Cheeseburger Pie

Here is a really yummy meal that is a huge hit with my family. I originally got the recipe from my Betty Crocker cookbook, but it calls for Bisquick mix and that is one thing that is on my "yucky no, no list." Bisquick has a lot of transfats and other gross stuff in it so, after A LOT of experimenting, I came up with my own version of "Bisquick" and my own version of cheeseburger pie. And if I do say so myself, it is better than the Betty Crocker version!

Cheeseburger Pie

• 1 lb ground turkey (you can use ground beef if you want)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. italian seasoning
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup pureed butternut squash
• 3/4 cup barbecue sauce
• 1 tbsp. granulated garlic
• 2 cups grated cheese, divided (I used a mixture of jack, cheddar and parmesan but you can use whatever cheese you like)
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• 2 1/2 tbsp. baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 1/8 cups flour
• 2 1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a LARGE casserole dish with cooking spray (make sure it has plenty of room or it will spill over in the oven). In a large skillet iwth deep sides, cook the onion and garlic until translucent then add the ground turkey and cook about 5 minutes or until no longer pink. Add the italiah seasoning, the barbecue sauce and the squash and 1 cup of the cheese and cook another 3 minutes or so until heated through and the cheese is melted. While the meat mixture is cooking, mix the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together until smooth and no lumps remain. Pour the meat mixture into the casserole dish then pour the batter mixture over. Carefully mix the meat and batter together so that the batter sinks into the meat. Sprinkle with the other cup of cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

This is a really easy meal to change up. For example, replace the barbecue sauce with a jar of salsa and add some black beans and green chilies and you have taco pie. Add diced tomatoes, cannellini beans, a little tomato paste, and use mozzarella cheese to make it Italian pie. Sometimes I add some chopped green pepper.

Enjoy everyone! Until tomorrow, happy and HEALTHY cooking!