Shepherd's Pie Recipe

I love Shepherd's Pie. I had a sample of one at Costco the other day and it inspired me to make my own version. With my version, the ratio of potatoes to beef filling is spot-on, the potatoes are a perfect consistency, and the beef filling is rich and fantastic. This is a complete one-dish meal that we really enjoy, especially during winter time after playing in the snow!

Shepherd's Pie Recipe

3/4 to 1 lb extra lean ground beef
1 carrot
1/2 cup sugar peas cut into 1/4" pieces (a large handful of peas)
1 cup beef stock (I use Kitchen Basics brand)
2 heaping tbsp unbleached flour
Salt and pepper to taste

3 cups water
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
2-2/3 cup instant mashed potato flakes
Shredded cheddar cheese for topping (as much as you like)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Peel the carrot and slice it into thin rounds. Wash and dry the sugar peas and cut them into 1/4" segments. In a large measuring cup, mix the beef stock with the flour and use a small whisk to combine it thoroughly.

Heat a large skillet, sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, to High heat. Add the ground beef and start browning it, breaking it apart into small pieces. When the beef is all broken up, add the carrots and peas. Brown the ground beef with the vegetables. When the ground beef is browned, pour the gravy in and mix it all together. The gravy will thicken up in a minute or so. Salt and pepper to taste. Turn the heat off when the filling is a good consistency.

While the beef and vegetables are cooking, make the potatoes. In a medium pot, add the water, olive oil and salt and heat it to boiling. When boiling, add the potato flakes and turn the heat off. Mix the potato flakes with the water until well combined.

In an 8x8 square pan, sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, pour in the ground beef mixture. Add the mashed potatoes to the top of that, and spread them out evenly across the top of the beef mixture. Sprinkle as much shredded cheddar cheese as you like, evenly over the top of the potatoes. Cover the pan with aluminum foil (try to make sure the foil doesn't touch the cheese) and put it in the oven and bake it for 30 minutes. Serves 4 people as a main course.