Shepherd's Pie Stuffed Potatoes

This is actually a variation of a recipe I saw on Rachel Ray. I love Rachel Ray's cooking...not so much the talk show, but yes to the cooking... I changed it a bit, and now I don't even remember what I did different form her...but there were a few things...anyway....

What you will need:

4 big baking potatoes
Sea Salt
Olive Oil
1 stick of butter
1 lb ground beef
1 onion
2 big cloves of garlic
1/2 block of cheddar cheese grated
Paprika
1 can of mushrooms
a little milk maybe half a cup
1 tblsp flour


Start by baking the potatoes...in the oven...potatoes should not be microwaved (in my opinion) and they need at least 1 1/2 hours in a 350 d oven to be "right". You need to poke a bunch of holes in them with a sharp knife (careful, careful) and then rub Olive Oil all over them, and them roll them in Kosher salt. Wrap in tin foil and bake!

1 1/2 hours later (seriously, this is important!) They are done...let them cool enough to handle, and then cut a wedge out of the top, and scoop out all the insides you can without tearing the potato (please learn from my mistakes).

And don't turn off your oven!!!!

Put scooped potatoes in a pot with a little milk to keep them good and warm.


Brown your ground beef. I usually have frozen because I buy in bulk and separate into 1 lb baggies. You can make really quick work of it by soaking a baggie of frozen gb in warm water until thawed enough to get out of the bag. then put in the pan with about a half a cup of water, and keep shredding the beef as it thaws in the pan, add more water as needed.



I also always always always add a dash or 2 of worcestershire (almost as hard to type as say) sauce to my gb..I HATE the smell of it cooking and this really helps!

While the gb is browning, chop up the onion pretty small, and mince the gloves of garlic.








Add to the pan, and keep shredding, and adding water as needed...

add the can of mushrooms, and keep repeating the shredding and water adding until the meat is completely brown and very soft.








Once meat is brown, form a hole in the middle of the pan and add 2 tblsp of the butter, when melted, add 1 tspn of flour to make a roux, this will mix with the beef to make a bit of a gravy.




While that is thickening, work on the potatoes, add the rest of the butter, and sprinkle on some paprika, and mix well.









Add it to the meat, and mix well.


Scoop into the potatoes, and be generous, you should have enough for it to be coming out of the potato.








Sprinkle generously with the shredded cheese and bake until cheese is completely melted and a little crusty. Yum!






Finished product, with Kings Hawaiian and mixed veggies (keeping with the Shepherds pie theme).