Cottage Pie

Picture this: at least a foot of snow on the ground, wind blowing, the temperature is about 5 degrees with a wind chill of -10 or more. I am dressed in snow pants, wool socks, boots, ski jacket, stocking hat, and ski gloves (pretty much I look like a marshmallow or sumo wrestler). As I step out the front door, my dog is takes off down the side walk, running like that the white stuff is actually warm sand and the temperature is 70 degrees. He is not phased by any weather elements apparently. I am running down the sidewalk after him, chasing him while holding his leash. This is the life of Laura Russell two times a day for the past several weeks. I do not know if this is true or not, but it seems like the weather her has been colder with more snow than this same time last year. Usually I don't feel like we are in survival mode until late January or February, but that feeling has already arrived. Every day requires careful planning of wearing warm clothes, remembering to start the car early, and walking my dog Jake seems to take an extra 20 minutes of dressing and undressing.

With weather like this, warm, comforting food hits the spot. I am been preparing soups, stews, and chili weekly. I came across this recipe for cottage pie in Every Day Food. It is similar to a shepherd pie, but instead of mashed potatoes, there are slices of potatoes on top. It has all of the flavors that seem to warm you up on a cold winter night. The original recipe calls for ground lamb, but I have made this with ground turkey and beef. Also if you do not want to use beer, you could easily substitute some beef broth instead. Enjoy!

Cottage Pie
adapted from Every Day Food


3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
1 pound ground beef or turkey
1 teaspoon thyme
12 oz dark beer
2 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup frozen peas
1-2 medium red potatoes, very thinly sliced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
coarse salt and ground pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high. Add onion, garlic, and carrots and cook stirring often, until soft, about 5-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in tomato paste.
2. Add ground meat and cook with vegetables. When meat is cooked through, add thyme and beer and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring frequently, until slightly reduced, about 2-5 minutes.
3. Sprinkle flour over the mixture and stir to combine. Add 1/2 cup water and cook until mixture thickens. Stir in peas and season with salt and pepper.
4. Transfer mixture into a 2-quart baking dish. Top with potato slices, overlapping each other (they shrink while cooking). Season potatoes with salt and pepper and drizzle with 2 tablespoons melted butter.
5. Bake until potatoes are browned around the edges and the mixture is bubbling, about 40-45 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Bacon, Beans, and Potatoes

I have a confession. I like bacon. Real, crispy bacon from a pig. I feel guilty even saying it. This is a big deal for several reasons. 1.We never had bacon in our house growing up. My grandfather had a heart attack when I was young and from that point forward my parents followed a low fat, heart-healthy diet. Bacon was shunned and never entered our house. I would sometimes sneak some crisp bacon when we would go out for brunch after church on Sundays. 2. Bacon is really not very good for you. Two slices of medium cut bacon have over 7g of fat, 2.3g of saturated fat, and 92 calories. This is almost equal to eating 1 tablespoon of butter. No need to expand on that thought. 3. I am a dietitian. My job is to promote healthy eating and usually when I am working with patients, bacon is not usually something I include in their meal plan. 

 Besides bacon and the occasional sweet potato fry, I do eat healthy. I love fruits and vegetables. I get my diary servings in, I eat lean proteins, and I try to limit my intake of refined carbohydrates.  But somehow bacon has snuck in a little more often than it ever has before. It probably doesn't help that my husband has told me on several occasions "I think bacon is one of my favorite foods." I haven't been able to tell yet if he is eating the Brussels sprouts I have been making lately because he really likes them or because I add crumbled bacon to them after roasting them (which is delicious by the way).

 When I do buy bacon I try to buy a good quality bacon like center cut bacon which has less fat, or my new recent favorite nitrate-free bacon when I can find it. I do buy turkey bacon on occasion as well, but it really do not compare to pork bacon. Depending on what it is added to, turkey bacon can be an excellent substitute. The good thing about bacon is that you don't have to use a lot in a recipe to get the salty flavor that bacon adds. So, I confess, I am a dietitian, and I eat bacon. . . in moderation. One slice or two with eggs and toast every now and then, sprinkled on a spinach salad on occasion, or added to potatoes like the following recipe is reasonable I think. This recipe has become a favorite at our house. I made it for a dinner party one night and it was a big hit. It it is a simple way to enjoy fresh green beans and potatoes with only a little prep. Most of the work is done in the oven. If you are my parents also against bacon, it can be omitted. Enjoy!

Beans & Potatoes

2-3 small red potatoes per person, diced

½ pound green beans, cut or broken into 1 ½ inch pieces

2 slices bacon, cooked until crispy and then chopped into pieces

1 scallion, chopped

1 oz of cheddar cheese, shredded

Grill seasoning

Olive oil

Salt

pepper

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Spread potatoes onto baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, and grill seasoning. Toss to coat. Bake for 15 minutes
3. Add green beans to potatoes toss to coat with olive oil and seasonings. Bake for an additional 20 minutes until vegetables are browned and becoming crispy. Turn once during cooking time.  
4.  Spoon mixture into a serving bowl. Add scallion, bacon, and cheese.