Superbowl Sunday Funday - Chili Pot Pie

Whether you're ecstatic that the Giants are playing, still crying about that devastating Packers loss two weeks ago, or one of those few who live hermetic lives and aren't really sure what this "big game" is all about, one thing is clear - you'll probably end up consuming some sort of chili this weekend.

Not being one to ever shy away from a national trend, I am here to add but one more recipe to the ridiculously-sized pile of "Super Bowl Sunday Chili Recipes" by giving you the Pies Etc. version - the Chili Pot Pie.

Disclaimer: I put together this recipe by pulling from a bunch of different sources - Guy Fieri's Dragon Breath Chili (he seems like a guy who knows his chili), the drunken frat-boy sounding Fritos Pie Remix (which I considered making, but then realized that I am not in college anymore and that some things just aren't appealing when you're not drinking entire fishbowls with names like "red" or "blue") and a recipe my mother sent me simply titled "Steve's Chili." I'm not too sure who this Steve is and why my mother is so devoted to his chili, but that's another story. 

Ingredients 
Chili
2 tbsp butter
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped green peppers
1 clove garlic, diced
1 lb. ground beef
8 oz. tomato sacue
8-10 oz. diced tomatoes - I used Del Monte with Zesty Jalapenos
8-10 oz. red kidney beans
6-8 oz. beer - I used Coor's Light. Because that's what was in the fridge. 
Spices to taste:
***There are millions of combinations one can use for chili; I threw in a few handfuls of each of these:
- Worcestershire sauce
- Paprika
- Crushed red pepper
- Mrs. Dash Fiesta seasoning
- Black pepper
- Cumin
8 oz. Elbow macaroni
4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
Unbaked pie crust, enough for bottom and top of 5-in. oven-safe pot pie dish (see my recipe here!)

How to 
Heat butter in a large pot, add onions, garlic and green peppers until soft, about 5 minutes.

Add ground beef and fully cook until brown

Add the spices. This is where you get creative! My system consists of adding spices until I like the smell of what's cooking. Smarter, more well-trained chefs might not agree with this lax level of consistency, but so far it's suited me well.

Stir in the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes.

Carefully pour in the beer. Drink the rest of the can.

Add the beans, stir completely. Cover, simmer on low for approximately 90 minutes or until the dish is reduced to taste (it'll be pretty liquid-y at first.)

While the chili is simmering, cook the macaroni and prep the pie dough.

When the chili is reduced to your liking, remove from heat and add the cooked macaroni.
   ***Note of interest - I grew up in a household that put macaroni in our chili. I have since learned that this is an oddity amongst chili connoisseurs, but trust me - it's good.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Place the bottom crust in the oven-safe pie pan and pierce with a fork.

Add the macaroni/chili mix

Cover with shredded cheese

Top with remaining pie crust, seal edges of both crusts together. Use any leftover dough to cut out your team's logo to add as decoration. If you like, brush the top crust with an egg. For this particular experience, I brushed the top crust with a little juice from the remaining chili (I only made one pot pie and had quite a bit of extra meat).

Cook for about 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown

Please know that I am fully aware of the ridiculousness of this recipe. It's not healthy. It's like seven different dishes in one. I don't even want to think of the calorie count. However, sometimes it's fun to celebrate silly things like Super Bowl Sunday with new and delicious recipes, and this chili pot pie is pretty tasty.