Sloppy Shepherd's Pie

This dish looks like a normal shepherd's pie, but is made using leftover sloppy joe for the meat layer.  After eating sloppy joe for dinner and then lunch the next day, I was ready to transform the remainder into a new dish.  This sloppy joe recipe was made with lamb and turkey, and included chipotles in adobo to give it some smokiness and spiciness, onion, garlic, carrot, tomato sauce & paste, and a bit of brown sugar.  It was sweet, savory, and spicy- great on a bun as a sandwich, but equally as delicious as the base of this shepherd's pie.  For the vegetable layer I added in some peas and more carrot, and for the mashed potato layer on top I used a variety of potatoes with some cheddar cheese for extra yummy flavor.  The savory mashed potatoes balanced out the spice and sweetness from the sloppy joe.  Overall, this is definitely a keeper!

Ingredients: (makes one 9x9 casserole, 4 giant servings)
2 cups prepared sloppy joe
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 carrots, finely diced
1 cup peas, thawed if using frozen
4 medium potatoes (I think it was about 2 lbs- I used two red, one russet, and one golden)
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper

Directions:
Peel and dice the potatoes into one inch cubes.  Place them in a pot of hot salted water and bring to a boil.  Cook until the potatoes are fork-tender but be careful not to overcook.  I think it took around 10-12 minutes, but not quite sure.  Meanwhile, bring a skillet to medium heat, add the olive oil, and then the carrot with 1/2 teaspoon salt.  

Saute for about 10 minutes until the carrots have softened, and then add the peas for about 3 minutes longer.  

Remove from eat for assembling the pie, and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  When the potatoes are done, drain them and return to the pot.  Add the butter and let it melt.  Stir in the milk and yogurt, and mash the potatoes, mixing as you go.  

You may need to add more milk if the mixture seems dry.  Add 3/4 cup cheese and mix.  Taste for salt and pepper.  

To assemble the pie, use a 9x9 or similar sized casserole dish.  Layer in the sloppy joe, vegetables, and then potatoes.  Don't make the top smooth- create peaks and texture with the potatoes which will make some parts brown before the rest.  Sprinkle the last 1/4 cup cheese on top.  

Place into the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes.  For the last 2 minutes, turn the oven to broil to brown the top.  Keep a close eye on it so it doesn't burn.  When it's browned, remove and let it cool for about 5-7 minutes before slicing in.  Each layer has it's own unique flavor, and together it all tastes amazing.  Enjoy!