Easy Shepard's Pie

by Romaine Richardson
(Dawson, Georgia USA)

Ingredients:
1 lb extra lean ground beef or ground turkey
1/3 cup of chopped green onions
1/3 cup of chopped celery
1/3 cup of sliced or chopped mushrooms
4 cans of sliced white potatoes
pinch of coarsely ground pepper
dash of salt
dash of Butt Rub or other spices
8 oz bag of shredded cheese (I prefer using sharp cheese)

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 395 degrees.
2. Boil white potatoes on the stove for about 10-15 minutes or until tender.
3. Brown ground beef.
4. Place cooked grown beef in a casserole dish.
5. Add all vegetables, except for white potatoes, to the meat and blend.
6. Add a dash spices and seasonings.
7. Spread meat out evenly in casserole dish.
8. Drain white potatoes and spread evenly over meat.
9. Sprinkle cheese over potatoes.
10. Bake in oven until cheese melts.
11. Take out and let cool.

Note: This dish is wonderful with seasoned green beans. Season green beans with real butter and onions. I know, go light on the butter. One thing with real butter is that it takes a less for a great taste.

Story behind this dish: I had never heard of it until I worked in the library at a hospital and this was one of the main entrees for lunch one day. I was encouraged to try it and when I did, I liked it. I was later told that his was a southern dish, but I had never heard of it before. Anyway, I was later able to recreate the dish, basically, it is just ground beef, mashed potatoes, and cheese. I kept making it and my family loved it and I began to experiment by adding vegetable to the meat and different spices, so now it is a dish that my family ask for during family gatherings. One day, I went to make it and found that my potatoes had rotted, but I had a huge can of sliced white potatoes and decided to try them, and it worked wonderfully, so now I can cut the time down by not having to peel and slice potatoes. Enjoy!