A yummy twist on shepherd's pie

Shepherd's pie was a staple at our house growing up (although we always called it hamburger pie).

Wednesday (back in Colorado for vacation), my mom and I were trying to brainstorm something to make for dinner, when she spotted a recipe in the Denver Post for Sweet potato and sausage shepherd's pie.

I didn't do anything to help make this. (I was busy baking cookies - recipes to come), but it was a good dish (all the credit goes to my mom). Here's the recipe:

SWEET POTATO AND SAUSAGE SHEPHERD'S PIE


2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (we used yams)
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1/2 pound loose Italian sausage
1/2 pound lean ground beef (we use bison burger because that's what was in the freezer)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 ounces (half a bottle) stout or other dark beer (we used a gluten-free beer that wasn't particularly stout)
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cool water
15-ounce can creamed corn
15-ounce can green beans (the recipe called for a can of corn, but Mom's traditional shepherd's pie recipe has green beans, so we decided to use those instead)
1/2 cup milk (we used almond milk to make it dairy free)
2 tablespoons butter (or dairy-free margarine)
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
salt to taste

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray.

Place sweet potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine olive oil, garlic and onion in a large skillet over high heat. Saute for 5 minutes or until tender.

Add the sausage, beef and pepper. Saute until the meat is cooked through. Drain grease. Add the beer and simmer until reduced by half, about 4 minutes.

In a small glass, mix the cornstarch with the cool water. Add the cornstarch mixture to the meat and stir until thickened. Remove from heat.

Spread the meat in the casserole dish. In a small bowl, mix the corn and beans, then spread over the meat.

Once the sweet potatoes have cooked, drain the water. Add the milk, butter and brown sugar. Then mash the potatoes until smooth. Season with salt.

Spoon the potatoes into the casserole dish and spread evenly. Bake for 35 minutes or until the potatoes are lightly brown around the edges.