Easy Shepherd's Pie

This recipe is as versatile as my imagination can make it. And so very easy! It also never fails to please anyone I've ever served it to - even the fussiest of kids love it!

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. lean ground beef (I use 93/7)
• 1 bag frozen mixed vegetables (without potatoes)
• 2 envelopes brown gravy mix
• 1 envelope onion soup mix (any variety)
• 2 cups water
• 12-15 servings mashed potatoes, prepared (you can make from scratch or use a mix. I use a mix because it's easier)

Optional:

• grated cheddar cheese (I found that grated cheese works better than slices because the slices tend to be difficult to scoop into when serving)
• paprika
• chopped parsley

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Brown and crumble the ground beef well. Drain thoroughly. In a large bowl, combine beef and vegetables. Add water, gravy mix and onion soup mix and combine well. Pour everything into an 11x13 inch pan. Spoon mashed potatoes over the top, filling in all the gaps so it's covered completely.

Put in the oven and heat till bubbly. Approximately 5 minutes before it's done, bring it out and sprinkle the cheese and any other toppings on top, then return to the oven just long enough for the cheese to melt (watch carefully so as not to burn the cheese).

This has never failed to produce lots of compliments and requests for "More, please! More, please!"

This recipe can be easily adjusted for the number of people you are serving. For just my husband and I, I use 1/2 lb. ground beef, 1 small can vegetables (drained) and I use canned gravy mix and canned soup so that I can simply use 1/2 can gravy and 1/4 can soup. I make up 3 servings of potatoes and put it all in a 1 quart casserole dish.

An easy way to make it less fattening is to drain the ground beef onto layers of paper towels, and to use low or non-fat milk in the potatoes, and low-fat cheese.

By Cricket from Parkton, NC