comfort food

Easy Peasy Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd’s Pie is such classic comfort food. It’s hearty, warm and flavorful. On a chilly day it’s like a beacon of cozy. There are many variations, and really you can layer on any vegetables you want. As far as I’m concerned there is really no wrong way… But if you know how to boil potatoes and want it easy, here you go!

As organic as possible:

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup onion, diced (1 small onion)

2 lbs ground beef (we like 90/10 lean)

10 crackers, crushed (saltine style or butter)

2 1/2 tsp salt (divided)

1 tsp black pepper (divided)

2-3 Tbsp season salt

2 cans creamed corn

3 lbs potatoes red skin potatoes, washed, halved and quartered to boiling size (2″ or so). If you use another potato, no worries, just peel first.

1 cup heavy cream

1 stick butter (1/2 cup)

1/2 cup milk (give or take)

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large pot cover potatoes with water and start boiling, cook until fork tender. In the meantime in a large skillet, warm oil on medium heat. When runny and hot add onion and let cook a minute or two. Add beef, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. (Side note: I’m a big fan of seasoning meat initially as it cooks, and again later… it’s tradition.) Cook until browned, drain and add season salt and crackers, toss around until evenly distributed. Taste for seasoning! It’s got to be good enough to eat on its own, salt and pepper as necessary. Then spoon meat mixture evenly on the bottom of a 13 x 9 casserole dish. Next cover meat mixture with creamed corn. (Another side note: if you are not a fan of creamed corn, don’t worry, it won’t taste like creamed corn.) Set aside.

Check potatoes for tenderness and drain when ready. Add butter and cream, mash. Add milk as necessary until desired (slightly spreadable) consistency. Add remaining salt and pepper. Taste! Season as needed to taste delicious on their own. Then layer on top of corn and meat mixture, spread evenly. If you’d like sprinkle lightly with a little of the season salt for color. Bake for 35 minutes, until potatoes just start to brown and dish is heated through. Serve lovingly.

IMG_1353

Lynz Real Cooking’s Chicken Divan

I am thoroughly enjoying my WordPress Cooking Challenge from Healthy in All Hues to make the dishes of 5-7 fellow foodie bloggers. (I chose 8!) I not only enjoy creating recipes, I love making other peoples’ recipes! Why not support my fellow bloggers and try new dishes? Brilliant!

Lynn has an amazing blog about raising nine children and the ups and downs of her experience living in Saudi. (I’m captivated.) At first I was thinking, nine kids! How does she have time to cook? And then I thought, all of those mouths to feed, she probably never leaves the kitchen!

Why have I never heard of Chicken Divan? I am thankful to Lynn for sharing it! It’s nourishing and well, for lack of a better word, delicious! The ultimate retro comfort food! There were a couple steps, and I was moving along… and then I got to the curry. All of the sudden I was reminded of my grandmother, and then I was connected in a much deeper way. And the warm fuzzies kept coming as it baked in the oven and filled my home with a heart-warming aroma I was not accustomed to, but will be from now on. Honest to goodness it just kept getting better!

I prepared the recipe with rice just as Lynn had done in her photo. My only dilemma was that my sauce seemed a little wetter than the one in her picture, so I served it in a bowl over the rice. No disappointment here, it was fantastic, scrumptious and everything I want my food to be! I called my sister right away to say she had to make it for her family. By the way, this is going to be a staple in my repertoire! No wonder everyone (but me) had heard of it before! I think I might start a new challenge: make everything on Lynn’s blog! For the original recipe visit Lynz Real Cooking.

As organic as possible: (my input)

4 slices bread

4 Tbsp butter, melted

1 large crown broccoli, cut into bite size pieces and steamed

5 chicken breasts, boiled and shredded

1 cup mayonnaise

1 large can chicken condensed soup

2 1/2 cups water

1 Tbsp curry

juice of 1 lemon

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 300º

Place bread on baking sheet and place in oven, cook until toasted and turn the oven up to 350º. When cooled break into pieces and toss with melted butter. In the meantime, layer a large casserole dish with the broccoli followed by the shredded chicken. Mix the mayo, soup, water, curry, and lemon juice in a large bowl and pour evenly over the broccoli and chicken. Top the mix with the shredded cheese and toasted bread pieces. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Enjoy the smell of your kitchen. Serve warm (on a bed of rice). YUM!