Leftover Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes Shepherd's Pie

It finally feels like spring here today in Rhode Island! After a terrible weekend of pouring rain that caused flooding in many local areas, I was very happy to wake up to a blue sky and shining sun.

Over the weekend I bought some great local meat and fish at our local farmer's market. I cooked up the fish last night with some cajun seasoning, homemade biscuits and roasted tomatoes. I also got free range chicken which I breaded and baked. I served that over southern greens and the mashed potato recipe I include below.

One last local meat product that I purchased was grass fed ground beef. I originally decided to make a meatloaf with it, but my boyfriend and I were only able to finish half of the meatloaf. After making the mashed potatoes that I served with my chicken, I knew exactly what to do with all of my leftovers. Make a classic and delicious shepherd's pie!

This picture above has nothing to do with my shepherd's pie, but I thought I would show you how my little indoor garden is growing. I have become somewhat obsessed with growing plants in my windowsill and it seems I add a new plant every week.

I have now planted cilantro, lettuce and chives in those little blue planters. I am really hoping that they sprout into plants, but I am not a skilled gardner, so I'm not getting my hopes up too high. My parsley, basil and rosemary were already grown for me, so I am just watering them and keeping them alive for now.

Now back to this amazing shepherd's pie. This recipe came out better than I even expected it to since I threw it together with leftovers. It is full of flavor from onions, garlic, mixed veggies and a little butter.

The mashed potatoes on top get nice and crispy when baked in the oven and the meatloaf underneath stays moist and tender. The little veggies add a great sweetness from the corn and peas and overall this is such a delicious meal.

I encourage you to go shopping at your local farmer's market and try to buy some fresh grass fed beef and veggies for this recipe. You will feel so good about eating it and the fresh potatoes and meat make this meal somewhat guilt free. I definitely felt that I was eating a fresh dinner where all of the ingredients were grown responsibly and healthily. You're going to love this! I sure did!

Leftover Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes Shepherd's Pie:

Meatloaf:

1 lb grass fed ground beef

1 egg

3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup ketchup

1 teaspoon mustard

1 teaspoon maple syrup

1. Preheat the oven to 375° and grease a loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl combine the beef, egg, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to the loaf pan and press down until the top is level.
3. In a small bowl combine the ketchup, mustard and maple syrup. Brush the top of the meatloaf with the ketchup mixture and cover the meatloaf with tin foil. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove the tin foil and bake for another 15 minutes, until the meatloaf is cooked through. Let cool for about 5-10 minutes before cutting.

Mashed Potatoes:

10 small yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and halved

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup almond milk

1. Put your potatoes in a large pot and add water until the potatoes are just covered. Bring the water to a boil and reduce to a simmer over medium high heat. Cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 8-10 minutes.
2. Transfer the potatoes to a food processor and add in the butter, salt and almond milk. Puree until the potatoes are smooth and creamy. You can also mash them by hand with a potato masher if you do not have a food processor.

Leftover Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes Shepherd's Pie:

1 batch leftover meatloaf (recipe above)

1 batch leftover mashed potatoes (recipe above)

1 bag organic frozen mixed veggies (I used carrots, peas, corn and green beans)

2 teaspoons olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and add the meatloaf and frozen veggies. Break up the meatloaf and cook for about 5-8 minutes.
3. Transfer the meat mixture to greased single ramekins or a large greased baking dish. Top the meat mixture with your leftover mashed potatoes and bake for 20-30 minutes, until the potatoes are golden on top and the mixture is heated through. Serve and enjoy!