What's cookin' Monday

Todays entry is one of my Husband's favorite! It's easy and tasty!

SHEPHERD'S PIE

Serves 4

Prep time: 20 min

Cooking time: 30 min

Ingredients:
• 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 tablespoons softened cream cheese, *for lighter version use light sour cream
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/2 cup cream, **for a lighter version substitute vegetable or chicken broth
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
• 1 3/4 pounds ground beef or ground lamb
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup beef stock or broth
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire
• 1/2 cup frozen peas, a couple of handfuls
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves (garnish)

Directions:
(Make potato mixture before starting meat portion)
Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and pour them into a bowl. Combine *cream cheese, egg yolk and **cream. Add the cream mixture into potatoes and mash until potatoes are almost smooth. Set aside covered.

Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat.
1. Add oil to hot pan with beef or lamb. Season meat with salt and pepper. Brown and crumble meat for 3 or 4 minutes, spoon away some of the drippings.
2. Add chopped carrot and onion to the meat. Cook veggies with meat 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. In a second small skillet over medium heat cook butter and flour together 2 minutes.
4. Whisk in broth and Worcestershire sauce and thicken gravy 1 minute.
5. Add gravy to meat and vegetables. Stir in peas.

Preheat broiler to high.
Fill a small rectangular casserole with meat and vegetable mixture. Spoon potatoes over meat evenly. Top potatoes with paprika and broil 6 to 8 inches from the heat until potatoes are evenly browned. Top casserole dish with chopped parsley and serve. Mmmmmm... good