Day 6: A New Redo Favorite!

The inspiration for tonight's meal came from Andi who commented that her favorite thing to do with leftover roast is to make Shepherd's Pie.  I've often wondered about Shepherd's Pie, but have never actually had it.  What has always stopped me is the traditional version uses ground lamb.  It honestly never occurred to me that this could be substituted for roast beef.  Wow have I been missing out! I didn't know where to begin, so I searched a couple of recipes online before I found one that looked simple and delicious. 

I started by chopping up some of the leftover roast beef and about 1/4 of a leftover onion (I had enough of both to slice some extra for fajitas tomorrow.)

I didn't have any leftover mashed potatoes, so I went ahead and made the instant version.  I prepared these according to package instructions while the meat and onions were browning in 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat for about 4-6 minutes (or until heated.)

I then steamed a package of frozen peas, carrots, green beans and corn.

While the veggies were heating, I prepped a biscuit layer by mixing 1 1/4 cup Bisquick with 3/4 cup milk.

(I should mention that I decided to use two loaf sized pans instead of a 9x9 so that we could eat one and freeze one.)

Once everything was prepared I layered the mashed potatoes on the bottom of the pan, followed by a layer of vegetables, and then beef and onions. The biscuit mix was poured over the meat. (I did not pour biscuit mix over the pan that I froze.)

Everything was put into a preheated oven of 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

 Ta-Da!  This was a huge hit. The top layer had a nice crunch, but was warm and gooey at the same time.  The onions and the beef were savory and played well with the freshness of the veggies, and the bottom was a delectable layer of mashed potatoes. 

My chef de cuisine loved it too!  He's such a big helper these days, and loves to stir with his spatula.  I ask him, "Jett do you want to cook?" and he replies, "I cook!"

So what did I Use-Up?

Leftover roast beef

1 pkg of instant mashed potatoes

1 pkg of frozen mixed vegetables

1/4 large onion

Remainder of the Bisquick mix

The recipe is adapted from Paula Deen's recipe for Shepherd's Pie.  Mine is similar, except I didn't use 14 tablespoons of butter (only 2 for me!) and of course she made her own indulgent mashed potatoes.

My adaptation:

1/4 large onion

2 Tab butter

Leftover roast beef, cubed

Instant mashed potatoes (prepared to instructions)

2 cups cold water

Pkg of frozen vegetables (prepared to instructions)

1 1/4 cup instant biscuit mix

3/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large skillet over medium heat, saute onion and beef in 2 tablespoons butter until browned. Set aside.

Prepare instant mashed potatoes to instructions. Set aside.

Prepare frozen vegetables. Set aside.

Combine biscuit mix and milk. The mix should be thinner than that of a normal biscuit but not runny.

Spray either one 9x9 pan, OR two loaf pans with cooking spray. Layer mashed potatoes on the bottom. Next, spread a layer of veggies on top of the potatoes. Then add the layer of roast and onions. Pour the biscuit mix over the meat. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown.  Enjoy!