Shepherd's Pie

     The basis for this recipe was given to me by a friend. My family and I made some minor adjustments and now it is a recipe that we turn to on a regular basis. The nice thing about this dish is that you can make and assemble it in advance and then heat in the oven later. I often prepare it on the weekend and store it in the fridge, then pop it in the oven when I get home from work. The leftovers can be reheated as well. It's a filling, family friendly recipe that is great to have in your collection.

Ingredients
2 lbs of turkey sausage, removed from the casing (we use hot sausage, but you can use sweet, or 1 lb of  each depending on your family's preference. It is however, important to use a quality sausage)       

1.5 lbs of ground turkey
1 green pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks of celery, chopped
small amount of olive oil to saute the vegetables in       

1 Tbsp minced garlic
5 lbs of mashed potatoes
2 12 oz cans of tomato paste
1  bag of frozen corn
2 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese


Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Prepare the mashed potatoes (you can prepare them however your family prefers. I add some butter, and a small amount of salt and milk when making mine. It is best if you have a somewhat firm mashed consistency as it will be easier when you cut and serve the meal later).

Brown the meat, drain and set aside.

Saute the onion, pepper and celery in olive oil until tender. Add the garlic and saute for 2 minutes longer.

Stir the onion, pepper, celery and garlic into the browned meat. Add the tomato paste and mix well.

Spread the meat mixture into the bottom of a 10x15 casserole dish. Sprinkle the frozen corn kernels on top of the meat. Spread the mashed potatoes over the entire casserole and then sprinkle the shredded cheese on top.

Bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until completely heated through.

Enjoy!