Menu Monday: Baked Potato Pie

Happy Monday everyone! Sorry about missing last week's Recipe Monday... These two weeks (last week and this week) have been rather crazy. Work is SWAMPED with our donation deadlines and when I get home, well, quite frankly the LAST thing I want to do is be on the computer. Then over the weekend, Brandon went on a fishing trip so my mom came to visit and we shopped until we basically dropped... As I'm sure you know, we can't sacrifice our sacred shopping time for a computer. So, I apologize for the sporadic blogging, I'll be back to normal in a few more days!

If you've been reading this little blog for any time at all you've probably realized three things: (a) I'm a pretty picky eater, (b) I'm super OCD and (c) I realllllly like my sweet family. So here's a new random fact about me... well, kind of new, it's really just a cross between (a) and (b). I HATE for my food to touch. With the exception of sushi, I am not a fan of multiple flavors at one time. You know how people mix their corn and mashed potatoes? I would never. However, there is always an exception to the rule... and today's recipe would be that exception...

RECIPE MONDAY: BAKED POTATO PIE

What you need:

1 lb Ground Beef (uncooked)
1 Egg
1/4 C Dry Bread Crumbs
1 tsp Salt
Pepper
Mashed Potatoes (cooked)*
2 8oz Tubs of Sour Cream
1/2 lb Velveeta (cubed)**
Bacon (lots, of bacon)
*** Other

* I use red potatoes and leave the peel on because the color is really nice and the peel is the most nutritional part!
** Velveeta is best, however, I didn't have any so I just used regular sliced cheese and it worked just fine.
*** You can also add whatever else you like on your baked potato - chives, mushrooms, ham slices... the sky's the limit with this recipe!

What you do:

(1) Combine the first five ingredients (beef, egg, bread crumbs, salt and pepper) and mix.

(2) Spray 9 inch pie pan with Pam and press meat mixture into it. Cover bottom and sides. Bake for 15 minutes at 400.

(3) While meat is baking, start your mashed potatoes by washing, chopping and boiling your red potatoes on high heat... This will take a while.

(4) Remove your meat shell from the oven and reduce the heat to 350. Drain excess fat from meat. (BE CAREFUL! Once I tried to just tip the pie pan a little to let the grease run out and I dumped the entire shell in the sink! Also, don't pour the grease down the sink...)

(5) When the potatoes are soft, drain the water off and mash them.

(6) Add the sour cream (one tub at a time), butter, salt and pepper. Taste a little bit and add more of each as necessary. You want the potatoes to be moist, so if they are still pretty dry add more sour cream! (***If you are going to add any of those chives or mushrooms, now would be the time)

(7) Fill the meat shell with mashed potatoes. I then use the spatula or spoon to push in little divets all over the top.

(8) Stick your cheese squares into the divets.

(9) Pour bacon on top and bake for 10 more minutes! (I, of course, garnish with a healthy dose of Tony Chachere's Creole... my personal favorite)

(10) Slice and enjoy!!

Hope you guys have a great start to your week! Take some time to make a delicious hamburger pie... Sounds kind of weird, but I promise, it's delish!

Be Blessed!
Raegan