What’s on the Menu?

Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd's Pie is traditionally an English dish made with lamb or mutton.  The British love meat pies, and that is what Shepherd's pie originally was. We have given it a bit of a shake up here in America and made it into a super simple ground beef casserole topped with mashed potatoes. To the purist it is an adulteration! To the savvy domestic diva it is a simple one dish meal, purists be hanged! :)

Since we are shaking things up though feel free to be creative! Use what ever meat you like, ground, cubed or shredded. Add sour cream, cheese or chives to your potato topping and a variety of herbs. Add a little broth and flour or starch to your meat to create gravy for your meat layer. Replace your potato layer with a quick bread or pie crust. Simple doesn't have to mean bland, you decide what your family will appreciate the most.

Me? I want a crusty cheese topping with moist herbed potatoes over tender lightly chunked meat and gravy. Nothing less will do. Good thing I'm the cook. . . I am VERY demanding!

Of course fresh potatoes are always best, but we are going for shelf stable items so keep potato pearls or other deyhdrated or freeze dried potatoes in your family store. You can give them a lift with a little powdered sour cream, dried chives or other herbs. Experiment and find what makes your family swoon and then stick with it.

To make this meal twelve times for your family you will need:

12 Quarts Beef Chunks with broth -OR- Ground Beef with Broth

24Tbsp Dehydrated Onioin

12 Tbsp Corn Starch

3 tsp Garlic Powder

3 tsp Black Pepper

3 tsp Dreid Rosemary

6 tsp Salt

12 - 15oz Cans Mixed Vegetables

48 Cups Dehydrated Potatoes

48 Cups Milk -OR- Equivalent of Powdered Milk

12 Cups Sour Cream -OR- Equivalent Powdered Sour Cream

48tsp Chives

12-4or5 0z Portions Cheese of Choice (Waxed in your store)

Oil

Recipe:

1 Quart Beef with Broth (Approx 1 Cup Broth)

2 Tbsp Dehydrated Onion, rehydrated

1 Tbsp Corn Starch *Measurement is approximate.

1/4 tsp Black Pepper

1/4 tsp Garlic Powder

1/4 tsp Dried Rosemary

1/2 tsp Salt

2 Tbsp Water

1 15 oz Can Mixed Vegetables

4 Cups Milk

4 Cups Dehydrated Potatoes

1 Cup Sour Cream

4 tsp Dried Chives

4-5 oz. Shredded Cheese

In a sauce pan saute rehydrated onions until transparent. Add meat with broth and bring to a simmer. In a small bowl combine cornstarch, garlic powder, pepper, rosemary and salt with 2 Tablespoons of cool water. Add the starch mixture to the meat and allow the broth to make a thick gravy. Add drained vegetables and heat through. Pour meat and vegetabels with gravy into a deep sided 9x9 casserole.

Bring 4 Cups of milk to simmer on medium high heat. Quickly wisk in dehydrated potatoes and remove from heat. Stir in sour cream, chives, and grated cheese. Salt the potatoes if desired. Spread the potatoes on top of the meat and vegetables.  Leave the potatoes rough with peaks for better browing. Place in a 350 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes until very hot and bubbly and top has crisped.

* I have seen this recipe so many times with an anemic portion of potatoes. My recipe calls for almost double what is standard as I like the potatoes deep to compliment the meat and gravy beneath.