Shepherd's Pie

My love of Shepherd's pie comes about from eating at Baker Street pub in New York city. As far as New York pubs go, this is a good one: good food, ample seating, big screens and a helluva time for St. Paddy's day. As a non-meat eater, ordering Irish, English, or French food is often difficult for me. I'm generally happy with piping hot fish and chips came out, but as I noticed everyone else at the table had steaming cheesy bowls of mashed potatoes in front of them, my interest was piqued. Digging under the steaming potatoes, revealed a delicious smell and the appearance of ground meat. Delicious -- if only I could've had a bite... Here's a version I can eat myself -- as I'm not a big fan of veggies such as celery, peas, and carrots, the "veggie" portion is one small carrot, which offers great texture. If you like veggies, feel free to add more into the meat mixture.


Mashed Potatoes:
2 russet potatoes
3tbs butter
3/4c milk

Meat Filling:
1/4 onion
1 small carrot (peeled and diced)
1c ground turkey
1/2 tbs garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 tbs ketchup
1/4c tomato sauce

1/4c shredded cheese to top

1. Mashed potatoes: Peel and dice potatoes, cover with water, boil, cook until tender. Strain. Mix in butter and milk. Salt & pepper to taste.
2. Preheat oven to 350. Heat 2 tbs oil. Sautee carrot and onions until soft. Add turkey meat, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook until meat is no longer pink. Add ketchup and tomato sauce. Cook until evenly distributed. Season to taste.
3. Grease baking dish. Add 1 layer of meat mixture, smooth down. Add layer of mashed potatoes, smooth down.
4. Bake 15 - 20 minutes, add a layer of cheese, bake 15 additional minutes (until cheese is bubbly and potatoes have golden brown peaks).

Enjoy!

Turkey Burgers

Nothing is more satisfying in the summer than a deliciously grilled burger, although with a Foreman grill you can enjoy these any time of year. As a non-beef eater, I make my burgers with turkey, which need thorough seasoning. This is a basic mix which makes a flavorful but not overpowering patty that matches any number of toppings.

1 lb ground turkey (lean but not 99% gives a moist but healthy burger)
1 tbs McCormick's Barbeque seasoning
1/2 tsp Spike seasoning (available in health food stores, but can use seasoned salt or omit instead)
1/2 tsp Poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp Chili powder
1/3 tsp crushed garlic (or garlic powder)
1 egg

Preheat Foreman grill (grill pan, or frying pan) to high heat.
Mix and spoon one tbs onto pan to form a mini patty. Cook a few minutes and taste for flavor. Adjust seasonings to taste. Form mix into 4-5 equal sized patties.
Grill on each side 2-3 minutes until juices run clear (insert knife at an angle to pierce patty until juices run)

And now for the toppings...some of my favorites:

* Wilted spinach, sauteed onions, fried egg, and havarti cheese

* Mayonaise flavored with chili powder, Cheddar cheese, and guacamole

* Cheddar cheese and sauteed onions