Our Favorite Shepherd's Pie

Shortly after the birth of our baby, our friend Emily made us a shepherd's pie. At first my husband wasn't too thrilled--he had never had a shepherd's pie he liked. Then he took a bite, and was amazed. "Wow, this is really good!"

Recently, my husband's mom and little brother Danny came for a visit. I had made a shepherd's pie according to Emily's recipe the night before. I shared some with them for lunch. A little while later, I received an email from Mom asking me to post the recipe on my blog because Danny liked my shepherd's pie better than hers! So without any further ado, here is it:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. ground beef (90% lean)
  
• basil, onion powder, garlic powder to season beef to taste
• 1-2 cups frozen green beans (or one can)
• 1-2 cups frozen corn (or one can)
• 2-4 oz sliced fresh mushrooms (or one can)
• 1 can condensed tomato soup (reduced sodium)
  
• about 1 cup shredded cheese (a blend of cheddar and mozzarella works well)
• large batch of mashed potatoes
  

Directions:

Brown beef with seasonings. In a 9x13 casserole pan, mix together beef, vegetables, and condensed soup (do not add extra water, and drain liquid from canned vegetables). Mix in about a handful of cheese. Spoon mashed potatoes on top, spreading evenly and filling the rest of the pan. Sprinkle on remaining cheese. Cook at 350F for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and pie is heated through.