Shepherd's Pie

Fresh off our quick trip to London, John and I were craving the comforting, hearty mushiness of shepherd's pie like no other.  It didn't help that our search for a good country pie in London was impossible what with pubs offering more culinary options these days.  (And it's hard to count the one we ate on the plane home, for obvious reasons.)  I made ours from a combination of recipes, both low-fat and, well, high.

Meat Mixture

• 2 sprays of canola oil
• 1 onion, chopped and softened in the skillet
• 2 carrots, peeled, sliced and softened
• 3 celery stalks, chopped and softened
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 lb. ground beef, browned in the skillet with softened vegetables
• dash worcestershire sauce (or a couple)
• 1 cup beef broth (extra boullion)
• 1 cup frozen peas added right before the oven
• salt & pepper to taste

Whipped Potatoes

• 4 large potatoes (I used 3 goldens and 1 russet)
• 1/2 cup no-fat sour cream mixed in while whipping potatoes
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan mixed in
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup low-fat mozzarella grated and sprinkled over the top of the casserole in the oven

Once the potatoes were whipped and the beef was browned, they were layered and sprinkled with cheese for 1 hour at 350º.  We ate it two nights in a row and had second helpings each time!