Shepherd's Pie

     

 

Are you Irish?  Well, I am.  So Saint Patty's Day is pretty exciting to me.  My family always has an Irish dinner, and this year I insisted that we have Shepherds Pie.  One of my favorite meals ever is the Shepherds Pie at the Cheesecake Factory (my happy place).  If you've never had it, then get it...but it's HUGE.  Ever since I ate it, I get a major craving for it every now and then. I created this recipe for Saint Patrick's Day this year, and it was a huge hit. My mom, dad, and I each had thirds.  And it makes incredible leftovers (it didn't degrade at all in the fridge!!).  Unlike most Shepherd's Pie recipes, this one has a packet of gravy in the beef, which makes it super flavorful and juicy.  It also provides a nice gravy with the mashed potatoes if you like to mix it all together.  Just the thought of this Shepherds Pie gets my excited...you start with a creamy, melt-in-your-mouth layer of mashed potatoes with an incredible >crust of cheese< on top, then you dig into the oh-so-flavorful and juicy beef and vegetables.  Mmm...I will definitely be making this very often, not just on Saint Patrick's Day.  And you don't need to be Irish to love it! ;)

Ingredients:

• 5 medium yukon gold potatoes (or russet), peeled and cubed
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• 5 carrots, chopped
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce 
• 1 packet brown gravy mix mixed with 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash. Mix in butter, finely chopped onion and 1/4 cup shredded cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add carrots and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C.)
3. Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add onion and cook until clear. Add ground beef and cook until well browned. Pour off excess fat, then stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and gravy mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Spread the ground beef in an even layer on the bottom of a 2 quart casserole dish. Next, spread a layer of carrots and sprinkle frozen peas ontop. Top with the mashed potato mixture and sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Tuna Casserole Quiche

       "Ewww! A tuna casserole quiche???"

      Yeah. That's probably what you're thinking when you read the title.  I'm telling you right now:  if you love tuna casserole or tuna melts, then you will enjoy this quiche.  If you do not like tuna casserole or tuna melts, then you probably won't.  Me, who loves any tuna dish, especially covered with melted cheese, thought this quiche was very good.  I was even going to enter this into the state fair, but I never got the chance.  It is definitely a unique dish...I never had tuna in a quiche before I experimented with this.  But when you think about it,  cheese goes great with eggs.  Sooo..just about anything that tastes good with cheese would probably taste good in a quiche too!  I've had many successes incorporating my favorite dishes into other types of dishes, so I decided to transform tuna casserole into a quiche. The peas give it a really nice texture and the flour adds some fluffiness and thickness.  The milk is what makes it creamy, along with the cheese.  It's a comfort food for sure, like any quiche, and its pretty cheesy - which is one of the main reasons why I love it so much. 

Yield: 1 9-inch pie (about 8 servings)

Ingredients:

4 eggs, scrambled

½ cup all-purpose flour

4 slices American cheese, torn into pieces

2 5-ounce cans chunk white tuna in water, drained

1 tsp. salt

1 ½ cup milk

1 ½ cup cooked peas

4 slices American cheese

Directions:

1.      Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degree C).  Lightly grease a 9-inch pie pan.

2.      Mix everything except the last 4 slices of cheese in large bowl until no flour lumps remain and everything is just combined.  Pour into pie pan.  Set 4 slices cheese evenly on top so quiche is nearly covered.

3.      Bake for 35-40 minutes or until set.  Let cool in pan at least 10 minutes before serving (hot or cold).  If serving cold, refrigerate overnight.