What you will need:
- 2 sweet potatoes chopped
- ground beef 1 1/2 pounds (cooked and drained)
- 1 onion chopped
- salt & pepper to taste
- 10 baby carrots sliced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 can peas (drained)
- 4 T gluten free flour divided
- Remainder of canned chicken broth
- 2 T butter
How to make this dish:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
I began by cutting up my sweet potatoes and placing them in a glass dish. I added a little water to the bowl and then covered it with saran wrap. I microwaved the sweet potatoes for five minutes. I checked them and they were still not soft, so I put them back in the microwave for another four minutes. I set the sweet potatoes aside while I moved on to our other ingredients.
I then chopped the onion because all great dishes begin with onion. No? You do not think so? Well, you may not like many of the meals I create then because chances are if I am making dinner, onion will be a part of it. I just love the flavor onion offers to dishes.
I chopped the onion and added it to the skillet with the ground beef. Then I sliced the baby carrots and added them to the skillet as well. I let the ground beef brown and the onion and carrots cook down.
I measured out 1 cup of chicken broth and added it to the skillet once the ground beef had been fully cooked and drained. Then I added 2 T of gluten free flour to the skillet. If you are not gluten free, you can use regular flour. Then I slowly stirred in my can of drained peas. I continued to let this cook down.
While my skillet was cooking away... I added the sweet potatoes to the food processor and hit the button a few times, then I continued to add more sweet potatoes until they had all been made into a smooth and creamy mash. I added the remainder of the chicken broth with 1 T of butter and the other 2 T of gluten free flour. I put the lid back on my food processor and let it do it's magic until my sweet potatoes were mixed and smooth.
I placed the skillet ingredients into a 9x13 baking dish and then spread the sweet potato mixture over the ground beef mixture. I placed the dish in the oven and set the timer for 30 minutes. Once it was completed, I removed the baking dish and let dinner stand for five minutes before serving.
WOW! Yummy! This was a delicious meal if I do say so myself. I have found if I cook with basic ingredients, you can really make up your own recipes with what you have around the house, no special ingredients required.
That is a big plus for me. Nothing irritates me more than when I read a recipe and I find I only have 2-3 ingredients already on hand. I try to make our recipes pretty basic, yet flavorful. Who wants to feel like they are eating cardboard for dinner? Not this gal.
Once upon a time I thought I had to cook with 10 different spices in one dish, and I would find the more complex I made something did not necessarily mean it tasted better. Just basic, easy ingredients for this gal and our recipes. Once in a while I take a step on the wild side, but it does not happen very often.
I get super excited when I hear y'all try my recipes and enjoy them! I just throw things together in the evening and then try to remember what I created. I have learned I need to take notes so I do not forget and can relay the proper ingredients and steps to you. Kind of a down fall for a creative type... trust me, it drive Mr. VS crazy!
My mother told me this past weekend that she misses my dinners that I always made and shared with her. I used to be quite the Betty Crocker making up recipes nearly every night. She stated the meals I made were always yummy, and she was impressed how I could take ingredients and throw them together without following a recipe. Who knew I actually knew how to create dinners without directions? I was surprised by her comment and loved that she shared that with me. It makes you feel good when others enjoy the dinners you create.
I guess that means I will continue to share my ideas. Drop us a comment if you decide to try one of our recipes and let us know what you think. This one will be made often for dinner around the cottage. The prep was a little longer than I like, but Valentine's Day is kind of a special day to spend with your sweetie and family... so I did not mind as much, plus... not to mention it was delicious so I did not mind putting in the extra effort. Oh, and left overs, two dinners, we know how I love those sorts of dinners!
Do you make dinners with the intention of having left overs so you can reduce the evenings you spend slaving over a stove? Yeah? Me too! I do not think I could be a chef, I like the excitement of creating something, but following a recipe day in and day out? Not for me. I enjoy creating something new as often as I can!
We are getting closer to the weekend! Can you believe how far into 2022 we already are? I know... time flies whether you are having fun or not it seems. Hope you enjoy your weekend whatever you decide to do. Enjoyed this recipe? Click to read more Vintage Style Gal in the Kitchen:
