fine fine!!! was trying to be super lazy but you guys wont let me!!
ingredients-
-2 1/2 lbs boneless stewing beef(Cut pieces to desired size)(can use ground beef and many other things if you want, I usually use ground beef for shepherds pie, but I also usually make it pretty simple. This wasn't "simple")
-1/4 flour
-2 table spoons of salt(I used more, because come on, 2 tablespoons is not a lot for a salt lover)
-1 tablespoon pepper(used more as well, cause i fucking love pepper)
-2 tablespoons of cooking oil(i used 4, but i like oily food)
-1 cup beef stock(I added a beef bullion cube as well, as it didnt taste beefy enough for me)
-1 large ass onion, cut up and diced however you like it
-8 garlic cloves, or about half a garlic bulb. some cloves are big, some are small, and i love garlic so i used more than half)(btw, I fucking hate mincing garlic, but oh well)
-tablespoon of Parsley(i liked green herbs...what can i say?)
-2 cups chopped carrots(I used a lot cause carrots fucking rock!!!, can use less but your loss)
-2 big spoonfuls of tomato paste
-1 can of Guinness(can is 14oz, bottle is 12oz, using the bigger can make it not as thick)
-2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
-fresh thyme sprigs, take a nice bit of them and tie them up. I had two tied up bunches of them i used.
-a bag of shredded cheddar(sharp or mixed,whichver you prefer)
-Some garlic powder
-Big can or two normal cans of green-beans(I used normal peas this last time because my stepmom really wanted peas instead of green-beans, but i prefer green-beans, so up to you)
-Cornstarch and water(if needed, you might need it and might not, we shall see)
You can use a dutch oven or a crock pot. I used a Crock pot though, because I wasn't going to be eating for a long while.
If using an dutch oven, preheat oven it to 350.
If using a crock pot, set it at low if you got hours and hours you don't mind waiting, or put on high if you want it in about 4 hours.
Combine flour, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix well. Toss in beef chunks and make sure beef has a nice light coating of the flour mixture on it.
Now take the dutch oven or a big pot and heat the oil inside of it on medium. Once oil is hot, throw in about 1/4-1/3 of the beef and cook it for about 5 minutes until they are browning, mixing it and flipping them about half way.
Transfer cooked batch into a bowl and move on to next batch. Will probably have to add some oil in between batches.
After last batch of the beef is browned, move it to the bowl with the rest of the beef and leave it.
-Now in the pot/dutch oven, add 1/2 cup of the beef stock, onions, minced garlic, carrots, salt, pepper and parsley.(I threw in some seasoned salt as well, cause that shit is awesome. Cook for about 5 minutes.
Add tomato paste, another 1/2 cup of beef stalk, Worcestershire sauce, Bullion cube(if using), can of Guinness and the thyme. Mix all together then add the Beef(dont forget the greasy bits in the bottom of the bowl).
Let is come to a nice boil then transfer to oven if using a dutch oven, if using the crock pot, transfer the good to that.
If using a dutch oven put it into the oven that you should have preheated to 350.
If using a crock pot, transfer the good to it and set it on low or high, depending on when you are eating. If on low, cook for about 5-8 hours. If on high, will be ready in around 4 hours...ish.
Now while that is cooking, you can make the mashed potatoes.
-3lbs of potatoes, russets are always a good choice.
-8oz cream cheese, soften in microwave
-1 cup of shredded cheddar
-salt and pepper for seasoning
-dash of seasoned salt
-1/2 cup half n half
-butter(i used a whole stick cause i fucking love butter)
-chives if you have/want(optional of course)
Skin the potatoes, then cut them into 1/4 pieces
boil them for about 20-25 minutes
mash them up however you like.
Mix in the cream cheese, cheddar, salt and pepper, seasoned salt, half n half and the butter. mix well till nice and thick and make sure there arne't any big chunks. Make sure not to over do it so they turn into a creamy mush.
Once the meat and shit is done remove the thyme and add in the green-beans.
If using a dutch oven put it onto the stove and bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes.
If using the dutch oven, just add in the peas whenever near the end and take out the thyme.
If it isn't thick enough(which it probably wont be), use the cornstarch now to help thicken it up.
Turn oven up to 400, if using the crock pot, turn oven on and heat to 400...
Now find some oven safe cookware that you want to put it in. The red cups I used were pretty good ones, nice and deep and good sized for a hungry man like me.
Spoon the stew into the bowls till about an 1- 1 1/2 inches from the top. Then take a big spoon and kind of wipe the potatoes on top of that making sure the edges and rest of the top is sealed so the stew wont boil out.
You can also just put it all in a big oven safe dish and do it that way, but I liked having my own individual serving.
Also, after using the four cups, I still had a bunch left over that I put in a nice sized dish and cooked it then froze it and will eat next week probably, or tonight, we shall see.
So now that you made it all pretty looking, sprinkle some more cheddar on top and some chives if you want and move them into the oven for about 20 minutes till the top has a nice golden brown look to it, you know that look, the kind that makes your tongue salivate.
Take it out of oven once nice and golden brown and let cool for about 10-15 minutes or you'll burn the hell out of your tongue.
(hope i didn't forget anything)
Eat and enjoy.