Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients

• 6 medium potatoes (a russet-style potato is best)
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• salt, to taste
• grated sharp cheddar cheese, set aside to use as a topping for the potatoes

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon onion powder or granulated onion
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or granulated garlic
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 cups diced carrots
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dry thyme

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions
For the mashed potatoes:

1. Peel potatoes and cut into chunks. Put in sauce pot and fill pot with cool water to cover the potatoes. Add salt, to taste.
2. Bring the potatoes to boil and cook until fork tender. Drain well.
3. Mash potatoes well.
4. Blend in the cream cheese. Thin with a little milk, if needed. Taste and correct seasonings, if needed.

1. While the potatoes are cooking, make the hamburger filling. Over medium heat, heat a large, deep skillet. When hot, add the olive oil to the skillet.
2. Add ground beef and break apart to brown. Sprinkle with granulated onion, granulated garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the onions, garlic, carrots. Cook, covered, over medium or medium low heat until carrots are tender. Stir as needed.
4. Set aside while gravy is made.

1. In a medium sauce pot, melt butter over medium heat. When hot and bubbly, add flour.
2. Stir flour and butter together until smooth. Cook, stirring frequently until mixture takes on a light tan color.
3. Carefully and quickly stir in beef broth. Be careful because the liquid may spatter and steam will rise. It is necessary to stir quickly (I use a whisk) so that lumps will not form from the flour. If there are lumps, don't worry about it. Break them up as best you can. No one will ever notice them in the final product anyway.
4. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and seasoning salt. Cook and stir until gravy has thickened.

1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees F.
2. Stir the gravy into the hamburger mixture. Add the peas and stir to distribute evenly.
3. Cover the pot or skillet and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes so that flavors can blend.
4. Lightly butter a 2-quart casserole. Spread 2 cups of the mashed potatoes in the bottom of the casserole dish.
5. Pour the hamburger filling on top of the mashed potatoes. Spread evenly.
6. Top with remaining mashed potatoes and spread potatoes evenly. Note: Check mashed  potatoes prior to adding to the top of the filling. Thin with a little milk if necessary for easier spreading.
7. Top with grated cheddar cheese.
8. Place casserole dish on a lined baking pan to catch any spills from the hamburger filling while baking. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes until hot and bubbly.