Easy Hamburger-Helper Style Shepherd's Pie aka "The Casserole"

This was a super easy weeknight-type meal that was hearty, tasty, and filling! Very easy to adjust to your personal taste preferences with various vegetable choices, and adjusting the seasonings. The sauce comes out just a little tangy and so nice and creamy, and I really liked the ratio of meat to veg to cheesy potatoes. It was very nice, and the leftovers reheat well.

All the ingredients, ready to go.

Adding the green beans to the cooked and drained ground beef and onions.

Adding remaining filling ingredients together.

Beef mixture spread out in the casserole dish.

Mashing the potatoes.

The casserole in the oven, ready to bake.

All melty and bubbly from the oven.

Quick, easy, filling and very tasty

The Casserole slightly adapted from Lovesmurfs on AllRecipes.com


Ingredients
8 medium russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 TBS butter
1/4 - 1/2 cup milk
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup diced onion
2 large fresh carrots, peeled and diced into thin rounds
1 (15 ounce) can green beans, drained
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Seasonings to taste: salt, pepper, garlic powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish; set aside
2. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash with about 2 TBS butter, 1/4-1/2 cup milk (enough to reach desired smooth but still firm consistency), and season with salt and pepper.
3. Simultaneously, bring a medium saucepan of salted water to boil. Add carrots and cook for 10-15 minutes or until tender but still somewhat firm and holding their shape.
4. Place lean ground beef and onion in a large non-stick skillet. Cook and stir over medium high heat until beef is evenly browned and onion is tender. Drain fat and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Stir in drained and cooked carrots, green beans, cream of mushroom and tomato soups.
5. Pour beef mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread mashed potatoes evenly over top. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbly and heated through. (Don't over bake or the cheese will get hard, make sure your casserole dish isn't too close to the top heating element during baking to help prevent this as well.)