A New Giveaway and Decadent Sherpherds Pies

The winner of the spellbook giveaway is: Birgit from Swappin Howdies. The book will be on it's way to Munich on Monday.

This weeks giveaway is for these Halloween signs and four felt maple leaves and three felt pumpkins. The leaves and pumpkins could be used as decorations or even as placemats. I will include a few more things with this giveaway as the week goes on too.

To enter, leave a comment on this post. If you are not already a follower, sign on to follow. The winner will be announced and a new giveaway will be posted next Saturday.

***Today is the day my Fall basket is being given away on Mrs's B's 31 days of Halloween. Just click on the button on my sidebar and you can enter to win. Click on her home page and click on pumpkin #3.

Anyone out there like shepherds pie? How about shepherds pie topped with poblano mac and cheese instead of the boring old mashed potatoes. My kids and their friends wiped these out in a flash!


The first step is to brown some diced pancetta. Remove it from the pot and leave the rendered fat.


There should be a couple tablespoons left.


Dice a large onion.


Saute the onion in the rendered fat.


Dice several carrots.


Dice two parsnips.


Dice some celery. This is the celery I grew this summer and it doesn't come close to comparing to store bought. It has a much more condensed celery flavor and next year I am going to plant a lot more. This is one of those crops that is so easy to grow and gives such a good return.



Add all of the diced vegetables and then sprinkle in some dried thyme and some sea salt and pepper.


Add the pancetta back to the pot.


Add some chopped fresh rosemary and several bay leaves. Stir everything together and simmer for a few minutes.




Push the vegetables to the side and add about a pound of ground meat.


Break the ground meat up and continue to stir until the beef is browned. Now the fun starts. Seasoning.


Add a few tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce. Lea & Perrins has come out with a new thick version of the classic and it is terrific!


Add several tablespoons of tomato paste.


And if you have it, a spoonful of Marmite or Vegemite. Add a cup or so of red wine and a bit of beef bouillon . Taste it and adjust the seasoning.

Let this simmer over low heat.


Spray your container/containers with cooking spray.

You can make any mac and cheese you like. I made a roux with 6 T. butter and 6 T. flour. Then I poured in about 5 cup of milk, sliced poblano peppers, salt and pepper, a bit of smoked paprika and some nutmeg. Then I stirred in about 5 cups of assorted cheeses. I grated some white Vermont cheddar, some yellow cheddar and some gruyere. Stir until all the cheese has melted.


I cooked some medium shell pasta until al dente. Add this to the cheese sauce and stir thoroughly.




Place some of the meat mixture in the bottom of your container/containers. Top them with the mac and cheese and bake in a 400 degree oven for about 25 minutes.




Little pots of incredible yumminess!


These can be warmed up in a microwave if you have extras. However, I think they rewarm better if placed in a 250 degree oven for about 45 minutes. Or you could just stand over the sink and eat them cold. These are addictive.


Look at that! The mac and cheese flows down into the extremely flavorful meat mixture.


Comfort food at its best. You could easily make this vegetarian too.


Wouldn't these make great little dishes to serve to the gang while they are watching football? The Blog Tech liked these so much that he ate two right in a row. Teddy sat right under me the whole time I prepared these. She didn't get any though. These might look like good puppy treats but they aren't!

Comments

a.rogue (Alice) said…
those look delicious! Your posts always make me hungry :) I have bookmarked so many to make note of the recipes it's hilarious - especially since I don't eat meat! hahaha... my family does though.
thanks again! Alice
Sharon Day said…
Why couldn't my grade school cafeteria make it that way? We always called it shepherd's pile because it was mashed potatoes with a pile of runny ground beef atop of it. I'm keeping this recipe!
Deborah said…
Those sheperds pies look yummy! I also love the new giveaway. Thanks for the chance to enter.
BeMistified said…
Mmmmm those look so good! Thank you for the opportunity to win with the giveaway. =)
brandi said…
~oh my goodness on wednesday i just bought the same signs for my samhain sabbat swap partner...too funny and crazy to find the same extact things on different sides of the country!!! your pie looks ever so delicious! wishing you well and blessings always~
BeMistified said…
I have just started following. Glad I did!
Wendy said…
I love Shepherd's pie but have never made it because it always looked so complicated! I'm going to cook this for myself tonight even though it's 80 degrees outside, it will give me a feeling of "Fall" here..I don't have a dog like Teddy (although I do love Chows) but two very naughty kitties that would love "treats" like this..maybe they'll get a little cheese. You are so generous with your giveaways! I blogged about your giveaway on my blog and would love to enter the giveaway for the signs and leaves. Thank you again for all the goodies! And I'm definitely a follower.
TMCPhoto said…
this is going into my must cook list. I love that you have so many yummy veggies inside.

The Shepherds pie I make uses a pack of knorr soup mix as seasoning, it's simple and easy to make but this one looks so much better
Shepherds pie is something I like, but I have never used marmite in it, I have no idea how it tastes to be honest :-) I think I´ll have to look for it in the big supermarket next time I go there :-) I think I´ll try this next time!

Since we don´t celebrate Halloween over here I think You shouldn´t add me to the give away this time. It´s better it goes to someone that will use the fantastic things You give away.

Have a great day now!
Christer.
Danni said…
And all this time I've been making mine with mashed potatoes on top... I think I'll have to give yours a try, it looks too delicious to pass up!
Ketutar said…
Oooh, YES! I don't like shepherd's pie much, but this (which we would call kugel, BTW) sounds like something I'd eat happily :-D

The give-away looks good too :-) So does the basket... oh dear! So generous of you! :-)
I didn't know about you before, and I'm really happy that now I do :-D I'm pleased to become a follower :-)
LaTrice said…
The giveaway items are too cute. And all I can say about the shepard's pie is YUM!
Judith said…
OH OH!!!! ME ME!!! (jumping up and down on my chair!) enter me please!
Anonymous said…
Congrats to Brigit !!! on a super great giveaway win ☺
jaz I'd love to enter this giveaway .
wedon't have nice market place that sells this type of thing and I refuse to enter a walmart ! so I really only have my handmade stuff.
I did buy a new philipino coconut palm brrom a walise ting ting (sp?) and it looks very witchy on the front step ☺
but I'd love to win some of these signs you have !
thanks again Jaz
lov rox
SharleneT said…
Ooooh, scrumptuous! This has to be the best recipe I've ever seen for Shepherd's Pie... Lordy, mac and cheese for a topper... I could hear my hips grow just reading it -- but I DON'T CARE!... our weather has just gotten cool enough to make these, too... thanks for sharing and the great pix...
Creepy Glowbugg said…
I just LOVE your receipes!! I can't wait to try this one too!
DogsMom said…
I should know better than to stop in here around lunch time. Yum!

anything I have now will not satisfy.
Yalco (Chris) said…
Poblano mac 'n' cheese topped shepherd's pie? BRILLIANT! I love both, and to have them together in one dish has got to be delicious. Like the idea of the addition of poblanos to the cheese sauce for macaroni.

Still on the hunt for the thick worchestershire sauce. Our regular store isn't yet stocking it. Will keep looking.

Keep me in mind for your give-away. You always manage to come up with great items.

Enjoy you fall weekend!
Congrats to Brigit!! Love the new giveaway and would love to enter!!

I think this looks like another great recipe from you!! I'm printing this one out. I like the individual casseroles. Super Fall dish!!
Well mostly i'm here to enter this giveaway...but that recipe looks fantastic! I will have to give that a try.
Robin Larkspur said…
the shepherd's pies look amazing, BUT ....parsnips/??!!!eek and ergh! I am maybe I could just do carrots?
Oh, and please enter me for your lovely giveaway. i entered on Mrs B's for your awesome basket too. I know one of these days, I am going to luck out and win something! Love to teddy!
Birgit said…
Oh Jaz -- once again a heartfelt THANKS!

I am off to do another little happy dance,
Birgit
Marfi-topia said…
EVERY single time I look at the food you make, I can almost smell it!
I feel like drooling!!!!!!
this is great I love it!!!!!!!
Mystica said…
Thanks for the giveaway and the receipe - this is one I will try!
BleuMoon said…
I really need to stop reading these posts before I eat - the grumbling in my tummy is getting quite loud! Thanks again for such a yummy recipe!

bleumoon
Faerie Sage said…
He, He I have not seen someone use marmite in a recipie since I was in NZ! Very Cool! As always would love to win your giveaway!
The Shepard's Pie looks delicious and yes I will be trying it, wow to give a ways from you in one day, very nice.
Oh my those look like the most delicious thing ever! I love shepherd's pie and mac and cheese so those are pretty much the perfect dish. My Mister will think so to, when I show him your photos I know he will insist we make it!
brokenteepee said…
I think I would miss the potatoes...
Plus I am so allergic to peppers.
I love potatoes
Amber said…
Please include me in the giveaway! I'm a follower of your blog already :D
Your blog and Kitchen Witch's are going to make me fat. I think the base with poblano cheesy potatoes might be fabulous too.
Liz Mays said…
I absolutely love your twist on Shepherd's pie!!! So glad I found you through Mr's B's. I'm gonna like it here! :)
Anonymous said…
Thanks for the chance to enter, come visit my goat blog at lucky13goatranch.blogspot.com

Lily and Tay
Sage said…
Now this is a recipe I think I will be vegetarian-izing and making for the family!
Barb said…
Wow! Sure wish I was having dinner at your house-it looks so yummy!!!! I have almost all my Halloween decorations up including my tree. Please enter me in the drawing. They would make wonderful additions to my collection.
Divaeva said…
mmmm - I LOVE shepards pie and yours sounds fabulous! Picked up those signs already this past week - so need need to enter me in this giveaway! Happy Fall!
The shepherd's pie looks absolutely divine... and totally count me in on this giveaway!
Anet said…
My kids would love to live at your house!
With Teddy,all of your awesome Halloween decorations, your witch collection and the yummy food you make:) Oh yeah!
sweetlocal said…
how creative! i would love to make a vegetarian version of this with lentils instead of the meat. yum.
I stop by to be put into the Drawing for this weeks! I love that u include pics with ur recipes!
Shai Williams said…
Okay now I am starving. I am going to have to try that twist.

Oh and please enter me in your wonderful giveaway.
Oooh, i love halloween!! thanks so much for the contest, i love the signs.

inthehammockblog at gmail dot com
i'm a follower
What a lovely recipe! Please enter me in your giveaway
Unknown said…
OMG! these look so good! Have to try them! I have been following your blog for a while, and I love the picture of the house in your header.
Thanks for hosting.
Please enter me in the giveaway!!!!! Your recipe once again looks amazing! I am definately going to have to make it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
gpc said…
What, what a ton of flavor, I can taste it already!
Anonymous said…
That looks absolutely delicious! I was just looking for a recipe to use ground venison in this morning! Coincidence? Thank you and please enter me in your giveaway.
Thanks for sharing your recipe. Looks sooo yummy.

Please enter me in your lovely giveaway.

Irma :)

I'm a follower
Char said…
Hi-----Your recipe sounds wonderful. I am so glad that I found your site and it's been such fun reading through your blog. Your giveaway this week is fantastic. Please do enter me.
Another recipe that I will be making soon, and the Shepard's pie looks so much better than any I have ever had.

Please enter me in your giveaway! Nice fall stuff!

Peace,
Chris........
Anonymous said…
I made a meal loosely based on the meat filling in this recipe. I used turkey bacon and then sauted the onions, added the carrots and celery and cooked for a moment or two. Then I re-added the turkey bacon, some Worcestershire sauce, some salt and pepper and voila! I laid it atop a bed of creamy, fresh-garlic added mashed potatoes. AWESOME. Thank you for sharing this!
Mother Moon said…
you have the most lucious recipes.. and I simply love all those little bowls... I have started cooking more in little crocks and love it.... thanks so much for sharing and also the new giveaway..

Congrats Briget on your win...
CathyH said…
You are amazing, those look delicious!
Tournesol said…
Oh boy do those look good! Another recipe to try. I'm going to make the sauerkraut and homemade buns this afternoon. Yum
Please enter me in the giveaway!
Jacquelyn said…
We posted this recipe on our Facebook fan page for everyone to see. Check it out at www.facebook.com/cabot!
~Jacquelyn
Joane said…
Yum, nuff said! Oh yeah, please enter me too in your giveaway! Thanks. FYI your blog has become a frequent go to for me for recipes!
Nydia said…
Oh I love those pies... I would only replace the red meat for chicken, ince I don't eat red meat. The rest is just perfection!

Love the new giveaway, the signs are so cute!

Kisses!
Janet said…
I am new here but your recipes look fabulous. I am looking forward to reading your blog regularly!

Janet
Vcalgary, Alberta, Canada
justjoycee said…
Looks delicious, will have to try!
justjoycee said…
Looks delicious! Will have to try!