This one is a keeper

Tonight I made “Beef Cheddar and Potato Pie” from Rachel Ray.  We get her magazine, as well as gobs of other magazines, and Kenny is always tearing out recipes that he thinks we should try.

I rifled through them this morning and saw that I had most everything that the recipe called for.  Plus, it was a good excuse to use up those last few carrots and potatoes in the crisper…you know the ones….use them today or you’ll have to throw them out tomorrow!

Here is the recipe as it appears on Rachel’s website…..off to the side I’ll tell you what substitutions I made.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds ground beef (1 pound happy ground beef and 1 pound happy bison stew meat*)
• 2 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (3 carrots, but they were kind of wimpy looking)
• 1 large onion, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 2 stalks celery, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped (2 cloves…I love my garlic)
• 1 large baking potato, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes (2 medium potatoes)
• 1/2 cup dark beer (1/2 cup of some odd lager beer that was in the fridge)
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (the left-over cheese from the “Beer Cheese Toast” that I made HERE)
• Salt and pepper
• 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed but cold (1 Pillsbury pie crust for the bottom and puff pastry on the top)
• 1 large egg yolk, beaten with 1 tablespoon water

*happy meat is meat from the farmers market that is grass fed and leads a humane life until it ends up on our plates

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. In a skillet, combine the beef, carrots, onion, celery, garlic and potato and cook, breaking up the meat, over medium-high heat until the beef is cooked through and some liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes. Lower the heat to medium, add the beer and cook for 10 minutes. Add the cheese, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Let cool.

2. On a floured surface, roll 1 puff pastry sheet into a 12-inch round. Place in a 10-inch skillet or deep pie dish. Roll the remaining puff pastry sheet into an 11-inch round. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat mixture to the skillet. Lightly brush the edge of the crust with some of the egg wash, then place the second sheet on top. Press the edges to seal, then trim to a 1/2-inch edge.

3. Place the pie on a baking sheet. Brush the top with more of the egg wash and cut an "X" into the pastry. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bake for 45 minutes, tenting with foil if the crust darkens too quickly. Transfer to a rack to cool for 15 minutes.

Veggies all chopped and diced….

Cooking the veggies and meat….

Meat is all cooked and now I’ve added the beer…..mmmm….foamy!

This is the left-over “Kentucky Beer Cheese” there was just a little more than a cup.

I just plopped it in with the salt and pepper and stirred it around until it got melty.

Okay, now I’m totally stoked….I get to make this in my new cast iron skillet that I got for Christmas!

Added the filling…..

Then, I put it in the fridge and covered it with some plastic wrap while we took the dogs for their evening walk.

Once we got home, I took it back out and covered it with the puff pastry…..I didn’t roll mine out into a circle….I just layed it on top and then pinched off the corners and smushed them in where there were holes around the edge….I kind of fly by the seat of my pants like that! Then I brushed it with the egg wash and sprinkled it with salt and pepper…..oh yeah, I made an “x” in the middle so it could vent.

Here it is out of the oven…..

Doesn’t it look yummy?

Enjoy! This is just one of those great comfort food dishes!