Not For Slimmers Dinner

Out on the patio we sat. 'What's for dinner?' he asked. I wanted comfort food. The first hint however, subtle, of the soon to arrive cold weather must be treated with great respect, for it was a sign of things to come. Me, dressed in a cardigan, for the first time. Autumn, a pleasant break in the year. I was feeling a little adventurous. 'Shepherd's pie,' was my reply. Thence, a list of questions. Did I want au gratin? Possibly not. I had other notions. Was I going to blind bake the pastry? A concession, yes we would. A not so traditional Shepherd's pie for this was to be layered and plied with a generous number of vegetables to lift its colour and texture. Into the pan-diced carrots, a drizzle of teriyaki, shaken cumin seeds, dry basil flakes, a splash of red wine, an enthusiastic serving of milled pepper corns, gravox, sliced onions, chopped red and green capsicum along with some egg plant rounds. Didn't need a gym after all that dicing and chopping. Mushroom slices formed a fine layer between the rounds of pink and sweet potato that were to intended to dress the pie's top and add a touch of elegance to the dish. Truss tomatoes and grated cheese the finishing touches before the oven's curing. Lastly, peppered zucchinis zapped in the microwave to ensure the daily dose of Vitamin C. A completely balanced meal I think not but it was fun responding to all the questions generated by my whimsical decision to have Shepherd's pie for dinner. I had walked around all day at work hitching up my pants for I had raced off to work in such a rush I hadn't remembered a belt so tonight I lashed out and included pastry with my dinner. Tomorrow I must source some braces to have at hand for such emergencies. So many decisions ...