Cheeseburger Pie - Oh, My!

I can haz cheezburger.  Cheezburger pie, that is!  Who doesn't love some meaty, cheesy goodness?  What I don't love, however, is the carb-laden bun (and what it does to MY buns!).  Luckily, I found this recipe for a delish cheeseburger "pie" that seriously delivers the classic burger flavors while skipping the bread.  The following recipe is for your basic cheeseburger flavor profile, but what's great is that you can mix it up however you'd like - swap out veggies, cheeses, try some new sauces.  Cooking is all about experimentation, and this dish allows you to do just that, while making it virtually impossible to have a bad outcome.

Okay, so let's talk Pyrex.  The name of this dish is "Cheeseburger Pie" and the recipe does, in fact, call for a pie dish.  My hubby, however, has an aversion to savory dishes served in the classic pie shape -- so I just went with this square Pyrex casserole dish. 

Start with 1/4 cup chopped onion, 1/4 cup chopped green pepper, and a little minced garlic in a pan with a little EVOO (extra virgin olive oil, for all you non-Rachel Ray lingo people).  Add in 1 lb ground beef and brown.  Season with salt & pepper.  I used 93/7, but whatever floats your boat.

For the filling you'll need a can of tomato soup, about a teaspoon of taco seasoning (doesn't make the meat "taco-y", just gives it some flavor) a couple hits of Worcestershire and little oregano.  *Note:  I added two drops of liquid smoke after tasting and finding it lacking that "certain something".  The liquid smoke definitely gave it that grilled burger taste!.

You also need 1/3 cup of crushed cheese crackers - I had some Italian Cheez-Its lying around, so I used those.  You could use any kind of cracker or bread crumb, though.  Its not really for flavor, but rather to help the meat stay together & give the whole thing a little body.



Once browned, drain & return to pan.  Add in all the seasonings, soup, & crackers.  Filling's done!

Now for the cheese!  Mix 1 egg, 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, mustard powder, and Worcestershire, and 1/4 cup milk.  Add 2 cups of cheese.  I used half cheddar, half jack cheese.  Spread cheese mixture on top of meat.  Now just throw that bad boy in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Until it looks like this!  SO melty & yummy...

I topped mine with some spicy ketchup (sriracha & ketchup mixed) some slices of Claussen pickles, and diced onion.  My husband switched out ketchup for plain mustard which, after tasting it, I thought was the best choice.  It tasted like a Whataburger cheeseburger!  This is definitely a keeper, as it got rave reviews from the hubby & was super easy.  I think next time I'll add some turkey bacon to the filling and spread a layer of barbecue sauce under the cheese.  Top with some crispy French's fried onions and viola! - a western bacon cheeseburger! 

Well, that's all for now!  I'm off to check on the de-frosting status of a certain turkey in my fridge.  I'm hoping it gets thawed before tomorrow afternoon so I can pop it in the oven & share a few days worth of creative turkey recipes with all of you.  Toodles!  :)