Shepherd’s Pie

This is a great recipe to fix when you are craving something very satisfying.  I think this would be the perfect dish to make on a cold snowy day.  My husband Joe said this could be a new favorite!

Ingredients

8 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled & diced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 t. kosher salt
¼ cup unsweetened original almond milk
8 oz. button mushrooms, sliced
6 oz. shitake mushrooms, sliced
3 stalks celery, sliced
4 large carrots, sliced
1/2 - 1 lb. frozen peas (depending on how much you like peas)
1/4 lb. frozen baby onions or 1 medium yellow onion chopped
1 t. salt
¼ cup red wine
½ t. ground black pepper
1 14.5 oz. can vegetable broth
1 t. dried thyme
2 T. dried vegetable flakes (optional)
1 bay leaf
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. onion salt
1/3 cup white cooking wine with lemon flavor
2/3 cup Italian flavor Panko breadcrumbs
1/8 t. dried rosemary
3 T. arrow root powder mixed with ½ cup water

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Place potatoes, in a large sauce pan and cover with enough water so all of the potatoes are covered.  Add the kosher salt and the minced garlic.  Bring to boil then reduce heat.  Cook for approximately 20 to 30 minutes until done.  Drain all of the water except about ¼ of a cup.  Next add the almond milk and mash the potatoes with a potato masher, then stir until creamy. 

In a large skillet add all of the mushrooms with 2/3 cup of water and cook until the mushrooms reduce in size without stirring too much.  Add the red wine and ¼ t. ground pepper until almost all of the wine has cooked through.  Remove from skillet and place in a small bowl.

In the same skillet add the celery and carrots with ½ cup of water and cook over medium high heat for approximately 4 to 5 minutes.  Stir in the onions, frozen peas, vegetable broth and cook an additional 4 to 5 minutes.  Now add in the vegetable broth ¼ t. ground pepper, thyme, vegetable flakes, bay leaf, garlic powder, onion salt and white cooking wine.  Once this starts to boil, stir in the arrow root powder with water.  This should thicken the broth.  If you would like it to be even thicker just add more arrow root powder. (Note: if you don’t mix it with a little water first it will create lumps.)

In a large ceramic casserole dish, spray the bottom with Pam cooking spray then using a paper towel wipe out excess oil.
Sprinkle 1/3 cup of Panko bread crumbs in bottom of dish.  Pour vegetable mixture on top of bread crumbs.  Sprinkle remaining 1/3 cup of bread crumbs on top of veggies.  Then spread mushrooms on top of bread crumbs.  Next spoon mashed potatoes on top of mushrooms.  Lightly sprinkle rosemary on top of potatoes.

Bake for one hour and serve with crusty bread.