Jana: Cottage Pie

Rob's way into this Iron Chef Sisters thing. Over lunch the other day he brainstormed a menu plan for a month of ground beef. One of his suggestions was "Shepherd's Pie." So last night I gathered my ingredients and set to work. This recipe from Simply Recipes served as my inspiration. I used frozen mixed vegetables and added two cloves of garlic to the mix. I also added some flour to thicken the beef broth, and then added cheddar cheese on top of Rob's half of the pie. But otherwise these directions did the trick.

First off, I learned that the traditional dish of "Shepherd's Pie" should include lamb... when you use beef, it's called "Cottage Pie."

Secondly, I learned that this recipe makes tons of food. And my husband never backs down from a food challenge... while I had one scoop, he had three double scoops. He ate everything except one "Jana-sized" serving.

Third, I might be a "meat and potatoes" girl, but this is most definitely a man's meal. Yummy, but extremely hearty. I doubt I'll make this again until I have a brood of boys that I have to feed. It's a little too heavy for my stomach.

But if your husband or sons have a hankering for such a meal... here's the scoop...