Even though I'm from good Irish/English/Scottish/Welsh stock, I never loved Guinness.  It wasn't second nature for me to love it.  I would daintily wrinkle my nose and decline.  Until...

Mr. Magilla and I took a trip to Ireland in 2015.  Our tour of the Guinness Storehouse was the definitive moment that I became a fan.  If you have seen the movie Pink Panther with Steve Martin, refer to the scene in which he first has a hamburger and you'll get the gist of that particular moment.

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I drank my glass and Mr. Magilla's glass and I don't think he was entirely proud of me since it technically wasn't even 11AM.&nbsp; I made the excuse&nbsp;that&nbsp;the time change from New Jersey to Ireland must be a factor and it was five o'clock somewhere.&nbsp; Therefore my <em>new found</em> and <em>profound</em> fondness of said beverage was justified as an afternoon aperitif.&nbsp; He informed me that I wasn't very good at the math calculation of time zones; so unless I drank beer for breakfast at home&nbsp;my&nbsp;argument didn't hold water.&nbsp; In truth I was totally jetlagged and couldn't think my way out of a paper bag.&nbsp; So, FAIR COMMENT DEAR HUSBAND!&nbsp;Bless his indulgent, sweet heart.

Today's selection of menu is made with my beloved Guinness.&nbsp; I made it with love&nbsp;and I hope you enjoy this fun comfort food as much as we do.

We have a guest recipe taste tester this time.

With gratitude,

-S-
<h2>Ingredients:</h2>1&nbsp;cup of Guinness

3 medium sized carrots, peeled and&nbsp;diced

1 small bag of frozen peas, thawed (use about 3/4 and save the rest for mason jar salads)

1 large&nbsp;leek, washed well and thinly sliced

2 parsnips, peeled and diced

1 bunch of rosemary - finely minced (strip the stems of the leaves and mince the leaves).&nbsp; I have this crazy little bowl/chopper that a former colleague gave to me years ago.&nbsp; The brand name is ULU and I love it - it's a great stress reliever.

1 1/2 pound of ground beef/lamb/or turkey - for this recipe, I used beef.&nbsp; You can also use leftover roast/steak etc.

3/4 cup of low sodium beef broth

1 tablespoon of flour

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of pepper

1 cup of grated extra sharp cheddar cheese (I swear by Cracker Barrel)

2 cups of <a href="http://anoldiebutafoodie.com/2019/01/17/yukon-gold-mashed-potatoes-with-horseradish/">Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes with Horseradish</a>&nbsp;(please see link for full recipe)
<h2>Instructions:</h2>Brown the meat.&nbsp; Add salt and pepper to taste as you cook.&nbsp; In kitchen matters, I often how would Julia handle this?&nbsp; What would Julia do?&nbsp; Julia would taste along the way.&nbsp; Every recipe is a dance.&nbsp; It gives, you take.&nbsp;&nbsp;And so, you should savor every step of the dance.

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You should only need to put a little oil in the pan if you are using turkey.&nbsp; Remove the meat once fully browned and throw in the carrots and the parsnips.&nbsp; Cook on medium heat&nbsp;for about 10 minutes until softened.&nbsp; Add the leeks and the rosemary and salt and pepper.&nbsp; Cook for another 5 minutes.&nbsp; Add the thawed peas, and then the beef broth and cook down.&nbsp; Add the flour and stir briskly until it coats and incorporates into the&nbsp;mixture.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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Add the beef and blend completely. Sprinkle some more flour on top and mix down. A nice gravy should start forming in the bottom of the pan.

Put into a greased (I use vegetable oil cooking spray) baking dish and top with the mashed potatoes.&nbsp;

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Bake for&nbsp;30 minutes at 375 degrees.&nbsp; Top with cheddar cheese and bake for another 10 minutes.

Let sit for ten minutes before serving.

Magilla rating: 10

Mr. B'ski rating: 10

Mrs. B'ski rating: 10

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