Italiano Meat Pie

Are you like me? Busy with life and little time for cooking a meal that everyone will enjoy and that will be nourishing, as well? I have a reputation in my family of 5 siblings and numerous cousins of being the ONE that doesn't cook. I do believe they all think I can't cook and I like to perpetuate that myth! After all, it saves me from all the headaches of trying to put together a meal when we all get together! I have begun to cook more desserts for our family gatherings and even now that's beginning to be questioned. Is it just me, or am I that bad a cook?

So time is not the primary reason for my looking for easy, quick recipes. It's more than likely my dislike for creating culinary masterpieces! Not that I could!

This recipe was given to me a very long time ago by my sister-in-law. She came from a long line of Italians and she loved to cook. I made a few minor adjustments to fit my life-style and cook it quite often. I use it as my "safe" dish when having company!

Ingredients:

1 or 2 pounds ground beef

1/3 cup chopped green pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped mushrooms

1/2 cup chopped green or black olives

1/4 cup water

6 ounces tomato paste

1 package spaghetti sauce mix

2 Pet Ritz deep-dish pie crusts

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 400°. Brown the ground beef in a heavy skillet, drain, and add green pepper, onion, mushrooms, and olives. Cook 2 or 3 minutes. Stir in the water, tomato paste and spaghetti sauce mix. Cover and simmer approximately 10 minutes. While meat mixture is simmering sprinkle half of the Parmesan cheese over the bottom of two frozen pie shells. Spread half of the meat mixture over the Parmesan cheese in the pie shells. Sprinkle 1 cup of Mozzarella cheese over the meat. Layer remaining meat mixture and Parmesan cheese.

Place the prepared pies on a cookie sheet so it will not spill over onto bottom of oven. Bake in a 350° oven for 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle with Mozzarella cheese. Return to oven until cheese melts. One pie serves six. But I always make 2 pies so we'll have some left the next day!

This freezes well and my entire family loves it. I serve it with a green salad and hot garlic bread and they are happy and satisfied. I made 4 last Christmas and put them in the freezer before my family arrived so I wouldn't have to spend my precious time cooking instead of enjoying the kids.

I hope you'll give this a try, especially if your husband loves Italian food as much as mine does. It's so much better than spaghetti.