Shepard's Pot Pie

I made the trek to Wasilla (no I didn't see the Palins), list in hand I found mostly what I was looking for and completely forgot the printer ink. HA! I'm assuming we all have these days, right? The ones where you yell at people who don't deserve it and make them cry, then rage around for no reason feeling grumpy. Then oddly when your husband texts that he wants to bring a friend home for dinner you agree, forgetting that you didn't shower today, your hair is disgusting, the children are completely feral and have spread legos in an even layer all over the living room floor. You agree and halfheartedly clean up figuring he has kids and knows they what the deal is. And he does and all is cool.

Thankfully it was also a day where I had a plan for dinner and had made more than enough, a day when the bread rose beautifully and a chilled carafe of coffee awaited ice and milk for drinks. Conversation was great, kids were sent off to play and did for the most part, and we enjoyed a bit of semi adult conversation. The day was salvaged but I'm not sure it was ruined to begin with, I think it was teetering on being crappy and turned out pretty good.

Dinner was basic peasant fare, a casserole really but made with out cream of whatever soup which I think is the traditional binder of casseroles. What the heck do you use in a casserole if cream of chemicals is no longer an option?(we try to live without highly processed food for the most part) Tonight I used leftover gravy from the pot roast I made the other night. I intentionally packaged up the leftovers and intentionally told my husband and Hero what they were and please don't eat them. And they didn't, whew!

Shepard's Pot Pie oven 350˚
2 cups leftover gravy-I make extra to have leftovers
2 cups sliced leftover roast beef
3 cups mixed vegetables, leftovers, frozen, canned or fresh, I used green beans and corn
4 cups mashed potatoes, more or less depends on your taste and leftovers
salt, pepper
2 TBSP butter

in a 9x13 pan mix gravy, beef and vegetables
cover completely with mashed potatoes
salt and pepper the top
dot with butter
bake 30-40 minutes until bubbling hot and top starts to brown slightly

As I said your basic peasant fare, thankfully we are all peasants at heart. Being a casserole it had it's veggies in it but I served it with a cold plate of celery and pickles, and a loaf of fresh bread. Easy, fast, painless and planned. Whew. I think we are having salmon fish sticks tomorrow and homemade french fries.


Peace and Love,