Cottage Pie (Shepards Pie)

1 pound russet potatoes, peeled, cut in half
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
3/4 cup campbells double beef broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 medium carrot, sliced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram


Cook potatoes in large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender. Drain. Return potatoes to same saucepan. Add 3 tablespoons butter and mash. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef, onion and garlic to same skillet and cook over medium-high heat until beef is brown, breaking up with spoon, about 8 minutes. Add flour and stir 2 minutes. beef broth, parsley, carrot, Worcestershire and marjoram. Simmer 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Spoon beef mixture into 8-inch square baking dish. Spoon mashed potatoes over; smooth top. Bake until potatoes are heated through and golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

St. Patricks Day Corned Beef and Cabbage

This is one of Lexi's favorite meals.

4 lb corned brisket of beef
3 large carrots, cut into chunks
6 small onions
1 teaspoon dry mustard
large sprig fresh thyme & parsley stalks
1 cabbage
salt and pepper

Put the brisket into a saucepan with the carrots, onions, mustard and the herbs. Cover with cold water, and bring gently to a boil. Simmer, covered, for 2 hours. Discard the outer leaves of the cabbage, cut in quarters and add to the pot. Cook for a further 1 to 2 hours or until the meat and vegetables are soft and tender.

Serve with potatoes and mustard.

Cake for Keshia

Tonight I am making a carrot cake for my friend Keshia. It will be an early birthday gift. She wanted me to make her the red velvet cupcakes with the vanilla frosting but that will come on her actual birthday. The carrot cake she can eat at work tomorrow! Here is the recipe.

Cake
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
4 large eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 cups finely grated peeled carrots (about 1 pound)
1/2 cup chopped pecans (about 1/2 ounce)
1/2 cup raisins

Frosting
4 cups powdered sugar
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 teaspoons vanilla extract


For cake:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper. Lightly grease waxed paper. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and vegetable oil in bowl until combined. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into sugar and oil mixture. Stir in carrots, chopped pecans and raisins.

Pour batter into prepared pans, dividing equally. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean and cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans, about 45 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks and cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic and store at room temperature.)

For frosting:
Using electric mixer, beat all ingredients in medium bowl until smooth and creamy.

Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top with another cake layer. Spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Using icing spatula, spread remaining frosting in decorative swirls over sides and top of cake. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate.) Serve cake cold or at room temperature.