Shepherd's Pie with Gravy

I make this often in the winter because it's easy and my family loves it. There are several different variations (as it seems with most casserole dishes!) so use what you've got and make it how you like it. I like it with the creamy gravy but my husband likes it without...so you can add it or leave it out...I've done both.

~This makes a great freezer meal as well. You can prep the whole thing and then freeze it and then put it in the oven when you are ready to use it. If it's in your deep freeze you might want to take it out the day before and let it defrost a bit in your fridge.

~This is also a great meal to bring to someone who's had a baby or is stuck in bed. It feeds a whole family easily or if you need to you can double it easily.

~Kids usually love this meal. It's a casserole but it's pretty simple so there isn't much dissecting that goes on once it's served to them.

Ingredients

1/2 of a chopped onion (or sprinkle with dried onion)

sprinkle of garlic powder or 1 minced garlic clove

1 lb ground beef or turkey

1/2 bag or 2 cups of frozen veggie (we usually use corn but green beans or peas work well too)

mashed potatoes (enough to cover the top of the baking dish like a crust-I often used leftover mashed potatoes)

salt and pepper for seasoning

Saute onion, garlic and brown the meat. Drain. Add salt and pepper. Add veggies and saute till veggies are warmed. Put meat in the bottom of a baking dish (I usually use a deep french white corning ware dish). Spread mashed potatoes over the top sealing the top like a crust. Bake at 350 degrees uncovered until bubbly (mine usually bubbles around the edges even if I sealed it off well with the mashed potatoes) and the top of it is lightly browned.

Variations:

-with gravy mixed in- you can make your own gravy and pour it over the meat and veggie mixture before topping with mashed potatoes.

-or you can serve it with gravy on the side.

-instead of gravy you can make this easy creamy mix....1 can cream of mushroom soup and about 1/2 cup of milk whisked together

-you can use chicken broth and only 1 cup of milk when making gravy to make it more figure friendly.

-peas or green beans instead of corn or a mix of all three

-you can freeze it by covering it first with cling wrap and then with foil.

-you can make this a one skillet meal by using an oven safe skillet. Prepare the meat and corn and then top the skillet with mashed potatoes. Place the whole skillet into the oven.

-healthy factors: use ground turkey, use Yukon gold potatoes, use a green veggie instead of corn, use 2 parts chicken broth to 1 part milk for the gravy, or omit the gravy altogether.

This is a very complete meal if served with a fresh green salad.

To make the gravy, make a rue from butter and flour. Add 2 parts chicken broth and 1 part milk. Whisk continually so that you don't get lumps or burn it.

Salt and pepper to taste.

If you aren't going to use the gravy right away. Cover it with cling wrap so that it doesn't get a dry skin on top of it. Press the cling wrap against the gravy leaving no air between the gravy and the cling wrap.