Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd's Pie is a dish you can tailor-make to suit your life at the moment: homemade and healthy, not so homemade and a little less healthy, homemade and semi-unhealthy...you get the point. I usually do the last option.

I like to make my mashed potatoes with light sour cream, use ground turkey instead of beef, and low sodium beef broth, so I don't feel quite as guilty smothering the top with cheese.

My Nana was English, & my Nanny Australian, so this dish has long, deep roots for me. It's very simple, and completely comforting. The only trouble I ever have is getting myself to stop eating it.

Mashed potatoes, peas, carrots, onions & ground beef in gravy are the basic premise. I hate peas, so they don't make the cut for me. But add them if you want.

Here's my latest rendition of this hearty treat from my homeland.

Total time 60 minutes or take a few short cuts and make it in 30 minutes.
*For busy moms, or all of you that work 40 hours a week, skip making your own mashed potatoes, NO ONE will notice and use the instant "just add water" variety. Use a food processor (on the pulse setting) for the carrots, & onions. Also buy your cheese shredded or just use a food processor on the grating setting. You will cut the length of time in half and the dish will still have great flavor. 

Shepherd's Pie                                                        

2 tbsp. Light Olive Oil                        

1 lb. Ground Turkey                                   
2 Carrots                                                     
1 Onion                                                                                            
1 & 1/2 cups Beef Stock
4 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce                              
2 tbsp. Cornstarch

2 cups Cheddar or Colby Jack Cheese (or more : )...)

Mashed Potatoes
4 large potatoes
1 cup light sour cream
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. granulated garlic

 I chop onions (into a small dice as pictured), saute in a tbsp. of light olive oil for 5 minutes,

 

then add beef stock and carrots (also cut on a small dice). Saute 5 minutes. 

 

Saute onions, carrots, and 1 cup beef stock together for 5 minutes, then pour into your casserole dish.

 

Make the sauce before you add it to the meat. Cornstarch needs to be mixed with a cool liquid or it will clump up.  For sauce: mix 1/2 cup beef stock, cornstarch, and Worcestershire sauce together.  

For Mashed Potatoes: Meanwhile fill a pot halfway with water and four peeled & chopped potatoes, start them on cold and boil for 22 minutes. Drain, add cup of sour cream, salt & granulated garlic. 

Or prepare your instant potatoes.

Break up your meat in the saute pan with more oil. Add the sauce after meat is pretty well broken. Cook meat about 10 minutes and add to casserole dish. Once you have the meat & veg mixed together in the dish, top with potatoes.

  

Taste your meat & veg at this point and don't be afraid to add a bit more Worcestershire sauce or pepper if the sauce needs kick.

Smooth potatoes over top of meat & veg to seal in juices. Top with at least two cups of cheese. 

Bake for 25 minutes at 400 degrees F. 

Enjoy!