Hey there, Friday - You're looking well.  Let's help my friends with their killing-the-last-few-hours-of-the-work-week, shall we?

Hey ya'll! Happy Almost Weekend!  I'm a little displeased about snow being back in the forecast, but it's a good excuse for a hearty, savory meal and a Netflix marathon.

I've been  meaning to share this recipe for a while now - it's definitely one of my favorites.  Like most people, I'm a big fan of comfort food, but I become an even bigger fan when it's easy, inexpensive and extremely forgiving. (New Mother Math: 4 hrs of sleep a night x 11 months + 1 extremely active child = oh-Sweet-Moses-what-was-I-doing-again?  And why is there a bag of rapidly defrosting peas on the mantle?  *A smoke detector begins to sound in the background*)  So...yeah.  Forgiving is good.

For those of you unfortunate souls who are unfamiliar with Shepherd's Pie (also known as Cottage Pie), it is a hearty one dish meal, usually comprised of meat and vegetables and topped with a mashed potato crust.  If you're not drooling already, there's something wrong with you.  It's also an absolutely fabulous dish when you want to use up leftovers.  Below, is my go-to recipe, but this is definitely a good one to experiment with!

Entertaining Grace's Simply Delicious Shepherd's Pie 

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bag frozen mixed vegetables
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup (I usually use 99% fat free or low sodium)
1 Tbsp ketchup
2 Tbsp dried rosemary, crushed
3-4 c. mashed potatoes (you can use instant if you're absolutely pressed for time, but I highly recommend made from scratch 'taters.  Again, leftovers are awesome for this.)
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
olive oil

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.  Over medium-high heat, saute the onions and garlic in olive oil.


3. When onions begin to soften (after a minute or two) add ground beef and season with rosemary, salt and pepper (the key to a perfectly seasoned dish is to add the seasonings at every stage, not just at the end.)  Continue cooking until meat is browned, and onions are cooked through.



4. Drain excess fat.  Add the mushroom soup, vegetables, and ketchup and mix thoroughly.  


5.  Pour mixture into a 9x9 casserole dish.  Top with mashed potatoes, salt and pepper and shredded cheese.


6.  Bake for 15-20 minutes.  For an extra crispy crust, finish the pie under the broiler (about 2-3 minutes, or until cheese starts to brown).


To be honest, this is a one dish meal and doesn't really need anything else, but I'll often serve it with a small green salad, or some grapes (the sweet of the fruit pairs really well with the savory).  A good glass of red wine is a perfectly acceptable side dish as well.  (If it ain't on the food pyramid, it should be.)

Have an outstanding weekend, friends!  Let's hope this is the last of the cold!