VEGETARIAN SHEPHERD'S PIE

Billy and I love food trucks and we love animals!  Tonight our city is hosting a food truck event that will benefit the Tri County Humane Society…A win, win.  Food trucks have come such a long way from the questionable, grimy canteens of the past.  Chefs have gotten on the band wagon realizing that they don’t have to pay high rents and wait for the people to come to them; only for those people to pay a week’s wage for their delicious gourmet meal.  No, these chefs have gotten wise and are bringing affordable gourmet fair to the people…Hooray!

This recipe has absolutely nothing to do with food trucks, I’m just very excited for all the eating I’ll be doing tonight (I’m sure none too lite); as well as the ooh and awing over all the puppies that I will want to bring home with me.  I often wish I had a farm; I would fill it with dogs, cats, chicken (for the eggs) and pigs (I adore pigs).

 

Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie is lightened up from the traditional shepherd’s pie.  I used surprisingly beefy tasting, veggie round, which is made of soy and wheat protein.  Veggie round is high in protein, and iron; low in fat and cholesterol; it can be found in the refrigerated section, near the tofu, or in the freezer by the veggie burgers.

To make the mashed potatoes flavorful and creamy I added reduced fat Velveeta instead of my usual heavy cream.  If you want to keep this vegan; just sub out your favorite vegan mashed potato recipe, you will need 2 lbs. of potatoes.

Here’s what you do.

Preheat oven to 375.

Put the potatoes on to boil.  I just wash and cut mine, I don’t mind a little peel.

 

Sweat the onions, carrots, turnips and garlic in a little olive oil.

When the onions are translucent add the veggie ground and Herbs de Provence.  Don’t worry that the veggies aren’t cooked all the way through, they’ll be cookin’ some more. 

Break up the veggie round and heat it through, and then sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of flour over the top.  Cook and stir that for about 3 minutes, you want to cook the raw flour taste out.

 

Add the white wine and when that has dissipated…

Stir in the vegetable broth (I used unsalted), low sodium soy sauce, honey, and black pepper (to taste).  Bring that to a simmer.

 

Add the fresh green beans, and simmer for about 2 minutes. (You can use frozen beans instead, but don’t add them yet)

Stir in the frozen peas and remove from the heat. (Add the frozen beans now.)

 

Meanwhile; drain the potatoes really well.  Give them a mash.  I like this masher with the holes because it removes much of the potato skin for me.

This is a double batch of mashed potatoes, because I also made a Turkey Shepherd’s pie…stay tuned!

Add the butter, cheese, warm milk, salt and pepper.   

 

I cut the cheese into too large of cubes; it really didn’t want to melt.  I turned the heat to medium low and put the lid on to facilitate the melting of the cheese.  I stirred the potatoes a couple of times being careful not to over work the potatoes; therefor, avoiding gluey mashed potatoes.

 

Pour the veggie mixture into about an 8 x 11 x 2 inch baking dish.

 

Top with the mashed potatoes.

Sprinkle the grated cheese.  I wanted to use up the last of the Mexican blend cheese that I had in my fridge, cheddar or Colby would also be good.

 

Bake until the sides are bubbly and the potatoes are a golden color.

Note to self:  make more peaks with the potatoes so that they get pretty and brown.

 

This is actually a picture taken the next day with leftovers.  The pictures that I took the same night turned out too dark.  The Veggie Shepherd’s Pie tastes just as good, if not better the next day.

Serves 6 regular people or 4 really hungry men.

1                              Small onion, small dice

2                              Small carrots, small dice

1                              Small turnip, small dice

2              cloves        Garlic, minced

1              Tbsp.          Olive oil

½             tsp.           Herbs de Provence, or Italian seasoning

12             oz.            Veggie ground (veggie protein crumbles), frozen or refrigerated

2              Tbsp.         Flour

1/3           cup           Dry white wine

1 ½           cups         Vegetable stock, unsalted

2              Tbsp.         Soy sauce, low sodium

1              Tbsp.         Honey

                               Pepper to taste

½             cup           Green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces (frozen beans can be substituted)

½             cup           Peas, frozen

1                              Recipe Cheesy Mashed Potatoes (recipe follows)

½             cup           Shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese

  1.        Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

  2.        In a large skillet over medium heat sweat the onions, carrots, turnips, and garlic in the olive oil.

  3.       When the onions are translucent add the veggie ground and the Herbs de Provence.  Break the veggie ground up in the pan. 

  4.       When the veggie ground is heated, stir the flour in, cook and stir for about 3 minutes (to cook the rawness out of the flour).

  5.       Add the white wine and cook until the wine is absorbed into the veggie ground.

  6.       Add the vegetable stock, soy sauce, honey and black pepper, bring to a simmer.

  7.       Once the liquid is simmering add the fresh green beans, cook for about 2 minutes (If using frozen beans, add them at the same time as the frozen peas).

  8.       Add the frozen peas, stir and remove from the heat.

  9.       Transfer the veggie ground and vegetable mixture into an 8 x 11 x 2 inch baking dish.

  10.   Spread the Cheesy Mashed Potatoes over the top of the mixture.

  11.   Sprinkle the grated cheese over top of the potatoes.

  12.   Bake for about 30 minutes; until the shepherd’s pie is bubbling up at the sides, and the top of the potatoes is golden in color.

  13.   Let the Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

  *Note, Unsalted vegetable broth is used in this recipe, if you only have broth containing sodium, then reduce the amount of soy sauce.  Try 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and give it a taste, if it needs more you can add more.

CHEESY MASHED POTATOES

2              lbs.         Waxy potatoes (such as Yukon Gold), washed and cut into 1 ½ to 2 inch cubes (peeled or unpeeled, it’s up to you)

2              Tbsp.       Butter

4              oz.          Reduced fat Velveeta processed cheese, grated or cut into ½ inch cubes or smaller

¾             cup         Milk, warmed

                             Salt and pepper to taste

1.        In a 3 quart sauce pan, cover the potatoes with water by at least an inch.  Cook over high heat until the water comes to a boil, add a little salt to the water and turn the heat down and maintain a low boil.  Cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 10 minutes (depending on the size of the potatoes).

2.       Drain the potatoes well and return them to the pot.

3.       Mash the potatoes.

4.       Add the butter, cheese, milk, salt and pepper to the pan; stir just to combine (do not over work the potatoes).  If the cheese isn’t melting, put lid on the pot and cook over medium low for just a couple of minutes, stirring a couple of times until the ingredients are combined.

Serve over shepherd’s pie, or as a side dish. 

Mexican Macaroni Casserole

Aaaah, I feel so much better, so refreshed.  I just colored by hair, and took about 8 years off of my appearance.  I started going gray when I was in my early 20’s, so… I have a lot of gray.   I go back and forth between long and short hair styles, and the last time that I had short hair I tried to go Au Natural; while it didn’t look horrible, I definitely looked older.  Needless to say I am very grateful for that little bottle of dye. 

Any whooo…on to the food.

I don’t know if you remember me telling you in previous posts that my mom, Little Mama, doesn’t cook.  However, when I was a little girl she had to cook, we didn’t have much money so we couldn’t afford take out, plus I don’t think that people did take out back then (this is going waaay back).  Little Mama made all kinds of casseroles.  Often the base of the casserole was Kraft Dinner and a can of tomatoes; with some kind of veggies and affordable meat tossed in.  Don’t ask what kind of meat, you don’t wanna know.  While I make fun, I do sometimes crave the food I grew up eating.  This casserole is reminiscent of Little Mama’s casseroles but made with quality ingredients.

Here’s what you do.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.





Sauté the mushrooms and bell peppers over medium high heat, just until they’re soft.

Add the baby spinach to the skillet and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. 

As soon as the spinach has wilted, remove the pan from the heat and set to the side.

Put a large pot of water on to boil for the pasta.



Get the cheese sauce started by melting 2 tablespoons of butter, and whisking in 2 tablespoons of flour.  

Cook the flour while whisking for about 3 minutes, this will remove the raw flour taste in the sauce.

Slowly whisk the milk into the butter and flour.










When the milk is hot, add the cheese.

I use whatever cheese I had in my fridge, which happened to be gruyere and aged cheddar, and yellow cheddar. 


  

 
 I also added reduced fat Velveeta cheese to the sauce, just to lighten up the fat and calories. 

The cheese sauce and the tomatoes help to mellow out (but not mask) the processed cheese flavor, but if you adore the taste of processed cheese you could go with all Velveeta, and you would reduce the fat and calories even further.

 

When all the cheese has melted, add the can of tomatoes.  

Remove the sauce from the heat.

I used Rotel tomatoes which are spicy; if you don’t want the spice, then use stewed tomatoes.  

The pasta water should now be boiling, add a big handful of salt to the water; then add the pasta.  Only cook the pasta for 6 minutes.  Then drain the pasta, but please don’t rinse it.




I had a rotisserie chicken in the refrigerator, so I shredded half of it, and just heated it up a little.  

Add that to the pasta along with the cheese sauce, veggies…

…and a couple of chopped scallions.

 
Pour that into a casserole dish, and top with some crushed tortilla chips.

Bake the pasta until it’s hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes.

Then just dish yourself up a big ol’ bowl of yumminess!








*Leave the chicken out and you have a healthy vegetarian meal!

Serve 4 to 6

1              Tbsp.      Cooking oil

4              oz.         Mushrooms, quartered (if the mushrooms are large, give them a chop)

½                          Red bell pepper, medium dice

1-6           oz. bag    Fresh baby spinach

¼             tsp.        salt

¼             tsp.        pepper

½             tsp.        Garlic powder

2              Tbsp.      Butter

2              Tbsp.      Flour

1              cup        milk

1 ½          cups       Cheese, such as cheddar, Swiss, fontina; shredded

8              oz.         Velveeta processed cheese, reduced fat, cut into cubes

1- 10         oz. can    Rotel tomatoes, (stewed tomatoes can be substituted)

¾             box        Penne pasta, a box is 16 oz.

3              cups       Cooked chicken, shredded (about half of a rotisserie chicken)

2                           Scallions, chopped

½             cup        Tortilla chips, crushed

1.        Pre heat oven to 375 degrees.

2.        Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the mushrooms and bell pepper; sauté until the veggies are soft, about 3 minutes.

3.       Add the spinach to skillet and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  When all the spinach has wilted down, remove the pan from the heat.  Set to the side.

4.       Put a large pot of water on to boil for the pasta.

5.       Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium heat in a 3 quart sauce pan.  Whisk the flour into the melted butter and cook, while whisking for about 3 minutes.

6.       Slowly whisk the milk into the flour butter mixture. 

7.       When the milk is hot, whisk in the cheeses.

8.       When the cheeses have melted, stir the tomatoes into the sauce.  Remove the pan from the heat and set to the side.

9.       When the water comes to a boil, add a generous amount of salt, and the pasta.  Cook the pasta for only 6 minutes.  Drain the pasta.

10.   If your chicken is cold, then just heat it through.

11.   Stir the cooked veggies, cheese sauce and chicken and scallions into the pasta.

12.   Pour the pasta into a casserole dish, top with the crushed tortilla chips, and bake for 30 minutes.

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