Mini Shepherds Pies recipes

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I had planned to share these with my neighbors…. but ended up eating them all – that’s how much I love them! (I based both the ground beef filling and creamy mashed potatoes on my recipe for Shepherds Pie, with a few adjustments.)

Mini Shepherds Pies are easy to make! The recipe calls for purchased pie crust and – if you’re short on time – a 24 oz. container of ready-to-eat mashed potatoes can be used. Making these mini pies is fun and easy – and so is eating them.

Mini Shepherds Pies - Ingredients and Method

1 box refrigerated pie crusts 24 oz. refrigerated mashed potatoes – OR – homemade mashed potatoes Homemade Mashed Potatoes 5 cups cubed Yukon Gold potatoes ++ Peeled and cut into 2″ chunks 3/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper 2 – 3 Tbs. butter 1/3+ cup milk or Half and Half ++ I used Half and Half Ground Beef & Vegetable Filling 1 Tbs. butter or olive oil 1/2 medium-sized onion, chopped ++ About 1/3 cup 1/2 lb. ground (minced) beef ++ I used 80% 3/4 cup frozen corn ++ No need to thaw 3/4 cup frozen peas ++ No need to thaw 1 Tbs. tomato paste ++ Freeze tomato paste in 1 Tbs. portions in a ziploc bag. 1 beef or chicken bouillon cube 1/3 cup water 3/4 tsp. salt 1/3 tsp. pepper 1 Tbs. tomato paste 

Place 5 cups chopped, peeled Yukon Gold potatoes in a medium-sized saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower heat and cover saucepan. Allow potatoes to simmer for 25 – 30 minutes or until potatoes can easily be pierced with a sharp knife. ++ It’s better to cook the potatoes longer than end up with lumpy potatoes!! I know – Been There – Done That!

While potatoes are cooking, begin beef/veggie filling. Place 1 Tbs. butter In a large non-stick skillet. Add 1/3 cup chopped onion. Cook onions, stirring often, over medium heat until they soften. Add 1/2 pound chopped (minced) beef. Continue to cook until beef loses its pink color. ++ Break up any large chunks of beef..

Add 3/4 cup still-frozen corn, 3/4 cup still-frozen peas, 1/3 cup water, 1 Tbs. tomato paste, 3/4 tsp. salt, 1/3 tsp. pepper and either a chicken or beef bouillon cube. Cook and continue stirring often for an additional 4 to 5 minutes… until the 1/3 water has been absorbed. Set aside.

Now it’s time for the mini-pie crusts. This is fun! ++ Remove the pie crusts from the refrigerator about 15 minutes before so the crusts will be soft enough to work with.

Unroll pie crusts. Roll each crust into a 12″ circle, which only takes a second ’cause the crusts are almost that big already. Using a 4″ circle (I used the 4″ top of a plastic food container – or you could use a piece of cardboard) cut out 12 circles.

Place one pie crust circle in each of the sections of a 12-cup muffin tin. Gently press pie crust to fit.

Bake at 400F for 8 minutes. IMPORTANT ++ Lower oven temperature to 350F once you’ve removed muffin tin from oven.

Drain cooked potatoes. Mash down with a potato masher. Add 2 – 3 Tbs. butter, 3/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper and 1/3+ milk or Half and Half a little at a time and beat with a mixer until the potatoes are creamy but still stiff enough to hold their shape on top of the beef filling. ++ If the potatoes seem too stiff, add a bit more milk/Half and Half.

Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, put a portion of the meat/vegetable filling in each section. Top with 1/4 cup mashed potatoes. ++ If you have extra mashed potatoes, add a bit more to each mini-pie.

Sprinkle with a bit of paprika to give the Mini Shepherds Pies a bit of color. You know, part of finding a particular food delicious is often due to it’s color, so adding a bit of paprika not only makes things taste better but also gives them better eye-appeal.

Bake Mini-Shepherds Pie in a 350F for 25 – 30 minutes. Mashed potatoes and crust will be very slightly browned.

++ Let stand 10 minutes before serving, which helps the pie crust to not fall apart when you remove the mini-pies. Enjoy !!

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++ Recipe adapted from http://ift.tt/1CFgWM0

Submitted April 11, 2015 at 08:15PM by cheechcr http://ift.tt/1CFgWM7 recipes