Pioneer Pie

I made this on a night when I was not going to be home at supper time.  I wanted a one dish meal that my husband just had to take out of the oven and serve.  I was shocked when I got home and he told me that thier was not leftovers, the kids had eaten the whole things.  My words "But there was carrots and leeks in the mashed potatoes"  his reply "they knew they looked kind of funny but it tasted good so they did not seem to care".  I don't even have a picture because I planned on taking a picture of the leftovers when I got home (I guess next time I should have more faith in my cooking abilities).  So if you are looking for a twist on traditional sheperds pie, try this it.  Your family my devour it also!

Pioneer Pie

Ingredients:

Puree:
1 pound potatoes
2 medium sized carrots
1 leek
1/4 cup milk
pepper; salt

Meat; Vegetable mix:
1 onion
1 garlic clove
2 tbsp oil
4 oz bacon
8.5 oz ground beef (or ground turkey)
3 tbsp BBQ sauce
12oz can white beans in tomato sauce
Worcestershire sauce
grated cheese

Directions:
1.  Peel the potatoes and carrots. Slice only the white and very light-green part of your leek and give everything a rough chop.
2.  Wash the vegetables and boil them in lightly salted water, for about 15 minutes. Depending on how big you’ve chopped them, of course.
3.  Season 8.5 oz lean ground beef with 1/2 a tsp salt, lots of pepper and a few drops worcestershire sauce.  Knead until all the flavors have blended together.

4.  Rought chop 4 oz of bacon, the onion and the garlic.  Heat 2 tbsp oil and cook the bacon for about 3 minutes. Add the onion and cook until the onion starts to brown. That’s when you throw in the garlic and cook everything for an additional minute.

5.  Get your ground beef in there as well, and break it up in coarse pieces. Cook the ground beef until it loses its rawness. Add 3 tsp BBQ sauce to your beef and let it simmer for about 5 minutes. 

6.  Drain your potatoes and coarsely mash them.
7.  Pour in 1/3 cup of milk and season the puree with salt and pepper.

8.  Add your beans to the beef mixture.  Stir to combine. Pop the lid on and simmer, over low heat, for 10 minutes.
9.  Transfer the beef and beans to a baking dish.
10.  Top it with the mashed potatos and vegetables.

11.  Grate some of your favorite cheese and sprinkle it right on top
12.  Bake the pie at 350F (180C) for about 25 to 30 minutes. Until the cheese has melted.