Sunday is Pie Day at the Beer House

Well well well. What a lazy Sunday. I hate today because the weekend is over. No fun. At least the monkey didn't fling his poop, and The Bobcat had no accidents. I am not much in the mood for writing, but I will share the recipes for tonight's all pie dinner. Sundays around here end up being pie days more often than not, sometimes Beef Pot Pie and Apple, Quiche and a Blueberry tart, or tonight's menu: Shepherd's Pie and Strawberry Pie for dessert. It is not often that we actually call it 'shepherd's pie' - my mom and I have always called it 'Shepherd's Dummy' or just 'Dummy'. As in "I am just making Dummy tonight." - I think because everyone requests it so often. Mom and I wonder what it is about Dummy that men love so much. I'm sure that if I made it every night James would not complain. My recipe for Dummy is just that: MY recipe....I did not copy it from anywhere and I don't have a plan when I do it, but this is the one my mother made (or as close to it as I could come)

Shepherd's Dummy
1 to 2 lbs ground beef (or lamb or venison)
1 medium onion
salt, pepper, Worcestershire Sauce and garlic powder
1 can creamed corn
1/2 a can or so of corn - I have been using frozen lately, and it works just fine.
3 (?) lbs. of potatoes, mashed

Saute the onion till it is translucent, then add the beef. I have been using ground beef from Jeff Payeur, who raised it himself, and it is a little greasy, so I just do the onions and beef first and then drain it in a colander (a trick I learned from Mary) Then start adding your salt, pepper, a dash or two of the garlic powder, then a turn in the pan of the wooshershisher. Let it cook down a little, then put it in a casserole dish. spread the creamed corn on, then layer on the whole kernel corn. Mash your potatoes however you like. I do butter (maybe 3 tablespoons) salt pepper and milk, but add in mayo sometimes if I don't have enough butter. Don't be turning your nose up! It's actually really good. spread the potatoes on top of the corn and meat. The best way to do this is to blop down some big scoops and then spread it - if you try too hard to spread it it just gets corn all mixed in with your potatoes. spread it all the way to the edge, sealing everything up tight. you can make it all peaky and dab it with butter and sprinkle it with paprika if the Pope is coming over, but as often as not I just let her rip, 375 degree oven for about 1/2 an hour. I also will do it at 400 or 350, depending if I need the oven for something else. SO YUMMY

Now, Strawberry Pie: Get out your pens and write down the best pie crust recipe ever!
4 c flour
2 c shortening
mix those together
in a one cup measure scramble an egg. Add 1 Tsp of vinegar, then fill with water to the top. Add to the flour/shortening mixture and mix until its like dough (you know the drill...add more water if it's too dry, more flour if it's too dry. This makes at least 2 double crusts and is as easy to roll out as playdough - keep leftover in the fridge and pull it out when you need it...trust me - try it and you will LOVE it.

Filling:
2/3 c sugar
1/3 c flour
frozen strawberries (I eyeballed enough to fit in a pie plate) I mixed those three ingredients together and let them sit for maybe 40 minutes before I baked the pie. I used a double crust for this and it was super good, garnering 2221 thumbs up from Harry.

I hope you aren't thinking you are going to get exact recipes from me....I am just telling it like I make it. Be not afraid in your kitchen! You are not going to get fired if something doesn't come out right. Try this pie, it is AWESOME.