My oh my, what a day I had yesterday!
It started out as a normal day. Woke up at 6:45, went to the gym to meet my friend but she didn’t show up (don’t worry, I didn’t show up to the spin class Saturday morning so we are even). And then I got ready, got my large cuppa coffee, and headed to work. It was a busy day, but that’s good because the busier I am the faster time flies (and also the less time I spend on the internet!)
Well, I did spend a little bit of time online yesterday, enough time to see Ellen Degeneres tweet that there would be a giveaway in Dallas off of Lemmon Ave. A car giveaway! All you needed was a 1$ bill with Ellen’s name written on it to be entered in the drawing. (and the money benefited breast cancer research).
I left work a few minutes early and headed to the car dealership off of Lemmon Ave. It was hard to find a parking spot and there were about 500 people there so I figured I would watch them pick a winner and then I would leave. Well Jeannie (from the Ellen show) picked 12 ticket numbers and I wasn’t one of them. But one of the 12 didn’t walk up there so she called out one more number and you can guess who it was. ME. Ticket number 934345!
So here I am standing next to eleven other people not knowing what is going to happen next. It’s the Ellen Show, you never know what is going to happen. Next thing I know we are scrambling towards the trunk of a car to get a bag, and we have to create a costume from what is in the bag in 20 minutes. I got a big white sheet, a hula skirt, some scrapbook paper, fabric pens, a cowboy hat, string, Ellen boxers and shirt, and a few other random things.
First I slipped the boxers on under my skirt and took off my skirt (Yes, in front of hundreds of people!) and then I put the hula skirt on and I had a small set of fall looking flowers and put those around my waist also. Next I made a top with two pieces of fabric and string. I was going for the hula girl look and the cowboy hat wasn’t working, so I added some Hawaiian flowers to the hat with the scrapbook paper. I added a big E to my stomach with yellow tape and our 30 minutes was up.
Ellen was in California filming the show (which airs today) and we could see each other over satellite. She picked and called out the top 5 costumes and I was one of them, I couldn’t believe it! What I couldn’t believe was that Ellen actually said my name! Next we were handed a set of car keys and had to test out the keys in the car they were giving away. Well folks, I didn’t win the car. The woman right in front of me had the working set of keys. But that’s ok, we didn’t leave empty handed as they then gave us $500 Amex gift cards! Hey, that works for me!
Shepherds Pie
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Ground Beef
- 2 pieces bacon
- 1 tsp Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- Salt Pepper to taste
- 1/2 an Onion small dice
- 1 Carrot peeled and small dice
- 3 Potatoes peeled and quartered
- 1 TBS Butter
- 1/4 cup Heavy Cream
- Salt White Pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup Cheddar Cheese shredded
- Chives or Green Onions garnish
Instructions
- preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Warm up a pan over medium high heat and when the pan is hot add your ground beef. Add the chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper and cook until the meat is browned and fully cooked. Set aside.
- Cook your bacon in the same pan until crispy, drain the bacon on a paper towel. Add the carrots and onions to the bacon grease and cook for 5 minutes, until tender. After it has cooled chop the bacon up in large pieces.
- Combine the beef, bacon and vegetables. Set aside.
- Peel and quarter your potatoes and add to to a large pot of cold water. Place the large pot of water and potatoes over high heat and boil for at least 10 minutes. Use a knife to test a potato, it should go through the potato like butter.
- Drain the potatoes and let cool. I use a potato ricer to make my potatoes very creamy and lump free, but you can prepare your mashed potatoes as you normally would.
- I added 1 TBS butter, a 1/4 cup cream, salt and white pepper to my mashed potatoes.
- Using a 3qt baking dish add your beef mixture and top with the mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and chili powder and bake for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped green onions or chives before serving.
Video
Notes
(I was hamming it up for the camera a lot more after the video ends!)
Shepherds Pie Recipe Variations
Cottage pie is a one-pot meal
When you want a one-pot meal that is simple and delicious, make Cottage pie. This meal can be made in advance and kept in the fridge for up to 4 days. Alternatively, you can freeze the cottage pie and bake it later. Cottage pie only takes about an hour to prepare, but the longer you keep it frozen, the longer it will keep. You can also serve it as a side dish, paired with a fresh salad. A simple and quick way to serve Cottage Pie is to serve it with a Carrot Salad dressed with a dash of honey.
Ground beef and lamb are traditional ingredients for Shepherds Pie, but you can substitute ground turkey or chicken for the ground meat. Depending on the size of your pie, you can use a variety of vegetables. In addition to carrots and peas, you can add fresh ones instead of the frozen ones. Cottage pie reheats well, so you can double the recipe and freeze it for another time. Just be sure to thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. Once it is thawed, place it back into the oven and bake it for another half hour.
Shepherd’s pie is a baked savory meat pie topped with mashed potatoes
A classic shepherd’s pie is a dish made from ground beef and veggies with mashed potatoes on top. You can easily double this recipe and freeze it for later use. The mashed potatoes add to the comforting flavor of the pie and can be reheated at a later time. For the best results, make sure you preheat the oven to 425°F, and cook the pie for about 30 minutes before serving.
While traditional shepherd’s pie uses ground lamb, you can use beef, turkey, or even vegetarian lentils. As long as you use plenty of vegetables, this dish is easy to make and takes no time to prepare. You can also add some vegetables or mashed potatoes for a vegetarian version, or make it whole30 or paleo-friendly by replacing the meat with a vegetable mixture.
Ground lamb is an excellent substitute for the beef
A vegetarian alternative to beef in this classic pie is ground lamb. Ground lamb, vegetables and mashed potatoes are layered on the bottom of the pie, and the top layer is topped with mashed potatoes. You can also use vegan Worcestershire sauce, veggie stock and butter or cream cheese. If beef is too expensive or too time-consuming for your taste, ground lamb is an excellent substitute.
This traditional Irish dish is made with ground lamb, peas, carrots, and mashed potatoes. The mixture is topped with mashed potatoes and baked until the edges are golden brown. Traditionally, there is no cheese on top of Shepherds Pie, but it can be topped with cheddar cheese or butter for a heartier meal. If you don’t like lamb, try using ground beef or vegetarian lentils.
Ingredients
A classic shepherds pie recipe calls for minced meat topped with mashed potatoes. While the ingredients vary, the basics of shepherds pie are red meat, onions, and gravy or sauce. Other common variations include adding vegetables or cheese to the filling. If you’re thinking about making your own shepherds pie recipe, keep reading to learn more about the ingredients and make your own Shepherds Pie! We hope you enjoy!
First, prepare your pastry crust. It will need to be at least 10 inches in diameter. A cast iron skillet or other oven-proof dish can be used to cook this classic recipe. If you’re working with a smaller pan, you can use a casserole dish. As long as you use a high-quality pastry crust, shepherds pie freezes well. So, be sure to check the baking time and temperature of your pie before cooking.
