I have a lot of roast beef left over from last night's dinner and I wanted to make something that we haven't had in awhile. This is one of those recipes that offers flexibility. When searching out Shepherds Pie recipes, they all use the same basic veggies; onions, carrots, celery, peas, etc. Of all the Shepherds Pie recipes I referred to, I like this one best for its simplicity, ingredients, and measurements that fit my taste. I did add more broth, I hate eating foods that come out dry. As soon as I added the CUP of broth (not 1/4 cup), practically all of it evaporated out of the pan, so I can't imagine using just 1/4 cup of liquid. I had 2 very large portobello mushrooms and diced it up; it gave the filling a meatier consistency w/o adding more than the 1 pound of meat called for. This is a comfort food, much like a beef or chicken pot pie. I see these made into individual portions in baking dishes for serving up. All in all, an interesting way to use up those odds & ends in the fridge in a one-dish meal that can be made ahead of time--that helps too!