{"id":5822,"date":"2014-03-18T18:48:47","date_gmt":"2014-03-19T00:48:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hottie-biscotti.com\/blog\/?p=5822"},"modified":"2014-03-18T18:48:47","modified_gmt":"2014-03-19T00:48:47","slug":"shepherds-pie-with-cheddar-potato-topping","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hottie-biscotti.com\/blog\/2014\/03\/18\/shepherds-pie-with-cheddar-potato-topping\/","title":{"rendered":"Shepherd’s Pie with Cheddar Potato Topping"},"content":{"rendered":"

St. Patrick’s Day was yesterday. \u00a0After dropping my son off at school I remembered, having dressed him in nothing green. \u00a0With blog posts and Instagram feeds full of “pot o’ gold” crafts, kids decked out in green and green or Irish foods, I knew I’d failed as a mom and food blogger. \u00a0I figured I should make something<\/em> for dinner that night that was somewhat Irish, even though I’ve never been big on the holiday. \u00a0The more important thing about March 17 is that it’s my niece’s birthday! \u00a0Happy 4th birthday, Maren!<\/p>\n

I’d seen a few people posting pics of their beautiful Irish soda breads on social media, but I am kind of breaded out at the moment. \u00a0The next thing that popped into my head was Shepherd’s Pie. \u00a0A complete meal with meat, veggies and starch all in one pan!<\/p>\n

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I found an easy and basic recipe, made a quick grocery list and headed to the store. \u00a0This one from Martha<\/a> is basically what I made, but with a few changes. \u00a0I also took some tips from a cookbook just recently added to my collection, America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In perusing recipes I found some call this dish Shepherd’s Pie, and others call it Cottage Pie. \u00a0What’s the difference? \u00a0Opinions differ as to whether or not there is one. \u00a0Cottage pie was the term first used for the dish. \u00a0But over time people began calling it Cottage pie if it contained beef and Shepherd’s pie if it contained lamb. \u00a0A lot of what I’ve read says you can use either term.<\/p>\n

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This meal wound up being quite good, a terrific comfort food, and something you can make in advance. \u00a0Cook the meat filling and the potatoes, store them separately, refrigerate for up to 1 day, then layer in the casserole and bake when you’re ready. \u00a0You can even assemble this in the morning, refrigerate it and bake it in the evening. \u00a0I’d recommend adding a little extra milk to the potatoes if you’re going to make it in advance. \u00a0For some reason I feel like letting mashed potatoes sit in the fridge dries them out. \u00a0This might not be true, but it just makes me feel better to add a little extra liquid. \u00a0No one likes dry potatoes. \u00a0A couple tablespoons should be enough.<\/p>\n

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I like the combination of carrots, celery, onion and peas in this, but you can leave the peas out if you’re not a fan, or add corn to the mix. \u00a0If you don’t have fresh thyme, use 1\/2 teaspoon of dried thyme leaves. \u00a0Instead of water use leftover beef or chicken broth. \u00a0It’s not enough to justify opening a new container, but if you have 1 cup that needs to be used, this is a fine time to use it. \u00a0Instead of sharp white cheddar you can use regular cheddar cheese, or leave it out if you like. \u00a0Use the combination of 2% milk and cream, or use all whole milk or all 2%. \u00a0The cream adds a nice richness, but isn’t totally necessary.<\/p>\n

You don’t need to serve this with anything, but pairing it with a crispy green salad is a good way to round out the meal. \u00a0Enjoy!<\/p>\n

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Shepherd’s Pie<\/h3>\n

Adapted slightly from Martha Stewart<\/a><\/p>\n

Serves 6-8<\/p>\n

Ingredients<\/em><\/p>\n

Filling<\/p>\n