Really, a quite beautiful recipe. I'm a dude so I typically choose delicious and fatty over healthy and bland. However, with this shepherd's pie there is no compromise. It is both delicious and healthy. Good for me because it tastes great and your guests can eat it guilt free. Also, it's the perfect dish to make for a date. You don't have to spend all afternoon and evening in the kitchen, it can be made ahead of time, and it is elegant enough to impress. I've made this pie probably ten times and every time it is wonderful. The only advice I have is 1) cook it in a corningware style, white vessel. It makes the overall aesthetics much more appealing. I bought mine for $4 at FISH and 2) if you do not have a potato ricer, get one, but if you insist on making the dish without one, leave the parsnips out of the topping. Even when cooked properly, they are quite difficult to mash to a smooth consistency with the easily mashed potatoes. You end up with smooth potatoes that have little chunks of parsnips in them. Other than that, everything else is very simple. The most novice, amateur cook will have no problem making this wonderful meal that pleases everyone. Oh, and the recipe says this will serve 8. I would like to think this is an entire meal in one dish with maybe some crusty bread as the only side. If that is what you're going for, there is no way this will serve 8. I would say 4 to 5 at the very most. If you want to feed 8 people, make 2.

I just made this recipe this week and can't wait to make it again! It was SOOOOO good!!!!

I LOVE this recipe. I've been making it since I first saw it in MArtha Stewart living in 2010. Depending on what's on sale, I'll sometimes make it with ground chicken instead. So delicious. A definate must make!