This afternoon I was rummaging through the refrigerator, especially the vegetable bins, and decided I needed to cook some of those veggies STAT. I found a pound of ground beef in the freezer and threw it in the microwave to defrost it while I dug around in the pantry. There was half a bag of potatoes in the pantry so I started thinking, Shepherd’s Pie minus the oven time and with the potatoes on the bottom, with a little Southwest kick. Drum roll please…..yeah, I still haven’t decided what to name it. It turned out super tasty though. The flavors in the meat mixture combine sweet and spicy. The vegetables still have crunch. The mashed potatoes are creamy. I’m thinking it’s a keeper. Make it and tell me what you think.
Ingredients for Saucy Southwestern Beef Topping (maybe that will be the name!):
- 2 T Olive Oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 yellow pepper, chopped
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 8 good shakes of Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 T Tomato Paste (buy the tube of tomato paste and store it in the refrigerator)
- 1 can (10.5 oz) beef consomme
- 1 can (14.75 oz) Cream Style Corn
- 2 tsp Paprika
- 3-4 tsp Mrs. Dash Salt-Free Southwest Chipotle Seasoning Blend
- 2-3 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- Salt and Pepper to taste (TASTE IT! I didn’t add much salt, but I added about 1 T freshly ground black pepper)
Garnish:
- Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- Green onions
Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion and garlic and cook over medium heat until the onion starts to become transparent. (About 3 minutes)
Increase heat to medium-high. Add ground beef and cook through, stirring frequently.
Drain excess fat.
Return beef to pan. Add carrots and peppers. Cook about 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Add remaining ingredients and cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat until the sauce has reduced and the vegetables are tender but still a bit crisp. (About 15 minutes.)
Meanwhile, boil your potatoes and make mashed potatoes. I mashed the potatoes with 1/2 cup sour cream, milk and butter. I grated 1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese and added it to the mashed potatoes. You don’t want runny mashed potatoes because the beef mixture has its own gravy and will thin them out.
Plate the mashed potatoes into individual bowls and make a “hole” in the middle for the meat sauce. Ladle the meat mixture into the center of the bowl.
Top the meat mixture with grated sharp cheddar cheese and sliced green onions. (Don’t skip this part!)
I wouldn’t have sat down at the computer to blog tonight if I didn’t think it was worth sharing….so give it a try.
Happy eating!
Catherine