Easy-Peasy Shepard's Pie

Happy New Year to all!  I still have so much updating to do, specifically some Christmas goodies.  Life has been pretty hectic recently.  I've been working 45 hours a week since the beginning of November, so I've been doing the majority of my cooking on the weekends.  We have also had a devastating loss in our family.  Even when something is expected, it doesn't hurt any less.  Dealing with every day life, and all the stress that has been accompanying it recently, has left little to no time to update my blog.  As I strive to be a little more consistent, I just ask my readers to bear with me.

Tomorrow is food shopping day.  Because of this fact, I have an up-to-date inventory of my cupboards, refrigerator and freezer.  I realized that within my inventory, I had the basics I needed to make Shepard's Pie.  It's def not my Mom's Shepard's Pie, but it was simple and easy to prepare.  This is easy enough to even be done on a weeknight after work!  I eventually want to try and make my Mom's Shepard's Pie, and when I do, I will post the recipe here.  I am sure this recipe can be turned vegan or vegetarian, using some sort of soy fake ground beef, turkey or what have you.  If there are other ways my readers have prepared this dish, please share!  I am also eager to hear feedback from my readers!  I would love to include a vegan or vegetarian version, and I'm sure you could also substitute ground turkey, chicken, pork, or lamb.  Please feel free to include pictures of the dishes within your feedback as well!

Yields about 8 Servings

Ingredients:

• 2 packages of Instant Mashed Potatoes (I used Betty Crocker's Butter and Herb twin pack)
• about 1 1/2 cups of chopped carrots
• 1 can of peas, drained
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce
• 3 teaspoons of all-purpose flour
• 1 package of brown gravy mix
• 1 cup of water
• 1/2-1 cup of shredded cheese, traditionally cheddar, but whatever your preference works fine as well

Directions:
Prepare the instant mashed potatoes as per the directions on the box.  Set aside.

Bring a small saucepan of water to a rolling boil.  Add the carrots, and boil until just tender.  Drain.  Mix carrots with the can of drained peas.

Heat oil in a large skillet.  Add onion and cook until translucent.  Preheat oven to 375º.  Add the ground beef to the skillet and season with Worcestershire sauce.   Cook beef until thoroughly browned.  Drain excess fat and then stir in flour and cook for about another minute.  Add the gravy mix and the water and cook until the sauce thickens.   

Spread meat mixture on the bottom of a casserole dish or baking dish.  Next, spread a layer of the pea and carrot mix.  

This is followed by a layer of the mashed potatoes, finally being topped with the shredded cheese.  

Bake until the cheese melts and starts to brown, around 20 minutes.