Cheeseburger Pies

     Maybe one of the most entertaining films of the past decade was O Brother, Where Art Thou?  In this movie, George Clooney, leading a jailbreak down in the early 20^th century South, finds himself attached to two brothers ~ all of them getting into one “spot” after another in search of…well, treasure.

    

     There are many things to enjoy about this movie, not the least of which is the soundtrack.  It gets regular play time at the cabin…especially on days where we linger outside grilling or building a fire.

    

     One scene I always loved in the film is a series of shots showing the unlikely friends bonding with each other.  The acoustic guitar version of Man of Constant Sorrow is being plucked in the background as the jail-busting trio is shown telling jokes, sitting by the fire, sharing stories, and stealing pie. 

     The nice part about that is, yes, they take the pie from a Southern kitchen’s window sill, but are at least honest enough to leave money for it.

    

     Well, I don’t eat pie too often, and I rarely make it at all.  (Believe me, I've tried.)

   

      In fact, the only two types of pies I’ve seemed to have gotten down are, one, Cheeseburger Pie (today’s recipe), and two, Ice Cream Pie (for the summer days a few months away.)

      One of my wonderful volunteers introduced me to Cheeseburger Pie when she brought it for a group of us at work.  I was hooked on this easy-to-make dish right away.

    
      So below are two versions of Cheeseburger Pie, with the second being “lighter” one for those still dedicated to their 2012 resolution to eat healthy, get fit, and drop some pounds.

     I enjoy making both, and I was able to make the "smart" version this past weekend for a spontanious night at the cabin:

Cheeseburger Pie

Lean ground beef (at least 80%) ~ 2 lbs.

Onions, ~ 2 large and chopped

Salt ~ 1 tsp.

Cheddar cheese ~ 2 cups, shredded

Original Bisquick Mix ~ 1 cup

Milk ~ 2 cups

Eggs ~ 4

     Brown the beef and onion in a skillet, sprinkle with salt, and let simmer about 10 minutes before draining.

     Pour the meat mixture on the bottom of the 13 by 9 inch glass pan, then layer the cheese on top.

In a bowl, mix the Bisquick, milk, and eggs well, then pour it even over the cheese.
Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.  Let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

     For the lighter recipe, use the ingredients below, substituting the turkey, Heart Smart Bisquick mix, low-fat cheese, low-fat milk, and egg substitute for the beef, regular Bisquick, cheese, milk, and eggs:

Light Cheeseburger pie

Leanest ground beef (93%) or ground turkey ~ 2 lbs.

Onions ~ 2 cups chopped

Salt ~ 2 tsp

Heart Smart Bisquick Mix ~ 1 cup

2% Reduced Fat Cheddar cheese ~ 2 cups

Skim milk ~ 2 cups

Egg substitute ~ ½ cup

    Whichever way you go, you’ll have an easy crowd-pleaser.

     Have a wonderful Tuesday. J