Shepherd's Pie - {a 10 step recipe in photos}

I made mashed potatoes in a stand mixer and, as I made a whole bag of potatoes worth, despite hungry dinner guests I still had a lot of leftovers. Potatoes are at the top of my favorite comfort foods -runs in the family – but, as a student of Nutrition and diseases related to poor nutrition, I am conscious enough to not eat the whole of even my favorite of foods straight through a week. So, what dish is warm, hearty, and involves mashed potatoes but isn’t only potatoes? That’s the ticket – a shepherd’s pie with fresh ingredients, low sodium, and lean meat.

1. chop a sweet vidalia onion; peel a carrot and chop as well; mince 5-6 cloves of garlic (hurray for the garlic peeler and press!)

2. Sautee 3-4 minutes in a tsp of canola oil, cover for a couple minutes to soften carrots a bit.

3. Add meat (96% lean ground beef), spices, 1/4 cup tomato paste.

4. Inhale and enjoy the scent. Fusion of herb de provence (gives you an aroma of rosemary and thyme – and lavender!) from this Sur La Table blend. Raz el Hanout, a moroccan blend of spices gives a beautiful flavor to the meat which complements the sweetness of the carrots. 5. + one can of sweet corn.

6. On top of the meaty, stewy goodness, add the Garlic Surprise mashed pommes de terres – mashed with no effort of my own, but with a stand mixer on medium setting. If you’re curious how to make these delicious potatoes, leftovers from the day before which I reshuffled into this Shepherd’s pie, it is:

{Garlic Surprise Mashed Potatoes}: Basically: one bag of russet potatoes peeled and boiled + a cup of milk to desired thickness + 1/4 cup sour cream + 5 cloves garlic, whole + salt + half a red onion, diced + 1/2 cup butter. 7. 8. 10.