Shepherds Pie

This was my very first Shepherds Pie ever. I never had the opportunity to try it while I was in England, because it is made with beef and I don't eat beef. But, as I was flipping through the latest Country Living magazine, I noticed a leaner Shepherds Pie recipe that was made with turkey burger instead of beef. I knew I had to make it.

Yummy. It turned out great! Of course, it took me double the time that the recipe said it would take, so I didn't eat until 2 hours later, but it was worth it. The potatoes reminded me of a potato pancake and the meat/veggie mixture was perfect.

The only thing I might change the next time I make it, which will be over the Thanksgiving holiday, is to add a little salt to my meat.

Check out the October issue of Country Living for the recipe. You'll love it!

Apple Brown Betty

Welcome Fall!!!

Fall is, hands down, my favorite season of the year. Not only is football season in full swing, but the weather is finally cooling off and the leaves are starting to fall, which means no more grass cutting. Yay!!! And of course, Halloween is just around the corner.

The one food I associate the most with fall is the apple. I love apples. I'd find a way to eat them in every dessert if I could. So, when I found this recipe for apple brown betty on Gooseberry Patch's new blog I couldn't resist trying it.

Ingredients
3 lbs. apples, cored, peeled and cut into eighths (I used Granny Smith)
10 slices bread, cubed
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/8 t. salt
3/4 c. brown sugar, packed
1/2 c. butter, melted
Garnish: whipped topping

Directions

1. Place apples in a slow cooker.

2. Combine remaining ingredients; toss together and sprinkle over apples.

3. Cover and cook on low setting 2 to 4 hours.

4. Garnish with whipped topping. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

I actually had all of these ingredients in my house so I didn't have to spend any money on this, and boy am I glad about that.

I was not very impressed with this recipe. Maybe it was the fact that I couldn't figure out exactly how much 3 lbs. of apples was, so I might have put too many in the crockpot. But after the entire 4 hours, the apples were still hard. I was afraid to let it cook any longer because the bread closest to the bottom was starting to get really mushy, and I hate mushy things.

It wasn't terrible, but it really wasn't great either. I will be trying another recipe from Gooseberry Patch soon. I know they are a great company with awesome cookbooks and crafts. I think I just picked a bad recipe.