until fork tender. 

While the potatoes are boiling, start the filling. 

In a large non stick pan on medium heat, start cooking the beef, onion, and garlic. 

Add salt, pepper and garlic powder. 

Next add the gravy packet and 1 cup water. 

Add the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce. 

Cook the frozen vegetables in the microwave for 3-4 minutes until just thawed. Then add to beef mixture. 

Taste and determine if you want more salt and pepper. 

Time to get the potatoes ready!

Drain the potatoes, (keep the garlic with them), add the pepper, salt, sour cream and cheeses. Mix with a stand or hand mixer until smooth. To get a more creamy consistency, slowly add milk while mixing. 

 

To a baking dish or pie dish, add the filling and top with the mashed potatoes. 

Bake on 350 for 30-35 minutes on a foiled baking sheet. Trust me, the majority of the time, the filling will bubble over and it's better to catch it on the foil! 

Once done, let stand and cool for 15-20 minutes. Serve and enjoy!