Shepherd's Pie With Herbed Mashed Potatoes

Description

Source: Christmas With Southern Living 2003 - Southern Living

Mushrooms and tender chunks of steak fill this potato-topped pie with goodness. A quick potato product and ready-made piecrust serve as tasty shortcuts.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3/4 pound top round steak, cut into 1" pieces
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
• 1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 (10-ounce) can French onion soup, undiluted
• 1/3 cup dry red wine
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated piecrusts
• 1 (1-pound, 4-ounce) package country-style refrigerated mashed potatoes
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted

Directions

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a bowl.
2. Add beef; toss to coat.
3. Shake excess flour from beef, reserving excess flour in a bowl.
4. Brown beef in 2 tablespoons butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat 3 minutes.
5. Stir in mushrooms, and cook 3 minutes.
6. Stir in garlic, and cook 30 seconds.
7. Remove from heat.
8. Add tomatoes and next 3 ingredients to reserved flour, stirring until flour dissolves; stir into meat.
9. Add bay leaf.
10. Bring to a boil, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of pan.
11. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 1 hour and 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
12. Uncover, increase heat to medium-high, and cook 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring often.
13. Remove from heat; discard bay leaf.
14. Fit piecrust into a 9" pieplate according to package directions; fold edges under, and crimp.
15. Place potatoes in a microwave-safe bowl; stir in rosemary.
16. Microwave at HIGH 4 minutes or until hot.
17. Pour warm meat filling into pastry.
18. Dollop potatoes over filling; spread over filling, sealing to edge of pastry.
19. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon butter.
20. Bake, uncovered, at 450° for 10 minutes.
21. Reduce oven temperature to 375°; bake 15 more minutes or until browned.
22. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Yield: 1 (9') pie