What are you making for dinner tonight?

That is the question that my friends and family ask me all the time. So the other day when I went to Megan's basketball game to today, I showed the gals this recipe.

Of course, I did not follow the recipe exactly, I used 1 lb. of ground chicken instead of the turkey.  I prefer ground chicken in most dishes, but do not get the ground breast meat it is too dry.  Also, I used tomato paste instead of ketchup and I used a carton of Simply Pototoes mashed potatoes instead of making them as directed.

Recipes are more of a guideline that I tweek to my taste and alter based on what I have available.

Individual Turkey Shepherd's Pie

Recipe courtesy Food Network Kitchens 
Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 carrot, finely diced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 8 ounces ground turkey  – I used 1 lb. ground chicken
• 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons ketchup – I used 2 TBSP tomato paste
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons flour
• 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound red-skinned potatoes, cubed – I used Simply Potatoes
• 1/2 cup warm 2-percent milk – did not use
• 1/3 cup grated sharp Cheddar
• 1 scallion, chopped
• Nonstick cooking spray – did not use

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, carrots and onions and cook until tender and beginning to brown, 5 minutes. Add the turkey and thyme and continue to cook, breaking up with a spoon, until the turkey is cooked through and lightly browned. Stir in the ketchup and cook until lightly caramelized. Stir the broth and flour together in a small bowl until smooth and then pour into the skillet. Cook, until thickened, 2 minutes. Stir in the peas and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Remove from the heat and divide among four 8-ounce ramekins.

Meanwhile, place the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold salted water. Bring to a boil and continue to cook until tender when pierced with a knife. Drain the potatoes and return to the pot over low heat. Add the milk, cheese and scallions and mash until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer the filled ramekins to a rimmed baking sheet and evenly top with the mashed potatoes. Bake until the potatoes are lightly browned and the turkey filling is bubbly around the edges, 15 minutes.