Beef, Mushroom, Cheddar & Potato Pie

Before diving into the recipe, I just have to share a few thoughts...

1. This was originally a Rachael Ray recipe. You can see the original here. I changed it up just a tiny bit. Below is my version.

2. Just because a recipe says "Prep Time: 45 minutes", don't take it at its word. Trust me on this.

3. I love my Vidalia Chop Wizard. Actually, if we're being honest, I'm a sucker for all things "As Seen On TV". I have a mandoline, which I also love, but for this recipe my Chop Wizard helped me stay close to the 45 minutes of prep time Rachael claimed. :-)

Beef, Mushroom, Cheddar and Potato Pie

Photo Credit, Me. Sorry it's not great!

Ingredients:

• 1.5 pounds ground beef
• 8oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced thin and sauteed
  
• 1.5 cups carrots, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1 small onion, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 2 stalks celery, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 large baking potato, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• Salt and pepper
• 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed but cold
• 1 large egg yolk, beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. In a skillet, combine the beef, mushrooms, carrots, onion, celery, garlic and potato and cook, breaking up the meat, over medium-high heat until the beef is cooked through and some liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes. Lower the heat to medium, add the beer and cook for 10 minutes. Add the cheese, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Let cool.
   

2. On a floured surface, roll 1 puff pastry sheet into a 12-inch round. Place in a deep pie dish. Roll the remaining puff pastry sheet into an 11-inch round. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat mixture to the skillet. Lightly brush the edge of the crust with some of the egg wash, then place the second sheet on top. Press the edges to seal, then trim to a 1/2-inch edge.
   

3. Place the pie on a baking sheet. Brush the top with more of the egg wash and cut an "X" into the pastry. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bake for 45 minutes, tenting with foil if the crust darkens too quickly. Transfer to a rack to cool for 15 minutes.

4. If you have children, take the left over pastry dough, roll it again and let them go crazy with the cookie cutters. The dough gets tough very fast, but they will have fun for a few minutes.

I thought this was delicious, and Dan liked it, too. It tastes like "Fall" on a plate. Nicholas did as well, which is awesome, since he's three. Matthew, also three, ate a little bit, and then asked for ham and cheese. Ya win some, ya lose some. :-)

Disclosure: I provided all those links because I wanted to. I don't get any money, accolations, credit, etc. from providing them.