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One of my hubby’s favorites: Shepherd’s pie

Tue, 11/06/2018 - 12:00pm

Well, with the cooler nights, it’s comfort food time. One of my husband’s favorite dishes is shepherd’s pie.

First thing you do is march yourself up to Pinkham’s Gourmet Market and buy a couple of pounds of the best burger in town. Pete, my meat man, grinds his own burger in-store — 90 percent is so yummy.

You’ll need six large russets, onion, frozen corn, beef paste, salt and pepper, and whatever cheese you have loose in your fridge.

First thing you do is sauté your onions, then add your 90 percent burger, cook until done (drain grease if you desire), add 1 and a half cups of water (I hate dry shepherd's pie … yuck), bring to a boil, then add two tablespoons of beef paste and stir. To thicken, you may either use corn starch or flour … I prefer corn starch ... use two to three tablespoons, add a half cup of cold, cold, cold water and shake (I use a little Tupperware container). I’m going to be honest — I never measure anything (laugh out loud so please bear with me). After it thickens, to the consistency of a light gravy, pull off the heat and set it aside. Peel your spuds, boil and drain … add your butter, milk (My bad – I use evaporated milk), salt and pepper and get smashing.

Pour your beef and onion mixture in a sprayed pan. I use a deep, 3-inch 10-by-14 baking dish. I sprinkle some cheese over that, whatever you have in your fridge. Grab your bag of frozen corn and pour over the meat mixture. Top off evenly with your mashed potatoes and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Prep time for me is maybe an hour. I like a nice blend with my shepherd’s pie, which you can also pick up at Pinkham’s Gourmet Market. The blend is called Conundrum — they have a red or white.

Enjoy … thanks for all of the kind words from my first couple of food columns. Most everyone knows how to get in touch with me about cooking questions. Please don’t hesitate to call or text! I get lots of calls and love helping anyone out with cooking questions … Always be kind.

I hope everyone had a safe and happy Halloween.

Live, laugh and love!