Redneck Pie

Can you believe it’s our 5th birthday? To celebrate, we decided to skip the cake and enjoy a savory slice of Redneck Pie. It’s my version of Shepherd’s Pie with the Veldhuizen’s Redneck Cheddar lovingly melted on top, and it’s pretty darn good.

At the risk of sounding like the archetypal Betty Crocker commercial, this recipe is stupid simple and has a great shortcut for the modern Dairymaid on the go. Forgive me, but the holidays tend to be hectic.

1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons ketchup
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
6-8 oz Redneck Cheddar, shredded (about 1 cup)
1 16 oz package instant mashed potatoes

Directions:
Generously salt and pepper the beef, onion, carrots, celery and garlic and cook in a large pan until done: no traces of pink and veggies tender. Stir in the ketchup and Worcestershire. While meat mixture is cooking prepare the instant mashed potatoes per the instructions. Spoon meat mixture into a round 2-quart casserole dish. Spoon potatoes on top in an even layer. Lastly, top with shredded cheese. Cover and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Turn the oven to broil, remove cover and brown cheese for about 5 minutes.