Cowboy Pie

You first have to say: Wait. What is Cowboy Pie? I certainly wasn’t sure when I first came across this original recipe, but now it makes perfect sense! It’s a Tex-Mex version of Sheppard’s Pie. You’re cooking up your beef with peppers and chili powder (or even can add taco seasoning or salsa), then topping it with creamy mashed potatoes and cheese. Just sayin’, why have I not thought of this sooner?

Ingredients:
1 lb Yukon Gold Potatoes (or so), cubed
1 tbsp oil
1 Banana Pepper & 1 Jalapeño Pepper (but adjust to serranos or what you like), minced
2 Green Onions, separated, sliced
2 zucchini, diced
1 lb ground Beef
2 tbsp Chili Powder
2 tbsp taco sauce/salsa
1/4 cup milk, warmed
1/4 cup Sour Cream
2 tbsp butter
Salt to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

In large pot, cover cubed potatoes with cold, salted water. Boil until cooked through. (I like to cover it until they come to a boil, then take the lid off and let simmer. The size of your potato is going to affect your cooking time, so make sure you’re testing that they are just fork-tender before taking them off the heat. About 10-15 minutes.)

Preheat Boiler.

While your potatoes are boiling, in a saute pan, heat oil. Add minced peppers, whites of the green onions, and zucchini. Cook for about 3-5 minutes until started to turn soft.

Add beef, chili powder & salt, breaking it up and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning. (If you want to have a little sauce, add some water, stock, or salsa at this point. I added about 1/8 cup chicken stock and 2 tbsp salsa.) Simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning and remove from the heat. (beef should be in an oven safe pan at this point.)

When potatoes are cooked, drain and return to pot. Cover to keep warm.

Mash potatoes with some milk, butter, sour cream, and salt to taste. Adjust milk until the consistency that you like.

Spread mashed potatoes on top of beef mixture, leaving a little bit of a gap around the edges. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese. Broil until bubbling, about 3 minutes.

Sprinkle green parts of the green onions on top before serving warm.

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