This recipe is vegetarian but can be made with ground beef or chicken in place of kidney beans. Peel and cook enough potatoes to make approx. 4-5 cups mashed. To make this recipe quicker and easier, use a bag of frozen mixed vegetables. I use a large cast iron pan when making this so it can go directly from stove top to oven. If you don’t have a pan like this it can be started in a smaller pan and finished in a casserole dish.

• 1 onion, diced
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 3 portabella mushrooms, sliced
• olive oil or butter
• 1 19 oz. can kidney beans
• 1 Tbsp. basil
• 1 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup red wine (optional)
• 3 medium size carrots, diced
• 2 medium size parsnips, diced
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup frozen peas
• water
• 1/2 cup Ketchup (link to my ketchup recipe)
• 2 Tbsp. mustard
• approx. 4-5 cups mashed potatoes (peel and cook potatoes while cooking filling)

Sauté garlic and onion in oil or butter until onions are soft. Add mushrooms and kidney beans, continue to sauté, breaking up beans a bit as they soften. Add seasonings stirring into mix. Add red wine (if using) and cook until almost evaporated. Add carrots and parsnips, ketchup, mustard and just enough water to barely cover vegetables. Simmer until vegetables are almost done. Mix in corn and peas. Cover with mashed potatoes and bake for approx. 45 min. at 350°F.

Here is a new twist on Shepherd’s Pie. Instead of mashed potatoes use baby potatoes. Just wash and toss in oil, salt and pepper and place on top of base. No need to precook. Baking time will be the same.