Shepherd’s Pie

 

Shepherd’s Pie is an English dish, traditionally made with lamb or mutton. Itypically make Shepherd’s Pie with ground beef and italian sausage.  Shepherd’s Pie is essentially a casserole, lined with cooked meat and vegetables, topped with mashed potatoes, and baked.

 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs lean ground  beef
• 1 lb italian sausage
• 1 onion chopped
• 1-2 cups vegetables – chopped carrots, corn, peas
• 1 1/2 – 2 lbs potatoes (3 big ones)
• 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick)
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• Salt, pepper, other seasonings of choice

 

 

1 Peel and quarter potatoes, boil in salted water until tender (about 20 minutes).

2 While the potatoes are cooking, melt 4 Tablespoons butter (1/2 a stick) in large frying pan.

3 Sauté onions in butter until tender over medium heat (10 mins). If you are adding vegetables, add them according to cooking time. Put any carrots in with the onions. Add corn or peas either at the end of the cooking of the onions, or after the meat has initially cooked.

 

4 Add ground beef and sausage and sauté until no longer pink. Add salt and pepper. Add worcesterchire sauce. Add half a cup of beef broth and cook, uncovered, over low heat for 10 minutes, adding more beef broth as necessary to keep moist.

5 Mash potatoes in bowl with remainder of butter, season to taste.

 

6 Place beef and onions in baking dish. Distribute mashed potatoes on top. Rough up with a fork so that there are peaks that will brown nicely. You can use the fork to make some designs in the potatoes as well.

7 Cook in 400 degree oven until bubbling and brown (about 30 minutes). Broil for last few minutes if necessary to brown.

Serves four.

Pizza Pasta

 

We broke our Friday night family ritual of Pizza to try a new recipe, a new favorite for teen age boys:

Pizza Pasta.

 2 tbs. olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

2 cans diced Italian tomatoes

1 tbs dried or fresh basil

1 tsp. oregano

Pinch of salt

2 pds dried pasta (Rigatoni or Cavatappi)

3 cups shredded mozzarella

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

3 cloves, crushed Garlic

Parmesan cheese

parsley

 

Add ins:

1-2 lbs Italian sausage

1 cup pepperoni

1 cup diced fresh mushrooms

1 can sliced olives

Any other ingredients you usually like on your pizza

 

For the Sauce:

Heat the oil in a large saucepan

Add the onion, garlic, sausage and cook through

Add the tomatoes, salt, basil, oregano

Simmer 10 min.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of water

Drain, rinse with hot water.

 Heat oven to 400

Lightly oil bottom of deep baking dish

Payer a blanket of pasta on the bottom of dish

Add ½ the cheese

Add ½ the sauce and ½ the add-ins.

Put final layer of pasta

Layer remaining sauce, cheese, and add-ins

 

Bake uncovered for 20 minutes

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and parsley

Serve