Stick To Yo' Ribs (vegan) Shepherd's Pie

This is also called "cottage pie" and here in the good ol' USA it is often called "cowboy pie".  Basically, this is the epitome of comfort food, I served it for dinner tonight to two carnivores and they were totally pumped!

If it's good enough for Gene,
it's good enough for me!

Stick To Yo' Ribs Shepherd's Pie (or Cowboy Pie)

Cook time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Serves: 6 people

Especially yummers when served with a fresh garden
salad and glass of red wine!

Ingredients:

Mashed potato layer:

• 5-6 Russet potatoes (or whatever you have on hand), peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup soy milk
• 3 Tbl vegan "butter"
• 3 Tbl vegan "cream cheese" or "sour cream"
• Salt and pepper to taste

Bottom layer:

• 2 Tbl vegan "butter"
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2-3 carrots, chopped
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1-2 tomatoes, chopped
• 7-10 button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
• 3-5 cloves garlic, minced (or more to your taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or more for your taste)
• 6 oz of beer
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar-style Daiya cheese (THE BEST VEGAN CHEESE ON THE MARKET!)

Homemade Seitan (or 1 package vegetarian ground beef substitute if you are a lazy chica):

• 2 cups vital wheat gluten
• 2 cups vegan beef broth
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon black mesquite pepper
• 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• throw in whatever savory herbs you have on hand!

Directions:

• Make the Seitan first dummy!  It takes the longest to cook.  Take all the dry ingredients - the herbs and vital wheat gluten and mix it in a bowl.  Add the 2 cups of broth to the dry ingredients.  Start to knead!  Keep kneading until it isn't sticky (you might need to add flour to your hands to keep it from sticking).  Cut the gluten into 2x2 inch squares.  Dump all the gluten into a boiling broth:
• 6 cups of H2O
• one block of vegan beef bouillon
• 1 Tbl Bragg's Aminos
• Let the gluten cook in the broth (about an hour).  Adjust the temperature so it doesn't boil over!  Let it cook whilst you make the rest of your stuff.
• Place the potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil (medium high heat).  Again, watch the temperature so it doesn't boil over (now you are watching two pots, so be careful yo!)   Cook the potatoes about 20-25 minutes.  Drain those bad boys out when they are tenderoni!
• Stir in the mayonnaise, soy milk, butter, cream cheese, salt and pepper into the potatoes, and mash the crap out of them with whatever you have until they are smooth and fluffy.  Set them aside for later.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and spray down your cooking gear with olive oil.  Now, I prefer to make individual pies, but you can use a big pie tin if you would like.  It's all good sista!
• Now for pan numero tres:  Heat the butter in a large pot, and cook in the onion, carrots, celery, peas, mushrooms, bell peppers, and tomato until softened (about 10 minutes).  Stir in garlic and all your spices.
• Reduce the heat, and stir in your gluten (or veggie ground beef).  You probably won't use all your gluten, save the rest for stir fry later in the week!  Cook it up, until the mixture is hot all the way through.  If you are drinking a beer (or your boyfriend is drinking one), steal it, and pour half of that sucker into your veggie mix.
• Spread the veggie/gluten mix into the bottom of the baking dish, and top it with the mashed potatoes, smoothing them into an even layer.  Sprinkle the top of the the potatoes with the shredded cheddar "cheese".
• Bake the pie (or pies) in the preheated oven until the cheese is melted and slightly browned (about 15 minutes).  The pies will be hot as hades, so be careful when you try and shove them in your mouth.

YEEEEEE HAW!  Enjoy!