Welcome to Winter! Tis the season for slow cooking, casseroles, bakes and all things warm and hearty. I haven’t made Shepards Pie with Parmesan mash since last year, when I was around 28 weeks pregnant and went on a mad baking and cooking spree with the aim of stocking up our freezer. Thankfully I started early as our little man arrived just four weeks later!
This thawed really well, I just let it defrost in the freezer overnight and zapped it in the microwave come dinner time, which was really handy during those early weeks when we were back and forth between home and the hospital, and also when our baby boy eventually came home.
You could add extra veggies to this if you like, I contemplated adding zucchini and capsicum but alas as I am now a meal planning Queen, they were reserved for another meal.
This was a hit with all three of my boys (Daddy included). There was plenty left over for dinner the following night, and I was also able to sneak a couple of toddler sized containers into the freezer.
Shepards Pie with Parmesan Mash
Ingredients
- 500 g lamb mince
- 4 rashers of short cut bacon
- 1 brown onion
- 2 carrots - grated
- ½ cup of frozen peas
- ½ cup of sliced button mushrooms
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 teaspoon of olive oil
- 1 cup beef stock
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 x 400g can of crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon dried mixed herbs
- 1 kg of baby washed potatoes
- 25 g butter
- ½ cup of finely shredded parmesan
- ½ cup of grated tasty cheese
- 2 tablespoons of milk
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 190 degrees.
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium/high heat. Add garlic, bacon and brown onion and cook for a couple of minutes until bacon starts to brown.
- Add the beef mince, and using a wooden spoon, break up mince and combine with other ingredients. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring every so often to break up any clumps of mince.
- Once mince has started to brown, add carrots, stock, mixed herbs, tomato paste and crushed tomatoes. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes before reducing to a low heat and allow to cook for a further 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, peel and cut potatoes into halves and cook in a steamer for 20 minutes (or until cooked through).
- While potatoes are still hot, mash (I use a potato ricer) until smooth, add milk, parmesan cheese, butter and salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove mince mixture from heat, and transfer to a casserole dish. Add the frozen peas and sliced mushrooms and mix together.
- Spoon mashed potato over the meat mixture and sprinkle grated cheese over the top.
- Place into oven and bake for 40 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and is beginning to brown.
- ** I have frozen this before, and it has reheated well. I'd suggest freezing for a maximum of one month.
What is your favourite winter comfort food?
Linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT.
Lilani Goonesena
I haven’t had this in years and years, I used to love it as a kid. Thanks for a great idea!
Lauren @ createbakemake
No problem! I really enjoy making the recipes from my childhood.
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I am a veggie and make a lentil bean version of this. But I never thought of freezing. Such a yummy winter recipe.
Lauren @ createbakemake
Ooh that sounds good. You will have to share the recipe with us one day 🙂
TeganMC
This looks yum! I have to admit I read the first paragraph wrong and thought you meant that you hadn’t cooked since last year. I wondered just how big your freezer was lol!
Lauren @ createbakemake
Haha, i wish I had a big deep freeze!
annstuck
Thanks for the dinner inspiration, I had forgotten about shepherds pie!! We used to have it all the time.
Lauren @ createbakemake
No problem Ann, I hope you enjoy it 🙂
Janet aka Middle Aged Mama
I love shepherd’s pie, if I’d had my way that’s what we’d be eating tonight ;-). I’ve never tried freezing it though, I thought potato didn’t freeze/reheat that well? Definitely going to try it now!!!
Visiting today from #teamIBOT xxx
Lauren @ createbakemake
I’d be having it too Janet if I could! I never thought it did either, but I made a big dish of it last year whilst I was pregnant and froze the leftovers (thinking I’d be desperate enough to have any meal ready once baby came along, and when I reheated it it was still really yummy!! I also froze some from my last batch and we just reheated the last of it over the weekend. Maybe it’s an urban myth?!?!
TeganMC
As long as you mix the potato with something then it freezes well. The things you learn from Mum’s Group 🙂
MumsTakeFive
nothing like a good Shepards pie 🙂 Classic comfort indeed
Lauren @ createbakemake
It sure is a classic comfort food – I only eat it in winter!
Jody at Six Little Hearts
Oh gosh I almost blogged this too this week!! I was going to make it only I had a last minute change of plan! Probably just as well – it is a great recipe isn’t it! 😀
Lauren @ createbakemake
Haha Jody, great minds think alike! It is a great recipe, everyone in our house just loves it. Have a great day x
Renee at Mummy, Wife, Me
Thanks for this Lauren. I tried to make mini shepherd pies for the kids recently and they were really dry and the kids hated the potato and it was a living nightmare. I really want to try it again though because they absolutely love mince. I think it can be a winner. Looking forward to trying it this week 🙂 x
Lauren @ createbakemake
Oh no! Isn’t it so disappointing when that happens!?! I hope you have some more success next time x