Thanksgiving Eve Meat Pie

 Thanksgiving Eve Meat Pie

Modified From: Yankee Magazine

Makes: 1 meat pie

1 lb ground pork

1 lb ground mild or garlic sausage

1 t salt

1 cups of water

1 t cinnamon

1 t ground cloves

3 cups mashed potatoes 

Pie Crust

1 T whole milk

In a skillet saute pork, sausage, water, and salt until water is gone. 

add all spices when water is gone, stir in completely, and set aside. 

While meat is cooking make your mashed potatoes and pie crust from the recipes below.

Combine the mashed potatoes with the meat mixture. 

Roll our a bottom pie crust put it in a pie pan. Add the potato meat mixture. Roll out another pie crust to top the meat mixture and flute the edges. Brush the milk on top of the pie crust and put vent holes in the top of the pie crust. Bake for about 30 minutes or until pie crust is golden. Remember your filling is already cooked. 

Not Your Grandma's Mashed Potatoes

5 lbs of red potatoes, not peeled and chopped into large chunks (you may use any kind of potatoes, I prefer red potatoes and not peeled. You may peel your potatoes if you choose. I find that peeled potatoes are starchier and sticky.)

Place chopped potatoes into a large kettle. Cover with water. Add 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook on high until you can stick a fork into them without any resistance (this means they are done)

Drain the potatoes completely

Add the following on top of cooked chopped potatoes

1/2 cup salted butter (no fake stuff)

1 cup heavy cream (you can use half and half, whole milk or evaporated milk will work in a pinch but not as good)

2-4 cloves of garlic, pressed (a clove is a single piece of a head of garlic)

pepper to taste

Lowery's seasoning to taste (or just salt again not as good but works in pinch)

Using your hand mixer beat the potatoes and above items until smooth and creamy. If too thick add more heavy creamer.

Place a 1/4 cup of butter on top of potatoes to melt before serving. You can also sprinkle with fresh chopped rosemary and Parmesan to add a little fun and taste.

Pie Crust

3 cups flour

1 cup shortening (Crisco in the block form)

1 teaspoon salt

9 tablespoons of cold water

In a mixing bowl put flour, salt, and shortening. Cut the shortening in with a pastry blender. Do not mix with a spoon it will make the crust tough. Pour the cold water over the mixture and cut into the flour mixture until mixed in. The crust mixture will be crumbly this is good. 

Keep a point try not to touch the dough any more than necessary. The oils from your hands will make the crust tough also.

Take a dishrag and damp-wipe the counter and take two pieces of plastic wrap (not press n seal) and put them on the counter. Divide your dough in half and place it in the center of plastic wrap. Take two more pieces of plastic wrap ( I use the cheap stuff, not name brand) and put on top. Using a rolling pin roll your dough until very about 1/8" thick. remove the top plastic wrap gently. Pick up the bottom plastic wrap and flip the dough into your pie pan. Remove the plastic wrap.