Friday FUNdamentals: Shepherd's Pie

Do you ever sit down to do something; and have a little music going in the background which prevents you from doing what it is you are supposed to be doing? Well that happens in the Arkansas Test Kitchen all the time, right now I am in to Joe Bonamassa- the man knows how to play the guitar like no ones business!  But music is always on when I am in the kitchen cooking; generally Blues Rock. 

Do you have a favorite musician or genre that you like to listen to when you are in the kitchen cooking? If so, let us know; we are always looking for new music to listen to. But I digress- you didn't click over here to read about music- so let's get down to the food!

We are always looking for inspiration when we are cooking; whether it is scrolling through Pinterest, or watching TV shows like the Chew, or YouTube. So one of the things I wanted to do today is share a YouTube clip that inspires me:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Grp5-bvMo7U


Back to today's recipe: Dutch Oven Shepherd's Pie. This is a great dish that everyone will think you spent hours preparing; but it's simple enough that it only takes 15 minutes of prep time and 50 minutes of cook time.
 

Dutch Oven Shepherd's Pie
 

2 lbs. ground meat (I used beef, but you could you chicken, pork, or turkey)
1 bell pepper (I used red this time, because it was on sale)
1 medium sweet onion
2 celery stalks
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 can diced tomatoes
1 small bag frozen vegetables (look for corn, carrots, green peas, and green beans)
3 cups instant mashed potatoes (should be a serving for 6)
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
 

1. Dice up the bell pepper, onion, and celery
2. Prepare the instant mashed potatoes; making them a little wetter than normal when adding the milk- because they are going to be cooking longer than normal
3. Pre-heat the oven to 325 - 350 degrees
4. Spray your Dutch Oven with non-stick cooking spray; but if you're using a cast iron Dutch Oven it will take a little more oil than normal Dutch Ovens
5. Brown the meat
6. Drain off the grease
7. Place the diced onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic in the Dutch Oven and sauté

8. Place the browned meat back into the Dutch Oven and add the diced tomatoes, and frozen vegetables- stirring to combine
9. Top mixture with prepared mashed potatoes
10. Cover the Dutch Oven and place in the oven for 30 minutes
11. After 30 minutes place shredded cheddar cheese on top and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

This is a simple, one dish meal your family is going to love. It's the perfect quick, weeknight meal, or Sunday lunch. We hope you love it as much as we do!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew