Some say it's a cottage pie when made with beef, that only meat from a shepherd's flock would make it a shepherd's pie, but either way it's named, it's a mighty tasty dish. Here's my version of this easy one-dish meal.
Shepherd's Pie with Beef
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 - 2 bell peppers, diced
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed soup (your choice: cream of mushroom, celery or potato)
4 cups prepared or leftover mashed potatoes
1 cup shredded cheese OR Paprika
4-6 pats/dots butter
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Cook beef in a skillet over medium heat, breaking meat up into small pieces. Drain grease. (Skip if using roast.)
Add onion, garlic, bell pepper and mushroom. Cook, stirring frequently, about 3-5 minutes - until onions turn translucent.
Stir canned soup into the beef mixture until thickened.
Ladle this into a 2 quart casserole dish. Top with mashed potatoes (for a fancy appearance, use a piping bag fitted with a star tip).
Dot with butter pieces.
Top with cheese OR sprinkle lightly with paprika.
Bake for 50 - 60 minutes (top will be lightly browned). Let sit about 10 minutes before serving.
About 6 servings.
Substitution suggestions:
Use leftover roast, chopped up, for the ground beef.
Use a variety of canned or leftover vegetables in place of onion, bell pepper, garlic and mushrooms.
If using prepared mashed potatoes, warm them in the microwave for 1/2 - 2/3 the cooking time suggested on the package to make them easier to spread over the top.
I used 1 bag (12 oz) frozen bell pepper strips with onions, a heaping spoonful of jarred minced garlic, some left over corn and cream of mushroom soup in my most recent preparation. I also used Meijer Brand Mashed Potatoes (usually found near the meat department).