Pasties

Several years ago, I was a working mom.  All I really wanted to be was a stay at home mom and full time homemaker.  I'd had just enough of working full time, cleaning full time and parenting and being a wife part time at best.  My favorite downtime was spent before the television watching video taped home decorating and homestyle shows.  One of my favorite was Katie Brown's program.  One of the things I liked about her program was the home crafts and the easy delicious recipes. 

After a hard day at work, a frustrating evening as homemaker, mom and wife, it was very comforting to see someone making a home in the way I'd always dreamed of doing it.  Well my day finally came and that notebook full of ideas and recipes was right there with me.  I breathed a deep sigh of relief and began to cook and clean and declutter, to chauffeur kids from one event to another, to wrangle with a straining budget and to be a full time wife as well.  It was all marvelous.

Homecooked meals were a real joy and of course crafting, too.  But most of all, I was excited to finally get to put to use all those recipes I'd been collecting over the years.  This recipe for Pasties was one that we kept and used over and over again.  It was easy enough, hearty, filling and not expensive.  I usually served the pasties with coleslaw or a salad, apple slices or oranges.  I'm sharing the original recipe, but leftovers work well as pasties too: cooked corned or roast beef, leftover meatloaf, chopped diced cooked chicken or turkey all work well. 

Pasties

prepared recipe for 2 crust pastry or 1 pkg of refrigerated pie crusts

1 large potato, cubed

1 sm minced onion

1/2 pound ground beef

salt and pepper to taste

Mix the raw beef with the vegetables.  Pat into rough rounds, dividing into four portions.  Roll out room temperature pastry rounds, and cut each in half.  Place one round of beef on one side of each piece of pantry.  Fold over the pastry and use a fork to crimp the edges.  Place on foil lined baking sheet.  Pierce top to allow steam to escape and bake at 350F until pastry is golden brown  about 40 minutes.  These keep well for packing in lunches as well.