I did it. I actually made it through the last 8 days. It all started with some cupcakes that I donated for an auction (more on that later…), then the snow storm that shut down schools and made driving almost impossible, Thanksgiving, and then my daughter’s birthday. Wow, what a week. Unfortunately, December is almost upon us, and the craziness it about to start all over again…for some of us, this week!
I meant to post this last week as a great way to use up those mashed potatoes from Thanksgiving, but my blog had to take a back seat for a few days. Nevertheless, this is a great recipe. I found it in Cooking Light, and it was super easy to make – and tasted wonderful. I love those one dish meals that taste like you have been cooking all day – yet, I made this after working all day. You could easily make this with Turkey, but I am sure that everyone is passed that stage. So – if you are looking for a quick and delicious meal to serve this week, look no further. At least you can check that off your list.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon butter, softened
- Cooking spray
- 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
- 1/2 cup chopped carrot
- 1 (8-ounce) package cremini or button mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1 pound extra-lean ground beef
- 2 tablespoons no-salt-added tomato paste
- 1 cup fat-free, lower-sodium beef broth
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups leftover mashed potatoes
- 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp white cheddar cheese, divided
- Paprika (optional)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine flour and butter; stir well. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and carrot; sauté 5 minutes. Add mushrooms; sauté for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove vegetables from skillet. Add beef to pan; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Stir in tomato paste, and cook 3 minutes. Stir in broth and pepper. Return vegetables to pan, and bring to a simmer. Stir in parsley, thyme, and salt. Add flour mixture, and cook for 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly.
Spoon meat mixture into an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray, spreading evenly. Combine the potatoes and half of cheese; spread the potato mixture evenly over meat mixture. Top with remaining cheese. Sprinkle with paprika, if desired. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until bubbly.
Serves 6
For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: English Cottage Pie
First Look, Then Cook 