Shepherd's Pie

In keeping with my previous blog posting, I figured inventing my own recipe was reason enough for a sweet new blog post, even if the purpose is only to help me remember the recipe later. the story of this one is that I had been looking around for a shepherd's pie recipe that I could get into. I looked through about 5 recipes and chose what I liked. Here it is!

Sara's Shepherd's Pie:

6 Potatoes

1 c. sour cream

1/2 c. chicken broth

salt

1 lb ground beef, turkey, or sausage could be good too

seasonings: I like salt, pepper, and granulated garlic. I also used some creole seasoning in the peas and carrots layer

1 large onion

4 cloves garlic

1 large carrot

2 c. frozen peas

1/2 c. cheddar cheese cheese

bread crumbs

parsley

First, prepare the ingredients in each layer.

Potato Layer - 

It's basically mashed potatoes. Boil the potatoes 12-15 minutes until soft. Whip with a hand mixer along with 1 c. sour cream. Add chicken broth a little at a time. Add salt to taste, but don't be overly stingy - This is the only salt in the whole thing. Make sure the consistency is more pasty than runny. Set aside.

Peas & Carrots Layer - 

Dice the carrots into small pieces and saute for 3-4 minutes. In the meantime, rinse the frozen peas to thaw them, and throw them in with the sautéed carrots for another minute or two. Add seasonings. Set aside.

Onion & Garlic Layer - 

Dice the onions and garlic. Cook on medium heat until brown. Set aside.

Beef Layer -

Cook the ground meat fully, adding seasonings of choice. Drain the fat. Set aside.

Top Layer - 

Dice the fresh parsley and grate the cheese. Have your bread crumbs handy.

Now get ready for loads of layering fun...

In a deep casserole dish, or a 9x13 pan if you want to grate more cheese for sprinkling on the top, layer the ingredients in this order:

1. One third of the potatoes, spread evenly and flattened with a rubber spatula
   
2. One half of the peas & carrots
   
3. One half of the onions & garlic
4. One half of the ground meat
5. One third of the potatoes (add the same way as before)
6. The rest of the peas & carrots
7. The rest of the onions & garlic
8. The rest of the ground meat
9. The rest of the potatoes
10. All of the shredded cheese
11. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup bread crumbs over the top
12. Sprinkle parsley on the top

Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes on the bottom rack until the top has browned. In a 9x13, you may have to take it out earlier or cover it. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes, then serve. It is gloppy and delicious.