Tasty Hamburger Pie

When I was a little girl, my mother used to make this recipe for our family fairly frequently. It was one of my favorites. The first time she cooked it, I asked her what it was. "Hamburger pie," she answered. "It's kind of like pizza, with a meatloaf  crust. You'll like it." She was right. I loved it, and so did my dad and brothers. I made this early yesterday morning. It's been too hot to cook here, so I work while it's still cool.  It's a quick, easy meal, and it only needs to be in the oven for a total of thirty minutes. The onions and tomato juice give it a nice flavor.

Tasty Hamburger Pie

1 onion
1 lb. canned tomatoes (reserve 1/2 cup of juice)
1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 clove garlic
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp. parsley
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated

Drain tomatoes, reserving 1/2 cup of the juice. Combine ground beef, salt, pepper, garlic, chopped onion, breadcrumbs, and tomato juice. Press into 9" pie pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Add chopped tomatos. Sprinkle with parsley, oregano, and cheese. Return to oven and bake for 15 minutes longer.

My mom told me once, "You cook for yourself like you're cooking for a family." It's true. I love to make all of my favorite recipes that she made for us when we were growing up. I store the leftovers, and heat them up on my vintage stove. That gives me several more meals. This way I don't have to cook every night. It's nice to enjoy a dish that's delicious, healthy, and nutritious. Often I will eat leftovers all week. I love having personally prepared meals that are ready to eat.  It makes my life simple, easy, and comfortable.