Fauxberry Pie

I made this for supper on April Fool's Day. While the kids weren't quite fooled into believing that this was really a pie, we did think that it had a pretty good taste. Beau was also still not fooled into believing that mashed potatoes are any good, even when they are pink! :)



Fauxberry Pie
(recipe found in Family Fun)

"Chocolate Filling"
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon dark molasses
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2/3 cup bread crumbs
1 1/4 pounds ground beef
1 egg, lightly beaten
frozen pie shell

"Whipped Cream Topping"
2 pound baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
salt
1/2 cup canned sliced beets, not pickled
1/4 cup (or more) warm milk
4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

Heat oven to 350. In a small saucepan, combine the barbecue sauce, milk, molasses, cocoa and chili powder. Set the pan over medium heat and whisk the mixture until it's lukewarm and the cocoa is completely dissolved. Set aside to cool. In a medium size pan, saute the onion in the oil until it's transparent, about 7 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk together the salt, celery salt, pepper and bread crumbs. Add the beef, egg, sauce mixture and onion. Thoroughly mix the ingredients using your hands or a wooden spoon. Transfer beef mixture to the shell, spreading it evenly with a spoon. Bake it until the meat is cooked through, about 60 minutes.

While the pie is baking, prepare the mashed potato topping. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and add enough water to completely submerge them. Lightly salt the water, cover the pot and bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and cook the potatoes at a low boil until they are tender, about 12 minutes. Meanwhile, puree the beets with 1/4 cup of warm milk in a blender until only small bits of beets are left in the mixture. Set aside. Drain the potatoes and transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Add butter and pureed beets and use the electric mixer to whip the mixture until it is smooth and fluffy. Add more milk, if needed, and salt to taste. Spread the topping over the cooked meat pie with a spatula, as you would whipped cream. Slice and serve the pie while potatoes are still hot.

Serves: 8
Points: 11