Hi Vanessa,

I am sure you mean well, but as a Brit, your recipe comes about as close to Shepherds Pie as the Venus de Milo does to a brick. I would be happy let you know what is actually interesting about Brit food and how to do it right - before you publish. Shepherds or Cottage Pie is a staple. It takes time to get it at its best, I would be happy to advise.

Neil

Neil, do you have a recipe for Shepherds Pie you can post?

Neil's Version: Shepherds Pie (British)

Hi Vanessa: My kids love your recipe. Thanks for sharing. I don't really care if this isn't a true (British) dish. I substituted the Ground Beef w/Ground Turkey, as my kids won't eat Beef, and there is no way on God's green earth that I would be able to get them to eat Lamb. I'm not looking for something that takes alot of time, as a working mother, to create a dish that has meat, veggie, and a starch is just what I need. Neil, it's not that deep.

Hi Vanessa, We too like your version of sheppards pie. Its quick and easy to make and with a busy family life that is what you need... The cheese is an added touch with which you can add or not. I also add Bisto (gravy) mix to give it a more beefy rich taste and my son 20 months loves it...

Hi Vanessa, this recipe is wonderful. I never knew how to make shepherds pie, I have a rambunctious kid who is always in my way and I prepped and cooked this with him running around my feet. Thanks for sharing, if you have anymore great and wonderful recipes please PLEASE share with me because I dont really know any...once again, thank you!

Janine

I make a very simple Shepherd's Pie with ground beef and onion/garlic, then top with cream corn (straight from can) then lastly top with mashed potatoes and bake about 30 min at 400. The cream corn adds moisture to the dish that it lacks if you arent using gravy.

Vanessa,

I just made your Shepherd's Pie... what a hit!! I was a bit lazy and made mashed potatoes from a box adding butter, sour cream, chives,salt/pepper... otherwise it is a keeper in the "my favorites!" Thanks for sharing V!

- S

Vanessa,

Thank you for posting your recipe! It's quick, easy and very tasty! Definitely a new family favorite!!!

M.

Vanessa! Thank you for posting! This recipe is excellent *American* eats! I made with extremely fresh ingredients, which took a little more preparation - completely worth it! This recipe is excellent for beginners, thank you for instructing us how to make a simple meal! Just because it's similar to British recipes doesn't mean it's a British dish at all! :) Thanks again!

Vanessa, good stuff, thanks.

It may not be "British" but your pie was delicious!!! It should be called Ranchers Pie for us Americans. Thanks!

Awesome... been looking for a simple shepherd pie recipe for a long time... thanks for the tips!!

I made Shepherd's Pie once with my mother's help. She told me to use any kind of meat with just about any kind of veggies topped with mashed potatoes. I couldn't remember what order they went in and my mother wasn't available! This recipe was great. We used left over chicken breast with peas and corn topped with potatoes with cheese. Again Thanks -- it was delish!

Thank you Vanessa. I will try it this weekend and see if my boyfriend approves! Looks like a keeper!!

As for this specific dish being Americanized, does it REALLY matter! If it tastes good and the kids will eat, must we haggle over the origin, LOL! or perhaps the revised version. McDonald's is an American company, using American recipes however it is served world-wide and some dishes made differently according to the country it is serving (i.e. Taiwan, Israel). Having lived in France for a few years as well as Israel, traveled to the UK many a'times, as well as the SE Asia I can say first-hand this is a common marketing strategy as well need given humans have a variety of tastes according to climate, country, culture, religion of origin.

The "Ranchers Pie" recipe title sounds like a diplomatic compromise for those easily offended by us Americans taking the name of Shepherd's Pie to out cheesy simplified version. We didn't even require the UNs intervention on this one now did we?

Off my soap box my friends!

Thanks for the recipe. I love CHEESE so I can't wait to try the recipe tonight.

Wow...and people think American's are arrogant.

Your Shepherd's Pie was quick, easy and loved by the family. Thanks!

Gee Neil Take a Chill Pill. I love this recipe because it calls for everything that I have in the pantry at all times and it is Shepards Pie on a budget and made with staple ingredients.We really like it and I also tried someones suggetion-when browning my meat I added a packet of brown gravy mix. Thnx V! Save the sarcasm Neil, we are all just trying to expand our recipes for our families enjoyment!

This recipe sounds very good to me. It is like what my neighbor made one day and brought some over. It was AWESOME!! I would not use lamb. Call this recipe any name you want, but it has all the ingredients in it that we like. We also love cheese too.

Ok Neil, when in Britain do as the Brits do. But we are not in Britain. I am sure your recipe is just as great, but for now this recipe works just fine!!

Well Neil who told you that Shepherds Pie came from England anymore than Scrooge invented Turkey. No one's stopping you from making Shepherds Pie or Bangers and Mash, (sausage and mashed potatoes) etc. We like it the way Vanessa makes it. So long as it tastes good we will accept it. Oh by the way potatoes, tomatoes, squash and a few other foods originated here in the Americas before the white man showed up.

Just one more thing, I'm making a new rule. I think from now on it will no longer be called Shepherds Pie, so the Brit's won't get hysterical and throw a hissy fit and mess their knickers. Now it will be known as Cowboy Pie. Cowboy Pie has Ground Beef and Spuds with Cheese on top. Cowboy Pie is also off limits to Brit's so they won't try to claim it.

Thanks so much! My son loves this. He even specified that he wanted "the one with the cheese". I appreciate you posting your recipe.

Wow, everyone is attacking the brit here, not fair guys, this is about an authentic recipe for Shepherd's pie not about when in Britain do as the brits do, how rude and typical of us Americans, I'm embarrassed!. Neil was not throwing a fit I think all the other comments after his where the ones that where throwing fits and are being quite defensive. I am surfing the net for an authentic Shepherd's pie recipe to make with lamb and Neil's is the only one I came across that called for lamb a true Shepherd's pie not an interpretation nor a fusion of it. Neil is only taking pride of an English dish, wouldn't you all do the same for an American dish?

I'm sorry Suzy, both come of quite outlandish, but I think Neil was quite an izas, in his posting... and I'm sorry, I'd rather leave the lil lambs alone, and eat the cow!

Great recipe! It's very yummy and delicious. I will make it again on my birthday party so everyone can enjoy! Thank you so much Vanessa!

Vanessa I am trying your recipe tonight! I think it is rude of "The Brit" to make such comments about other people's recipes. Nothing is carved in stone when it comes to cooking. I have made Shepard's Pie for years. Mine is not like my mothers or her mothers. I have added my own twist over the years,as I will tonight (I'm sure). Just looking for a different variation of what I usually do, using what I have on hand.
Thank You for posting!!

Love it!! So easy and my 3 yo loves to help, so this is great- thanks for posting :)

My family really enjoyed this version of the recipe. My four year old ate every bite on her plate. Thank you for this recipe.

Neil-Neil-Neil.....such a pie cop. Ya crack me up. Why don't you expand your culinary horizon and start experimenting with a few changes? Throw in some corn, cheese (snicker) rutabagas, turnips...or whatever. Fer cryinoutloud, a dish like shepherds' pie is meant to be localized. Authenticity changes by county. Have fun. Glenn

Neil... don't you know by now that us Americans CAN NOT take constructive criticism?? "Can't we all just get along"? I haven't even made the pie yet and I now wonder... is it that the pie was actually delicious or is it that we all felt the need to voice our opinions over Neil?? TBD.. Vanessa, I don't know where you are, but it must feel good that your recipe has rec'd such recognition! ta ta for now~

I made it Neil's way and have to say, it was SUPERB. A hundred times better than these American versions. I'm an American who visits the UK a lot, so I have a US palate, but I know how it's supposed to taste, and Neil has got it right. Sorry, ya'll can lay into me now, I don't care, my tummy is happy.

I was looking for a "simple" shepherd's pie recipe and this was #1 on google. I have had the British type (my mom-in-law) and an amazing number of American varieties of the same dish and in my humble opinion, when all is said and done, what you want to fix to eat and what you call it have really no bearing on each other. It is a good, simple, quick meal that the majority of people who like such things enjoy. Very tasty.

Vanessa -

My family loves your recipe. And it is so quick and easy to throw together, which makes it great for after work. I think it is the sugar that gives it the extra zing. Oh and Neil - I've been to London several times and eaten in what we're supposed to be "great" restaurants and British food sucks!

This recipe was amazing! It was a quick make and the in laws loved it. Truly original. Thanks.

I think that where Neil was coming from was that, in Britain, when we make this sort of dish with beef, we call it Cottage Pie, and when we make it with lamb or mutton, we call it Shepherd's Pie. He could have made the point more politely, though.

At the end of the day though, make it how you like it, and call it what you want - that's where the fun is.

By coincidence, just before reading this, I used the name Cowboy Pie to describe a pie of this type made with pork and beans.

Vanessa - I thought your version was GREAT .. and yes, I agree Neil could have been polite, after all, its a recipe and there are MANY different versions.. Thank you for a GREAT recipe!!!

Great recipe (I am not Brit and this is a great American way to make Shepherds Pie). Loved it! BTW I am sure all Brit's do not fix our meals the same as we do. But is okay by us, it's the way of the world!

This is a excellent recipe!!! Me, my wife, my kid, and the whole family love this. It is great for a quick cheap meal. Thank you so much for posting this!!!!!

I think it´s absolutely ridiculous to make such a big fuss about a person commenting on a recipe!!!!!!!!!!

This dish is confusing to many - I have heard it called three different names - I was taught if it is shepherd's pie it is made with lamb - shepherd/lamb - makes sense.

If it is called Cottage Pie or Chinese Pie it is made with hamburg. I am from New England and my mother called it Chinese Pie. She made it with ground hamburg, sauteed onions, 1 can of kernel corn, 1 can of cream style corn, and 1 can of gravy over the mixture with mashed potatoes on top - no cheese. When the dish was done the gravy would bubble to the top of the mashed potatoes and then she would stick under broiler for a few seconds to brown and crisp top. No one can make it wrong. It is a favorite no matter what you call it unless, of course, you are in a competition!!!!