Barbara Bretton: Wish You Were Here

What's Cooking?

My Mother's Hamburger Pie

Sometimes I'm amazed that my parents lived together in such harmony for over 50 years. She was a night owl; my dad is a day person. She loved fresh air and sunshine; he could be happy staying indoors his whole life. She enjoyed salads, vegetables, and lots of Tabasco; he never met a chop he didn't like.

This is one of those recipes that my dad loved and she could happily live without. It dates back to the mid-1970s when beef still ruled and cholesterol was something the other guy worried about.

Ingredients:

1 can Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup
1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 cup fine breadcrumbs
2 T chopped parsley
1/4 t salt
2 cups mashed potatoes
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
dash of cayenne pepper

Mix thoroughly 1/2 cup soup, raw beef, onion, egg, bread crumbs, parsley, and seasonings. Press firmly into a 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes; spoon off any fat that might accumulate. Frost with mashed potatoes; top with remaining soup and grated cheese. Bake 10 minutes more or until done. (35 minutes doesn't sound long enough to me; use your own judgment here.) Garnish with cooked sliced bacon (neatly turning this recipe into a heart attack on a plate.)

Eat now; repent at leisure!