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I’ve been trying a couple of new recipes lately, and this one was a big hit for Meatless Monday at the Ratzlaff house! All of the boys loved it! I found the original recipe online, and modified it a LOT, according to what was in my stockpile!

Lentil Shepherd’s Pie with Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

1 C. Lentils
3 large potatoes (I used 5 medium ones from a bag)
2 Tbs. butter
1/4 C. sour cream (I used my homemade sour cream . . .aka. strained homemade yogurt)
1 C. shredded cheddar
1/4 C. milk
1 tsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbs. ketchup
5 drops hot sauce (I used Franks, but you could use Tabasco or Tapatìo)
1 C. frozen veggies (I used mixed veggies: corn, peas, green beans and carrots)
salt, pepper and garlic salt to taste

1. In a medium pot, place lentils and cover with an inch of water. Add a bit of salt, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain.

2. In the meantime, peel and chop potatoes. (I always put my cut potatoes in a bowl of cold water while I am working so that they don’t turn pink and yucky. Drain the water before you use them, of course!) Put them in a pot of water, add a pinch of salt and boil them until they are soft.

3. Drain and mash potatoes. Add milk, butter, sour cream, cheese (reserve a couple of sprinkles for the top) and a dash of garlic salt. Pepper to taste.

4. Heat olive oil in a skillet and add onion, sauteing until soft. Add cumin, thyme, cooked lentils, vinegar, ketchup, hot sauce, 1/2 tsp. salt and pepper to taste. Stir together and add 1/2 Cup of water. Let the mixture simmer for about 5 more minutes, stirring often.

5. In a medium baking dish (or deep pie plate) layer lentils, then frozen vegetables, then potatoes, smoothing as you go. Top with a sprinkle of cheese and either bake in a 375° oven for 30 minutes, or microwave for 8 min. (I chose the microwave route, since we were in a hurry!)

I am SO not a food stylist, so you will have to excuse the ugly picture, but here’s a visual:

The verdict: Delish!! The boys were a bit nervous, but when they tried it, they both agreed that it was a winner. Mitch loved it from the first bite, too! I think his words were, “Are you kidding me?” which is actually quite the compliment.

My favorite part was the lentils, and that was probably due to the vinegar and hot sauce. By the way, not even the slightest bit spicy, so don’t expect that. I will probably double the lentil mixture next time since it was SO delicious. We will certainly be adding this to the Meatless Monday repertoire!

Ah, lentils! A tasty, frugal favorite!!

Linked to Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam!