Doug Day

It was Wednesday, so it's a Doug Day. Doug is our friend who lives in Stateline and works for the Department of Transporation. He helped Rob with his campaign for Justice of the Peace years ago and he shows up almost every Wednesday when he is in town for dinner.

I made a shepherd's pie with the leftover venison from Sunday.

Venison Shepherd's Pie

5 carrots, diced into 3/4 inch cubes
1 can of green beans drained
1 lb of grilled venison, that has been cubed
8 oz. of sliced mushrooms
1 onion, diced and sauteed
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 bag of hashbrown potatoes, the obrien kind without the peppers and onions.
1/4 c milk
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
1/4 c sour cream or greek yogurt
1 package of brown gravy mix

Cook the carrots in boiling water, until they are barely tender.
Saute the onions and garlic, and then add the mushrooms. Add the brown gravy mix and 1 cup of water, stir it all together.
Add the venison and heat it. (Remember, it's already cooked.)

While you are doing this, put on a pot of water to boil. When it is boiling, add the potatoes and cook until tender. This doesn't take very long. Mash them and then mix them with the milk, cheese and sour cream/yogurt.

In a 2 quart casserole mix the carrots, onion/meat mixture and green beans together. Top with the mashed potatoes and bake at 400 for 25 minutes or until bubbling on the sides.

On Thursday, I threw together an anything pizza. It hit the spot with a nice salad. Easy dinner.

Friday and Saturday we were in Reno for a conference and ate cruddy fast food. In and Out Burger, Baja Fresh, Jack In the Box. It's awful I know, but it is what it is.

Sunday, we got home late and had a quick snack. Boned and skinned sardines packed in oil on french baguette with manchego cheese and a lovely dirty martini. What a way to end a great weekend.