Shepherd's Pie

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Comfort food means different things to different people, but to me it means food that I would not eat on a daily basis. Food that makes my waistline expand. Food that makes my mouth water. Food that makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. Food that is quick and easy to prepare, but tastes like it took all day to make.

Shepherd's Pie fits the bill perfectly. It warms the tummy and satisfies the palate. Tons of vegetables are packed into the mix, which worked out well for me since Bradley ate a ton of this. I used beef instead of lamb since that's what my family prefers, but you can always swap it out if you'd rather have lamb. Make this on a chilly fall night--it has comfort food written all over it!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

For the potatoes:

• 1 1/2 lbs. russet potatoes
• 1/4 cup half-and-half
• 2 oz. unsalted butter
• 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 egg yolk

For the meat filling:

• 2 tbsp. canola oil
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced small
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. tomato paste
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp. freshly chopped rosemary leaves
• 1 tsp. freshly chopped thyme leaves
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen English peas

Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch dice. Place in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Set over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, uncover, decrease the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until tender and easily crushed with tongs, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Place the half-and-half and butter into a microwave-safe container and heat in the microwave until warmed through, about 35 seconds. Drain the potatoes in a colander and then return to the saucepan. Mash the potatoes and then add the half and half, butter, salt and pepper and continue to mash until smooth. Stir in the yolk until well combined.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the filling. Place the canola oil into a 12-inch saute pan and set over medium high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion and carrots and saute just until they begin to take on color, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and stir to combine. Add the beef, salt and pepper and cook until browned and cooked through. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of grease from the pan. Sprinkle the meat with the flour and toss to coat, continuing to cook for another minute. Add the tomato paste, chicken broth, Worcestershire, rosemary, thyme, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer slowly 10 to 12 minutes or until the sauce is thickened slightly.

Add the corn and peas to the beef mixture and spread evenly into an 11 by 7-inch glass baking dish. Top with the mashed potatoes, starting around the edges to create a seal to prevent the mixture from bubbling up and smooth with a rubber spatula. Place on a parchment lined half sheet pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25 minutes or just until the potatoes begin to brown. Remove to a cooling rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Source: Adapted from Food Network

Chocolate Stout Cupcakes

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Happy St. Patrick's Day!! I hope you all are wearing green today so you don't get pinched ;) Tonight my parents and Chris' parents are coming over for some Slow Cooker Drunken Irish Beef Stew. Well, weather pending (yes, we are STILL expecting snow...it's never going to end). And for dessert? These little babies right here.

I usually don't love cream cheese frosting on chocolate cake, but somehow it works on these cupcakes. I think because the cream cheese flavor isn't too overpowering, and neither is the chocolate flavor. Guinness is in the cupcake (obviously...it IS St. Patrick's Day), which helps make the cake extra moist. Enjoy and have a great holiday! We'll be here shoveling ourselves out of the house if you need us!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa, plus more for dusting finished cupcakes
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• Pinch fine salt
• 1 (12 oz.) bottle stout beer (recommended: Guinness), room temperature
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened at room temperature
• 3/4 to 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 (1 lb.) box confectioners' sugar
• Sprinkles, for decorating (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 24 muffin tins or line with baking cups.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa, sugar, flour, baking soda, and salt.

In another medium mixing bowl, combine the stout, melted butter, and vanilla. Beat in eggs, 1 at time. Mix in sour cream until thoroughly combined and smooth. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture.

Divide the batter equally between muffin tins, filling each 3/4 full. Bake for about 12 minutes and then rotate the pans. Bake another 12 to 13 minutes until risen, nicely domed, and set in the middle but still soft and tender. Cool before turning out.

To make the icing:In a medium bowl with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the heavy cream. On low speed, slowly mix in the confectioners' sugar until incorporated and smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. Icing can be made several hours ahead and kept covered and chilled.

Top each cupcake with a heap of frosting and dust with cocoa or sprinkles, if desired.

Source: Adapted from Food Network

Slow Cooker Drunken Irish Beef Stew

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This is such a hearty and flavorful stew. I wanted to make something for St. Patty's Day, and I'm so glad I came across this recipe. It includes both Guinness and red wine in the broth (hence "Drunken" in the title), and both give the stew remarkable flavor.

I chose to dredge the beef in flour before browning it, which made the stew extra thick and delicious. The subtlety of the Worcestershire is also evident through the beer and wine taste, and it complements the dish perfectly. The beef gets extra tender from cooking all day, so it practically falls apart on your fork. Just make sure you have some bread alongside this dish, because you'll want something to dunk. I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe St. Patty's Day. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe
Ingredients

• 3 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled & cut into 1/2-inch pieces (approx. 3 cups)
• 4 stalks celery, chopped (approx. 1 1/2 cups)
• 4-5 carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (approx. 2 cups)
• 1 medium yellow or white onion, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 lbs. stew beef, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup flour
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 2 cups low sodium beef broth
• 3/4 cup red wine
• 3/4 cup Guinness beer
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 tbsp. white sugar
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tbsp. dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch + 1 tbsp. water
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Crusty bread, for serving

Place the chopped vegetables into the crockpot. Rinse the meat and pat dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. Dredge beef with flour and shake off excess.

In a large, heavy bottomed skillet, heat olive oil at medium to medium-high heat. Add beef to the pan and brown on all sides, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook for one minute, do not burn the garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the beef and add to the crockpot on top of the vegetables

Turn the skillet back up to medium heat. To the skillet, add butter until it's melted. Add beef broth, red wine, beer, tomato paste, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and bay leaves. Using a wooden spoon, stir the liquids as well as scrape the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil, allow to boil for at least five minutes.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add cornstarch and water and stir together.

Pour broth mixture into the crockpot over vegetables and beef. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or 6-9 hours on low.

Skim the fat from the stew, if needed. Serve with crusty bread.

Source: Adapted from The Little Kitchen