Shepherd's Pie with Italian Sausage

I didn't grow up with Shepherd's pie, but that's not my mom's fault. Ketchup and I had some sort of falling out early in my life, and she knew it could never be on my plate, ever.

Decades later someone must have served it to me and unknowingly I loved something with ketchup in it! This is one of two exceptions of when I will eat the dreaded red stuff (cocktail sauce being the other). This is stupendously delicious!

Shepherd's Pie with Italian Sausage

(serves 6-8)

2/3 lb Italian sausage, casings removed if using links
1/2 yellow onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large carrot, diced
8 oz frozen peas
4 oz corn, canned is fine
2 large russet potatoes
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon milk or half and half
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon gojujang sauce

cheddar cheese to top (about 1/2 cup)

salt

Make mashed potatoes, however you make them. I use butter and half and half. It seems like a lot, but everyone loves a deep layer of mashed potatoes on Shepherd's pie.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet, saute Italian sauce, broken up into bite size pieces, along with the garlic and onion for 5 minutes. Add the carrot and cook another 10 minutes, adding salt to taste. Add the corn and peas once the sausage is nearly cooked, and break up the sausage a little more with a fork. Add the contents of the pan to a bowl and mix in the ketchup and gojujang sauce to taste. Season with salt and pepper and pour into a 9" by 12" baking dish (glass is preferred) and top with the mashed potatoes, and then the cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the filling is bubbling and the cheese is browned. Allow to cool 5 minutes and then serve.

Hugs!