Lately, I’ve been getting a lot of double-yolked eggs. In fact, one dozen I purchased had more than half of them with double yolks! That lead me to do a little research about the kitchen phenomenon of the double-yolk egg.
Double-Yolk Egg Facts
Sometimes, a chicken can get eggs backed up in her oviduct system, which causes two yolks to be encased in one shell. This occurrence is apparently rare, happening in about one out of 1,000 eggs — so guess I’m just lucky of late.
In fact, in my research I read an article where a woman had a dozen with six double-yolk eggs. I guess I got her beat since my dozen had eight!
That said, given how we produce eggs in the Western world — collecting eggs from flocks of hens who are roughly the same age and selecting for the size of an egg — the odds of finding double-yolk eggs is more like one in 30 than one in 1,000.
More often than not, a double-yolk egg is produced by a young chicken, since her reproductive system has not fully matured. However, a double-yolk egg can also come from an older chicken nearing the end of her egg-producing period.
I used to think that a double-yolk egg was a “twin egg.” However, because the eggs you buy at the store are not fertilized, no twin chicks were possible. In addition, most double-yolk eggs come from young chickens before they are ready to produce viable offspring. Again, not likely to have twin chicks.
Rarer than the double-yolk egg is the egg with three yolks. The record so far is an egg with nine yolks!
Double-Yolk Egg Superstitions
When you find a double-yolk egg,
You or someone close to you is pregnant, probably with twins. (Nope, not me!)
You will be getting married soon. (I got married in October 2016, so I won’t be doing that again any time soon.)
You have lots of good fortune coming to you. (That would be nice.)(
A death will occur in the family soon afterward. (Yikes! Let’s hope not.)
So, have you found a double-yolk egg? Share your story in a comment below.
Thanksgiving is the best time of the year to roll out the pies. A few years back, I used to make about 6 pies, my neighbor’s husband was in Iraq, and I felt bad that she had to spend Thanksgiving without her sweetheart, so I had my husband truck over an apple pie. My other neighbors used to give me Gilfeather turnips and I returned the favor with a pie, and still another couple who were on a fixed budget, I sent a pie. There is something so cathartic about giving.
Pies differ from area to area, I don’t go to Oklahoma for an authentic Key Lime Pie, or to California for a Michigan Cherry Pie.
My parents live in Maine and that is the farthest north you can get on the east coast. Maine is synonymous with blueberries. When I go to Maine, I want blueberry pie packed thick with tart Wild Maine blueberries, and for unexplained reasons, the crunchy breakfast cereal Grape-Nuts has made it’s way into pie from Presque Isle to Kennebunkport.
Traveling south the Apple pie begins to make its debut. Vermont, New Hampshire and New York are prime growing areas for apples. Apple pie can be double crusted or Crumb, which is my favorite.
As we travel into Amish/ Pennsylvania Dutch country the Shoo-Fly pie is common. It is a mixture of molasses, brown sugar, cinnamon, flour and butter, some pies are considered wet-bottomed meaning there is a sweet filling and then a crumb topping, or dry-bottom the crumb topping is folded into the filling. The unique thing about this pie is that all ingredients can keep without refrigeration. The name came about by the bakers having to shoo the flies away, because the flies were attracted to the sugar.
As we cross the Mississippi River, heading south into Virginia, pie makers compete for the best Sweet potato pie, yams or sweet potatoes were cultivated in the area since the 1600’s. The sweet potato is treated much in the same fashion as the pumpkin pie resulting in a silky spicy custard.
Moving a little west we enter the Volunteer state where soul food like egg custard pies and buttermilk pies are popular, motoring into the Music City, Nashville has taken the custard pie a step further by adding sweet toasted coconut. The difference is they make a rich pastry cream on the stove, instead of baking the custard in the oven. Folding it with copious amounts of coconut and decadent whipped cream.
Georgia is known for their peaches, and what better way to celebrate Georgia than having a piece of peach pie, what is also surprising is that Georgia is one of the top manufacturers of pecans and pecan pie.
The pride of Atlanta, Georgia is Lemon icebox pie, which is the northern cousin of Key lime Pie from Key West, Florida. It is made with lemon juice, eggs and condensed milk.
We round out our Eastern seaboard pie quest with, of course, Key Lime Pie. The key lime arrived in the Keys with the Spanish in the 1500’s, and was described as a confused lemon. Having features of both the lemon and the lime. Surprisingly hurricanes wiped out all traces of the actual key lime. You now, must know someone who knows someone to get an authentic key lime.
In the Midwest, the area still has shadows of their resourcefulness. Settlers developed the land with fruit trees and Yankee ingredients were in short supply. In Michigan they have tart Michigan cherries, made into delicious to die for cherry pies. Pies used less flour than bread and cakes did, therefore they could be cooked in fireplaces.
Hoosier pie or Indian sugar cream pie was a very simple dessert consisting only of cream sugar and flour.
Persimmons and paw paws are made into pies in the Midwest. Persimmons are an unusual fruit in that they ripen towards the end of the fall, and have a pumpkin apricot flavor, is cooked in the same way as a pumpkin. Paw Paws were important to the native Indians and take experience to work with them. They are a cross between banana, pineapple and mango and are used in custards. Honorable mention is the Bean pie created in Chicago, made with navy beans.
Pies that have no home or an area to call their own, are pies that are made all over the United States and each state can trace the history of such a pie. Pumpkin pie it is said to have been created near Plymouth plantation, however, the pie has made its rounds all over the U.S.
Lemon Meringue pie, is said to have originated in the South, however, lemons are known to grow out west. Pecans lay claim to Georgia, but Texas might dispute that. Washington might be a little upset about the origin of the Cherry Pie, but I am sure Michigan will debate it.
The granddaddy of the pie debate hands down has to be the Apple pie. Apples grow all over the United States, and every pie aficionado from California to Maine claim the best apple pie. It is up for debate! The important thing is that Pie was created. The pie that I am going to share is a blend of pies that I have created in my life. I love pie crust, however, I love the cookie crumb crust better.
Chunky Monkey Pie
Ingredients
1 Keebler Ready Crust Chocolate Pie Crust
8 ozs melted semi-sweet chocolate
2 teaspoons Crisco
3 large ripe bananas
12 ozs softened cream cheese
4 ozs toasted chopped walnuts
1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 tsps vanilla extract
1 tsp banana extract
1/2 cup marshmallow cream
1 tablespoon dark rum
2 banana cut in half lengthwise and sliced
1 tablespoon banana liqueur
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 oz of butter
Directions
In a saucepan combine the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon and cook until the sugar dissolves, stir in the banana liqueur, add the banana and cook until the banana softens and browns slightly, carefully add the rum, and tip the saucepan until the rum ignites.
When the flames die down, remove the bananas and cool completely. Take your ready made crust and melt only 6 ozs of the 8 ozs of semi-sweet chocolate and spread over the ready made shell and cool. Take your remaining banana, slice and layer over the chocolate painted shell.
In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and marshmallow cream mix on high until fluffy. Add the sifted powdered sugar, vanilla and banana extract and mix well. Fold in the whipped heavy cream and completely cooled banana mixture. Spoon into the chocolate pie shell.
Melt the remaining 2 ozs of semi-sweet chocolate with the 2 tsp of Crisco in the microwave at 10-second intervals until mixable. Garnish the pie with the melted chocolate and refrigerate. Cut and enjoy.
Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. ~ Sandra Boynton
About the Author
Paige Gould is a professional chef and mother. She writes articles about the humor in raising a family and being a full-time chef. You can visit her at wwwdinnertime.blogspot.com to share in her latest adventures in cooking and the art of juggling it all.
Create Your Own Unique Pie!
Does pie making daunt you? Are you wary of deviating from any pie-recipe you find, for fear that you’ll ruin the flavor of the resulting pie?
It doesn’t have to be that way!
Pie-Palooza 2017 is brought to you by Your Perfect Pie, a cookbook that breaks down pies into easily made component parts so you can unleash your pie-making creativity. Available on Amazon in both print and Kindle formats. Grab your copy today and start creating your perfect pie!
Mollie BryanIn my search for pie-related authors to partner with for Pie-Palooza 2017, I found Mollie Bryan, author of Mrs. Rowe’s Little Book of Southern Pies. The disconnect between the author’s name and the book’s title made me curious, so I contacted Ms. Bryan and asked her if she would be open to an interview for this event. She agreed and you can read on to discover the answer to the mystery.
Who is Mrs. Rowe?
Carma’s Cookery: Your name isn’t “Mrs. Rowe.” Who is she and why is her name on your book?
Mollie Bryan: Mrs. Rowe is the name of the woman who owned a very successful restaurant in Staunton, Va. The restaurant is about 80 years old now and is still going strong — even though she passed away several years ago. Her family still runs it.
A Bit About Southern Cuisine
CC: How do you define “Southern hospitality”?
MB: I’m not sure I think Southern hospitality is any different than any other kind. I think it’s a kind of myth. I’ve been treated with kindness as a visitor all over the world — Paris, Munich, New York City. I think the hospitality thing depends on the person or the community you are visiting. It’s all a part of that sort of cozy myth we have about Southerners. They are a diverse group. Some are friendly and hospitable. Some are not.
CC: Why are pies such a part of Southern cuisine?
MB: I think pie became popular in the south in the early days because they didn’t need much refrigeration. With the hot southern summers, that was important. It’s also the reason southern pies are usually sweeter than other pies. At first, the sugar was used more as a preservative. Now, we crave sweet pies because that’s what we are used to.
CC: What makes a pie “Southern”?
MB: That’s good question. As I mentioned in the previous answer, Southern pies are usually sweeter. The authentic southern pie recipes always take more sugar. The other thing that distinguishes Southern pie is whatever fruit is local. So, in other words, something like pecans wouldn’t be grown in the North. So pecan pie became known as Southern.
CC: Do you have any special pie memories you’d like to share?
MB: My mom made extraordinary pumpkin pies every year for Thanksgiving. Nobody has ever been able to make one as good as her.
CC: Do you have any “secrets” of pie making you’d like to impart?
MB: Making pie should be fun. Don’t get caught up in perfection. A lot of folks are way too concerned about the crust and it prevents them from even trying. Some of the store-bought crusts are fine. And the trick to a good crust is to handle it as little as possible and keep it as cold as you can. Also, remember there are other kinds of crusts — cookie, graham, and so on.
MB: I was interested in Mrs. Rowe’s life story. She was a remarkable woman, really at the forefront of a lot of restaurant history, not to mention women’s history. Here was a woman who started a restaurant, after rather suddenly becoming a single mother, and made it very successful. It was unusual at the time to get good food on the road. Her spin on it was to make people feel at home — it was a new thing in the 1930s. So to tell her story, I thought a cookbook would be the best vehicle.
CC: Now that you no longer write cookbooks, do you miss writing about food?
MB: Even though I’ve moved on to writing mysteries, food is a central theme in most of them. You can’t write about Southern women without food being a big part of the story.
Create Your Own Unique Pie!
Does pie making daunt you? Are you wary of deviating from any pie-recipe you find, for fear that you’ll ruin the flavor of the resulting pie?
It doesn’t have to be that way!
Pie-Palooza 2017 is brought to you by Your Perfect Pie, a cookbook that breaks down pies into easily made component parts so you can unleash your pie-making creativity. Available on Amazon in both print and Kindle formats. Grab your copy today and start creating your perfect pie!
If you are from the Midwest and had the growing-up experience of going to a church supper at a country church, you are very lucky. I remember these fondly. Pleasant Green Baptist Church in north Missouri still stands today, and I suspect they still have their church suppers, church dinners, or maybe even church picnics. The church was founded August 25, 1885, after a revival meeting in an arbor near the site. The first pastor was paid a whopping $6 a month.
Back in the day, all the church ladies made great recipes that they knew by heart, just as well as they knew every word to the songs in the Broadman Hymnal. Tables were laden with inimitable fried chicken, country ham, mashed potatoes, green bean and corn dishes, deviled eggs (the more religious called them “angeled eggs” so as not to invoke evil), and sparkling, fruit-filled Jello salads (not a dessert — it was a “salad”). But where we kids focused was the array of mouth-watering pies, cakes and cookies.
Of course, Mom never allowed you to fill your plate with all desserts, though us younguns would have been happy to do just that. I have only a couple of recipes from those wonderful women of my youth but know that Georgie Ruth, Aunt Mildred, Bessie Pearl, Ruby Darst, “Aunt Gyp” Smith, Edythe Dickerson, Lillie Maude, Moneaka, Frankie Elam, and others, kept us fat and happy.
A summertime treat from those days would be an “icebox pie.” That was when people still called refrigerators “ice boxes” from the early days when it really was an insulated box with a block of ice in it. Of course, we had a modern refrigerator but called it “the icebox.” Did you?
Remember, this was created to be an old-fashioned recipe. I could have developed it with all kinds of modern substitutes but I don’t prefer aspartame, olestra, sucralose and other things that do not come directly out of the ground, a hen, or a cow’s udder. So don’t shirk at the nine egg yolks, butter and heavy cream. You gotta eat up for a long day o’ preachin!
Prep time: 20 minutes Total time: overnight or 1 day Calories: don’t even ask
Church Supper Lemon Icebox Pie
Ingredients for Lemon Icebox Pie
3 cups crushed vanilla wafer cookies (plus extra whole cookies for topping)
1/2 cup melted butter
2 cups whipping cream, divided (second cup is optional for topping)
1/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons superfine sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
9 large egg yolks
Superfine sugar
20 to 21 ounces sweetened condensed milk (this typically comes in 14-ounce cans; use 1 and 1/2 cans)
1 cup lemon juice (bottled is fine)
Directions for Lemon Icebox Pie
Preheat oven to 325 F. Crush vanilla wafer cookies to a fine crumb.
In a medium bowl, place cookie crumbs and melted butter. Mix thoroughly. Press into the bottom and about an inch up the side of a 10-inch pie pan or springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes, remove and let cool.
In a medium bowl, pour 1 cup whipping cream, 2 teaspoons superfine sugar and vanilla extract, and whip to soft peaks, about 3 to 5 minutes. (Do not be concerned if you are not creating stiff “whipped cream,” as this part will be folded into another mixture and frozen.)
In a large bowl, mix egg yolks and remaining superfine sugar. Whisk at high speed (hand or stand mixer) for about 5 minutes, until mixture is somewhat fluffy. Stirring slowly, add sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice until mixed. Gently fold in the medium bowl of whipped cream mixture until fully blended.
Pour into prepared crust. Cover with plastic wrap and put in freezer overnight or at least eight hours.
When serving, remove from freezer about 10 to 15 minutes before serving. If desired, top with whole vanilla wafer cookies. Whip 1 more cup whipping cream to firm peaks and use as topping.
NOTE: I doubt the church ladies fussed with something like superfine sugar. You can use regular sugar in this recipe, but it’s easier to mix superfine. If you cannot find superfine sugar, put sugar in a blender and mix on high to break it down to superfine texture.
Where are the lemons? Get real! These were the old days. We didn’t mess with fresh fruit!
About the Author
Chuck Mallory is a Chicago-based writer who hails from small-town America. In the 90s, he was a writer for men’s fitness magazines and currently is at work on a novel for preteens. His first book for preteens, The Owl Motel: And Other Places You Are Not Welcome, was published in 2014. He writes the “Country Cooking” blog for Grit.com and his work has also appeared in Mother Earth News. The big city is not his final destination as he is looking for a small rural farm for a future of gardening and cooking in the country.
Create Your Own Unique Pie!
Does pie making daunt you? Are you wary of deviating from any pie-recipe you find, for fear that you’ll ruin the flavor of the resulting pie?
It doesn’t have to be that way!
Pie-Palooza 2017 is brought to you by Your Perfect Pie, a cookbook that breaks down pies into easily made component parts so you can unleash your pie-making creativity. Available on Amazon in both print and Kindle formats. Grab your copy today and start creating your perfect pie!
Pies are an integral part of English-speaking life. Here in the U.S., you can get your piece of the pie and even have your finger in every pie. If something is quintessentially American, it is as American as apple pie. Your sweetie is a cutie pie. When you make a mistake, you end up eating humble pie. Big dreams are like pie in the sky and simple tasks are as easy as pie.
Mention the word pie and a dozen or more images can fill your brain. There are several restaurants that focus on pies as their signature offering.
In other words, life is full of pie. And a reflection of this is the wide selection of memoirs that use pie as a metaphor or a central focus. Here is a listing of seven pie-related memoirs that you might enjoy reading.
[one_half] A Little Slice of Heaven: A Celebration of Faith, Family, Perseverance, and Pie
by Angela Woodruff Scott and Donald A. Garlock Jr.
Several generations of the Woodruff family have created Woodruff’s Café and Pie Shop, which Southern Living magazine said makes the best apple pie ever. This memoir shares the family’s story of overcoming challenges and finding success in making pies. [/one_half]
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[one_half] Squirrel Pie (and other stories): Adventures in Food Across the Globe
by Elisabeth Luard
Elisabeth Luard, an award-winning writer, and journalist, shares knowledge gained from a lifetime’s worth of experience foraging in the wild. Illustrated with her own black-and-white line drawings and including recipes (including Squirrel Pie), this memoir is a blend of anecdotes and practical advice. [/one_half]
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[one_half] Maman’s Homesick Pie: A Persian Heart in an American Kitchen
by Donia Bijan
This is a story of culture and cuisine. Donia Bijan weaves a story that crosses the globe from Iran to California and shares her culinary journey from Paris to San Francisco. Along the way, you’ll find recipes from her childhood, her French training, and her cooking career. From the memoir’s description, “An exhilarating, heartfelt memoir, Maman’s Homesick Pie is also a reminder of the women who encourage us to shine.” [/one_half]
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[one_half] American Pie: Slices of Life (and Pie) from America’s Back Roads
by Pascale Le Draoulec
This memoir seeks to answer the question, “In today’s fast-paced, take-out-food world, is there a still a place for pie?” The author traveled across the United States to find out. She interviewed pie makers — both famous and infamous — across the country, gleaning from them their stories and recipes. Along the way, she discovers that not only does the mention of homemade pie melt the hardest of hearts, but the quest for pie can have unexpected results. [/one_half]
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[one_half] Pieography: Where Pie Meets Biography-42 Fabulous Recipes Inspired by 39 Extraordinary Women
by Jo Packham
From the memoir’s description: “What kind of pie conveys the experience of starting a new job, getting married, becoming a mom? Over 30 of the country’s top foodies are here to tell you. Each one has devised a pie recipe that captures the essence of her life. Stir in beautiful photography, short essays, and brief bios, and voilá, you’ve got more than a cookbook: you’ve got Pieography.” [/one_half]
[one_half_last] [/one_half_last]
[one_half] Whoopie Pies and Family Ties
by Whoopie Pie Pam Jarrell
Whoopie Pie Pam shares her journey of self-discovery through the lens of the Whoopie Pie.”From the moment Pam laid eyes upon her first Whoopie Pie she has been infatuated with them. In 2001, while shopping in one of her favorite stores – Walnut Creek Cheese, located in Holmes County, Ohio – she purchased her very first package of Chocolate Whoopie Pies. From the first bite, a food obsession began,” claims the book’s description. [/one_half]
[one_half_last] [/one_half_last]
[one_half] American Pies – Baking with Dave The Pie Guy
by David Niall Wilson
David is on a mission to restore pies to their former glory … at least for his family. This book is the result and includes pie history, pie memories and a selection of pie recipes. This book not only provides a humorous memoir, but also a few tips and tricks for baking the perfect fresh-fruit pie. [/one_half]
[one_half_last] [/one_half_last]
Create Your Own Unique Pie!
Does pie making daunt you? Are you wary of deviating from any pie-recipe you find, for fear that you’ll ruin the flavor of the resulting pie?
It doesn’t have to be that way!
Pie-Palooza 2017 is brought to you by Your Perfect Pie, a cookbook that breaks down pies into easily made component parts so you can unleash your pie-making creativity. Available on Amazon in both print and Kindle formats. Grab your copy today and start creating your perfect pie!
Have you ever considered a culinary career? Many people get into food-related businesses because of a general love of food and cooking (that’s partly why I started this blog). Others fall into it after trying something else. Christine Nguyen, founder of Mama Crank’s Pies, was inspired by both paths.
Christine Nguyen, founder of Mama Crank’s Pies
Carma’s Cookery: What drew you to a culinary career in the first place?
Christine Nguyen: I’ve always been interested in food. When I was little, I would pore over my mother’s cookbooks and spend most weekends watching cooking shows on PBS instead of cartoons. Experimenting with food and flavors was always a hobby of mine, but not one I considered a career until a few years going in and out of traditional university. I initially wanted to major in English and be a writer, but was nervous at the idea of such an inconstant muse and unreliable success. So I decided to go into the culinary field because I figured, hey, my muse was hunger and I’d always be hungry.
CC: How did you discover your love of pie making in particular?
CN: I remember making pies a lot in culinary school during pastry classes and enjoying it, but I didn’t do it often professionally once I became a chef. It wasn’t until I was at home on maternity leave after my daughter was born that I really reconnected with my love of pies. It was probably part of a nesting thing.
CC: What about making pies to you enjoy the most?
One of Christine’s creations.
CN: It started with just the soothing element of making and rolling out the dough, but soon I became really interested in putting a distinctive spin on traditional filling flavors. I also loved to make my pies more and more decorative as I really nailed down a great dough recipe. I enjoy making my pies as aethestically pleasing as they are delicious.
CC: How did you found Mama Crunk’s Pies?
CN: I found Mama Crunk’s Pies when I stopped working to stay home with my daughter and realized I could never truly stop working. I started Mama Crunk’s last spring and debuted it at our local Chattanooga Market, which has nearly 3,000 vendors to great success and interest.
CC: Where does your nick name “Crunk” come from?
CN: Crunk is a nickname given to me by friends from college days, shortened from “Crunkstine”. If you look it up on urban dictionary, you can finding the meaning, ha. Basically one who enjoys partaking in the party. “Mama Crunk” came as a natural extension, because by the end of the night, I’d always end up cooking for all my inebriated friends and mothering them with drunk munchies.
CC: What are your favorite pies to make and why?
CN: My favorite pies to make are usually custom orders. I have particular popular pies, like my raspberry and chocolate, salted bourbon caramel apple and blueberry lavender vanilla, that I enjoy to make and eat, but I really like to take the ideas and tastes of a customer and try to figure out how make a pie out of it. For instance, a customer wanted to give his wife a Valentine’s day pie that was a riff on Strawberry Shortcake. So I made a pie covered in hearts with strawberry balsamic compote and lemon marscapone twirl. I love doing stuff like that.
CC: What’s your best tip for pie-making?
CN: Make a great dough and learn how it’s supposed to look and feel. Rely more on your senses than a recipe. Great dough is super easy to make, but rare to find. The key is high-quality ingredients (I’m from the all-butter crust camp, but it’s debatable), super cold ingredients, and knowing when you’ve added enough water (the dough should never be too wet or dry).
CC: Do you sell your pies outside of your hometown? If so, how can someone order them?
CN: I sell my pies outside of Chattanooga, mostly within the Southeast/Mid-Atlantic and parts of the western regions. Check my website, www.mamacrunkspies.com for more information!
Create Your Own Unique Pie!
Does pie making daunt you? Are you wary of deviating from any pie-recipe you find, for fear that you’ll ruin the flavor of the resulting pie?
It doesn’t have to be that way!
Pie-Palooza 2017 is brought to you by Your Perfect Pie, a cookbook that breaks down pies into easily made component parts so you can unleash your pie-making creativity. Available on Amazon in both print and Kindle formats. Grab your copy today and start creating your perfect pie!
By Susieclue (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
By Susieclue (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia CommonsI first had Shepherd’s Pie when I was a toddler in Africa. My father introduced me to the meal. I fell in love at first bite!
Also called a cottage pie, this dish was originally made popular in Europe, but has become a common comfort meal all around the world. It relies on beef, vegetables, and mashed potatoes all combined in one delicious meal.
It’s not your traditional pie … there is no pastry for a crust. In fact, the “crust” is made of meat! This can be made with beef, turkey or lamb.
The “filling” is made primarily of veggies. While there are some standards usually included in a classic shepherd’s pie, don’t be afraid to mix it up. However, some good ingredients to include are peas, carrots and corn. Frozen veggies work perfectly fine with a shepherd’s pie.
The top layer is made from mashed pototoes and cheese. It is a good idea to start prepping the potato layer first, since it takes longer than the other layers. Peel the potatoes, chop them, and then boil them.
Preheat your oven while you are doing this, and then begin chopping your veggies.
Once the potatoes are done, mash them and mix in your butter, milk, and seasonings.
Finally, heat up your ground meat in a skillet. Add in your veggies to the meat mixture with any of your seasonings. Add some flour to thicken it, followed by the remaining ingredients, including tomato paste, sauce and oregano. You can then place this meat mixture in a pan, followed by the potatoes. Let it bake for a few minutes until everything is nice and hot. And the cheese is all melty.
Here’s a more formal recipe for Shepherd’s Pie:
Ingredients
1 1/2 to 2 pounds potatoes (about 3 large potatoes), peeled and quartered
Additional suggested veggies: Cauliflower, brocholi, zucchini, lima beans, mushrooms
Instructions
Place the prepared potatoes in a medium pot. Cover with at least one inch of cold water. Add a teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes or until tender. While they are cooking, start cooking the vegetables and meat.
Melt four tablespoons of butter or coconut oil i a large skillet. Cook chopped onions until tender. Add in garlic and sauté for about two more minutes. Add in the vegetables, one type at a type in oder of how long they take to cook. Carrots first, peas last. Sauté until cooked.
Add in ground meat and cook until no longer pink. Add in seasonings and mix. Add in Worcestershire sauce and broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes, adding more beef broth if necessary to keep the meat from drying out.
When the potatoes are done cooking (you’ll know because you can easily pierce them with a fork can), remove them from the pot and place them in a bowl with the remaining 4 Tbsp of butter. Mash with a fork or potato masher, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Spread the beef, onions, and vegetables in an even layer in a large baking 8″x13″ casserole dish.
Spread the mashed potatoes over the top of the ground beef. Rough up the surface of the mashed potatoes with a fork so there are peaks that will get well browned. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.
Bake in oven until the bottom is browned and bubbling and the cheese on top is melted. This should take about 30 minutes. Broil for the last few minutes to help the top brown.
Create Your Own Unique Pie!
Does pie making daunt you? Are you wary of deviating from any pie-recipe you find, for fear that you’ll ruin the flavor of the resulting pie?
It doesn’t have to be that way!
Pie-Palooza 2017 is brought to you by Your Perfect Pie, a cookbook that breaks down pies into easily made component parts so you can unleash your pie-making creativity. Available on Amazon in both print and Kindle formats. Grab your copy today and start creating your perfect pie!
Thanksgiving is the best time of the year to roll out the pies. A few years back, I used to make about 6 pies, my neighbor’s husband was in Iraq, and I felt bad that she had to spend Thanksgiving without her sweetheart, so I had my husband truck over an apple pie. My other neighbors used to give me Gilfeather turnips and I returned the favor with a pie, and still another couple who were on a fixed budget, I sent a pie. There is something so cathartic about giving.
Paige Gould is a professional chef and mother. She writes articles about the humor in raising a family and being a full-time chef. You can visit her at 
Does pie making daunt you? Are you wary of deviating from any pie-recipe you find, for fear that you’ll ruin the flavor of the resulting pie?
Chuck Mallory is a Chicago-based writer who hails from small-town America. In the 90s, he was a writer for men’s fitness magazines and currently is at work on a novel for preteens. His first book for preteens, The Owl Motel: And Other Places You Are Not Welcome, was published in 2014. He writes the “Country Cooking” blog for Grit.com and his work has also appeared in Mother Earth News. The big city is not his final destination as he is looking for a small rural farm for a future of gardening and cooking in the country.
CC: Where does your nick name “Crunk” come from?