BBQ Chili Shepherd’s Pie

One of my favourite ways to create new recipes is to think of classic recipes that we all know and love, and come up with different ways to reinvent them.

I thought about how I incorporated a BBQ chili flavour in this lasagna, and the BBQ, beef and mashed potato thing that was going on in this Twice-Baked Potato Pie, and I wanted to incorporate the same flavours in a Shepherd’s Pie.

This Shepherd’s Pie has many of the same flavours as the Twice-Baked Potato Pie, but it’s even easier because you don’t have to mold the meat into a crust. You can also pack in way more veggies, and the BBQ chili flavour masks them completely.

I do this for my own good.

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not a big fan of vegetables. I hide them in my own food.

But if you combine them with barbecue sauce and top with mashed potatoes and cheese, there’s a pretty good chance I’m going to eat them anyway.

My toddler, on the other hand, would pick out the vegetables because she wanted to eat only the veg. After finished her birthday feast, there was only one thing she asked for more of. Peppers.

Anyway.

It’s hearty. It’s packed with veg. It’s completely customizable. It’s meaty, saucy, creamy goodness.

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 6-8 servings

A new twist on an old favourite -- sweet and savory bbq beef and vegetable filling topped with creamy mashed potatoes and cheese.

Ingredients

• For the mashed potatoes
• 6 large potatoes, diced small
• 1/2-3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 tsp minced garlic
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp chicken bouillon
• For the beef mixture
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 medium onion
• 1 cup very finely diced carrots (or shredded)
• 1 stalk celery, very finely diced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• a pinch of pepper
• 1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 546ml can kidney beans, rinsed
• 2 cups barbecue sauce
• 2-3 tbsp brown sugar, optional and to taste
• 1/2 -1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Start potatoes boiling in a large pot of salted water.
2. Meanwhile, combine beef, onion, carrots, celery, salt, garlic, pepper, chili powder in a large pan and brown over medium-high heat. Once browned, cover and cook over medium heat (stirring occasionally), for 10-15 minutes until veg are cooked.
3. Drain potatoes and mash with milk through bouillon (I use the food processor for this so they're nice and smooth). Set aside.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (*if baking right away)
5. To the beef, add peas, corn kidney beans, barbecue sauce and brown sugar (optional). Cook another 5 minutes until vegetables are warmed through.
6. To a 3qt casserole dish or a 9x13" pan, add the beef mixture. Top with mashed potatoes. Bake 20 minutes or until heated through. Top with cheese and broil 2-3 minutes, watching closely, until cheese is melted and lightly browned.

Notes

*If storing in the fridge and baking later, you may have to bake the casserole 40 minutes to 1 hour until it is hot all the way through. Be sure to cover with an oven-safe lid or tin foil sprayed with non-stick spray.