Shepherd's Pie

Nothing tastes better on a fall day than a shepherd's pie. Aside from crockpot cooking, hot dishes are the next best thing. I make this recipe using one skillet and a serving vessel. Virtually no cleanup. Which means an extra serving for this gal. This recipe will serve 6 average people and 4 hungry people. This recipe can be doubled to fill an 11x13 pan. I used an 8x8. It also freezes really well.

Shepherd's pie

1lb ground beef( i prefer 80/20)
3 carrots, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1/2 onlion, diced
 1/2t ground mustard
20 shakes of Worcestershire sauce (yes 20 shakes)
1/8 c flour
1.5c water
1 beef bouillon cube or 1 T of beef bouillon
4 russet potatoes
1/2c milk
4 slices of cheddar cheese (optional)
1 green onion


In a large skillet (i like cast iron) over medium heat saute carrots, onion and celery. add salt and pepper to taste. Saute for about 15 minutes until veggies are par cooked.

While vegetables are cooking poke a few holes in the potatoes and cook on the baked potato setting in the microwave. I don't take the skin off, I leave it on but you could also boil the potatoes as if you were making mashed potatoes. Eventually they end up as mashed potatoes. Once the potatoes are slightly cooled, I add them to a gallon size ziplock, along with the milk. Smoosh the potatoes into mashed potatoes. Like I said, feel free to use a different method to make mashed potatoes.

Once the vegetables are cooked, poor them into the cooking vessel and put the pan back on the oven over medium heat. Add the ground beef and brown. Once browned, add dry mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Salt and pepper to taste.

After beef is browned, add flour to toast off the raw flour taste and mix well. Add water. Mixture will look like beef and gravy. Add bouillon and mix. Add vegetable back to the pan and mix everything together. Pour mixture into cooking vessel. At this point, I add the potatoes to the top of the meat and veggie mixture. Cut a hole in the corner of the ziplock bag and squeeze potatoes on to the top of the mixture. I find it easier to do it this way versus spreading dollops of potatoes onto the mix.  The potatoes are distributed evenly if you use the ziploc bag. Here comes the good part...Add cheese on top of the potatoes. Bake for about 20 minutes at 375. I usually put a pan or some foil on the rack under the dish in case it bubbles over.
* If you decide NOT to use the cheese, after you add the potatoes run a fork over the potatoes to make ridges. This makes the top of the potatoes crusty when it bakes.

After 20 minutes, turn the oven on broil and bake for an additional 10 minutes to make the cheese or potatoes extra crispy. Add chopped green onion before serving.