Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients

• 4 medium sweet potatoes (2½ pounds total)
• ¼ cup nonfat milk
• 1½ teaspoons unsalted butter
• ½ teaspoon salt (topping)
• ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper (topping)
• 8 ounces mushrooms
• 1 small onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1½ pounds lean ground beef or turkey
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium chicken or beef broth
• 3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup fresh, thawed frozen, or drained canned green peas
• ¼ teaspoon salt (filling)
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper (filling)
• Non-stick cooking spray

Method

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Scrub potatoes and pierce several times with fork. Place in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bake until soft, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool.
3. While sweet potatoes bake and cool, prepare filling. Wash and slice mushrooms. Peel and dice onion. Peel and mince garlic.
4. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add beef or turkey, mushrooms, and onion. Cook, crumbling meat with a rubber spatula as it cooks, until meat is no longer pink, about 30 minutes.
5. In a colander, drain off liquid. Return mixture to skillet. Add garlic and thyme. Cook for 30 seconds. Sprinkle with flour and stir to coat. Add broth and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a simmer. Cook until mixture thickens, 2–3 minutes. Stir in peas, salt, and pepper.
6. Coat a 9-inch-square baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Transfer mixture to dish.
7. Peel cooled sweet potatoes. Place in a medium bowl. Add milk, butter, salt, and pepper. If using cinnamon, add now. Mash with a fork until smooth. Spread over the filling.
8. Bake until hot and bubbling at the edges, 30–40 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.