CheeseSteak & Bacon Pie

Next in the "What Else Can I Put Into Pie Crust" series...

It is like a cheesesteak sub, in a pie.  Add anything you would order in a steak sub, such as onions, peppers, salami. I used mushrooms and bacon, and WOW was that tasty :)  Bacon is good with lots of things, but really added the right flavor to this recipe.



1.Saute sandwich-shredded beef (most grocery store meat counters will have this). Drain, then add pepper and salt. (I use Montreal Steak seasoning)


2. Saute whatever veggies you might want - pepper, onion, mushrooms, etc.  If you are making Steak Bomb Pie with salami, try slicing the salami into strips and saute a little bit before adding to the pie.




3. Microwave 1 pkg bacon according to package directions.  (trust me on the bacon).  Crumble when cool.



4. Here comes the fun part - Fill pie! 



5. Layer sliced american cheese on top. The cheese really makes the texture come out right, but if you want to do a dairy-free version, use a small jar of brown gravy instead.





6. The top crust will come out better if you put some or all of the crumbled bacon between the cheese and the top crust.  If the crust touches the cheese it gets stuck to it and won't rise.





7. Bake @ 350 for 40 minutes, covering the crust edge with foil after 20 minutes.  Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes (if you can hold off that long).

make-your-own Moo Shu Pork!

 I love Moo Shu, and wanted to find an easy way to make it at home.  You might not be able to use the Express Lane with this many ingredients, or you can just be one of "those" people who do it anyway.

 1. In large saute pan or wok, cook 1# ground pork or turkey. Drain, and remove to bowl.





2. In same pan, saute whatever mushrooms you like in 1 tsp olive oil until moisture has evaporated.  Put them in the bowl too.  I used sliced shittakes and one drained can of straw mushrooms.

3. Back to that same pan again - saute one sweet bell pepper, sliced thin, and one package of shredded cabbage with 1 tsp garlic and 2 tsp ginger.

 4. Prepare sauce:
     3 tbsp hoisin sauce
     2 tbsp soy sauce
     1 tsp sesame oil
    

 5. Stir sauce, meat, and mushrooms into pan with veggies.

6. Serve with plum sauce and warmed tortillas (unless your store has the rice wraps that restaurants use).



Variation ideas:

  scrambled egg
  peanuts
  bean sprouts
  shrimp
  tofu

Antipasto is Awesome!

From wikipedia: Antipasto (plural antipasti) , often spelled and/or pronounced as antipasta (antipasta salad), means "before the meal" and is the traditional first course of a formal Italian meal. Traditional antipasto includes cured meats, olives, peperoncini, mushrooms, anchovies, artichoke hearts, various cheeses (such as provolone or mozzarella), pickled meats and vegetables (both in oil or in vinegar).



It is really just marinated bite-sized meats, cheeses, and veggies, so you could use any that you prefer.  This is what I used:

Stick pepperoni, sliced
Salami, cut into cubes
Smoked gouda, cubed
German butter cheese, cubed
Fresh mozzarella balls
Olives, green and black greek, drained
Marinated mushrooms in oil
Marinated slices of cherry pepper
1 bottle italian dressing

Mix all ingredients.  Allow to marinade at least overnight; two days if possible. Shake container occasionally to distribute marinade.

Seriously, you just buy all these goodies and throw together in a container for a day or so.  Then enjoy the awesomeness!



Serve with toothpicks or on lettuce with fresh veggies.  You could also use ham cubes, proscuitto pieces, artichoke hearts, three-bean salad; anything goes!

Marinate & Penetrate 2 - Chicken Skewers

Try coating the chicken pieces with olive oil before skewering - it keeps the juices in and the meat will char enough to give flavor without being burned.

Easiest Chicken Marinade - just cut up the chicken pieces into a covered container or zipper storage bag, and add olive oil, soy sauce, and crushed garlic. (I buy the pre-crushed kind in a jar)  Let marinade for 30 minutes before skewering.  Grill on medium heat for 20+ minutes depending on size.


My thoughtful cousin gifted us with this grill basket.  It is terrific for veggies or seafood that you would normally cook on foil to keep from dropping through the grill grids.

I stuffed these huge mushrooms with a mix of butter, italian breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, crumbled bacon and chives. Mushrooms work out quite well on the grill - the moisture is able to drain away, leaving a nice solid texture to the mushroom.