Shepherd's Pie

One of my favorite recipes to freeze is Shepherd's Pie.  It is simple and inexpensive to make, contains a complete meal in one casserole dish, and tastes great.  While there are several variations of this recipe, this is my favorite because of its simplicity and sweet flavor.

Shepherd's Pie

• 4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 T. butter
• 1/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese
• 5 carrots, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 lb hamburger
• 2 T. flour
• 1 T. ketchup
• 1 c. beef broth (or 1 beef bouillon cube and 1 cup water)

Boil and mash potatoes.  Mix in butter and cheddar cheese.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside.  Boil and mash carrots.  Set aside.  In a large pan, cook hamburger and onion until hamburger is browned and onion is clear and tender.  Drain fat and stir in flour.  Cook for one minute over medium heat.  Add ketchup and beef broth.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for five minutes.  Pour hamburger mixture into a two quart casserole dish.  Spread mashed carrots evenly over hamburger.  Top with mashed potatoes.  Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until potatoes are golden brown.

In order to freeze this meal and still have my casserole dish available, I line the dish with aluminum foil.  Once cooked, I can lift the casserole out of the dish by grabbing the edges of the aluminum foil and then wrap it, using additional foil if necessary.  To reheat, uncover the Shepherd's Pie and lower back into the same casserole dish.  Heat in the oven for 15 minutes or reheat in the microwave.  You can also freeze individual servings for a faster reheating time.

Please note, the consistency of the mashed potatoes does change slightly once frozen.  While this consistency change does bother some, my family still finds it delicious.  Give it a try for yourself to see if this is a dish worthy of freezing in your home.