$5 Dinner Challenge - Shepherd's Pie

I am so excited about this new weekly meme hosted by Erin at $5 Dinners. (If you've never visited Erin's site, you must go check it out right now!)

Our usual grocery budget is $350/month for the 6 of us, which means I try to keep the daily meal totals right around $11. This gives us a little wiggle room to come in over or under some days while still getting an occasional treat or two.

With an $11/day meal total (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and drinks for all 6 of us at each meal), I try to keep my dinner total around 1/3 to 1/2 of the daily total. Now I don't take the time to break down the cost of the meal like Erin does, but I have a pretty general idea of price range.

Shepherd's Pie is my all-time favorite stand-by recipe. It's easy, cheap, filling and tasty. It freezes well and is enjoyed by everyone in our house. It's also easy to dress up a bit by using fresh vegetables or making other changes. In fact, it is such a staple in our house that it was the first table food eaten by all of the kids.

(Sorry for the poor quality of this picture. Hopefully you get the idea.)

Shepherd's Pie

• 1/2 lb. ground beef
• 1/2 onion, diced
  
• 1/4 c. flour
• 2 c. beef stock
• 1 t. thyme
• 1/2 t. black pepper
• 1/2 - 1 bag frozen mixed veggies
• 1 1/2 - 2 pounds potatoes
• 1/2 stick butter or margarine
• 1/3 c. milk
• 1/2 c. sour cream
• 1 1/2 t. salt
• 1 t. garlic powder
• 1/2 t. black pepper

1. Brown ground beef and onion in a large skillet. Do not drain. Stir in flour and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often. Whisk in beef stock. Bring to a boil and simmer until thickened to gravy consistency. Stir in thyme and frozen veggies. Pour into a casserole dish.
2. Quarter potatoes and place in large pot of cold water. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes, until potatoes are fork tender. Drain; return potatoes to pot. Mash potatoes with butter. Stir in milk, sour cream and seasonings.
3. Top ground beef mixture with mashed potatoes. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, until bubbly.

Stop by $5 Dinners for more challenge recipes.