Southwestern Shepherd’s Pie

Hello again! This week’s recipe I was extremely excited about – Southwestern Shepherd’s Pie! Now, I have never had Shepherd’s Pie before, so I had no idea what to expect, but something that’s topped with mashed potatoes can’t be bad, right? Tim, my fiancee, on the other hand, LOVES Shepherd’s Pie.

He was kind of skeptical about this recipe though, because of the spice that’s added. Chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, enchilada sauce, green chilies, ground cumin and chili powder add a lovely kick to this recipe. Unfortunately, this recipe got put off for quite a few days due to not having the time that night to cook, being too tired to cook, or forgetting to take out the hamburger to thaw. I almost began to think this recipe would never be made! Finally though, I got off early from work and rushed home, my fiancee worked late, and it was a PERFECT night to make this recipe!

This recipe made a nice and full large baking dish’s worth of food, and it was amazing! We even put it on some tortillas with sour cream as a type of burrito (anything can be turned into a burrito)! Now, two mornings after the making of the recipe, it is almost gone, and I think I’ll have to make it again sometime soon! Below is the recipe and below that are photos I took BEFORE cooking it! Enjoy and comment any alterations that YOU might make and enjoy!

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings: 14

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 ½ cups shredded Mexican cheese
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Paprika

Mexicorn

• 2 cans corn
• 1 red pepper, chopped into small pieces
• 1 green pepper, chopped into small pieces
• 1 can (4 oz) green chilies, drained
• Pepper, to taste
• Ground cumin, to taste
• Chili powder, to taste

Enchilada Sauce

• 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
• ¼ cup canola oil
• 2 tbsp flour
• 3 tbsp chili powder
• 1 cup chicken broth (or water)
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ¼ tsp salt

Mashed Potatoes

• 9 large potatoes, cubed
• 1 ½ cups milk
• ½ cup butter
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 can (8 oz) chopped green chilies, undrained
• ½ cup cheese

 

Directions

Enchilada Sauce

1. Heat the canola oil in a saucepan on medium heat.
2. Add the flour and chili powder and stir.
3. Cook until the bright red color turns a bit brown while stirring.
4. In a small bowl mix the tomato sauce with the rest of the ingredients until it is fully blended.
5. Add tomato mixture to saucepan and whisk until fully mixed.
6. Cook for 8-10 minutes on medium heat until thickened.

Mashed Potatoes

1. In a large pot, cover diced potatoes with water and boil until softened.
2. Drain potatoes, add butter and milk, and mash until a smooth consistency.
3. Add green chilies and cheese and mix until combined.

Mexicorn

1. In a bowl, combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Meat Mixture

1. In a large saucepan, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
2. Add the enchilada sauce, flour, chipotle peppers, cumin, and oregano; bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered, for 5 minutes.

Combining Everything Together

1. Transfer meat mixture to a greased baking dish. Layer with mexicorn, mashed potatoes, and remaining cheese.
2. Cover and bake at 375*F for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 5-10 minutes longer or until bubbly. Sprinkle with paprika.

ENJOY!