Easy Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 bag mixed frozen veggies
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 packet of McCormick's brown gravy mix (or white gravy mix)
• 1 packet (4 servings) instant mashed potatoes
• Seasoning: garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, etc. (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. 

Brown the Meat.  Begin browning ground beef.  Add garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper while cooking (if desired).

Cook the Veggies.  While the meat is cooking, prepare the frozen veggies according to the package directions.  I used a mix of green beans, corn, and carrots because husband doesn't hate any of those. I also bought the "steam in bag" variety, purely by accident, but they were delicious and super easy. When the veggies are done, drain them (if necessary), and put them in a fairly even layer in the bottom of a casserole dish.

Make the Gravy.  Just follow the packet instructions.  Dump the packet mix in with a cup of water and blend/stir with a whisk over medium heat until boiling.  Then continue simmering for another minute.  Once the meat is done, dump the gravy in the pan with the meat and mix them together.  Then dump the meat/gravy mix over the veggies in another even layer.

Make the Mashed Potatoes.  Again, just follow the packet instructions.  The ones I bought were pretty simple.  Add 2 cups of boiling water to the potato mix, cover, wait 5 minutes, fluff with a fork.  You can either spread the potatoes over the meat layer or use a froster to make the dish more decorative.  Either way, fully cover the meat layer with a potato layer.

Bake on middle-to-top row for at least 35 minutes, or until potatoes begin to brown.  Serve hot.

At 6 servings, this recipe comes out to about 6 WeightWatchers PointsPlus.  That's amazing for a totally instant meat and potatoes meal!

This recipe is my own invention. Husband loves shepherd's pie, but I'd never even tried making it. I found a recipe in a Hungry Girl cookbook, but it had a lot of replacements, and I knew that would just disappoint husband.  So, I decided to invent my own healthy version of this meal, and husband really loved it. Said it didn't taste like diet food at all.  I call that a winning recipe!