Slow Cooker Shepherd’s Pie

Mashed Potatoes:
6 cups cooked, peeled, hot, drained, potato quarters (if
potatoes are large, cut into 6 or 8 pieces)
2 Tbsp whipped butter or less-fat margarine
6 Tbsp fat free half and half (or low fat milk)
Salt and pepper to taste

Meat Mixture:
2 cups cooked lean meat of your choice, cut into bite-size
pieces (roasted turkey, roast beef, etc.)
2 1/4 cups frozen mixed vegetables, lightly cooked or thawed
(such as a blend of green beans, wax beans, and baby carrots)
10.5-oz can condensed cream of celery soup (with around
4.5g fat per 1/2 cup serving)
1/3 cup fat free sour cream
4 green onions — white and part of the green — chopped

Topping:
3/4 cup shredded reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese (optional)

1. Add hot potatoes (from colander) directly to large mixing
bowl. Add the whipped butter and fat free half-and-half, and
beat on low until desired texture is achieved.

2. Add salt and pepper to taste. Coat inside of the slow cooker
with canola cooking spray and spread mashed potatoes in the
bottom. Sprinkle black pepper over the top, if desired. Spread
pieces of meat evenly over mashed potatoes. Top with mixed
vegetables.

3. Add condensed cream of celery soup to a 2-cup measure. Stir
in sour cream and green onions. Spread mixture over the top of
the vegetables in the slow cooler. Sprinkle with black pepper,
if desired. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours or LOW for
4 hours. Afterward, if you are using cheese, sprinkle it over
the top and cook on HIGH until cheese is melted (about
20-30 minutes more.)

Yield: 4 servings