Friday, April 13, 2012

A leap of faith!

Ever wonder why you are on this Earth?? Well for some reason that happens to me more often than normal and I cannot seem to figure out the answer. So instead of wasting time pondering I have decided to just find those things that fufill me as a person and just do them. No questions asked. I encourage you all to do the same, because if we live in the "what if?" instead of "doing now" then when we least expect it, life will be done and over with. No regrets allowed! Only...lessons learned.


For todays recipe I picked something that I fell in love with many years ago. I have made several versions of this, and I have tried the real thing during my trip to the UK but I can honestly say that this one is by far the most finger lickin'-seconds pls- version yet. I hope you try to make it, and share it with others at a pot luck or your next family dinner. Let me know how it goes!


Shepherd’s pie with a twist



What you will need:

2 Lbs ground beef, cooked and chopped in a food processor

1 Can sweet corn

1 Can red kidney beans

3 sliced and fried green plantains

Mashed potatoes: make enough for 6, add ½ cup parmesan cheese

1 Cup parmesan cheese (divided in half)

1 Cup of mozzarella cheese

½ Cup of Ketchup

½ Cup of Honey BBQ sauce

Salt & pepper

Sazon tropical (Badia brand)

½ Tsp Cumin

EVOO & butter

Guizo (tomato and onions, almost liquefied in a food processor)



How to make:

In a large pot on med high heat add 1 tblsp of evoo, and 1 tblsp of butter. When it begins to sizzle, add 3 good tblsp of guizo and cook for about 2 minutes.  Add the ground beef and in no particular order add the following: corn, beans, ketchup, bbq sauce, ½ tsp of cumin, ½ tsp of salt and pepper, 1 tbsp of sazon tropical. Mix everything well and cook about 5 minutes. Taste mixture and adjust seasoning. If you want it stronger in flavor you can add more cumin or sazon tropical but be careful because it can end up salty.

In an oven safe pan (like one you would use for lasagna) build your pie in the following order: first layer will be of the sliced fried green plantains. Scatter them evenly to coat the bottom. Then put the ground beef mixture evenly covering all the plantains. Third layer is the mashed potato, and lastly top with plenty of mozzarella cheese and a touch of parmesan for added flavor.

Place in oven to broil long enough to make the cheese turn golden brown.