Lazy day? Shepherd/Cottage Pie!

Hello! To make up for the many absent posts, here is a new one!

First time I had Shepherd/Cottage pie was Freshmen year of college in SFSU. The special every Friday, and it was worth the amusement park line wait. Then the next time I had it was when my friend made, as he calls it "Cowboy Pie" because he used beef. Since then, I always wanted to make it... and became curious about what Shepherd Pie was. I tried the recipe from Simple Recipes. It really is easy. And if you are cut for time, semi-home make it. Here, I cut the work by buying the mash potato. It still works, but if you are really all for making it from scratch, follow the recipe from Simple Recipes (as linked in the pervious sentences). I think I've made this dish a good 5 to 6 times now, and each time my family requests for more veggies. I use frozen veggies like peas, carrots, and corn. You can simply find this mix in the freezer section of your supermarket. It came to point where I ended up using a bag and a half of frozen veggies in the dish. Interesting thing is that all that veggies made the dish little moister and had that veggie sweetness. I added some tomato paste for that little hint of tomato acidy. The recipe didn't call for it, but what to do with some leftover tomato paste from Mom's spaghetti sauce?

Little tid-bit: Shepherd Pie uses ground lamb. Cottage Pie (aka: Cowboy Pie) uses ground beef. But both are topped and broiled with mashed potato.

I know it is Summer right now, but it is such a good dish to keep in mind when Autumn and Winter rolls around. My family likes it since I first made it, and it is so filling. Seriously, it is really filling because of the potato. Haha!

Potato and meat... so simple, so good~

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef (I used 97/3 for a leaner, healthier option)

1 - 2 tub pre-made mashed potato (I've used Country Crocker)

1/2 - 1 bag frozen vegetable mix

1 clove garlic (minced)

1 onion (chopped)

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup beef broth (Optional: I used it first, but ended up nixing it)

1 - 2 tbsp tomato paste (optional)

1/2 - 1 tsp fresh cracked pepper

salt (optional / to taste)

How-To:

- Heat mashed potato as directed on package.

- In a large pan, heat with some oil. Brown garlic. Cook onion until translucent.

- Add beef, and cook throughly. Break the ground beef into chunks with your spatula.

- Add frozen veggie mix of your choice.

- Give the pan a good mix.

- Add tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and beef broth. Mix well to get the tomato paste dissolved.

- Add some cracked pepper.

- If the meat looks a little dry, add a little more beef broth.

- Sprinkle with salt to taste.

- In a casserole pan, spread the beef-veggie mix into a nice layer. Top with the pre-made mash potato into an fairly even layer. Make little spikes on the potato so when browning in the broiler it looks pretty.

- Turn on the broiler, and place the casserole pan in.

- Make sure you're watching the browning, because some broilers are shallow and can brown foods faster. So watch out. Not all broilers are made the same. I've learned.

That's it! Easy yeah? Hope you guys like it! Good luck and enjoy!!!!!!!!! (^0^)/