Mom’s Cork Cottage Pie / Shepherd’s Pie

Ahh yes.  That’s me (several years ago) in Ireland.  I don’t remember much about that trip because, as you can see, I was quite young.  However I did have Cork Cottage Pie every year when we would go on vacation down to the Sarasota area.  There was a restaurant there called Lynches Landing that used to be right on the beach, but they’ve now moved up the street and changed their name to Lynches Pub & Grub.  But no matter the name, they still serve Cork Cottage Pie.

This is my mom’s recipe for Cork Cottage Pie, however you could very easily use it to make Shepherd’s Pie instead.  The only difference between the two is basically that the local shepherd’s pie uses ground beef whereas cork cottage pie uses sirloin.  (or — shepherd’s pie uses lamb because the sheps herd sheep, not cows)

Sirloin Cubes

Onions

Brown the meat

Add some sherry (I prefer the Holland House brand)

Toss in the carrots

Add some green beans (corn and peas too if you want)

Top it off with mashed potatoes

Shortcuts:

• Buy beef already cubed (warning though – the ready cubed beef is usually tougher and needs longer simmering time)
• Frozen chopped onions
• Frozen mixed vegetables
• Frozen or ready-made mashed potatoes.  My favorite are the Ore-Ida frozen mashed potatoes, but you can really use whatever you like.

Ingredients:

• Sirloin fillets to cube (or you could use whatever other type you prefer.  Sometimes Mom would make it with tenderloin and OMG!)
• EVOO
• Salt & Pepper to season
• Onion
• Sherry (The Holland House sherry is by the EVOO at my store, with the cooking wines)
• Beef stock
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup (optional)
• Vegetables to dice
• Mashed Potatoes
• Butter

Directions:

1. Season beef with salt & pepper then cut it into cubes.  Set aside.
2. Coat the bottom of a fry pan with EVOO.
3. Dice your onion and cook for just a minute or two.  Scrape the onion to one side of the frying pan.
4. Add the beef and brown it.  (If you want to add some extra seasonings of your preference you can)
5. After browning, add a healthy splash of sherry.  Pour in a carton of beef stock to just about cover the beef.
6. If you want a creamier sauce, add 1/2 to 1 can of your soup.
7. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer very slowly.  (Cheaper cuts of beef = a longer time at a lower temperature setting.  Mine was on low for about 45 minutes or so)
8. When you are close to the end of your simmering time, add the cut up vegetables.  If you are using fresh vegetables, make sure they are room temperature before adding to the pan.  Cooking time will depend on how small you cut them up… If you are using carrots, you want them to have enough time to cook so they aren’t hard or crunchy.  If you are using frozen vegetables, cook or at least fully defrost them in the microwave first.
9. Make your mashed potatoes.
10. After the beef has had time to get tender, transfer it to a baking dish.  (If there is too much liquid, drain some of it off first)
11. Top with mashed potatoes.  Drizzle some butter on top of the potatoes.
12. Have a hot pad ready on your countertop!  🙂
13. Broil your Cork Cottage Pie using a medium-lower shelf… not too close to the broiler.
14. WATCH VERY CLOSELY and give it just enough time to get the top brown.  Potatoes will go from the browned to the burned stage fairly quickly.
15. Remove carefully as your baking dish will be extremely hot.
16. Enjoy!

Some people make fancy designs when putting the potatoes on top, but you can really just take a fork and push them up into little peaks that will brown nicely.  But I prefer the rustic charm of just plopping the potatoes on top and getting the uneven browning.  It doesn’t need to look perfect, and it has more character if it doesn’t.

Company Eggs / Baked Egg Casserole

Did your school ever put together a “Mom’s” cookbook?  Mine did, and this one became a classic recipe in our family.  Every Christmas morning the family would come over to Mom’s house and she’d make this (along with other stuff too of course!)

It isn’t easy making a hot breakfast for a group of people… but this recipe is fool-proof.  Whip it up and  pop in the oven, and you’ll be golden!

Ingredients

I ended up not using the colby jack because I like the sharp cheddar 🙂

Dot your butter

Dry ingredients

Add the cream

Cream -> Eggs -> Cream

and Done!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb shredded cheddar cheese.  (1/2 lb of cheese = 8 oz)
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp salt
• dash of pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 12 eggs, lightly beaten

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Butter a 13×9 baking dish.  Spread the cheese on the bottom and then dot with butter.
3. Mix cream with seasonings and mustard.  Pour half over the cheese.
4. Add lightly beaten eggs and then add the remaining cream mixture.  Move the bowl around as you pour the cream because you don’t want it all in one spot.
5. Bake for about 35 minutes or until the eggs are set.

It makes a lot, but it isn’t bad reheated the next day 🙂

So if you haven’t guessed already:  We had breakfast for dinner last night.  I made the company eggs and served them with pancakes and bacon.  I used a little salad plate and he used the regular dinner plate.

My plate

Shane's plate

 Might look like an animal portion, but I love the fact that he enjoys what I make.  When I come home from a long day at work and don’t really feel like cooking… it’s rewarding to have the meals appreciated.  ❤  (Although part of me is glad that he ate dinner upstairs last night so he could watch the baseball game because I’m not sure staring at his plate would have been very appealing lol)

Writer’s Workshop

Your pets least likable character trait:

I’m going to struggle with this one because I love my dogs sooo much and I think they are perfect just the way they are.  (but if I had to pick something…)

———————————————————————–

Daisy doesn’t even know I exist…

Whenever daddy is around…

…or her tennis ball…

…or the car…

Daisy’s Top:

1. Daddy
2. Tennis Ball
3. Car Ride
4. Mommy

#4.  That’s all I am.  And sometimes even that is debatable.

———————————————————————–

Milly, on the other hand, loves Mommy #1.  She loves me so much that she makes it hard to take her picture.  She always wants to be *right there, in your face*

Dog on a mission…

Stop and smile for a while…

…but I end up with a lot like this…

…or this…

Five Question Friday

 

1. If you could speak with a different accent, what would it be (i.e Australian, Scottish)?  I’d choose a British accent.  It isn’t my favorite, but Shane thinks they’re sexy.

2. Can you fall asleep anywhere? (i.e floor, couch, deck)  Yup, although it’s been a couple years since I’ve fallen asleep on the floor.

3. Do you use public restrooms? If so, do you sit on the toilet?  Yes if I have to, and no.

4. If you were stuck in an elevator for 24 hours, what celebrity would you most want to be stuck with?  Oh I don’t know.  Maybe someone like say… Edward Cullen?

5. Where did you & your significant other go on your 1st date?  We went to Bennigan’s for dinner and I believe it was on April 25, 2004?

Pork Chops

Recipe adapted from here

I’ve come to the realization that either I have a super amazing oven or everybody else’s ovens suck.  🙂  I follow some of these recipes to the letter, but mine always come out overdone.  And what’s funny is that some of the commenters say that they needed EXTRA time in the oven to finish cooking. 

Now that I have a candy thermometer, maybe I should invest in a meat thermometer 🙂  Even though the meat was too tough to eat, I’m still going to post this recipe because the taste wasn’t bad.  I choked down the meat, and Shane only ate the cheese topping lol.

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless pork chops
• 1 tsp seasoned salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 4 tsp butter, softened
• 4 tsp mayonnaise
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar (I use sharp cheddar)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Please pork chops in your baking dish.  Spread 1 tsp of butter over each chop and then spread 1 tsp of mayo over the butter.  (It’s easier if you just use the back of your spoon to gently spread)
3. Season each one with the seasoning salt and garlic powder.
4. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese over each pork chop.
5. Bake 35 minutes or until the pork chops are done.  (35 minutes was way too long for mine)

The butter does make it a tad on the greasy side, but I just sat them on a paper towel for a few seconds and it worked well.  I figured I’d take a pic of the inside too.  You can actually see how tough the meat was in the picture.  sad, sad, sad.

Even though this one is far from being in my Top 10, I will try it again and just be a little more vigilant in watching the timing.