Judy Garland Used 'Every Pot In The Kitchen' To Make Her Favorite Classic Comfort Meal

While the proliferation of one-pot meals is evidence of a pretty strong collective preference for simple recipes and easy clean up, sometimes you've just got to make a mess to get dinner on the table. Such was the case with the late Judy Garland's shepherd's pie, at least according to a member of her entourage quoted in an old profile in The Evening Sun. "She uses every pot in the kitchen," her pal remarked.

Those who know one of the biggest stars of the 20th century better for her roles as Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz" or Esther in "Meet Me in St. Louis" might be surprised to learn that Garland was also something of a wizard in the kitchen. "I'm a very good cook. I probably cook better than I sing," Garland told the erstwhile outlet — a sentiment that really makes one wonder about Garland's take on historic shepherd's pie. The paper's mini profile is fortunately followed by the recipe for "Judy Garland's shepherd's pie supreme" for anyone who truly wants to slake that curiosity. And we bet you can even get it made and still leave some of your cookware as shiny as the Tin Man.

A shepherd's pie is typically mixed meat and vegetables with gravy, topped with mashed potatoes, and baked all together in one casserole dish. The protein can vary and Garland used roasted leg of lamb to finely chop or grind after cooking, which is a pretty fancy take on something that could just as successfully use a pack of minced meat from the store. You can, of course, opt for something a little less ambitious (and perhaps cheaper) or reach over the rainbow for your own twist, like duck or bison. Garland also adds a bit of chicken to her blend, and you, too, can combine complementary ingredients.

Once your meat is selected, you can cloak it in ready-made cream of mushroom soup (as Garland did), hack your own store-bought gravy to taste, or make the sauce from scratch, especially if you're already roasting a leg of lamb. Garland's preparation also calls for instant potato flakes, which can function as a time saver and fun throwback, or you can just make your own with a few spuds, cream, and seasonings. Garland's instructions are notably absent the fairly typical peas and carrots present in the best shepherd's pie recipes, but you can easily toss a few handfuls in with the meat. Regardless of your own meat and veggie preference or how many pots you sully, it'll all finish after about 20 minutes in a 450-degree Fahrenheit oven and help everyone get happy.