Mini Shepherd's Pies

The mini Shepherd's pies from my St. Patty's day post are pretty simple to prepare, and they're an excellent way to use up any leftover veggies you might have in the fridge--mushrooms, diced peppers, you name it! This dish was one of the few ways my mother could get me to eat vegetables as a kid. It's not exactly the same as her dish, but definitely inspired by hers!

Forgive me, Mother, but I used pre-made potatoes from FreshDirect--this was all about keeping it easy-peasy!

Bake at 400 for 20 minutes, or until potatoes start to brown on the peaks. Let cool 5 minutes (be careful! Insides are HOT!) and enjoy! This is pretty spectacular the next day, too.

Ingredients:
1/3 large onion (I used white, yellow could work,too)
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
(any veggies you might have, I used 2 leftover carrots)
1 Tbs butter
1 lb ground beef
2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 cups frozen baby peas (I thawed mine)
Mashed potatoes (pre-made or homemade), 3 cups
6 ramekins

Add butter to pan and start sauteing carrots over medium-low heat, cook 5 minutes or until tender (mine were leftover, already sautéed, so no pic).

Add the garlic and onions (and more butter if needed) until soft and clear, but not browned. Add the ground beef and cook through, adding 2-3 Tablespoons of the Worcestershire at the end. Mix it all together thoroughly and set aside. Spoon 1/4 cup (or a few spoonfuls) of the ground beef mixture into individual ramekins. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons (or just grab a handful) of baby peas, thawed OR still frozen, over the beef. Top it all off with a thick layer of potatoes, using a fork to make little 'peaks' in the potatoes--this will give you the crunchy bits later.

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