Things are settling here. We are getting used to the new homestead, though a bit aggravated with being so far out that a trip to the grocery is no longer a quick and easy thing. Jake is now adjusted to the weekly mowing and weed eating as he watches me walk (or wade as of late) up and down the rows of emerging vegetables to pull up a stray weed or pull a stubborn sucker.
My Shepherds Pie is a mix of recipes that I have researched over the web. My husband is not a potato eater, nor a vegetable eater. The first time I set this in front of him, he looked very disappointed that I chose to make a potato covered casserole. By the end of dinner however, most of the pan was empty. It has now become a very anticipated meal in our house. The recipe is simple and takes around 30mins of prep to grate the veggies and peel potatoes. I usually do this on the front porch so that I can enjoy the weather while I work and let Evan run loose in the yard. Then allow yourself an hour of cooking time before this is on the table. I'm not the best recipe writer but here goes!:
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1lb ground round, chuck, or lamb
1 carrot, grated fine
1/2 onion, grated fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp Worsterchire sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp tomato paste (you can sub with ketchup if desired)
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp thyme
3/4 cup red wine
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 Tbsp corn starch
6 medium potatoes peeled and cubed
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp cream cheese
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 350
In a dutch oven or stock pot, cover potatoes with water, add 1/2 tsp salt and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Drain. Meanwhile, brown ground meat in olive oil. Drain. Return to pan and add carrots, onion, garlic, worsterchire, tomato paste, and herbs. Cook approx 2 minutes or until onions become clear. Add red wine and reduce until almost all liquid is evaporated. In seperate bowl, mix broth and corn starch until well blended. Add to meat mixture and simmer until thickened. Spoon meat mixture into casserole dish.
In a seperate bowl, mix/mash potatoes with butter, cream cheese, and egg yolk. Add salt and pepper to taste. When well mixed and fluffy, spoon over meat mixture and spread over top, getting into corners and along sides of dish. Sprinkle with parmesan. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until tops of potatoes begin to brown and sauce is bubbling.
The rows of green growing things are giving me so much hope that this is not as difficult a venture as I first thought. I have had to re-sew some beans and a couple of peas. Mostly because of the rain since some seed is rotting before a chance to emerge. The corn is a no brainer and is almost climbing an inch a day towards that ever nourishing sun. I will have to stake the tomatoes soon as there are several blooms forming and that always indicates a rush in growth. 
Sweet Peas: Jake says up north that the saying is 'Knee High by July'. I think we will be there by June!
The garden always needs attention and nourishment. But so also does my family! I am trying to cook from scratch at least 5 days a week to provide good food that will keep my men healthy and full. Cooking from scratch is cheaper, healthier, and tastes much better than the processed foods that fill our supermarkets. But it takes work to do so without all of the pre-made mixes and stocks that are available. I'm trying to gather recipes that are quick and easy without resorting to shortcuts. 
Sweet Peas: Jake says up north that the saying is 'Knee High by July'. I think we will be there by June!My Shepherds Pie is a mix of recipes that I have researched over the web. My husband is not a potato eater, nor a vegetable eater. The first time I set this in front of him, he looked very disappointed that I chose to make a potato covered casserole. By the end of dinner however, most of the pan was empty. It has now become a very anticipated meal in our house. The recipe is simple and takes around 30mins of prep to grate the veggies and peel potatoes. I usually do this on the front porch so that I can enjoy the weather while I work and let Evan run loose in the yard. Then allow yourself an hour of cooking time before this is on the table. I'm not the best recipe writer but here goes!:
Shepherds Pie
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1lb ground round, chuck, or lamb
1 carrot, grated fine
1/2 onion, grated fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp Worsterchire sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp tomato paste (you can sub with ketchup if desired)
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp thyme
3/4 cup red wine
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 Tbsp corn starch
6 medium potatoes peeled and cubed
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp cream cheese
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 350
In a dutch oven or stock pot, cover potatoes with water, add 1/2 tsp salt and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Drain. Meanwhile, brown ground meat in olive oil. Drain. Return to pan and add carrots, onion, garlic, worsterchire, tomato paste, and herbs. Cook approx 2 minutes or until onions become clear. Add red wine and reduce until almost all liquid is evaporated. In seperate bowl, mix broth and corn starch until well blended. Add to meat mixture and simmer until thickened. Spoon meat mixture into casserole dish.
In a seperate bowl, mix/mash potatoes with butter, cream cheese, and egg yolk. Add salt and pepper to taste. When well mixed and fluffy, spoon over meat mixture and spread over top, getting into corners and along sides of dish. Sprinkle with parmesan. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until tops of potatoes begin to brown and sauce is bubbling.
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