Shepherd’s Pie

When I was young my grandmother use to make this delicious dish called Shepherd’s Pie. I actually thought she made that name up until just recently. My granny was a really good cook. Probably not as good as my grandpa was but she was definitely second runner up lol.

Back then everything was made from scratch. I mean unless you count those Focus Hope mashed potato flakes but those were terrible. We really had to be on hard times to use those but just the fact that I can tell you they were terrible lets you know we definitely were on hard times some of the time.

These days times are different and Focus Hope is not the only one pushing easy. You can find quick and easy ways to cook for your family on every shelf in the grocery store, and surprisingly everything isn’t nasty. Technology really has changed the game in 2022 vs the 1980’s and 90’s.

Roasted Garlic/ Butter & Herb mashed potatoes

Idahoan changed the game with these potatoes. If you add milk and butter to these, they taste just like you been peeling real potatoes for an hour with a potato peeler. In addition to that you can make them as creamy or as THICK as you want them to be and you can choose from a variety of flavors.

Shepherds Pie filling: White Onion, Green Onion, Shallots, Green Bell Pepper, Ground Beef, Mixed Vegetables, Gravy

When my grandmother made this dish she made hers with canned corn and canned cream style corn. She layered it putting the meat flat on the bottom then adding corn on top, then potatoes on top of that. Don’t ask me how she did that cause I have no idea and although it was absolutly delicious to me back then, I cannot stomach even the idea of cream style corn now so I changed that method and used this one. I cooked my ground beef and frozen mixed veggies separately then combined them with beef gravy.

My Granny’s was definitely good but this way is a game changer and you get green veggies as a bonus. Mixing it together like this adds plenty of flavor throughout the mixture.

The finished product should look like somewhat like this. I only put cheese on top of half of mine because I have family members who are not cheese fans but others who are. Cheese on top of the whole pie looks just as beautiful or no cheese at all!

My granny had to feed A LOT of kids and none of them were her own. She cared for everyones kids. I always had plenty of cousins around me at any given time and this dish was a favorite. She would make it in one of those big black roaster pans and it feed us all. I will never forget the love she showed us all. Home cooked meals, making sure we had clothes on our backs, pep talks, hugs, and kisses. Some of us wouldn’t have gotten the love and support we needed if it wasn’t for her. My granny worked doubles almost every day to support us. She never complaind about raising us but her house had better been cleaned up when she got home from work or else lol. I want to remember everything she ever did for me along with the best thing anyone has ever done for me LOL making me help her cook. I was her “fat trimmer.” I hear its flavorful but I can’t stand fat to this day. I hate fat, I want it off every meat I cook. As she says it, I was also “the Last of the Mohicans.” I wasn’t actually though. After I left home for the military, she raised a whole new generation of kids. This is one woman who has lived a full life and this Shepherds Pie is a family dish that you can’t make without LOVE!!

My Granny Orian Pearl Hughs

All in all, I think my grandmother is proud of me. I actually made her a pie and she said its was delicious and my granny “don’t lie” LOL If you know you know!

Watch the video for recipe and step by step intructions. Hope you guys enjoy as much as I do! Like, Subscribe, and Share!