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.

Ham and Potato Soup

     My parents went crazy for this.  Seriously...they couldn't stop eating it.  We all agree: this ham and potato soup+ my herb bread = the ultimate comfort food.  Especially on a chilly winter night.  It's surprisingly much more healthy than you'd think, because it doesn't use any cream-just some butter.  To make it more low fat, you can use skim milk (I used 2%).  I am definitely making this dinner again.  It was so incredibly easy too!!  I can't wait to try it with other variations...chicken and broccoli, italian sausage and mushrooms, and just adding more veggies like green beans, carrots, and corn.  I don't even know why this soup tastes so good...but my family and I believe it's because of the yukon gold potatoes.  Seriously, those things are so flavorful.  I will NEVER go back to boring baked potatoes ever again.  If you have never had yukon gold, try them. I can promise you, you won't regret it.

Yield: About 8 servings

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups peeled and diced yukon gold potatoes
• 1/3 cup diced celery
• 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
• 3/4 cup diced cooked ham
• 3 1/4 cups water
• 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
• chives (optional)

Directions

1. Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.
2. In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.  Sprinkle with cheese and chives if desired.