Well.... Was supposed to do this yesterday but system (Blogger) was internally screwed up, kinda like me huh?

anyways, here's what I made for dinner...It was cold and rainy and I thought something hearty, without added fat.

My shepherd's Pie

(remember that I can't cook for one at all...I'll give the whole recipe you cut it to the size you want it)

brown 1 lb ground beef, and 1 pound ground turkey over high heat. I like to keep the lid off until I get into doing other things and then let most of the meat steam.
add 2.5 cups diced yellow onion. (this happened because I started dicing onion and just added them without looking, that's how this recipe got so big)
after onions are really transparent [usually with the lid on again] I add the seasoning. Kosher salt and fresh black pepper. (I haven't had the time to decide which pepper mill I want, so I still use the peppercorns with the built in cap,it just happens that this one bites the big one.
1.5 cups diced carrots...smaller than bite size... 1.5 cups green peas, have you ever seen peas that weren't green? i mean really do they have to put that on the package?
anyways... Some where between two and whatever amount of garlic you want...in this one i like to have the garlic as a background flavor. I added ~3 t of ground japanese chilis, but I'm pretty sure that any other chili will do (mine are rated 7 on the 10 scale, I think that's around 100,000 scovelle units) after thoroughly mixing, 1.5 cups red wine to deglaze or something like that. I've been using Coppola presents Rosso cause we got a case at something like 6.99 a bottle and it's convenient. Reduce by 1/2 and add 3 cups beef stock or dissolved beef base. Then add one can of tomato paste (I forget how big those things are but they're all the same. Leave on medium heat and cover until reduced to more of a stew consistency or just before the carrots are mushy (you know you can still bite them). IF THE BOTTOM BURNS, don't scrape it off... I'm having a hard time with the electric stove and this happens all the time, if you scrape the bottom it floats around; which is actually if you want to add a smoky flavor to your food...Okay a burned flavor... So what I'm saying is let it be and elbow grease it off later.
oh yeah, the recipe.
while all this is going on... Boil pealed and diced russet potatoes drain and place in bowl. I added 4 tsp butter to about 1.5 lbs potatoes. (I usually make too many mashed potatoes cause they reheat easily and are yummy) then ~.5 cups fat free sour cream... Okay I know that I said no added fat but you gotta have butter in your mashed potatoes. And this combination of fat free sour cream and small amount of butter has been working really well for finishing off sauces instead of cream...Really! It actually works as a great emulsifier.
so once again back to the food... I used a kitchen mixer cause we have one, you could use a food processor (I don't have a big one) or a potato masher (I have an antique one) potato ricer (again don't have one but don't need one) or you could do it the really hard way and use a fork until it gets cool and then use your hands... I love getting my hands into my food.
so you probably know the rest. Fill small baking dishes half full(or is it half empty?), spoon potatoes on top... This isn't a science this time just get the potatoes on top...I made cannelles but then I was showing off for the girl. Hers I left at that, mine got some mozzarella added. I used low moisture part skim cause it was pre-shredded and on sale...Don't do this in an oven, it burns quickly. Anyways because everything was still hot from the primary cooking it didn't take long in a 450 F oven to brown...Although I could have left hers in for a little while longer. But I had to start watching 24. (Kiefer Sullivan is dreamy)
served with fresh french bread and butter....Okay that's where I got my fats for the day. Any ways I've found that using half turkey and half beef or pork in my Thai recipes, works really well to get the flavor wanted but cut the fat a little cause the girl is paranoid about getting chubby.

after all that, I've gotta say that the Battlestar Galactica mini series is TOTALLY cewl. Good writing, good acting, and not too over the top with the special effects and sound effects like another movie I could mention (matrix 3).

Bruce Almighty was great, kinda like his character in Liar Liar, but this was a little more tolerable. When Morgan Freeman says "I don't want to blaspheme, but that last one made me laugh" I really respected the writer(s).

well it's south park night, maybe a home made pizza, or more likely left over stew and potatoes... Hey they were great and didn't make me feel bloated after eating them...

Trivia for the day - collective noun for a group of lizards: lounge, collective noun for a group of owls: parliament.

The Kid Stays in the Kitchen.

m.