Identify school lunch -- Farmer Jones (scoop of potatoes on top of ground beef) (mushrooms, cookies)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
About 25 years ago, I was served a school lunch of something called "Farmer Jones". It was some kind of meat (I assume ground beef) with a scoop of mashed potatoes on top of it. I didn't know what it was before I got this thing and it didn't meet my culinary expectations so I just cried, which caused a scene and the school never served the dish again.
I look online and there's no mention of such a dish. I see some mentions of meat loaf being served with a scoop of mashed potatoes on top but it's not really called anything that I see.
Has anybody heard of this then? As unpalatable as I still find the dish, I'd hate to think that I killed a really local (confined to the school cafeteria) delicacy.
Throw in some veggies and bake it and it sounds like the even poorer man's version of shepherd or cottage pie. Personally, it sounds good to me - what's not to like? Meat + potato = classic yum.
What country or state in the US was it? That might help with your search.
I googled "farmer jones recipe" and the first response was a recipe for a baked dish with ground beef, rice (instead of potatoes), and cheese. The off-putting thing was that the ground meat was pureed - that'd make it too much like dog food, IMO. Maybe that was part of your issue with it as a kid?
Legin, I wouldn't worry if I were you. One kid isn't gonna change their meal plans or they would only be able to serve cookies and ice cream.
It is hard to say what the dish was actually supposed to be, school lunches weren't exactly "identifiable". Could have been something made up by one of the cooks, too.
It must have been bad if you still remember it after 25yrs!
I'm impressed that your crying got the school to throw out the recipe!
Shepard's pie is ground beef in a gravy, topped with mashed potatoes. There are different variations of it, with veggies sometimes added to the ground beef and gravy. We like to keep ours simple with just meat/onions/garlic/corn/mushrooms.
I thought shepherd's pie, too, though that originated with mutton not beef. Note a shepherd herds sheep, not cattle.
About you're unhappy lunch, maybe some not so inventive kitchen staff had to work with what food was available that day.
School food can be scary. Thank goodness you survived.
Yep, shepherds pie is made with lamb, traditionally - and cottage pie is basically the same thing but with beef. Not being a stickler - I don't care what anyone calls it but some people do (or would be confused by the different meats). Personally, I love a traditional shepherds pie - mmmmm laaaaamb
We always called ground beef served on top of or under mashed potatoes Depression Dinner. It's good though. I made some last week, although I stir it all up together, with peas and it was great.
Yep, shepherds pie is made with lamb, traditionally - and cottage pie is basically the same thing but with beef. Not being a stickler - I don't care what anyone calls it but some people do (or would be confused by the different meats). Personally, I love a traditional shepherds pie - mmmmm laaaaamb
Yes you are so right-I would love to do lamb but my husband doesn't like lamb.
I do- lean ground beef-with onions and garlic-sauteed with a little flour then add beef broth, a little ketchup and Worcestershire -add mixed veggies-then top with mashed potatoes on top and bake-can add cheese on top.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
