Pie for dinner!

My husband LOVES pie. Really, ANY kind of pie. Kinda gets pie-eyed, but not in the drunk way so much as the food coma way. He totally loves pies, not nearly as much as he likes riding in a helicopter, but that's a whole different story.

And so when I told him we were having pie for dinner, I think I scored some points. Although probably not as many points as I would have if I had said, "We're having apple pie for dinner!".

But see, here's the thing. Emeril (yes, "BAM"!, that one) had a pie contest, and the recipe below was one that was featured. So really, how could I not try it? It's a good pie. It has a veggie in it, even. And you can have it for dinner without thinking, "Wow, I'm having a pie for dinner, and I should probably just slap this right on my hips/thighs/midsection to save time."

Couple of things though. That frozen mix of peppers and onions mentioned in the recipe? I found that really hard to find, hope you have better luck than I did. The good news is that the fresh substitution is below the main ingredients; the bad news is that you need to increase the prep time.

I haven't messed with this one a whole lot, but I would recommend slicing some black olives as an additional garnish. And I think you can omit the taco sauce garnish and throw some more salsa on top instead. Definately the guacamole, and hey, throw some more cheese on top if you want. If you are making this for kids to eat too, use the mild taco seasoning if they don't like spicy. If you like spicy, then put some spicy in or on it...sliced jalapenos or add your favorite hot sauce once your pie is on your plate.

If you want to get all fancy like...shred some lettuce, and make a bed to put the taco pie slice on top of, slap a dollop of sour cream, guac, and salsa slightly off to the side. And there you have it. Fancy-ish Mexican dinner--who knew, right?

Southwestern Taco Pot Pie
Recipe courtesy Barry Conway (also available on foodnetwork.com)
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 30 min
Serves: 6


1 pound lean ground beef
1 (1.25-ounce) package Taco Seasoning Mix
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon oil
1 (1-pound) package frozen green, red and yellow peppers and onions*
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 (11-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 cup salsa
1 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on package
8 ounces (2 cups) shredded cheese recommended: Colby/Monterey blend or Mexican blend

* If using fresh peppers and onions, use 1 1/2 cups chopped onions and 2 1/2 cups chopped peppers and increase prep time and stove top cooking time.

Garnish:
Sour cream
Taco Sauce

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Brown ground beef in large skillet over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Drain. Add taco seasoning mix and water; mix until ground beef is well coated.

Meanwhile, heat oil in large saucepan over medium high heat until hot. Add peppers and onions; cook 4 to 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and drain excess liquid. Add garlic and onion powders, salt, pepper, corn, and salsa, stir well and set aside.

Prepare pie crusts as directed on package for 2-crust pie using 9-inch glass or metal pie pan.

Combine salsa and corn mixture with ground beef; mix well. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of cheese evenly in bottom of crust-lined pan. Spread 1/2 of beef mixture evenly in pan over cheese, pat down. Sprinkle 3/4 cup cheese in pan and spread evenly with remaining beef mixture, pat down, top with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Top with second crust and flute; slit in several places.

Bake for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Cover edge of crust with strips of foil or a pie crust shield after 15 minutes of baking. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and a drizzle of taco sauce. Also recommended: guacamole, salsa, and diced green chiles.