Shepherd's Pie

So Shepherd's Pie was on the menu for tonight's dinner....and here's what happened..
(By the way, you will NOT find perfection on my website....I will daringly show my mistakes as well as my victories in both cooking and sewing so that you know we are all learning together!)  ;0

So this was looking pretty good, right?  I thought so!  However...I deviated from the recipe just a tad...
I tend to think most recipes for Shepherd's pie leave a lot to be desired where the sauce/gravy is concerned.
So I experimented.  Not always a good idea to deviate too far, you know...
I added the beef broth as instructed but wanted more "beefy" flavor so I also added a pkg of dry gravy mix....then I figured it would be too thick, so I added more beef broth.




This is the result....the gravy came over the top onto the cheesy part!  Didn't look pretty, but I must say - it was delicious!

So next time I just need to add less liquid and it'll be perfect, right?  

I won't hold my breath...

Here is the recipe:

Shepherd's Pie Mary Lou's way

4 large potatoes, peeled, cubed

3 Tbsp butter

3-4 Tbsp milk

1 1/4 lbs ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

3/4 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup or so of frozen peas

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon ketchup

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

3/4 cup beef broth

1 pkg brown gravy

salt & pepper to taste

1 tsp corn starch mixed with 3 Tbsp water

1 - 1/4 cups shredded cheddar

Instructions: (Preheat oven to 325)

Bring a large pot of water  to boil. Add cubed potatoes, cook till soft - 15-20 min.  Drain & add butter (to taste) and milk - adding a little at a time to get thick consistency...don't add all at once or it may be too thin.

Brown ground beef and then add onion, celery, carrots and saute till veg are tender, but not too soft. (7-10 min). Add garlic, peas, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, beef broth and gravy mix. Simmer 3-5 minutes. If it's too thin add the corn starch/water mixture and simmer 3-4 more minutes. 

Carefully pour the ground beef/veg mixture into a  2-Quart casserole dish or a 9 X 13 pan and spread evenly.  Smooth mashed potatoes over the top. Cover with 1/2 of the cheddar cheese, adding the rest of the cheddar about 10 minutes before removing from oven.  Bake at 325 for about 20-30 minutes till bubbly and golden brown.

Hope your's turns out delicious, too!  I welcome comments...but please be kind...I'm sortof new at this!

Quote of the day: "Go and be as the butterfly!" (from Jan Karon's books)