Easy Shepherds Pie

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of ground beef
  
• 1/2 cup of chopped bell pepper
• 1 cup of chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon of minced garlic
• 1 cup of diced carrots
• 1 (10 ounce) can of mild Rotel tomatoes, drained
• 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon of dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon of dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning or to taste
• 1/2 cup of beef stock or broth
• Couple dashes of Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon of all purpose flour
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1-1/2 cups of shredded cheese, divided
• 1 cup of frozen peas, thawed
• 4 cups of leftover mashed potatoes
• 1 tablespoon of melted butter

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 2-1/2 quart baking dish and set aside.

Brown ground beef in a skillet, breaking up into smaller pieces; drain off any excess oil. Add the bell pepper, onion, garlic and carrots; cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. Add the tomatoes and seasonings, stir in the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce and flour and cook for about 5 minutes longer. Remove from the heat, stir in the egg, add 1 cup of the cheese and the frozen peas; transfer to baking dish. Spread potatoes on top.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes or until bubbly and top is light brown; remove, sprinkle cheese on top and return to oven just until cheese melts. Remove and let rest 10 minutes. Drizzle melted butter on top before serving.

Note: Can substitute a small can of diced or stewed tomatoes for the Rotel. Sauteed, sliced mushrooms and sweet corn are nice additions also.