Single Serve Shepherd's Pie

Again with my cravings. I wanted shepherd's pie but all the recipes I found were for big servings. It's only little ole me in the apartment (until the 15th anyway, but that's another story). I found one for a single serving but it didn't have everything I wanted in it, so I adapted. I was also lazy and used instant potatoes. Not as many pictures as usual because I forgot until it was already in the oven.

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Shepherd's Pie for One

~Adapted from Gourmet Recipes for One

2 servings prepared instant mashed potatoes.
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/4 pound ground beef
1 medium carrot, diced
1/4 medium onion, diced
1 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoons ketchup (you can use tomato paste, but this is what I had on hand)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4-1/2 cup beef or vegetable stock
1/4 cup frozen peas

1/4 cup frozen corn

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place a 16-ounce oven-proof dish on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet and set aside.

In sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add beef, breaking up into smaller pieces, and cook until beef is browned. Season with salt and pepper. When beef is cooked through, remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl. Drain off excess grease from pan and wipe clean.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add carrot and cook for 7-10 minutes, until just softened. Add onion and cook for another 7 minutes or until tender. Return meat to pan and add flour, stirring to coat. Let cook for about 2 minutes.

Add ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and stock and season with salt and pepper. Scrape up any brown bits on bottom of pan. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce to low and allow to simmer until mixture starts to thicken. Stir in peas and corn and transfer mixture to dish. Top with mashed potatoes. Smooth out top of potatoes with back of a spoon and bake for 20-25 minutes, until top of potatoes is lightly golden brown.

Finishing pictures! Like I said, I forgot until it was already in the oven.

Fresh out of the oven. Glad I lined the pan.
It made a bit of a mess...

Almost perfect way to end the night. Pie and Castle.
Perfect would have added a glass of wine.