During the Middle Ages, eating game, mutton or pot pies was a popular English tradition. According to Food Timeline, these pies were slowly cooked.

It was not until the introduction and acceptance of potatoes in the United Kingdom that Sheperd’s Pie became popular. Cook’s Info said that this dish probably originated in Scotland and Northern England after potatoes were accepted in the UK after 1870. This dish was made with minced lamb meat.

This dish is a classic comfort food, especially around holidays like St. Patricks Day. So in honor the recently-passed St. Patty’s Day, this week’s College gal cooking is a cheesy twist on a classic dish.

Ingredients:

1 box Cheesy or regular Scalloped Potatoes
1 box mashed potatoes (optional)
⅓ cup milk
½ cup hot water
Corn salsa
Ground Turkey
Crackers (optional)
Salt
Black Pepper
Garlic Powder
Parmesan Cheese 

Start with the ground turkey. You can season the meat with your desired amount of salt , black pepper, garlic powder and Parmesan cheese either before or after you put the meat into a pot to cook. Set the stove on medium heat to cook the meat.

Crumble at least five crackers and add them to the meat as it cooks. The crackers will prevent the ground meat from crumbling when cooking. The crackers also add some more flavor and texture to the meat.

Break up the meat with a spoon as it cooks in the pot. While the meat cooks, prepare the sauce for the scalloped potatoes. The scalloped potatoes will be the top level of the pie. If you want to make a four level pie, prepare the mashed potatoes. The mashed potatoes will not only be under the scalloped potatoes, but it will also be a barrier between the corn and meat and the sauce for the scalloped potatoes. The scalloped potato sauce can seep into the layers of the pie and overpower the flavors of the bottom layers.

Be sure to monitor the meat, which should turn light brown once finished.

Once the meat finishes cooking, grab an oven-safe container. Cover the bottom of the container with a thick layer of meat. This will be the first level of the pie. Then, add a layer of corn salsa. From there, you can choose whether you add mashed potatoes or not, depending on your preference.

If you use the mashed potatoes, place a layer of the potatoes above the corn before adding the scalloped potatoes. Once the scalloped potatoes are placed on top of the mashed potatoes, add the cheese sauce to the top of the dish.

For this version of the recipe, set the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the dish into the oven for at least 20 minutes or until the top is golden-brown.

Without the mashed potatoes, add a layer the scalloped potatoes to the corn. Then, pour the cheese sauce over the dish. The sauce will seep into the bottom layers of this pie. Place the pie in the oven for  20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit or until golden brown. Keep an eye on the dish while its in the oven. The sauce will bubble upwards as it cooks.

Once your pie is done, take out of the oven and let it stand from several minutes to cool. Then, grab a spoon or fork and dig in.