Shepherd's Pie...a quick and hearty meal.

I am always looking for hearty dishes to feed my family on those cold or wet fall days that are so common in our part of the country. Shepherd's Pie is one of my families favorite dishes. I love it because it's one of those quick fix meals that I can make in a snap. Plus, it's filling and is a great one dish meal.

Often, I'll choose to make this dish when I have leftover mashed potatoes. If I'm really organized that week, I'll purposely make extra mashed potatoes one night of the week and save the leftovers for this dish. Not an easy task in this house, mashed potatoes are a family favorite.

One of the best parts of this dish is that it can taste different depending on what you add to your mashed potatoes. Last night, we had mashed potatoes with our meal. I was not in the mood for gravy, I know...how crazy is that! I decided to "doctor" them up with cream cheese, Parmesan cheese and cheddar. I also added a bit of butter, plain yogurt, a bit of milk, onion and garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Talk about loaded potatoes!

Saving enough for tonight's meal was not easy, but I managed to save out enough to top our shepherd's pie. Such a good addition to a great dish! The plain old mashed potatoes work well too, but trust me, the "loaded" mashed potatoes add an extra flavor that you will love!

This is one of those old dishes that I grew up with. So comforting, so hearty and always a favorite. Plus, it's a great one dish meal! You've got your protein and vegetables all in one dish. All you need to round out the meal is a bowl of canned pears or peaches and a basket of biscuits or rolls.

In the past, when I really wanted to add some extra vegetables to my family's meal, I've also served steamed carrots or a side salad. A spinach salad with dried cranberries or orange segments would go nicely as well. The sky is the limit here.

This dish also travels well. If you have a potluck to go to, this fits the bill nicely. It's a great gluten-free option that anyone would love to eat. It's one that even the "non gluten-free" people will gladly help you finish off. You'll go home with an empty serving dish, always a high compliment!

The original recipe that my mother always used called for canned tomato soup, most of which contain gluten. You can buy gluten-free condensed tomato soup and that would also work well. Just omit the sugar in the recipe and go from there. This, like many of the dishes I love, is really quick and easy.

As with any of my recipes, play with it, make it your own. If you want more tomato, add an extra can of sauce/soup. Want more vegetables in yours, add more green beans. Don't like onions, leave them out. Make it to suit your tastes and your families needs. If dairy is a problem, make your mashed potatoes with your favorite "milk" or stock. Leave the cheese out, or use your favorite dairy free cheese.

The whole idea behind this recipe is to bring a comforting dish to your dinner table. So, play with it. Add to it or take away from it. Share your ideas too...we all might find a new favorite way to have this old fashioned dish! By the way, this also makes great leftovers for lunch the next day. Such a welcomed surprise for your lunch break!