Shepherd's Pie

Source: Me! (Heather Wihongi)

Servings: 4-6
Prep Time: 25 minutes(?)
Baking/Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• milk, sour cream, butter, etc. (as desired to mash potatoes)
• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 c. fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 (1.25 oz.) packet brown gravy mix
• 2 T. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 c. water
• salt, pepper, or steak seasoning (to taste)
• 8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese or 4 strips cooked bacon, chopped (optional. . .to top the potatoes)
• paprika

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water, and bring up to a boil. Season water with salt and boil potatoes until tender, 15-20 minutes.
3. In a skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef, mushrooms, and onions until meat is browned. Drain and return to skillet.
4. Add gravy mix, water, and Worcestershire sauce to beef mixture. Bring to boil. Season with salt, pepper, and/or steak seasoning (I love McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning!), to taste.
5. Pour beef/gravy mixture into 13x9-inch pan.
6. After potatoes have cooked, drain and mash, using milk, sour cream, butter, and other desired ingredients (chives, bleu cheese crumbles, green onion, garlic powder, etc.) to flavor potatoes.
7. Spread mashed potatoes on top of beef in pan. Top with bacon (optional) and sprinkle with paprika.
8. Cook for 30 minutes. Broil for last few minutes, if neccesary, to brown.
9. If using cheese as a topping, add last 5 minutes in oven.

Comments:

This is a regular in our house, and, to be honest, I've never really written it down before now! I've just used a variety of recipies -- including Rachael Ray's yummy Steakhouse Shepherd's Pie recipe (pictured above) -- to come up with my own. This is a real man-pleaser with all the meat and potatoes! The ultimate hearty, comfort food.

Variations: Add a can of diced tomatoes and/or a can of green beans (drained) to beef mixture. We love a lot of flavor in our mashed potatoes. . .Scott LOVES bleu cheese crumbles mixed in with the mashed potatoes; I prefer garlic in the potatoes with a cheddar cheese topping.