Fayla's Fabulous Food Calendar

Smoky Turkey Shepherd’s Pie

3 large Idaho potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/4 pound smoky bacon or turkey bacon, chopped
1 1/3 pound ground turkey breast
1 T smoked paprika (You may substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons each sweet paprika & cumin combined)
2 T thyme leaves
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and diced
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cups frozen peas
2 T all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream, divided
3 T butter
1 large egg, beaten
Chives (sprinkling for the top)

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, salt it, and cook the potatoes until tender, 12 to 15 minutes.

Heat a deep, large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil & bacon and brown it up, then add ground turkey to the pan and break it up. Season the turkey with smoked paprika, salt and pepper and thyme. When turkey browns up, add: onions, carrots, celery. Season the veggies with salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes, then add red pepper and peas cook another 2 minutes. Stir in flour and cook flour 2 minutes. Whisk in broth and combine. Add 1/2 cup of sour cream and combine. Simmer mixture over low heat.
Preheat your broiler to high.

When potatoes are tender, add a ladle of cooking water to the egg. Drain potatoes and return to the warm pot to dry them out a little. Add remaining 1/2 cup sour cream, butter, half of the chives, and salt and pepper. Mash the potatoes with the egg. If the potatoes are too tight, mix in a splash of milk.

Pour turkey mixture into a medium casserole dish. Top turkey with an even layer of smashed potatoes and place casserole 5 inches from hot broiler. Broil the potatoes until golden at edges and remove the casserole from the oven. Garnish the casserole with the remaining chives and a sprinkle of smoked paprika.