SHEPHERD'S PIE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TOPPING 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes OR 4 medium potatoes, 1/4 C milk or buttermilk, and 1/2 tsp salt FILLING 1 onion, chopped large 1 Tablespoon oil 1 lb broccoli 1 green pepper, diced 4 medium carrots, diced 1/2 tsp basil 1 bay leaf 3/4 C chopped fresh tomatoes OR 1/4 C tomato paste and 1/2 C water OR 1 14-oz can diced tomatoes with juice 1 bunch spinach or Swiss chard 1 tsp salt to taste dash paprika 1 lb ground turkey or beef (meat is optional - it's perfectly delicious as a vegetarian dish, too) If you don't have leftover mashed potatoes (who does!), steam potato chunks or cook them in fast-boiling water until soft. Mash well, adding milk or buttermilk, and salt. Set aside. Cut broccoli into florets and stems. Peel and slice the stems in 1/4" rounds. Wash spinach thoroughly and cut into bite sized pieces. Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. If you're using meat, brown turkey or beef in skillet and drain. Set aside. Sauté onion in small amount of oil. Add broccoli, green pepper, and carrots; then basil and bay leaf. Stir well and add tomatoes. Bring to a boil, cover, turn heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until veggies are just tender. Remove bay leaf. Stir in spinach. Add salt. Put veggies into a 9" x 13" baking dish. Spread potatoes over top and shake paprika over all. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes are piping hot. Serves 4 to 6. This dish freezes well, but cook veggies slightly less so when reheating they won't become mushy.