Our Beef Pie Recipe

I found this recipe in a little locally produced community cookbook I inherited from my mother.  It is a rife on a cottage or shepherd's pie but instead of mashed potatoes on top it had a different topping.

My version is a bit different from that original version in that it used a flour/dough based topping(with seasonings and paprika in it for color).   After making it a few times that way we found we didn't care for the heaviness of the topping and wanted something lighter.  So I tried cornbread instead and it was a winner for us!

It's an easy recipe but you can kick it up a notch by going more homemade with your ingredients or adding more/fancier veggies.

SLUGGY'S BEEF PIE CASSEROLE

Ingredients

1lb. Ground Beef
1 med. Onion, chopped
1/2 lb. Carrots, chopped
1/2lb. Green Beans (You can substitute yellow or wax beans or peas as well)
2 cups Water(for boiling veggies)*
2 Cans Tomato Soup
1 Beef Bouillion Cube(or Beef Stock-about 1 cup)
2 Boxes Cornbread Mix(Jiffy sized)
2 Eggs
2/3 cup Milk

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees.

Brown your Ground Beef. Remove from pan and set aside.

Using some of the grease from the meat, Saute your chopped onion in the same pan.

When done, add your chopped carrots and green beans, water & bouillion cube. (If using beef stock, reduce the water used in half.)
Let this boil until the veggies are cooked, adding more water so it does not boil dry.*(If you use frozen carrots and beans you do NOT have to boil the veggies. Just add veggies to the onion and warm them to defrost.)
If there is water in your pan after the carrots & beans are cooked, pour it off.

Add the Tomato Soup & mix in. Do NOT dilute the soup with water.

Add the cooked Ground Beef.

Pour the veggie/beef/tomato soup mixture into a large baking dish.) A casserole, cast iron skillet, something deep enough to leave room for the cornbread batter to expand.

Prepare the Cornbread mix according to package directions(using the eggs & milk).
Drop spoonfuls of Cornbread mixture onto your beef/veggie mixture, covering it with the cornbread mixture.

Cook in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, until the cornbread is done.

Makes 6 Servings.

*If you don't eat red meat, substitute ground chicken or turkey for the ground beef. (Use a bit of olive oil to brown the chicken or turkey.)
**If you have sodium concerns use beef stock instead of bouillon cubes and reduced salt tomato soup.

Serve it up and enjoy.

You can make your own tomato soup if you wish and want to control the amount of sodium in it more.

You can also add corn into your cornbread if you want it "cornier".

You can use other veggies(mushrooms, squash, peas, potatoes, etc.)to your liking.  You can make this a Tex-Mex dish by adding chili and cheese to your veggies. 

If you prefer less cornbread you can cut the amount down to 1 box instead of 2.

This is just a basic recipe so make it your own.

Sluggy