Do you ever start making a recipe only to realize you have a lot more work cut out for you than you initially anticipated?
Guess who that happened to this evening?
I had ambitions to make a healthy version of shepherd’s pie using a recipe I tore out of Clean Eating magazine months (years?) ago.
See how the recipe says “Hands-on time: 25 minutes?”
Lies! All lies.
I was chopping, cooking and “hands on-ing” for a good 45 minutes. Fortunately I wasn’t starving as I started to prep this dinner otherwise I would’ve been one angry chef. Twenty extra minutes is a long time when you’re super hungry, after all.
The recipe required a lot of mini steps like making mashed potatoes, sautéing vegetables and browning turkey – all separately.
None of the steps were particularly hard, but all of the chopping coupled with manning several different pots and pans at once was a little more daunting than I figured it would be.
I did manage to successfully make my first batch of mashed potatoes! They were creamy and delicious and got two thumbs up from everyone (okay, from me and Ryan).
All of the time I put into this dinner was worth it in the end, because the shepherd’s pie turned out great!
Ryan and I both filled our bowls and went back for seconds. (Actually, Ryan went back for thirds.)
The recipe serves six and I’m awfully excited about having leftovers on hand. Lunch tomorrow, perhaps?
I’m pretty sure Sadie would’ve given her left ear to dive face-first into that bowl.
Please note her little strand of doggie drool. I’m pretty sure she forced that drool out of her mouth to look desperate.
It worked. She got some turkey because we’re suckers. (<— Some of my favorite Sadie pictures are in that post!)
Off to read Room! I was a reading machine last night and only have a tiny bit left.
I seriously can’t wait to talk about this book. It definitely has me hooked.
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I adore shepherd’s pie! I won’t lie, I might have gone the easy route for the mashed potatoes. I’ll made them from scratch if they’re gonna be a stand-alone dish, but if it’s part of a casserole…eh.
Then again, I am so lazy that I decided to buy a frozen lasagna rather than make one! Haha.
Ooh that looks so good! I love shepard’s pie– but my #1 fav is chicken pot pie! I can’t resist a buttery crust 🙂
hahha I love that you call yourself a ‘Reading Machine’. I know exactly how you feel. Right now I’m reading ‘In Defense of Food’ and I literally was so hooked last night that I plowed through it and read until 1am! Crazy, right? I forgot how much fun it is to read books that aren’t assigned by a professor, haha.
That looks so so Good! And I find that a lot of recipes take WAY longer Than they claim to. I Don’t usually mind as long as the finished product is great!
I just got a new chihuahua puppy, and he’s already learned the science behind puppy dog eyes! It’s so hard to say no 🙁
I feel like most recipes are more work than I anticipate — at least the first time around! That does look pretty tasty though!
I absolutely LOVE shepherd’s pie! I make a version with mashed cauliflower on top so it’s even healthier & I can have a great big serving 🙂
Omg I loveeee shepherds pie!!! Such a comfort food in my british family, I hate it when recipes are harder than they look– but at least you stuck it out and the end result was awesome!
Ahh the book gets really good halfway through! I hated the first half though until the “excitement” happens. Can’t wait to discuss either!
This looks good, I’ll have to try it sometime! If you ever get the chance, do you think you’ll do a pantry/fridge tour? Like people get closet tours but in your case it would be what you keep stocked. I feel like I am always running to the store getting fruits and fresh vegetables and was just wondering if you had ever thought about it.
Thanks!
that’s such a neat idea! i should definitely do that!
That looks delicious! Sadly my BF won’t eat mashed potatoes or cooked vegetables. I wish I could put a spell on him while he was sleeping so he would like veggies 🙂
I’ve always wanted to try making a shepherd’s pie, but it does seem like a lot of work. Too bad there isn’t a crockpot version that could make it all easier.
Love Room. It’s so addicting!
Just finished the book on Sunday and can’t wait to talk about it!
Every time I see recipe that indicates the cooking and prep time is over 30 minutes, I get nervous because I know for me that translates into about an hour or so! Glad you had a yummy dish in the end though!
I always swap out the meat for lentils, and even my carnivore of a hubby loves it!
Mine too! Lentils fulfill his meaty cravings.
I hate when I get myself into more than I bargained for when cooking!!! Eeeeeek! I get so frustrated but can’t just stop. Those mini steps will get ya every time!
I get so annoyed when I’m hungry and am cooking a meal that takes forever! I end up munching as I’m cooking dinner and then I’m not hungry when I’m actually done cooking.
I’ve never had shepard’s pie! What is wrong with me?? That looks fabulous :D. I’m pretty sure any recipe takes me way longer than it says it should because I’m still learning my way around the kitchen. Better late than never though right? haha
Ah, Shepard’s Pie. One of my favorite comfort foods. 😀
I hate when that happens. I make this REALLY good health corn chowder but it takes forever.
I don’t think I’ve ever had Sheperd’s pie in my life … but yours looks really good! How about you just send me your leftovers … save me the work! 😉
i always double prep time when considering magazine recipes. half because i think they round down and half because i’m fairly incompetent at following a recipe and usually end up starting over a few times!
I’m totally saving that recipe. Looks so good, I haven’t had shepards pie in forever! Good work.
Whoa! Speed reader!!
I only have a little bit left of Room and I am so sucked in. Probably gonna finish tonight. Are you hatin’ on Old Nick yet?
he’s AWFUL.
Even though it was way more work than you expected it looks amazing! I feel like the time that they quote is almost always less that what it really takes.
I can’t wait to read the Book Thief! I’ve heard great things about it. 🙂
I have never made Shepard’s Pie but I’ve always wanted to make one but with Sweet Potatoes. Hmm, I need to get on that. 😉
julie! i noticed next to the stepherds pie recipe theres a recipe for almond milk rice pudding….have you/are you going to try it? could you please pass THAT recipe along?
ha! i have that one flagged to make soon!
I am such a fan of casserole type dinners <—- so much better because you throw it all in!
I hate long lists of ingredients though….me=lazy in the kitchen sometimes 😉
Pretty sure that dogs shouldn’t eat turkey ;-(
really? why? i’ve never heard that turkey is bad for dogs before and would love more information about that. i know turkey BONES aren’t good, but the meat itself??
small amounts…it cause belly issues…that i’m sure you don’t wanna deal with! haha
I”m almost done with Room too — thank goodness Sept is almost over so we can all talk about it. What an incredible book — most of the time I don’t know how to feel but I love that it brings out so many emotions in me!
I love Shep Pie — too bad it is a pain in the ass to make!
I love Shepard’s Pie, but do not enjoy all of the steps that goes into making it. Love Sadie’s little doggie drool. Dogs sure know how to get what they want.
I’ve actually never had Shepard’s pie! I guess my mom never made it, but I’ve always thought it sounded good!
Realizing you have a lot more work than expected is the worst! especially when it comes to dinner and your family is staring at you like “uh it’s 830, are we ever going to eat?” ha!
I am so excited to talk about Room. I bought that book and finished it in two days!
i hate when the recipe is more than i thought it would be. even if the food is great, i rarely do it again because i remember that it just seemed like too much work. i’d probably do the shepard’s pie if i had left over potatoes and already cooked turkey but the laziness in me probably wouldn’t do it all from scratch 🙁
To make my shepard’s pie even “healthier” I sub the mashed potatoes with steamed cauliflower. To get it to brown I sprinkle a bit of light parmesan cheese on top.
such a creative idea!
Mmm. Shepherd’s pie. It’s so tasty. When I make it I do the meat first and then the veggies in the same pan–if I do meat. I always try to cut out dishes! I’ve tried it with about every kind of meat there is, and a regularly make it without meat. Technically, shepherd’s pie has lamb in it. If it has beef, it’s cottage pie. I have no idea what you’re supposed to call other versions, lol.
Your dinner looks fantastic! I have always wanted to make shepherd’s pie with turkey verses ground beef!
I love that you got a picture of the drool! haha
25 minutes is how long mashed potatoes alone would take. Definitely lies on that prep time! The end result looks delicious though 🙂
ooh looks good! and p.s. i totally understand about the whole lying recipe thing. it’s crazy…magazine recipes are the worst about it!
Woman! This may sound weird…but shepherds pie is SOOOOOOO good with a drizzle of ketchup. Try it!
never tried Shepards pie bfore! looks cool!!!!
aww sadie is so adorbs!! 🙂
Clean Eating Magazine always has great recipes but they must have a much speedier chef in their kitchens because it always takes me for flippin’ ever to make most of the meals I have tried from them as well. lol.
I always go back for 2nds with shepards pie! Sooo delish 🙂
I am flying through the book. Just can’t put it down.
The Kidless Kronicles
Wag More, Bark….
Shephards pie = yum! I’m so glad you got to enjoy!
And I’m so glad I’m not the only one who thinks some recipes are ridiculous when they say prep time is one thing when in reality its double or triple that. Its so misleading!
OMG, Room was so addicting. I finished it a couple weeks ago and read the whole book in a couple of days at the cabin. So touching.
That dinner looks worth the extra 20 minutes- love sheperds pie…always reminds me of that FRIENDS episode…hahah “it tastes like feet”
LOL!!!! that’s one of my all-time favorites! ryan and i always say “it tastes like feet!”
Joey: “What’s not to like? Custard? Good. Jam? Good. Meat? Gooooood.” haha I love that episode!!
Hi Julie,
I just started reading your blog, and I’m obsessed. It sounds silly, because you’re just documenting your life, but it really is inspiring: your motivation, everything you cram into one day.
So, I have two questions.
1. what time do you wake up in the morning in order to get such a long workout in, breakfast, and a dog walk all before work?
2. what ingredients do you keep in your kitchen on a regular basis so that you’ll have what you need for most recipes…because i love all your healthy recipes, but i feel like i don’t have half of the ingredients in the house, yet when i’m at the grocery store i never know what to buy
i wake up at 5 a.m.
as for what foods i have at home, this post about my grocery shopping details what we typically buy in a week: https://www.pbfingers.com/2011/02/20/healthy-grocery-shopping-on-a-budget/
That looks absolutely delicious! I love the feeling of putting some hardwork into a creation, and it tasting just the way you’d hoped. Doesn’t always happen, but is certainly worth the effort just incase! HAHA