Shepherd's Pie Freezer Cooking Recipe

I found a fantastic site for freezer meals!! I doubled this recipe and then took out a little bit so we could have it for dinner last night - but froze two 9x13" pans for after Julia arrives. Let me tell you - this was a winner, and we're looking forward to thawing and having it again! I also made four other recipe from the site, but will wait to add them here until we have had a chance to thaw/try them to make sure they're yummy :)

Shepherd's Pie Freezer Cooking Recipe

Can easily double or triple to make multiples for the freezer.

2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 carrots, chopped
2 small onions, chopped
1 tbsp flour
1-1/4 cups beef stock (use chicken stock if using ground turkey instead of beef)
2 tbsp ketchup
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp thyme
salt
pepper
1 lb cooked ground beef or turkey
1 1/2 lbs mashed potatoes
2 tbsp butter, softened
3 tbsp cream
1 egg, slightly beaten (for cooking day)

In medium saucepan, heat oil and fry onions and carrots until soft. Add flour, creating a paste, cooking for one minute. Add ketchup, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt and pepper, bringing to a boil. Simmer 2-3 minutes, then add ground beef or turkey, simmering until heated through. Add to foil disposable casserole. In a separate bowl, combine mashed potatoes with butter and cream, then top meat mixture with it. Cool and freeze. If you have a small family, split into two casseroles instead of one.

Cooking day:
Thaw overnight in fridge or 4-5 hours at room temperature. Brush top with egg (optional). Preheat oven to 425F and bake for 20-30 minutes (if you split into two casseroles, cooking time may be shorter).