dinner!

I made a monster Shephard's Pie on the weekend. It's our favourite, and I usually make enough to feed a family of 6, thus the mini roasting pan sized Shephard's Pie. Don't worry. We actually like leftovers in our house.


I don't follow a recipe, but here's how I make mine.

4 medium (or 3 large) russet potatoes, washed, peeled, boiled, drained, then mashed with a bit of butter, salt and cream. Set aside.

In a large skillet brown 1 pound of lean ground meat. Ground beef works best. For this one, I used 1/2 pound of ground turkey, and 1/2 pound of ground beef.

Then add veges. I diced and cut up 1/2 large onion, 4 carrots, 3 celery, and a handful of mushrooms. Stir and cook on medium.

Then add spices. I included salt, pepper, 1/2 teaspoon dried mustard, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, a dash of HP Sauce, and some dried parsley. Continue to cook uncovered on medium until veges are softened.

Add 1 can of corn (drained), and about 1 cup of frozen peas. Cook on medium until peas and corn are warmed through.

While that is cooking, make gravy. I use Club House Seasonings gravy mix, but anything else will do. It's especially good if you have left over gravy from a roast beef dinner... but in our house that NEVER happens. Left over gravy?! Not likely. Gravy is a food group in our house, and there is never enough. So, I cheat, and use the mix. The Club House ones come in a package with 50% less sodium, and make a really nice gravy. You will need 1 1/2 to 2 cups.

Then, pour the beef and vege mixture into a large pan, pour the gravy overtop, and give it a bit of a stir. Then gently layer the mashed potatoes on top, using a spatula to push the potatoes into the corners, so that the entire dish is covered. Top with a bit of melted butter, and bake at 350 for about 30 to 40 minutes. Enjoy!