Cozy Food (Shepherd's Pie recipe)

California winter this year has been far from cold. I know that's our reputation, but even so, this year seems unusually warm. Still, my brain has been in winter hibernation mode. I've been craving hearty stews and casseroles. Salads, my spring and summer staples, are even appealing. So I've been cooking turkey and dumplings (recipe to in a following post), vegetable stew, and last night, Shepherd's Pie. I love Shepherd's Pie. It's one of those things I have to make at least once every winter. The Boy loves it too. He requested it has his final home-cooked meal before heading off to college. 

So this weekend,The Boy and I are decorating for the holidays: tree, lights, angels, and poinsettias; the whole kit and caboodle. We baked batches of Christmas cookies to give as gifts to my staff. Shepherd's Pie seemed to the ideal dinner.

SHEPHERD'S PIE
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
2 chicken bouillon cubes

1 celery stalk
1 carrot
1 medium onion
1 pound ground turkey
4 oz mushrooms, finely diced
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon Worcestershire        
      sauce
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 cup water
1 beef bouillon cube 
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 cup fat free chicken broth
1/4 cup fat free yogurt
1/4 cup low calorie butter flavored spread
salt and pepper to taste

1) Preheat over to 350 degrees.

2) Peel and dice potatoes. Place in a large pot of cold water with the two chicken bouillon cubes. Boil the potatoes until cooked.

3) In the meantime, dice the onion, celery and carrots. Saute vegetables in a skillet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.






4) When they are soft add ground turkey and cook until done.
5) Add mushrooms, corn, and peas. (You can add other vegetables if so desired. This time I added two small diced tomatoes leftover from my garden. Green beans, lima beans, spinach are all good possibilities.) Heat through.

6) Sprinkle flour all over top and stir in. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, water, beef bouillon cube, and thyme. Cook until the bouillon cube is completely dissolved and mixed in. Add salt and pepper to taste.

7) When the potatoes are soft when stabled with a fork, drain and mash them with chicken broth, yogurt, and low calorie butter spread. (I really don't know how much chicken broth I use. I just keep adding until the potatoes are the consistency I want. 1/2 cup is just a guess.) Add salt and pepper to taste.

8) Spread the ground turkey and vegetable mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Spoon mashed potatoes over the top and spread out evenly. 
9) Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. 

It sounds like a lot of steps but it's worth it all. So good.


The Christmas decorating went well too.