Twice-Baked Shepherds Pie, comfort food without a lot of guilt, easily catered to your family's favorite veggies, ranch mashed potatoes and melty cheese.
4ouncescream cheese (one-half of an 8-ounce brick)
3/4cupshredded cheddar, sharp cheddar or colby jack Cheese
1tablespoondry ranch dressing mix
1/2teaspoonblack pepper
1teaspoongarlic powder
1cupshredded cheddar cheese for topping
Meat Filling
1poundlean ground beef or lamb (lamb is traditional for shepherd's pie)
1poundground turkey or ground pork
1cupchopped onion
2-3carrotspeeled & chopped small (about 1 cup)
1cupfrozen corn or peas, or mixture of both.
1tablespoonminced garlic
1teaspooneach, salt & pepper
2tablespoonscornstarch
1cup(8 ounce can) tomato sauce
1/2cupbeef or chicken broth
2teaspoonsWorcestershire sauce
1teaspooneach, dried oregano and dried basil
Instructions
Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes
In a large saucepan cover potatoes with water, sprinkle in salt, and bring to a boil. Cook for about 15 minutes until potatoes are tender, drain off water and add to large bowl.
Add butter and cream cheese to the hot potatoes immediately and beat with an electric hand mixer (I like my KitchenAid) to melt the butter/cream cheese.
Add the 3/4 shredded cheese, dry ranch mix, pepper and garlic powder. Beat another minute or so until well combined, set aside.
Meat - Veggie Filling
Preheat the oven to 375.
In a large bowl, mix together your two meat choices until well-kneaded together as one meat.
In a large skillet, at medium-high heat, add the ground meat, onion, carrots, garlic. Break up meat as it is cooking about 10 minutes, and test the carrots to be sure they are fork tender. If not, turn the heat down to medium and cover with lid for about 5 minutes and test again.
Drain off any fat. Stir the cornstarch into the meat/veggie mixture.
Add in the salt & pepper, and all other remaining ingredients, cook and stir until mixture is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
Place meat into a large 10-inch deep dish plate or other baking dish.
Spread the mashed potatoes over entire surface, and top potatoes with remaining 1 cup cheddar cheese.