Shepherd's Pie

For some reason it has been comfort food week in our house. I haven't been baking as much (burnout from Christmas? Is that possible?! :) Instead, I've been making basic dishes like lasagna, soup and now shepherd's pie. This recipe is a new one I discovered this week. It turned out to be very good. It would be a great weeknight meal and would also be perfect for a frigid winter night. It just gives you that cozy, well fed feeling all over.

Shepherd's Pie

1 pound ground beef

2 cups hot mashed potatoes (instant is fine, just don't add milk)

4 oz. cream cheese, cubed

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

1 cup beef gravy

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brown meat in a large skillet. Drain any fat.

Mix potatoes, cream cheese, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, and garlic until well blended.

Stir vegetables and gravy into meat and spoon into a 9 inch baking dish. Cover with potato mixture (the vegetables mix some with the potatoes- it all gets covered with the cheddar cheese). Sprinkle remaining cheddar cheese over potatoes.

Bake for 20 minutes or until heated through. Makes 6 servings.

Note: To make gf/cf, I used soymilk in the potatoes and made gravy with drippings from a turkey (a rotisserie chicken would work or maybe even broth) and thickened it with cornstarch. I replaced the cheddar cheese with slices of rice cheese in slices. I put everything in a separate dish and baked it at the same temp. Just watch it closely cause it bakes a little faster.

"Principles have no real force except when one is well-fed."
-Mark Twain

“If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one."
-Mother Teresa of Calcutta