Good morning and may the luck of the Irish be with all of you, today. Tonight we will be celebrating the holiday as well as the change in clocks and the change in season, about to occur this weekend. Since I will also be letting the kids know we finally started our compost bin, I guess the main theme of the dinner is green so a salad will definitely be in order. We are getting much closer to our first BIG salad from the garden. I am thinking as soon as we have a big enough green pepper, we will pull a few carrots, a gather some lettuce, and with a lot of new tomato plants growing, we should have an abundance of those….patience in the meantime.
While corned beef and cabbage is out, Shepherd’s pie is IN. Though I have put the recipe up before, it was a long time ago (last August, actually). I learned this while trying to search for it on this site! I was NOT categorizing things back then and had a hard time finding the recipe, so I thought it was worth posting again. It’s easy and hearty and definitely says holiday. This time, however, I am going to put a layer of potatoes at the bottom and the top of the casserole dish. The only thing better than mashed potatoes on top, is finding them on the bottom, too!
I will also be making grilled veggie subs and probably that corn and asparagus salad. We’ll see what looks good when I get to the grocery store. Since my computer is fussy this morning, I am reserving my patience and signing off. Remember that on St. Patty’s Day, EVERYONE is Irish. Enjoy the day.
VEGAN SHEPHERD’S PIE
For the beef mixture:
1/2 cup of chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2 pound vegan beef crumbles (I use more!)
1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
1 cup vegan vegetable broth
1 and 1/2 teaspoons chopped, fresh thyme
1 teaspoon pepper
1-2 teaspoons salt (check sodium in the crumbles)
Saute the onions and carrots in oil for 5-7 minutes, or until onions soften. Add the garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Add all remaining ingredients and simmer 10 minutes adding more broth as needed to allow cooking time.
For the Potatoes:
1 and 1/2 pounds baking potatoes (I use more!) peeled and roughly diced
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup vegan butter
3 tablespoons soy milk, or as needed (I use MUCH more)
salt and pepper to taste
Boil the potatoes with the salt and cook about 20 minutes or until fork tender. Drain well, mash and fold in butter. Add soy milk as needed to create a firm, yet creamy texture. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
For the Pie:
The beef and potatoes from above
2-3 tablespoons vegan butter
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon chopped chives or parsley (I just used a little more thyme)
Preheat the oven to 375 F
Place all the beef mixture in a 1 and 1/2 quart casserole dish (I use a large meatloaf/bread pan). Top with all the potatoes. Place small dollops of butter evenly across the top of the casserole. Sprinkle paprika over top and bake for 20-25 minutes until slightly browned on top and well heated through. I put the oven on broil for the last 5 minutes and it really made for a beautiful presentation. Sprinkle with herbs to garnish and serve immediately. This recipe makes about 5 servings, but I usually double it.
