Week 17: Childhood - Cheeseburger Pie

Ahh childhood.

So many things ran through my mind as possible meals with the theme of childhood. I could have made macaroni and cheese soup, which is what happens when you don't drain the box macaroni before putting in the box cheese packet (happened the first time I made Mac and Cheese). I could have made english muffin pizzas (first real thing I "cooked"). I could have made any of the myriad of things that I think of when I think of my mom's cooking, chicken noodles, beef stew, pork and sauerkraut, corned beef, chili. Or zucchini boats, which my mother made and forced me to eat, which started my long hatred of zucchini (I like it now). There were so many other options.

But it wasn't hard to decide. I almost immediately thought of a dish that my Granddad made for us when we visited his house. He would make it most times that we visited for long periods of time. I can only remember my mom making it once or twice for us, when we begged her for it.

Cheeseburger Pie. Yum. (I told my wife that I was making cheeseburger pie, and she, having no idea what it was, said, "Yeah, I want cheeseburger pie.")

I had no idea that this was a super simple recipe that he must have gotten off of a box of Bisquick or from one of my grandmother's Good Housekeeping magazines. In my mind, it was a delicacy. Now, I know how to make it, and I will definitely make it again as it did remind me of my childhood.

Cheeseburger Pie
based on recipe by Betty Crocker

1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef

1 large onion, chopped (1 cup) 

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)

1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix

1 cup milk

2 eggs

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon dried mustard

Shake or two of red pepper flake

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray.

2. In 10-inch skillet, cook beef until mostly brown over medium heat, about 4 minutes. Add onion and garlic over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until onions are soft and beef is totally browned. Stir in salt. Spread in pie plate. Sprinkle with cheese.

I added in my red pepper flake to the egg mixture, but I would recommend adding it to the beef with the onion. That's what I will do in the future. 

I used ground sirloin, so I didn't drain it.

Another piece of childhood was the pie pan that was my Mom's growing up

3. In small bowl, stir remaining ingredients with fork or wire whisk until blended. Pour into pie plate.

In the future, I think that I would reserve about 1/2 cup of cheese and halfway through the bake, pull out the pie, add tomato slices and top with the rest of the cheese. Your choice, just a thought.

 4. Bake about 25 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
 

Cheeseburger pie with sauteed mushrooms, peas and shallots in vermouth and sliced tomato

Basically, it is a hamburger quiche. But better.

There wasn't as much egg/Bisquick mixture as I remember. I might make three eggs next time. That would take a little adjustment though.
 To be fair, I was a bit lazy. I should have made a side of savory pea panna cotta with a single pea sitting in the middle to represent the one time my cousin made us all laugh so hard that my brother brought a pea he was eating through his nose and out into his milk.)

It wasn't as good as I remember, but how could it be. I wasn't at Granddad's table in the summertime with the window air conditioner blowing on me.