Last Sunday evening I made a shepherd’s pie with leftover potatoes and brisket. Funny, when our son was home, we never would have had leftover potatoes or brisket!

Shepherd’s Pie
2 lbs. ground beef
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
8 ozs. mushrooms, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. dried thyme
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. flour
2 c. chicken stock
1 c. frozen peas
1/2 c. parsley, minced
3-4 c. mashed potatoes

Brown the ground beef and strain the grease. Remove from pan and sauté onions, carrots and mushrooms in olive oil. Add garlic, butter, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes more. Then stir in flour. Once combined, add chicken stock until a gravy forms. Then add peas and cook until the peas are heated.

Pour mixture into a greased casserole dish. Mix mashed potatoes and parsley together. I added a cup of Monterrey Jack cheese to make the topping extra yummy. Spread the potato mixture over the top. Cook covered in a 375-degree oven for 20 minutes. Then uncover and cook for 10 more minutes. Let set for about 10 minutes before serving.

Instead of browning ground meat, I cubed leftover smoked brisket. It gave the dish a nice flavor and I love incorporating leftovers.

I often write that I’m not a big fan of making desserts. I love savory more than sweet. However, Lea, one of the Leader’s employees, made a pound cake from a recipe handed down by her mother. I loved the texture of the sugar that carmelized forming an outer crust. The cake was light and not overly sweet.

I made the cake for my family at Christmas and again for my mother-in-law’s birthday. It was a hit. Lea has allowed me to share it with readers.

Pound Cake
3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 lb. butter, softened
1/2 c. shortening
3 c. sugar
5 eggs, beaten
1 c. milk
1 Tbsp. vanilla

Grease and flour a tube or bundt pan. Sift dry ingredients together and then set aside.
Cream butter, shortening and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time. Then add dry ingredients in thirds, alternating with the milk in halves. Then add the vanilla.

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool enough to handle. Then flip over and onto a serving platter. Let cool completely before cutting.

I served with fresh berries and whipped topping. Everyone wanted to take cake home. That recipe is a keeper!