1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Potatoes

1. First, get your potatoes going. Add your peeled, chopped potatoes, whole peeled garlic cloves, and bay leaves to a large pot of generously salted water. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for about 30 minutes until very, very tender. (you can get the meat mixture cooking while you're waiting).
2. Once potatoes are tender, drain in a colander, remove bay leaves but leave the garlic, add potatoes back to the pot, and add butter and cream cheese. Let sit until the butter and cream cheese soften a bit.
3. Then, with a hand mixer or potato masher, mix or mash until all potatoes are mashed. My dad always used a hand mixer and made the creamiest mashed potatoes. Then, add milk in stages while mashing until you reach the desired consistency. You want a nice soft mash, but not so soupy you won't be able to scoop it out later. ½ to ¾ cup milk should be plenty. Taste potatoes for salt, and add salt and pepper to taste. Usually a teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper are sufficient, but taste your food! It should taste the way you want it to taste!

Meat Filling

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef until most of the pink is gone, about 10 minutes. Then, add carrot, celery, onion, garlic, rosemary, bay leaves, and season with a big pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook this mixture for about 10 minutes. If your beef is really fatty, scoop out excess fat. This is optional and really depends on your meat choice.
2. Next, add tomato paste and stir to combine. Then sprinkle flour over the meat mixture and stir until you don't see white anymore. Add wine, stock, Worcestershire sauce, and coffee if using and cook for about 15-20 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom. The mixture will thicken. It should be a thick, gravy-like consistency.

Assembly

1. Either assemble your Shepherd's Pie in the dish you've cooked your meat mixture in or spray a 2-quart casserole baking dish with non-stick spray. Transfer the meat to the baking dish and spread it into an even layer. If using peas, add them now. Just an even layer on top will do.
2. Next, add potatoes. I place large spoonfuls all around the top of the meat mixture, then I use a rubber spatula to spread it out, almost like frosting a cake, making sure to seal the edges. Sometimes I make too many potatoes. If you have this problem just put them in a dish and refrigerate them for another time. Having too many mashed potatoes is never a problem in my book.
3. Now, if you really want to take it over the top, and if you have an uncontrollable passion for melted, bubbly cheese like I do, add a layer of cheese to the top. My dad did not do this.
4. Place the casserole dish on a rimmed sheet tray in case it bubbles over, and place in a preheated oven until the cheese bubbles and browns a bit. It should take about 20 minutes, but keep an eye on it. Take it out when it looks golden brown and bubbly.
5. Enjoy!