Easy Shepherd's Pie
Missy Tippens
Missy, here. My daughter LOVES shepherd's pie. She's been begging for it for weeks (even asked for it for Christmas Day).
My son can't stand it.
So what's a mom to do? Well, I got creative.
First, I looked up recipes but ended up doing my own thing with ingredients I had on hand. (Sound familiar? I think I say that every week.)
1 pound extra lean ground beef
chopped onion to taste (dried onions is all I had)
1 can green peas or beans
1 package prepared mashed potatoes
1 carrot or a handful of pre-shredded carrots
Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbs. tomato paste
handful of grated cheddar cheese
First off, I grabbed convenience items. Canned peas or beans (I only had beans). Pre-shredded carrots. Packaged mashed potatoes (we love the ones from Bob Evans!).
Then I grabbed 1 pound extra lean ground beef.
I browned the beef with some dried onions (was out of fresh onion but would recommend fresh if you have it).
Then I added a handful of shredded carrots. You can also finely chop a whole carrot. Cook until carrots are softened.
Stir in several shakes of Worcestershire sauce (I'd guess I added about 1-2 Tbs total) and about a tablespoon of tomato paste. Stir until paste is mixed in. This takes a few minutes, and you may need to add a little water to make it possible.
Then add a splash of water and sprinkle about a tablespoon of flour on top. Stir until mixed and starting to thicken just a bit. I had to add a little more water and Worcestershire sauce to thin it some.
Heat green beans and mashed potatoes in microwave. This saves time on baking.
Grease a casserole dish. Layer in the beef. Top with beans/peas. Then spread a warm, thick layer of mashed potatoes on top to cover the beans. Sprinkle with grated cheddar to taste. Bake 350 degrees for about 30 minutes (until cheese is nice and melted).
I love this recipe! So homey and comforting.
But remember...my son doesn't like it? He asked it would hurt my feelings if he went out to buy himself something to eat. (Yes, he's sweet and considerate when he wants to be.) :) I told him that I'd figure something else out.
Before I put the casserole together, I decided to save him some of each food item to keep separate.
It hit me that the beef mixture smelled a lot like sloppy Joes. So I just added some ketchup and served it to him on bread (didn't have any buns). He ended up eating it all...just separated out. :) Successful dinner!
Oh, and you're also getting a peek at Pepper's cornbread recipe she shared on the Seeker blog on New Year's Day! I'll talk about that next week.
Y'all please tell me I haven't posted this recipe before. I did a search and didn't see anything. But I have this strange sense of deja vu!
ReplyDeleteI don't remember it.
DeleteMe, either, but I love how easy this is! And I love a mix of spuds and beef, any ol' way, so this is fun, Missy... I wonder if using brown gravy (from a Beef Base mix) would give me that 'gravy' and pie taste I love? Whaddya think?
DeleteYou're so resourceful, Missy!
ReplyDeleteI often have someone who doesn't like what I've fixed, but I make them find their own way around it. Your son is a blessed boy. Tell him I said that :)
I'm going to have to try this recipe - it looks so simple. When we were in college and for several years afterward, Shepherd's Pie was a menu staple for the college food service company my husband worked for. He had it for lunch at least once or twice a month, so I never made it at home.
By the time the menu was updated and changed, he was sick of it. But that's been so many years ago now that he'll probably love it!
Oh, I often remind him he has an amazing mother. ;)
DeleteJan, I'm laughing too. I'd have hooked a thumb toward the refrigerator....
DeleteAnd not felt bad about doing it. Or smiled and nodded when he offered to go buy something.
No wonder my children need therapy!!!! :)
I just turned on the television to check for school/business closings, and guess what the Today Show was doing? Making Shepherd's Pie.
ReplyDeleteGreat minds think alike?
LOL! Yep. ;0
ReplyDeleteYummy! And I so hope my kids grow up sweet and sensitive like yours!!!!!
ReplyDeleteOur new, about three year old, tradition for Christmas Eve is Shepherds Pie and Angel food cake. I am trying to figure out something for stars too but that is not really necessary until epiphany. I was thinking about baking some quick bread in a star shaped loaf pan. My grand kids eat shepherds pie and what could be more appropriate for Christmas Eve? I am sure they would turn up their cute little noses at oyster stew or some of the other Christmas Eve traditions. When we were trying to think of a good Christmas Eve Supper, my daughter had to repeat "Shepherds pie Mom, SHEPHERDS Pie?!" Before I got it but yes, it was a very good idea.
ReplyDeleteThis recipe sounds extra good.
Mary, that's such a cute idea for Christmas Eve! LOL Very clever of your daughter. :)
DeleteNow you can do the simple version from prepared and canned foods. :)
When I make vegetable soup which my son doesn't love, while I am chopping I make him potato soup which he likes okay. It is some of the same things just put together a different way. When it's that easy to spoil him I spoil him. We are lucky he is still around.
ReplyDeleteIf anyone is in a praying mood pray for him, his name is Joe, he is on his way to Wyoming to see his girlfriend. The weather is BAD.
Thanks, Mary
Oh Mary, he's driving from your place to Wyoming TODAY?
DeleteYoung love makes fools of us all :)
Or old love. Two years ago my dear husband drove through a terrible snow storm from the Black Hills to Kansas just to make sure he was home for Christmas Eve. The rat. Once he arrived safe and sound I almost killed him.
I'll be praying for your son's safety on the road and wisdom to stop somewhere if he needs to!
Oh Mary, please let us know when he has arrived safely. I think mothers unite in worry about things like this.
DeleteI used to hate meatloaf but my dad and brother loved it - my mom always made an exception for me with meatloaf - still dunno why since other times it was 'eat it'! - but she'd make me a hamburger patty before she 'ruined it' and bake it alongside the meatloaf. about 10 yrs ago I suddenly liked her meatloaf (though with ketchup!) our problem then was I liked the ketchup topping slightly sweet and my dad liked it slightly salty and he usually won and I added extra ketchup to mine.
ReplyDeletewill have to try this - was thinking looking over the ingredients that it was 'guy food' til mixed together - a quilter told us at a retreat that we had 'girl food' there (they made casseroles and full meal salads) that guys liked their food simple and separated on the plate while women liked complexiity (heck I like both so long as it's good!)
Susanna
Susanna, that's an interesting theory! My son truly does like stuff separated. And he usually eats them one at a time! :)
DeleteI, too, have a made him a hamburger patty when I was doing meatloaf. LOL
Missy, this sounds heavenly!
ReplyDeleteMy husband doesn't like Shepherd's Pie even though he loves a mix of g round beef, rice and gravy (with green peppers and onion mixed in sometimes). He calls that Sloppy Teds.
Maybe next time I'll make my version like this.
Mary, next time just plop some mashed potatoes on yours and call it shepherd's pie! :)
DeleteHe made it no problem. Thank You for praying.
ReplyDeleteHe is coming home Sunday.
That's great news, Mary! I'm glad I quickly scrolled down to check! Thanks for the update.
DeleteI made it!!! It's wonderful. I used instant potatoes in the envelope. I used A1 sauce instead of tomato. I think next time I'm going to add sausage and make it a half burger half sausage mix.
ReplyDeleteDelicious.
Like Ruth, I wanted the brown gravy taste. Will try envelope brown gravy next time.
ReplyDeleteExcellent ideas, Tina! I'll have to try mixing it up a little next time. I'm glad you liked it!
ReplyDelete