We were sent some goodgrips tools from Oxo to help out with making some delicious meals for the little ones. With the weather starting to turn chilly, and the leaves starting to turn orange – Autumn is definitely in the air! So I decided to make Shepherds Pie as this is a simple and comforting hot dish for the colder weather.
I had chosen the Good Grips Box Grater and Smooth Potato Masher which are perfect for this recipe.
At first I decided to grate the cheese, so I could keep it ready for later. I don’t add a lot of cheese to the top of the shepherd’s pie, and if you don’t like cheese you can leave it off and it will work fine! My boys really like cheese, so a little grated on the top works well for them and I also had extra so I gave them a bit more on the side of their plate.
Mr T was on hand to help me out with the grating. They all enjoy helping with cooking when they have the chance, and as all the cheese is collected in the compartment at the bottom of the box grater, that makes it easier for little ones to help out with this task without making too much mess!
I did have to help him a fair bit to actually get it grated properly – but he enjoyed it, and it is all learning for him to just have a go.
I love the grater as the little box is so handy, and the whole thing is really well made. You can easily detach and reattach the box as needed.
Next up I prepared the mince, which Mr T could not help with as it is cooked on the hob but he was happy to stay in the kitchen and watch for a bit.
To cook the mince, I have softened onions and carrots (in a pain with oil) then added the mince and browned it, adding some tomato puree and sauce. I have used lean mince (from New Zealand lamb – which are all certified as Halal) but even so, I still drain any fat after cooking the mince.
Once the lamb mince is prepared, it is time to make the mashed potato for on top. I simply boiled some peeled and chopped potatoes and then mashed with butter and milk, using the Oxo Good Grips masher. This is a lovely masher as it is very sturdy and very comfortable to use, even if you were mashing for a long time. Mr T had wandered off by this point so I did the mashing by myself!
I then placed the cooked lamb mince into my bake ware and then added the mashed potato and topped it with a little bit of the grated cheese I prepared earlier. I would advise don’t add too much! I put some fork markings into the mashed potato and then it was ready for the oven.
I baked it for 20-25 minutes on Gas mark 4.
Ta-da! One shepherds pie suitable for all the family. I served it with peas and cauliflower for the vegetables and some extra grated cheese for the children.
Unfortunately they are quite picky eaters, and they won’t just eat without a fuss even though they have helped to make it! But I still have to keep trying with them! It’s good to have a simple meal suitable for all of us so that we can sit and eat together at the weekends, and this meal was ideal for that. The Oxo Good Grips tools were brilliant to use while making it and I will definitely keep using these tools in future.
My recipe is based on the No-fuss shepherd’s pie recipe from BBC Good Food although I have adjusted a little here and there.
