Shepherd’s Pie

INGREDIENTS
2 cups dry instant potatoes (and any additional ingredients the package calls for)
1 medium onion
1 stalk of celery
2-3 carrots
1 can of peas
2 cans chicken (10 oz. each) OR 1 can of chickpeas
1 ½ cups of cream soup
4″ stalk of fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ teaspoon garlic powder OR 2 cloves fresh garlic
1 teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Wash and chop all the vegetables. The smaller you cut the carrots, the faster they will cook.
2. Pull the leaves from the stem of the rosemary and chop the leaves into small pieces.
3. Open, drain and rinse the canned peas and canned chicken (or chickpeas).
4. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
5. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Cook the onions until translucent—about 5 minutes.
6. Add carrots, celery, canned peas, garlic, oregano, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Turn the heat to medium and cook until carrots are tender—stirring occasionally.
7. Add chicken (or chickpeas) and cream soup. Mix everything together.
8. Put the entire mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish or 9” x 9” cake pan.
9. Prepare the instant mashed potatoes according to the package directions. You may add garlic or other spices if you like.
10. Spoon the cooked mashed potatoes on top of the filling that is already in your baking pan.
11. Bake for 30 minutes or until the filling is hot and bubbling.

SPECIAL CARROT TIPS
• Sprinkle the top with shredded cheese during the last 10 minutes of baking.
• In a hurry? Skip the baking. Just spoon the filling into a bowl and top with a spoonful of mashed potatoes.
• Add or substitute any vegetables you like—broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, corn, green beans… Anything goes!
• Make your own mashed potatoes with regular potatoes or even sweet potatoes.
• Vegetarian option could be tofu, mushrooms, or lentils instead of chickpeas.
• Turn this into a potpie by topping with a crust instead of mashed potatoes.

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