Shephard's Pie - Freezer Food Friday

Anyway: this can be made ahead. Makes a great one dish meal if you are lazy, or add a salad and its an even better meal. For more Freezer Food Friday recipes, go visit What A Crock!

Shepherd's Pie - makes a 9x13 pan or two 8x8 pans

1.5-2 lb lean ground beef
1 small onion, diced small
1/2 tsp minced garlic (optional)
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (or to taste)
2/3 cup beef broth
1 T corn starch
1 lb bag of frozen mixed veggies - thawed

For serving day: make mashed potatoes, or use leftovers

Label freezer bag first! (Freezer instructions at end).

Brown hamburger. Saute the onion with the hamburger until soft (or in a bit of olive oil if bulk cooking). Take off heat. Add mixed vegetables. {NOTE: you can add the frozen bag to the hot meat and it will thaw, but if you cook the meat in bulk just add thawed veggies to the cool meat.} Let cool.

Put meat mix in freezer bag. In a small bowl mix 1/3c beef broth, 1 T corn starch, and 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce until corn starch is dissolved. Tip: The corn starch won't clump if you dissolve it in cool broth/water. Pour gravy in bag.

Freeze.

To serve: Thaw meat mix. Place in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Top with mashed potatoes and a little paprika on top. Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes (potatoes will brown slightly). Let stand 15 minutes and serve.

For the potatoes: Mix up 3 cups of mashed potatoes from instant potatoes. Microwave 1-2 small starchy potatoes to mash and add some texture to the potatoes. (Its optional, but people will believe its all homemade potatoes and you can have some more nutrients from skins.) You can really as as little or as much potatoes as you want, as long as the meat mix is covered. It is also fun to add a sweet potato or some cooked carrots for color or add some cooked cauliflower for more veggies.

In our house, this is a dish that is considered: would be better without onions. But try it with before cutting them. My husband is just really sensitive to the taste of onions. Even onion powder makes things less yummy.