Shepherds Pie

This is Rachael Ray's recipe. I changed the instructions a tiny bit because I like my vegetables to be soft. The first part of the ingredients are for the mashed potato topping. You could just make your favorite mashed potatoes if you wanted or you could even use instant.

2 pounds potatoes, such as russet, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons sour cream or softened cream cheese
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup cream, for a lighter version substitute vegetable or chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
1 3/4 pounds ground beef or ground lamb
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup beef stock or broth
2 teaspoons Worcestershire, eyeball it
1/2 cup frozen peas, a couple of handfuls
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions
Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and pour them into a bowl. Combine sour cream, egg yolk and cream. Add the cream mixture into potatoes and mash until potatoes are almost smooth.

While potatoes boil, preheat a large skillet over medium high heat with olive oil. Cook carrots and onions together until soft. Then remove from pan and brown and meat. Spoon away the fat. Add chopped carrot and onion to the meat. Remove meat carrots and onions from skillet. Cook butter and flour together 2 minutes. Whisk in broth and Worcestershire sauce. Thicken gravy 1 minute. Add gravy to meat and vegetables. Stir in peas.

Preheat broiler. Fill a small rectangular casserole with meat and vegetable mixture. Spoon potatoes over meat evenly. Top potatoes with paprika and place under the broiler about 6 to 8 inches from the heat. Broil until slightly golden. Top casserole dish with chopped parsley and serve.

** I ended up sticking mine in the oven at 350 to make sure it was heated through. Then I broiled the top a little.**