Quick And Easy Shepherd's Pie

This is a super-quick and relatively simple version of Shepherd's Pie that can be made as a quick meal for several people using only a few ingredients.
==Ingredients==
*1lb. ground beef
*5 medium Idaho potatoes (or for speed, 3 cups of prepared instant mashed potatoes)
*1 can of corn or peas
*1/2 teaspoon each of salt, pepper, and garlic powder
*1 tbls. all-purpose flour
*1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese or 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
*2 tbls. margarine or butter
*1/2 cup milk
==Preparation==
#Prepare instant potatoes according to the package. 
*If you're using whole potatoes, peel them, cut them into 1" cubes and boil them until they're ready to be mashed. Once they're mashed with a soft enough consistency that the cubes crumble when you poke them with a fork. Add salt, butter and milk.
#When potatoes are ready, add pepper and garlic powder.
#In a large frying pan, brown the ground beef over medium heat, draining most of the fat when it's browned.
#While the beef is browning, put the flour into an 8-ounce cup or coffee mug, and fill the rest of the container with cold water. Stir until the mixture is blended.
#When the fat is drained from the beef, reduce the heat to low and slowly stir in the water/flour mixture, being sure to coat the beef evenly.
#In a 9" glass casserole dish or cake pan, add the ground beef mixture, spreading it evenly along the bottom. 
#Drain the corn/peas and layer them on top of the beef.
#Spread the mashed potatoes on that layer
#Sprinkle cheese on top (optional).
#Cook in a microwave on high for 5 minutes, enough to heat the vegetables (and melt the cheese),or bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
Serves 3-4.
==External links==
Category:Casserole Recipes