Kitchen Boycott: Crock-Pot Shepards Pie

  So I found myself this morning thinking "What am I going to make?" I still needed to make my upcoming weekly meal plan and shopping. But with two little ones and too much on the to-do list today, going to the store was not an option. So I thought about what I had that was quick on hand. ...Potatoes, frozen veggies, and hamburger... hmmm.. Shepards Pie! 
     I know Shepards Pie in the Crock-Pot sounds wierd, but I'm going to try it. What is great about this meal is that all these ingredients are stuff I always usually have on hand. So it makes for a great 'go-to' meal.
           

Crock-Pot Shepards Pie

Adapted from Stephanie O'dea

Ingredients:

-3 cups leftover mashed potatoes
-1 lb ground turkey or beef (I used beef)
-2 cloves garlic, chopped
-2 cups frozen vegetables (I used corn and green beans)

-1 medium onion, chopped finely, or 1 T onion flakes
-1/2 tsp seasoned salt
-1/2 tsp onion powder
-1/4 tsp black pepper
-1/4 tsp paprika
-1 cup water
-2 cups shredded cheese

Step 1: Brown your meat**  on the stove with the onion. Toss with spices and garlic. (Due to my abundant graden supply, I added once again some chopped green peppers while frying).
Step 2: Spray inside of your Crock-Pot with cooking spray.
Step 3: Place the meat in the bottom of the pot. Stir in your veggies and add a cup of water.
Step 4: Add the cheese. Then press down the mash potatoes on tops and sprinkle with paprika.
Step 5: Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for 3 hours. The remove the lid and cook for additional 30 minutes. This allows the potatoes to get crusty and a bit brown, like it would in the oven (yay for not heating up the house in the summer!).
This was the perfect one pot meal! Sophie (my picky eater) actially ate it!
** Time saving tip: Have a couple of pre-portioned Ziplock bags of cooked ground beef in your freezer. Makes for less time in the kitchen on days you need to assemble meals quick. (taco salad, casseroles, etc)


Time preparing this meal: 10 minutes (while Sophie ate breakfast)

What did I do with my extra time away from the kitchen?: Took a long needed nap! :) Newborns are fun, but not so fun in the sleep department..

Photo from www.lwhancock.com
My basic camera didn't do this delicious meal justice!